Image by Michael Daugherty

In this series, contemporary music paired with classical repertoire highlight the CSO's brilliant musicians as soloists.

Expect audience interaction and educational aspects. Casual, Educational, Contemporary.

No rock and roll personality has inspired as much speculation as Elvis. "Dead Elvis", written by American composer Michael Daugherty and first performed in 1993, fuses classical with rock and blues to tell how the gyrating rock star sold his soul to Hollywood and the devil for fame as played by a bassoonist. Expect pop culture references from a guy who has written elegies to Liberace, Jackie O, and Route 66. But the funniest part will be the bassoonist playing in costume.

It fits perfectly with the program’s other half–Stravinsky’s 1918 "The Soldier’s Tale", whose hero also strikes a deal with the man with the red horns - a fiddle for a book on the economic future (wouldn't we all like that today!). "The Soldier's Tale" is a theatrical piece -- meant to be read, played and danced.  The Charleston Symphony is joined by local celebrity radio talk show host, Richard Todd, narrating the piece and talented actors and founders of PURE Theatre, Sharon Graci and Rodney Lee Rogers, playing the Soldier and the Devil. It will prove to be a wonderfully theatrical and colorful evening!

Tickets are $25; Student tickets to all CSO performances are $5. February 11, 7 p.m., Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain Street.

Bohuslav Rattay, Guest Conductor
Richard Todd, Radio Talk Show Host, Guest Narrator 
Sharon Graci, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of PURE Theatre Founder, Guest Actor
Rodney Lee Rogers, Co- Founder of PURE Theatre, Guest Actor 

Michael Daugherty (1954 -  )  "Dead Elvis"
Igor Stravinksy (1882 - 1971) "The Soldier’s Tale"