Sound of Charlotte Blog
Five Must-See Concerts of the 2023-24 Season
September 6, 2023
Anticipation is building as we get closer to the start of our 2023-24 season! With such an incredible lineup of concerts, choosing where to begin might seem overwhelming. But don't worry, we're here to help! Here are five concerts that deserve a special spot on your calendar:
An Evening with Renée Fleming
September 20 | Belk TheaterLovingly referred to as "the people's diva," Renée Fleming is one of the most beloved and celebrated singers of our time -- and she's returning to Charlotte for the first time in nearly 20 years! In this one-night-only event, led by Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green, Ms. Fleming performs favorites from La Bohème and The Sound of Music alongside Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs, which she hails as "the greatest piece written for soprano and orchestra."
Renee Fleming performs "Beim Schlafengehen" from Strauss' Four Last Songs
The Hot Sardines
November 10-11 | Knight TheaterThis group puts the "hot" in hot jazz! Think Harlem Renaissance cabarets and New Orleans speakeasies with a touch of cigar smoke and Parisian "je ne sais quoi." The Hot Sardines offer a mix of standards and modern-day hits, brought to life with brassy horn arrangements, rollicking piano, and incredible vocals by Miz Elizabeth.
The Hot Sardines - "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen"
Verdi's Requiem
November 17-18 | Belk TheaterThe raw power of Verdi's Requiem -- with more than 70 musicians and a choir of over 100 -- will blow you right back in your seat when Kwamé Ryan joins the Charlotte Symphony and Charlotte Master Chorale to conduct this musical tour de force. Verdi's Requiem is full of contrasts, from the sublime lyricism of the opening movement to the sheer terror of its infamous "Dies irae."
Verdi Requiem - "Dies irae"
Beauty and the Beast in Concert
January 12-13 | Oven AuditoriumRelive the enchantment of Belle and the Beast's timeless journey and share the magic of this Disney classic with your little ones! Alan Menken's Academy Award-winning score, including "Tale as Old as Time" and "Be Our Guest," will come to life when performed by the Charlotte Symphony in sync with the full-length film. Get there a few minutes early to grab some popcorn and enjoy the show!
Beauty and the Beast - "Be Our Guest"
Jennifer Koh Plays Mazzoli
January 19-20, 2024 | Knight TheaterThis all-American program takes us from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the open ranges of the Old American West with Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain Suite and Aaron Copland's Billy the Kid Suite. Violinist Jennifer Koh, known for her intense and commanding performances, brings her dazzling virtuosity to Missy Mazzoli's Violin Concerto, Procession, which will lead you on a music journey through five healing spells based on the healing rituals of the Middle Ages.
Missy Mazzoli's new Violin Concerto "Procession," written for Jennifer Koh
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A Spooky Halloween with Your Charlotte Symphony
October 5, 2022This fall, the Charlotte Symphony presents two events guaranteed to get you in the Halloween spirit: Jordan Peele's ground-breaking social thriller GET OUT in Concert, with Michael Abels' award-winning score performed live to the complete film, and Symphony Spooktacular, a frightfully fun family concert featuring eerie tunes about trolls, magic, witches, and dancing.
GET OUT in Concert
November 4 | Belk Theater
The Charlotte Symphony, led by conductor Thiago Tiberio, presents social thriller GET OUT -- the revolutionary film by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jordan Peele. This heart-pounding movie takes you on the journey of a young African-American man who visits his white girlfriend's family estate and uncovers a sinister reason for the invitation.
Composer Michael Abels incorporates the African-American voice in the film and created a new genre called "gospel horror." Below you can hear the eerie Swahili vocals and gospel undercurrents of the main theme, Sikilza Kwa Wahenga. According to the composer, these sounds are intended to act as ghostly echoes of dead slaves and those who were lynched, sending a warning to the main character to "listen to the ancestors."
Symphony Spooktacular
October 22 | Knight Theater
Dress up in your favorite Halloween costume and join your Charlotte Symphony for a macabre morning of frightful fun for the whole family! Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees will lead the Symphony in some seriously spooktacular music like Coleridge Taylor's Conjurer's Dance, Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King, and magical music from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. PLUS: wear your best costume for a chance to win tickets to a future Family series concert!
Prepare yourself for this paranormal program with a clip from Disney's Fantasia featuring Mussorgsky's spine-chilling Night on Bald Mountain.
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5 Exciting holiday experiences with your CSO this season
October 29, 2019The Holidays are just around the corner, which means the return of time-honored traditions and the making of new ones. From acrobatics above the orchestra to snow in the theater, check out these five exciting experiences that you can have, only with your CSO.
1. Snow in the Knight Theater
You may already be familiar with the CSO's annual Magic of Christmas, but did you know that it snows in the theater following the concert? Featuring a visit from Santa, audience sing-alongs and your favorite holiday music, this longstanding Charlotte tradition combines this year with Carolina Voices' The Singing Christmas Tree December 13-21.
2. Acrobatics above the orchestra
When the circus comes to town, they don't mess around. Cirque de Noel on December 28 at Belk Theater will include stunning aerial feats that will wow the whole family.3. Dancing on stage for New Year's Eve
The party has moved to the Belk Theater this year to accommodate more room for the post-concert festivities. Swing into the New Year with style with Gershwin's famous Rhapsody in Blue, followed by champagne, desserts, a live jazz band, and a countdown to midnight.
4. Halleluja!
Handel's Messiah returns this year by popular demand. The CSO will perform this beautiful, dramatic work featuring the Hallelujah Chorus with the Charlotte Master Chorale and four soloists on December 6 & 7 at Knight Theater.
5. Watch Kevin get left Home Alone
Part of the CSO's Movie Series, the orchestra will perform the soundtrack to this delightful holiday classic live in sync with the film projected on a large screen above orchestra. Don't miss it on November 29 at Belk Theater. Read moreFun Facts about Back to the Future
May 23, 2018Before you join us on June 22 for Back to the Future: Movie in Concert, check out these fun facts about the movie!
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1. In the early drafts of Back to the Future, the time machine was made out of an old refrigerator. |
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2. Princess Diana attended the London premiere in 1985. |
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3. Ronald Reagan quoted Back to the Future in his 1986 State of the Union Address: "Where we're going, we don't need roads." |
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4. John DeLorean wrote Back to the Future co-creator Bob Gale a letter thanking him for "keeping my dream alive." |
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5. Worried that people would shun a film with the word "future" in the title, one studio executive tried to have the name changed to Spaceman from Pluto. |
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