Christmas rapping

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As you can tell from my theatre calendar, this is the week when some local groups are opening their Christmas presents for you. What are critics saying about them? Read on.

The closest thing to a traditional Christmas show right now is surely Black Nativity at The Black Rep. A free adaptation of and expansion upon the Langston Hughes classic of the same name, Black Nativity is really two shows in one, as Steve Callahan notes in his review for 88.1 KDHX. "The first half," he writes, "is almost an oratorio on the birth of Jesus. The stage is constantly full of bright movement and dance as we see Mary and Joseph on their familiar journey...The songs are a vivid patchwork of styles—from Handel's 'Joy to the World' to vibrant African folk-songs to a wonderful Reggae version of the 'Late-Night Shepherd's Blues' in which a shepherd bemoans that his woman done left him...The second half of the evening is probably the best Christmas cabaret you'll ever see."

Post-Dispatch critic Judy Newmark mostly agrees. "If your family enjoys entertainment at this time of the year," she writes, "consider the Black Rep for a show at once traditional and fresh." Black Nativity runs through December 22nd at the Black Rep's new home at the intimate (230 seat) Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University. For more information: theblackrep.org.

Over at Clayton Community Theatre they're observing the holidays not with a big celebration but rather with Room at the Inn, a drama by local playwright Steve Pokin that gets back to the real roots of the season, when the winter solstice was a time to celebrate fellowship and push back the darkness—both literal and metaphorical. "It's Christmas Eve," reads the synopsis from First Run Theatre's premiere of the show back in 2008, "and a deadly winter storm has slammed the Chicago area. Roads are closed and the wind chill is on the far side of zero. Only Jake, the volunteer site manager, and one other church volunteer are able to make it to the homeless shelter. Nevertheless, the bus carrying the 40 homeless 'guests' arrives. There is no dinner, the person supposed to deliver it is probably in a ditch off an icy road. Room at the Inn is about the struggle to make it through this one night, despite assorted challenges and the threat of violence."

"The writer shows a solid ability to present these homeless characters as mostly dignified people who have ended up on the wrong side of fortune," wrote Mark Bretz in a Ladue News review of that first production. "The play is admirable," wrote Dennis Brown in the Riverfront Times back then, "both in its intent and the way it skirts polemics." Performances are this Friday and Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 2 PM at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

Photo: John Lamb

At pretty much the other end of the spectrum is Stray Dog Theatre's The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod The Nut And The Slaughter Of 12 Hit Carols In A Pear Tree, which runs through the 21st. The company's web site describes the show as a "touching, funny, and highly imaginative retelling of the Christmas story complete with talking animals, a feminist-leaning Mary, a jealous Joseph, a fast-talking sheep, and one loud-mouthed overbearing tree. Created by one of America's major dramatists, this Christmas cartoon mixed with psychological realism brings new relevance to its timeless subject."

That "major dramatist" is William Gibson, best known for The Miracle Worker, the oft-seen play about the young Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan. Written in 1975, Butterfingers Angel has gotten good notices is earlier productions, including a one in Washington, D.C. in 2008 that moved Washington Post critic Nelson Pressley to praise the non-comic aspects of the script. "The dramatic passages," he wrote, "are actually quite good, right down to an unexpected image of sacrifice near the climax. Slipperier by far are Gibson's lightness and gentle humanity -- the butterfingers bits."

The Stray Dog production has gotten its share of praise as well. Over at Vital Voice, for example, Andrea Braun calls it "a lovely holiday gift from one of St. Louis's consistently finest and most popular theatre companies" "If you're looking to take tradition in a somewhat non-traditional direction this holiday season," writes Laura Kyro at 88.1 KDHX, "try Stray Dog's 'The Butterfingers Angel'." Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, a church which is now Stray Dog's Home. The stained glass should provide a nice visual backdrop for this left-of-center look at Christmas legends. For more information: straydogtheatre.org.

On an even less traditional note, the two major murder mystery dinner theatre companies in town are observing the holidays in their own way. The Bissell Mansion on the near north side presents A Christmas Killing through the 31st while down on the south side the Lemp Mansion hosts its annual Christmas Show through the end of the year. For more information on the former, check out bissellmansiontheatre.com; for the latter, it's lempmansion.com.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 9, 2013

Updated Tuesday, December 10th

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

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Tesseract Theatre Company presents Wendy-Marie Martin's comedy An Almost Perfect Murder Thursday and Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 4 PM, December 12, 13, and 15. Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission on Delmar, across from the Pageant. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration through December 22. "Conceived and directed by Ron Himes, the first act tells a moving and traditional African Nativity story, while the second act swings into the season with joy and reverence." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University. For more information: theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents William Gibson's The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod The Nut And The Slaughter Of 12 Hit Carols In A Pear Tree Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 1, with an extra 2 PM matinee on the 21st. “A touching, funny, and highly imaginative retelling of the Christmas story complete with talking animals, a feminist-leaning Mary, a jealous Joseph, a fast-talking sheep, and one loud-mouthed overbearing tree. Created by one of America's major dramatists, this Christmas cartoon mixed with psychological realism brings new relevance to its timeless subject.” Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Killing through December 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Alton Little Theater presents A Christmas Pudding Thursday through Sunday, December 12-15, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents its Christmas Show through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

New Jewish Theater presents the one-woman show Hannah Shenesh through December 22. The play is based on the dairies of Senesh, who worked with a British para-military group to rescue Hungarian Jews during World War II. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Dramatic License Productions presents A Holiday Musical Revue Friday through Sunday, December 12-15. “What begins as a weekly meeting with an old professor results in a series of life lessons that Mitch, and the audience, will never forget.” Performances take place at Dramatic License Theatre located at the upper level of Chesterfield Mall (near Sears and across from Houlihan's Restaurant). For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit dramaticlicenseproductions.org.

HotCity Theatre presents Kosher Lutherans by William Missouri Downs through December 21. “Hanna and Franklyn, childless Jews in L.A., find themselves in a STICKY situation on the first night of Hanukah - for this is when they first meet the innocent young woman whose baby they will be adopting, who hails from the Bible Belt and doesn't realize they're Jewish! The couple hastily pose as Lutherans to appeal to the girl's “Christian” sensibilities ... with hysterical and touching results!” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The West End Players Guild and the Missouri History Museum present The Medal of Honor Rag through December 15. “ Two guilty survivors of war, a psychiatrist and an African-American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service, verbally spar as they discuss the horrors that have traumatized them both.” Performances take place at The Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org.
Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap through December 29. “The Grande Dame of suspense weaves a clever mystery that will keep you guessing till the very end. The guests at Monkswell Manor are snowed in with a murderer in their midst. Whodunit? Sergeant Trotter is determined to find out, and his investigation turns up more shocking secrets than anyone could have anticipated. Full of intricate plot twists and shuddering suspense, it is no wonder The Mousetrap has become the world's longest-running stage production.” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

R-S Theatrics presents Oh, Hell!, an evening of two one-act plays: Bobby Gould in Hell by David Mamet and The Devil and Billy Markham by Shel Silverstein, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, through December 15. In Bobby Gould in Hell, “Bobby Gould awakens in Hell's waiting room and must argue with the Interrogator in order to save himself from eternal damnation for being “cruel without being interesting.” The Devil and Billy Markham is a “one-man, 30-page monologue in rhymed couplets tells the story of Billy Markham and his long struggle to outwit the Devil for ownership of Billy's soul.” Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church 4716 Macklind. For more information: r-stheatrics.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Clayton Community Theatre presents Room at the Inn Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 13-15. The play is “the story of a Homeless Shelter on Christmas Eve and the people who are thrown together during a terrible snow storm and the miracles, large and small, that transpire over the course of the evening.” Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Smokey Joe's Café: The Songs of Lieber and Stoller Wednesday through Sunday, through December 15. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.webster.edu/fine-arts/departments/conservatory/ or call 314-968-7128

©Photo by Eric Woolsey

The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company presents The Velveteen Rabbit by Kim Esop Wylie with music and lyrics by Joe Dreyer December 14 through 23. “ Based on Margery Williams' famed literary classic, The Velveteen Rabbit tells the story of a little boy and his stuffed bunny who wonders what it means to be “real.” After years of adventure and devotion, the bunny becomes a truly beloved friend and is magically transformed into a real woodland rabbit. Join us this holiday season and share in a heartwarming musical tale that celebrates the rewards of loyalty and the wonderful, surprising power of love.” Performances take place at Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 East Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information: repst.org or call (314) 968-4925.

The Gateway Men's Chorus opens its 27th season with Yule Tube, a holiday concert featuring favorite holiday songs from television and movies, on Friday and Saturday, December 13 and 14, at 8 PM. “Audiences will recognize music from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, White Christmas, the film adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and "The Charlie Brown Christmas Special," alongside popular holiday favorites like "All I Want for Christmas Is You," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." However, the concert still promises some quirky surprises that audiences have come to expect from the Gateway Men's Chorus - including holiday parodies of hits by Queen, Journey, and even Stephen Sondheim. Plus, the concert features special performances by GMC's small ensemble Harmonix, their fabulous dance team the Foot Notes, and, of course guest appearances from Santa and Cindy Lou Who.” The concerts take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: gmcstl.org.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 9, 2013

IN UNISON® Chorus

The St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON® Chorus and conductor Kevin McBeth present Too Hot to Handel: a Gospel Messiah on Thursday and Friday, December 12 and 13, at 7 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. Featured soloists are Cynthia Renee Saffron, soprano; La Tanya Hall, mezzo-soprano; and Thomas Young, tenor. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony, conducted by Arnie Roth, presents A Mannheim Steamroller Christmas on Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 14 and 15, at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. "The STL Symphony performs the sounds of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at Powell Hall for the first time ever this holiday season. The modern symphonic arrangements of Christmas songs made famous by Chip Davis include yuletide favorites like "Carol of the Bells," "Silent Night," "Deck the Halls" and many more." For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony presents symphony violinist Shawn Well and cellist Bjorn Ranheim as soloists in the Brahms Double Concerto with the Washington University Symphony on Monday, December 9, at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: http://www.stlsymphony.org/symphony_neighborhood/

The Shepley Program of Music and Arts presents an organ recital by William Partridge on Thursday, December 12, at 12:30 PM at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust. Admission is free. For more information: christchurchconcerts.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical music open stage on Monday, December 9, starting at 7:30 PM. "Come by yourself or bring your quartet. Sight read through a Beethoven quartet or use this as an opportunity to put the finishing touches on that Hindemith Viola Sonata you have been working on. All ages and skill levels are welcome." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: http://tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Jon Garrett

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents singer/pianist Jon Garrett performing music from his CD To Find Love There: A Classic Celebration of Christmas on Tuesday, December 10, at 7:30 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: http://tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Last and First Songs

Larry J. Weir

Yesterday, I gave you all a sneak peek at KDHX's new home in the Larry J. Weir Center for Independent Media on Washington in Grand Center, just east of The Bistro. At the time, I wasn't able to announce the date and time when the station would start broadcasting from the new facility because it hadn't been formally announced to the volunteers yet. Now I can.

In an email to KDHX volunteers yesterday, the station's Chief Content Officer, Chris Bay, announced that broadcasting would begin at the Weir Center at noon on Sunday, December 15th. "The last show to broadcast from the Magnolia Avenue building," wrote Bay, "will be Songwriters Showcase, and the last song to be played will be Emmylou Harris, 'Till I Gain Control Again,' which was Larry Weir’s sign-off song. This song was suggested far and above any other by all of you, and is certainly befitting of the occasion.

An artist that was also widely suggested was Bob Reuter, so Ed Becker will play one of Bob’s songs at the end of his show as well, to mark Bob’s significance to the station and his recent passing.

When we switch over, Bev will introduce the first broadcast from the new facility, along with the first song, which will be chosen by our listeners."

As I wrote in my previous blog post, the first song to be broadcast at the new location has yet to be chosen. That's because KDHX is conducting a listener poll to determine what it will be. They'll be collecting nominations until Friday, December 6 at the following link: http://go.kdhx.org/first-song-at-ljw-center Voting will take place Monday, December 9, through Friday, December 13 at that same link.

There are more details on the new location, along with additional pictures, in an article in yesterday's Riverfront Times.

88.1 KDHX: none of the hits all of the time.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of December 6, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Stray Dog Theatre presents William Gibson's The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod The Nut And The Slaughter Of 12 Hit Carols In A Pear Tree Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM December 5-21, with an extra 2 PM matinee on the 21st. “A touching, funny, and highly imaginative retelling of the Christmas story complete with talking animals, a feminist-leaning Mary, a jealous Joseph, a fast-talking sheep, and one loud-mouthed overbearing tree. Created by one of America's major dramatists, this Christmas cartoon mixed with psychological realism brings new relevance to its timeless subject.” Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: Yes, that's the same William Gibson who wrote The Miracle Worker, the oft-seen play about the young Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan. The 1975 play has gotten good notices is earlier productions, including a 2008 Washington D.C. production in which Washington Post critic Nelson Pressley was especially taken with the non-comic aspects of the script. "The dramatic passages," he wrote, "are actually quite good, right down to an unexpected image of sacrifice near the climax. Slipperier by far are Gibson's lightness and gentle humanity -- the butterfingers bits." It's nice to see something a bit left of center at the holidays, and Stray Dog can usually be relied upon to deliver the goods.

New Jewish Theater presents the one-woman show Hannah Shenesh December 5-22. The play is based on the dairies of Senesh, who worked with a British para-military group to rescue Hungarian Jews during World War II. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

My take: One-person shows can be risky propositions, but this one appears to be a winner. "Last season," write Andrea Braun in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "NJT gave us 'Conviction,' a one-actor play that I thought was as good as any of that genre I'd seen. With 'Hannah Senesh,' the company has surpassed even that level of excellence in this production because of a perfect performance guided by a sensitive and meticulous director." She describes lead actress Shanara Gabrielle's performance as "magical" and says "the electricity in the room is palpable."

The West End Players Guild and the Missouri History Museum present The Medal of Honor Rag December 5-15. “ Two guilty survivors of war, a psychiatrist and an African-American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service, verbally spar as they discuss the horrors that have traumatized them both.” Performances take place at The Missouri History Museum in Foreset Park. For more information: mohistory.org

My take: First performed in 1976, Medal of Honor Rag was a nominee for both the Drama Desk and Obie Awards and garnered enthusiastic reviews from critics in New York and Washington D.C. It has been a while since anyone has taken it on locally, so the current production—presented in conjunction with the History Museum's The 1968 Exhibit—is a welcome addition to the scene. Full disclosure: I'm on the board of West End Players Guild, but haven't been associated with this production in any way,

R-S Theatrics presents Oh, Hell!, an evening of two one-act plays: Bobby Gould in Hell by David Mamet and The Devil and Billy Markham by Shel Silverstein, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, December 6-15. In Bobby Gould in Hell, “Bobby Gould awakens in Hell's waiting room and must argue with the Interrogator in order to save himself from eternal damnation for being “cruel without being interesting.” The Devil and Billy Markham is a “one-man, 30-page monologue in rhymed couplets tells the story of Billy Markham and his long struggle to outwit the Devil for ownership of Billy's soul.” Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church 5421 Murdoch. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

My take: Well, with all the Christmas stuff popping up, somebody had to look at the season through the other end of the telescope, so to speak. I can't think of a better group to do it than R-S, where the motto is "never safe, always R-S." Besides, I'm a great fan of Shel Silverstein's work

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Smokey Joe's Café: The Songs of Lieber and Stoller Wednesday through Sunday, December 4-15. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.webster.edu/fine-arts/departments/conservatory/ or call 314-968-7128

My take: If you thought Lieber and Stoller were just the authors of a couple of R&B hits, this show will set you straight. Yes, there are plenty of classic rock tunes from the 50s and 60s, but these guys were far more versatile than that. Smokey Joe's Café skips their remarkable cabaret songs but even so it's a consistently entertaining showcase of their remarkable songwriting skills. The students at the conservatory have a reputation for producing polished work and this is material that should be a good mix for their youthful energy and talent.

Movin' on up

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As you must undoubtedly know by now, 88.1 KDHX is moving to its new home in the Larry J. Weir Center for Independent Media at 3524 Washington (just east of The Bistro in Grand Center) later this month.  I can't tell you the exact date yet as I am sworn to secrecy (although it's coming Real Soon Now), but I can tell you the last song that will be played at the station's current Magnolia Avenue HQ.

The song, as voted by KDHX vounteer DJs, is the 1975 Emmylou Harris recording of Rodney Crowell's "Till I Gain Control Again."  It was the last song the station's late Operations Manager Larry Weir played on his "Songwriters Showcase" show before his untimely death in January of 2010—which seems only fitting.

[My own nomination—"Goodbye Magnolia" by Jimmy and the Coconuts—was greeted with a wave of indifference.  But I digress.]

The first song to be played at the new location, on the other hand, has yet to be chosen.  That's because KDHX is conducting a listener poll to determine what it will be.  They'll be collecting nominations until Friday, December 6, and voting will take place Monday, December 9, through Friday, December 13.  Surf on over to the poll page to nominate your song!

Meanwhile, take a look at a few pictures of the new digs from the volunteer training/orientation session I attended yesterday.

As you can see, KDHX now has actual offices with actual conference rooms and all the other features of a local independent business. The new building is fully networked, so that all of the broadcast and production studios and communicate with each other and exchange programming.

The third-floor conference room

The Stage @ KDHX is the station's new live performance space. It can seat up to 138 and can be used for film/video events, interactive/educational functions, music, and even small theatre performances. It's equipped with state of the art lights and sound, and all performances can be recorded on audio and well as multiple-camera video.

The Stage @ KDHX as seen from the control pod at the rear

 A closer look at the stage of The Stage @ KDHX
The room can also be set up with cabaret seating;
the movie screen is optional

In front of the live performance space and accessible from the street is The Magnolia Cafe, run by the fine folks at Triumph Grill.  It will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM week nights and 7 AM to 3 PM weekends (later when there's an event at The Stage).  Based on what I saw on the menu board yesterday, they'll be offering soups, salads, sandwiches, pastries and drinks both alcoholic and non.

The counter at the Magnolia Cafe

The decor is funky and inventive.  The chandelier pictured below, for example, is constructed of jars hung from an old manual bowling alley pin setter.  One of the tables is built on a metal fire door from an movie theatre.  Very cool.

There's more to KDHX's new home, of course, including the ability to produce lots of original audio and video performances by St. Louis artists.  For more information, check out the FAQ list.  And stay tuned.  To quote Don Great's theme song for The Jeffersons, we're movin' on up.

A Leipzig Christmas

The Symphony Chorus in full holiday mode

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It has been a heavy month or so for the St. Louis Symphony Chorus. On November 16th they performed Britten 's dramatic Peter Grimes at Powell, followed by a repeat performance at Carnegie Hall on November 22nd, Britten 's centenary. At the same time they were rehearsing the first three cantatas of Bach 's 1734-35 Christmas Oratorio for concerts this Friday and Saturday (December 6 and 7) with David Robertson and the orchestra.

That's quite a schedule. Interviewed in the symphony program, chorus director Amy Kaiser notes that the Britten and the Bach "are diametrically opposed to one another. Peter Grimes had 130 singers, singing all that passion and drama in full voice. Then to go to a group of 80 singers, where the precision of every 16th note is critical. We would rehearse Britten from 7 to 9, take five minutes for a drink of water, and then Bach. It is more than a mental and physical shift—you need to shift your entire idea of sound and language." This weekend's concerts, in other words, will give you a feel for just how versatile these singers really are.

Hearing only the first three of the six cantatas that make up the Christmas Oratorio doesn't mean you're getting an incomplete work, by the way. Although the cantatas do have key signature relationships that mark them as part of a larger whole, they were intended to be performed separately, as part of church services on the first through third days of Christmas (December 25-27, 1734) at the St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches in Leipzig, where Bach was the Cantor at the Thomasschule. So each one stands alone as a dramatic entity. Indeed, the first three parts were written and performed an entire year earlier than the last three.

The first cantata deals with the birth of Christ, the second with the adoration of the shepherds, and the third with the circumcision and naming of Christ. The first and third are more dramatic while the second, as befits its subject matter, is more pastoral. For details on the cantatas, along with some solid musical analysis, I refer you to Paul Schiavo's excellent notes in the program.

Interestingly enough, the Christmas Oratorio cantatas almost weren't written at all—or at least, not at Leipzig. Bach was dissatisfied with the way his duties as a teacher detracted from his work as a composer, as well as with the way some of his compositions were received. The high drama of his St. Matthew Passion, in particular, was apparently met with bewilderment. By October of 1730, things had deteriorated to the point where Bach was seriously seeking another job. "Unfortunately," he wrote to his friend Georg Erdmann, "I have discovered that (1) this situation is not as good as it was represented to be, (2) various accidentia relative to my station have been withdrawn, (3) living is expensive, and (4) my masters are strange folk with very little care for music in them." He went on to complain of "constant annoyance, jealousy, and persecution" and asked Erdmann if he might know of opening in Danzig.

J. M. Gesner, our pal

Fortunately for Western music, most of these issues were cleared up with the appointment of a new rector (and therefore Bach's boss) at the Thomasschule, Johann Matthias Gesner. Gesner had met and befriended Bach when Gesner was the librarian and vice-principal at Weimar. He appreciated Bach's genius and supported his work as a composer in ways that his predecessor had not. As a result, we got not only the Christmas Oratorio but also—nearly 10 years later—the titanic B Minor Mass as well. We owe Mr. Gesner a lot, it seems.

When you see the concerts this weekend, note the way the strings are arranged. First violins will be on David Robertson's left, second violins on the right, and cellos and violas in the center. The double basses will be behind the cellos. That will enable some interesting antiphonal effects that would be less clear if the violins were all on one side, as is often the case with later music.

Baroque oboe d'amore

You'll also get to her the oboe d'amore in action. It's slightly larger and has a somewhat richer tone than the regular oboe, with a range in between that of the oboe and the even darker-sounding cor anglais (English horn), with which it shares a characteristic pear-shaped bell. The oboe d'amore was relatively new in Bach's time (it was invented in 1717 or thereabouts) and Bach used it often. In this weekend's concerts Cally Banham and Phil Ross will be playing the oboe d'amore, with Barbara Orland and Michelle Duskey doubling on regular oboe and English horn.

To recap: Parts 1 through 3 of the Bach Christmas Cantata will be performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under David Robertson this Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, at 8 PM at Powell Hall. The vocal soloists are Dominique Labelle, soprano; Kate Lindsey, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Phan, tenor; and Stephen Powell, baritone. The Saturday concert will be broadcast on St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 FM and HD 1, as well as via the station web site. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 2, 2013

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

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The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration  December 4-22. "Conceived and directed by Ron Himes, the first act tells a moving and traditional African Nativity story, while the second act swings into the season with joy and reverence." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University. For more information: theblackrep.org

Stray Dog Theatre presents William Gibson's The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod The Nut And The Slaughter Of 12 Hit Carols In A Pear Tree Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM December 5-21, with an extra 2 PM matinee on the 21st. “A touching, funny, and highly imaginative retelling of the Christmas story complete with talking animals, a feminist-leaning Mary, a jealous Joseph, a fast-talking sheep, and one loud-mouthed overbearing tree. Created by one of America's major dramatists, this Christmas cartoon mixed with psychological realism brings new relevance to its timeless subject.” Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Lindenwood University presents A Christmas Carol December 5-7. Performances take place at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

Nebraska Theatre Caravan's
Christmas Carol

The Fox Theatre presents The Nebraska Theatre Caravan musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 1 and 6 PM, December 5 through 8. The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Killing through December 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents its Christmas Show through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Crestwood/Kirkwood Youth Theatre presents Footloose The Musical December 5-8. Performances take place at the Robert G. Reim Theater in Kirkwood Community Center. Call 314-822-5855 for more information.

Peabody Opera House presents Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker on Sunday, December 8, at 5 PM. “The holiday favorite dramatizes the traditional story of Masha meeting her “Prince.” This year, exclusive to Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, a tribute to world peace will be added. The “Dove of Peace,” will feature two dancers who become one bird with a 20 foot wingspan and escort Masha and Prince to the “Land of Peace and Harmony.” For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

New Jewish Theater presents the one-woman show Hannah Shenesh December 5-22. The play is based on the dairies of Senesh, who worked with a British para-military group to rescue Hungarian Jews during World War II. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

HotCity Theatre presents Kosher Lutherans by William Missouri Downs December 6-21. “Hanna and Franklyn, childless Jews in L.A., find themselves in a STICKY situation on the first night of Hanukah - for this is when they first meet the innocent young woman whose baby they will be adopting, who hails from the Bible Belt and doesn't realize they're Jewish! The couple hastily pose as Lutherans to appeal to the girl's “Christian” sensibilities ... with hysterical and touching results!” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063.

The West End Players Guild and the Missouri History Museum present The Medal of Honor Rag December 5-15. “ Two guilty survivors of war, a psychiatrist and an African-American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service, verbally spar as they discuss the horrors that have traumatized them both.” Performances take place at The Missouri History Museum in Foreset Park. For more information: mohistory.org

Tom Sitzler and Philip Touchette
in The Mini Ring

Union Avenue Opera presents The Mini Ring, an original adaptation of Wagner’s Ring cycle for children arranged by former UAO Education Coordinator Elise LaBarge, Saturday, December 7, at 1 PM.  The performance takes place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End.  The program begins with an interactive lecture led by Stephanie Ball, followed by a performance of the 45-minute opera.  For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

©Photo by Lon Brauer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap December 4-29. “The Grande Dame of suspense weaves a clever mystery that will keep you guessing till the very end. The guests at Monkswell Manor are snowed in with a murderer in their midst. Whodunit? Sergeant Trotter is determined to find out, and his investigation turns up more shocking secrets than anyone could have anticipated. Full of intricate plot twists and shuddering suspense, it is no wonder The Mousetrap has become the world's longest-running stage production.” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

R-S Theatrics presents Oh, Hell!, an evening of two one-act plays: Bobby Gould in Hell by David Mamet and The Devil and Billy Markham by Shel Silverstein, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, December 6-15. In Bobby Gould in Hell, “Bobby Gould awakens in Hell's waiting room and must argue with the Interrogator in order to save himself from eternal damnation for being “cruel without being interesting.” The Devil and Billy Markham is a “one-man, 30-page monologue in rhymed couplets tells the story of Billy Markham and his long struggle to outwit the Devil for ownership of Billy's soul.” Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Smokey Joe's Café: The Songs of Lieber and Stoller Wednesday through Sunday, December 4-15. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.webster.edu/fine-arts/departments/conservatory/ or call 314-968-7128

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 2, 2013

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The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center presents a Quiet Music concert on featuring new electronic compositions by Mark Sarich, Greg Farough, Nathan Cook, on Saturday, December 7, at 8 PM.  The concert takes place in the Holmes Lounge at Washington University.  For more information: www.lemp-arts.org.

The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center presents The Orchestrating Diversity Urban Youth Orchestra in a concert of music by Wagner, Corelli, Debussy, and Tchaikovsky, on Sunday, December 8, at 3 PM.  “The Quiet Music series seeks to bring to the St. Louis artistic landscape these most recent investigations into the interface of silence, resonance, barely audible sound, and non-directionality in music.”  The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center is at 3301 Lemp Avenue.  For more information: www.lemp-arts.org.

Elisabeth von Trapp

McKendree College presents The Sound of Christmas with Elisabeth von Trapp (granddaughter of the legendary Maria and Baron von Trapp) and the Carolian Brass Quintet on Wednesday, December 4, at 7:30 PM.  The concert takes place in the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on the college campus in Lebanon, IL.  For more information: thehett.com.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents the Christmas at the Cathedral with the Archdiocesan Adult Choir, Children’s Choir, Handbell Choir, and Orchestra.  The performances take place on Saturday, December 7, at 8 PM and Sunday, December 8, at 2:30 pm at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell.  The program features Christmas classics old and new, including Vivaldi's Gloria." For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org

David Robertson conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Cantatas 1-3 from the Bach Christmas Oratorio on Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, at 8 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand.  Featured soloists are Dominique Labelle, soprano; Kate Lindsey, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Phan, tenor; and Stephen Powell, baritone.  The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio at 90.7 and HD 1.  For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis Children's Choirs

The St. Louis Symphony presents Holiday Concert 2013 with the St. Louis Children’s Choirs on Sunday, December 8, at 3:00 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand.  For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Shepley Program of Music and Arts presents an organ recital by William Partridge on Thursday, December 5 at 12:30 PM at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust.  Admission is free.  For more information: christchurchconcerts.org.

The Shepley Program of Music and Arts presents A Gift to the City, a holiday concert by The Webster University Chamber Orchestra and the Webster University Chamber Singers on Sunday, December 8, at 2 PM at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust.  Admission is free.  For more information: christchurchconcerts.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents pianist Andrew Throdahl performing music by Bach, Ligeti, and Ravel on Tuesday, December 3, at 7:30 PM.  The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Tom Sitzler and Philip Touchette
in The Mini Ring

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra Chamber Music Concert Thursday, December 5, at 7:30 PM.  The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Union Avenue Opera presents The Mini Ring, an original adaptation of Wagner’s Ring cycle for children arranged by former UAO Education Coordinator Elise LaBarge, Saturday, December 7, at 1 PM.  The performance takes place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End.  The program begins with an interactive lecture led by Stephanie Ball, followed by a performance of the 45-minute opera.  For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 29, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Carol Schmidt

The Garden of Life Spiritual Center presents Celebrate Me Home, a contemporary holiday cabaret concert, on Sunday, December 1, at 1:30 PM. The featured singers are Michele Isam, Connie Fairchild (both formerly with popular St. Louis group Fairchild) and Tim Schall, with Carol Schmidt on piano and Rice Vice on bass. The program includes contemporary holiday favorites from the worlds of jazz, pop, and R&B, as well as instrumental selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. The Garden of Life Spiritual Center is at 9525 Eddie and Park Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information: 636-489-8472.

My take: I know and have worked with just about everybody connected with this show at one time or another. They're great singers and entertainers and the song list looks like fun: Kenny Loggins, Otis Redding, Amy Grant, John Bucchino and even some instrumental Tchaikovsky. Looks like a good way to start the holiday season to me.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 through Sunday. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully, simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."

Theatre takes a holiday

Mustard Seed Theatre's
All is Calm

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So here it is the day before Thanksgiving. The winter holidays are upon us and I find myself asking the Big Question I always ask around this time of year: why do movie producers and theatre producers have such completely different ideas about what their audiences want?

OK, maybe that's not a Big Question most folks ask as the big feast days approach, but as someone who has been appearing in and writing about theatre for decades I can't help musing on the difference between the stage and screen calendars right now. Delivery Man and the second Hunger Games movie opened last week. This week we get Frozen, Black Nativity, Home Front and Oldboy. The week before Christmas we get Inside Llewyn Davis, Saving Mr. Banks, and Walking With Dinosaurs. Christmas week it's 47 Ronin, Grudge Match, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Wolf of Wall Street, and limited releases of August: Osage County and Labor Day.

Clearly, the film folks expect lots of people to show up at movie theaters. And it's not hard to understand why. Most of us are in a festive mood and many of us are taking extra days off work; why not check out a highly advertised movie? I'm retired now, but back when I was an IT manager at AT&T the entire department would practically shut down for most of December. Taking in a weekday matinee is a real treat if you're a working stiff. So is going to an evening show and staying out late.

Sister Act

Theatrical producers, though, avoid the big holiday weeks like the plague. Right now, for example, we have a whopping total of three live theatrical productions running and two of them (Peter Pan at the Florissant Civic Center and Sister Act at the Fox) are road shows. The only local product is Mustard Seed Theatre's much praised musical All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914. And that's only true because the show was extended past its intended closing date of November 24th due to high ticket demand.

There will be a similar dearth of theatre Christmas week. A dozen shows are opening next week. Eight of them are running for two weeks or more but only one—the Rep's Mousetrap—will still be around after December 22nd. Most producers just don't want their shows to be running on major holiday weeks even when (as is always the case with Thanksgiving and this year with Christmas as well) they wouldn't be asking their actors to work on a holiday.

Why is that? The film and theatre audiences are hardly independent groups. If folks are more willing to see a movie over the holidays wouldn't they be equally willing to see a live show?

I don't have an answer to that question. Could it just be habit? Are theatrical producers just assuming audiences will be light over the holidays? Or could it be that, after years of knowing there won't be any theatre going on, audiences just don't look for it? Could some enterprising company make a killing by opening a show just before Christmas?

If you have thoughts on the subject, share them by leaving a comment. I'll check 'em out right after I get back from seeing the second Thor movie before it leaves town.

National identity

Joshua Bell
Photo: Eric Kabik

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In case you thought music only got political in the 1960s, allow me to disabuse you of that notion. The great composers whose music fills concert halls these days were often very politically active and weren't shy about expressing their politics in their music.

Three of the four composers whose music David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony will perform this weekend were ardent musical Nationalists, which means they used their compositions to advocate for the cultures of their native countries. Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) and Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) were Czech patriots promoting the artistic and (in the case of Smetana) political independence of their homeland from the Austro-Hungarian Empire while Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was passionate about the legends and landscape of Finland. The fourth composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928- ), isn't generally regarded as a Nationalist per se, but he does draw inspiration from the Finnish countryside and folk tales.

Smetana

Smetana's music often has specific references to Czech legend and lore, so it's only right that he's represented here by two of the six tone poems that make up his epic cycle Má vlast (My Fatherland): Vyšehrad and the massively popular Vltava (more popularly known by its German name, The Moldau).

Vyšehrad, which opens the program, begins with a long introduction depicting the song of the bard Lumir, playing inside the great hall of the castle of Vyšehrad. A more dramatic central section suggests the strife that would characterize Czech history, after which the calmer voice of the bard returns. A few troubled final bars, though, suggest that the calm won't last. When you listen to Vyšehrad, notice how important the harp is as the voice of the bard. In the program book, principal harpist Allegra Lilly notes that the "big, rolled chords which are interspersed with arpeggiated passages" in the introduction help to "create a magical sound, a mystical element appropriate to the piece."

Vltava (which closes the program) is straightforward scene painting, vividly illustrating the course of the river Vltava from placid mountain stream to raging torrent at the St. John rapids (which manifest themselves as big crashing chords towards the end). The bard's theme from Vyšehrad pops up again near the end as well, to provide some artistic unity. When I was young, The Moldau (as it was usually known) was very popular with teachers of "music appreciation" courses (do they still have those?) because it was short (around 12 minutes) and the structure was simple. It's very appealing stuff.

Dvořák

Dvořák's nationalism tends to show itself more in reverence for the Czech countryside, which is very much on display in In Nature's Realm, op. 91. "Dvořák's pure woodwind colors," writes René Spencer Saller in her program notes, "and richly layered strings perfectly evoke the cries of birds, the murmuring of woodland streams, the sighing of wind in the trees." It's musical painting of a high order; some of Dvořák's most profound and touching work was inspired by his love of nature.

Originally the piece was the first of a cycle of three symphonic poems with the omnibus title Nature, Life, and Love. "His intention," writes Denby Richards, the late editor of Musical Opinion magazine, "was to explore every possible facet of nature and life and the effect they have had on the soul of man." These days the three works are usually performed separately under the titles In Nature's Realm, Carnival, and Othello.  Which is rather a pity, as there are thematic relationships among them that make more sense when they're performed as Dvořák originally intended.

Sibelius

Sibelius is represented by his Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 47. The violin was Jean Sibelius's first musical love. He began playing as a child and showed great promise as a performer, despite an elbow fracture that impeded his bowing technique. Even after it became clear that his real talent was for composition, he continued to play in chamber ensembles and even teach the instrument. It's no surprise, then, that his Violin Concerto—originally presented in 1903 and then again in a substantially revised form in 1905—is both thoroughly idiomatic and incredibly demanding. The long solo passages in the first movement and virtuoso fireworks in the finale will test the mettle of the best performers.

Fortunately, the symphony has one of the best violinists around as soloist this weekend: Joshua Bell. Born in Bloomington Indiana, Mr. Bell, who turns 46 on December 9th, began taking violin lessons at age four. By 14 he was already appearing with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He made his Carnegie Hall appearance at the age of 17 with our own St. Louis Symphony. Today he is very much in demand as a soloist with notable orchestras worldwide. As of 2011, he also became the music director of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields—the first person to hold that post since the orchestra was founded in 1958 by Sir Neville Marriner. He recorded the Sibelius concerto for Sony in 2000, so he should be very comfortable with the piece.

Einojuhani Rautavaara

Like many music lovers, I expect, I discovered the last composer on this weekend's program, Einojuhani Rautavaara, via a recording of his most well known work Cantus Arcticus (1972). Subtitled "Concerto for Birds and Orchestra," this three-movement work uses recordings of birds from near the Arctic Circle to weave a remarkable musical tapestry.

It seems only fitting, then, that the Rautavaara piece we'll hear this weekend—Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss) from 2001— is inspired by a Finnish poem about the mythical isle of Lintukoto, a paradisaical place where birds migrate for the winter and where all the inhabitants are dwarves because the sky is so close to the ground. There's a kind of hallucinatory wildness to the music which should make for an interesting contrast from the Dvořák that precedes it and the Smetana the follows it. Still, all three pieces are fine examples of nature rendered as music, which makes for a nice through line in the second half of the concert.

David Robertson and The St. Louis Symphony, with violinist Joshua Bell, perform Smetana's Vyšehrad, Sibelius's Violin Concerto, Dvořák's In Nature's Realm, Rautavaara's Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss), and Smetana's Vltava at Powell Hall in Grand Center on Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM. The Saturday concert will be broadcast on St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 FM and HD 1, as well as via the station web site. For more information: stlsymphony.org.