Announcing the 2022 Gala Concert: “Carmina Burana”

Music Director Alasdair Neale leads the Festival Orchestra, American Festival Chorus, Cache Children’s Choir, and soloists in the instantly recognizable “Carmina Burana” on July 31.

Guest artists Meechot Marrero, soprano; Nicholas Phan, tenor; and Hugh Russell, baritone make special appearances for this annual fundraising event.

The Sun Valley Music Festival proudly announces that it is presenting Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” for its 2022 Gala Concert on July 31. Unpretentious and endlessly entertaining, “Carmina Burana“ is a rollicking choral tour de force – if classical music had a “rock opera,” this would be it. Ticket sales support the Sun Valley Music Festival and its community initiatives and help keep the concerts and education programs free for everyone.

“Carmina Burana” is one of the most-performed classical works in the repertoire. It is based on a set of 24 poems written back in the 13th century by the Goliards, a group of defrocked monks and vagabond students. The lyrics reflect their lusty lifestyles with odes to fate and fortune, biting satires of religious themes, and nods to gambling, carnal pleasures, and the joys of the tavern. When the composer Carl Orff discovered the collection, he set about composing music to match its exuberant character.

Orff’s masterpiece was an instant hit on the big orchestra circuit, but it has also invaded popular culture. When King Arthur leads his knights into battle in the movie “Excalibur,” the music is from “Carmina Burana.” In one scene where Jim Morrison hallucinates in “The Doors,” “Carmina Burana” provides the soundtrack. Its instantly recognizable themes have even worked their way into “The Simpsons,” a Super Bowl commercial, and several YouTube flash mobs. Backed by two choruses totaling 150 singers and driven relentlessly by its powerhouse percussion section, the Festival Orchestra and three soloists deliver this foot-stomping, spine-tingling music in all its glory at its annual fundraising Gala Concert.

Music Director Alasdair Neale comments,

“I’m thrilled to share the news that this summer’s Gala Concert features a single work, Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” a piece that contains some of the most instantly recognizable music in the classical music repertoire. It’s an absolutely thrilling ride that will feature a stellar lineup of soloists as well as the American Festival Chorus. You won’t want to miss it!”

The concert takes place at the open-air Sun Valley Pavilion — in the shadow of Bald Mountain and Idaho’s iconic Smoky Mountain range. The performance begins at 6:30 p.m.; gates open at 5:00 p.m. for Pavilion and lawn seating.

Tickets

Gala tickets range in price from $85 on the lawn and in the Pavilion to $1,250 for the Sponsor Package tickets. The Sponsor Package includes premium reserved concert seats, a pre-concert cocktail reception, VIP parking, and a seated post-concert dinner with a short performance from the concert’s three soloists at the Grill at Knob Hill, along with a chance to meet the artists. Tickets at the $275 and $550 levels include the pre-concert cocktail reception and preferred seating in the Pavilion. Reserved Pavilion seats at $85 and $110 are also available. Concertgoers with $85 general admission lawn tickets also experience the concert broadcast live on the Pavilion lawn’s 25-foot LED screen and state-of-the-art sound system.

Festival donors at the $1,250 and up levels, as well as Encore Society members, will be offered priority ticketing. Details for priority ticketing will be sent by email. Sales to the public open on Wednesday, April 13 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time. Public sales for Pavilion seating takes place online at svmusicfestival.org or by calling 208-622-5607. Public sales for general admission lawn tickets will be available online only. Sponsor Package tickets are only available by phone.

Attendance Protocols

The Festival is monitoring health considerations closely and is committed to bringing music to the community safely. Seating and attendance protocols will be determined closer to the start of the Summer Season, based on health guidelines in place at that time. For concert dates, details, and up-to-date information on attending, visit the Festival website at svmusicfestival.org or sign up for e-news at svmusicfestival.org/subscribe to receive the latest season updates by email.