Longmont Symphony Orchestra to Perform Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale” at Longmont Museum Thursday

The Longmont Symphony Orchestra (LSO) will perform Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) at the Longmont Museum on March 20 at 7 p.m. The performance is part of the museum’s Thursday Nights at the Museum series, which includes “adult art and sip classes,” exhibits, film, live music, and conversations in the 250-seat Stewart Auditorium. Many of the programs within the series take inspiration from the museum’s current Picasso exhibition.

L’Histoire du Soldat was composed in 1918 as a theatrical work that blends music and narration. It tells the story of a soldier who trades his violin to the devil in exchange for a book that predicts the future, leading to unintended consequences. The composition features a range of early 20th-century musical genres like jazz, tango, waltz, and more. A narrator will join the LSO for the spoken elements of the performance. The show usually runs about 60 minutes.

The Longmont Symphony Orchestra has been part of Longmont’s cultural scene since 1966 and has been under the leadership of Music Director Elliot Moore since 2017. The orchestra “envisions a world where music is a catalyst that deepens awareness of our shared humanity through artistic collaboration that enriches Longmont and makes it the best place in Colorado to live.” It presents about 15 performances per year.

The performance will give Longmont residents the opportunity to experience a unique blend of storytelling and music through this collaboration between the LSO and the Longmont Museum. Tickets for the concert can be purchased online and cost $18 for adults and $12 for museum members. 

A needle-felting “art and sip” class will also happen at the museum on Thursday as part of Longmont Museum’s Thursday Nights at the Museum series. Two classes will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., respectively. The class costs $40.