The Santa Barbara Symphony to kick off their 70th Anniversary Season with Carmina Burana in local artistic collaboration

Santa Barbara, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Symphony is opening their 70th season this coming weekend in collaboration with several local arts organizations. They will feature a crowd favorite, Carl Orff's cantata, Carmina Burana. The piece features orchestra, chorus, soloists, and dancers. A children's choir will also join the tour-de-force concert.

Carmina Burana is based on a medieval manuscript of poems, ranging in topics from gambling to love to crusades. It will be performed in collaboration with the State Street Ballet, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Quire of Voyces, and the Music Academy's Sing! children's choir.

Symphony Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti said the performance will feature around 170 performers on stage at the Granada Theater. William Soleau, State Street Ballet Co-Artistic Director, will debut new choreography.

The program also includes Gabriel Fauré's Pavane, Op. 50 and Camille Saint-Saens' Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah. The former also includes a ballet presentation.

Kabaretti said the musicians and dancers have been practicing for this event for months, and that collaboration is important to the organization. Carmina Burana only comes around every few years, so it's a special opportunity for fans of the work.

Carmina Burana will be held October 15th and 16th at the Granada Theater, and is part of the Granada Synergy Series. Tickets for this performance and others this season are available on the symphony website.