Ocala Symphony Orchestra kicks off fall season with Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale

The Ocala Symphony Orchestra has announced three performances for the 2020 fall season. The season opens Oct. 17 with Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale and is followed by Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons on Nov. 21 and finally the holiday celebration Symphony Under the Lights on Dec. 4.

Here is a look at each:

The Soldier’s Tale, Oct. 17

Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale feature members of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, Joshua Mazur as narrator and a special collaboration with Dance Alive National Ballet. Tickets are $25-$35 for adults and $10 for students.

Written in 1918 near the end of World War I and at the height of the Spanish Flu pandemic, the premise of Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale will sound familiar to fans of Charlie Daniels Band’s The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Narrator and dancer navigate the audience through this 60-minute story accompanied by live musicians.

The community can learn more about this piece during Coffee with the Conductor at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 at the Reilly Arts Center. Maestro Matthew Wardell will talk about The Soldier’s Tale, composer Igor Stravinsky, and why he chose the piece. The event is free and open to the public.

Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, Nov. 21

Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons will feature OSO concertmaster Stewart Kitts, and the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. Max Richter (composer for Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt and HBO’s The Leftovers) offers a 21st century view of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Tickets are $30-$20 for adults,  $10 for students.

According to the Symphony Orchestra, “The project presents an exciting opportunity to make favorite classics relevant to a wider audience,” adding that Max Richter’s approach differs fundamentally from the preceding releases: He is the first in the series to employ an existing score, ‘inscribe’ his new composition into Vivaldi’s and record a new version of a familiar work, creating a hybrid work

“Vivaldi’s music is made of regular patterns, and that connects with post-minimalism, which is one strand in the music that I write,” Richter says. “That felt like a natural link, but even so it was surprisingly difficult to navigate my way through it. At every point I had to work out how much is Vivaldi and how much is me. It was difficult but also rewarding because the raw material is so fascinating.”

Symphony Under the Lights, Dec. 4

The Ocala Symphony Orchestra continues its holiday tradition Symphony Under the Lights, presented by Jenkins Auto Group. This concert is free and open to the public and takes place on the Jenkins Open Air Theatre. The concert will feature holiday favorites and some new surprises for the whole family, according to an OSO press release.

To learn more information and purchase tickets visit www.reillyartscenter.com or call 352-351-1606. Box Office hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. The Reilly Arts Center continues to operate at a reduced capacity to provide comfort and safety for guests and artists. When attending indoor performances  guests can currently choose their own seats in pairs of two. Guests may contact the box office if they would like to expand their party to a group of three and four and remain socially distanced from other parties.