The East Metro Symphony Orchestra presents A Season of Stories - Chapter Two: Holiday Dreams

The East Metro Symphony Orchestra (EMSO), will present the second program of its 2016-2017 concert series, A Season of Stories, a series celebrating different story themes through music. The program, Chapter Two: Holiday Dreams, will be presented in collaboration with the Woodbury Dance Center (WDC), and feature a fresh take on Peter Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The performance will take place on Sunday December 18, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at East Ridge High School, 4200 Pioneer Drive, Woodbury, MN. Tickets will be available at the door or in advance starting November 14th, 2016 at the WDC front desk or on EMSO’s website: $10 adults, $7 seniors, 17 and under free.

The Nutcracker ballet has long been a staple of the holiday season. Traditionally told through the sumptuous music of Tchaikovsky and ballet, the fanciful tale is the story of a young girl whose favorite Christmas toy, a nutcracker, comes to life with their journey to a magical kingdom. EMSO and WDC will once again present this beloved classic with a new twist, not only presenting the story through classical ballet, but also with contemporary, tap, hip-hop, and other styles of dance throughout the performance. "For this special production we get to re-imagine The Nutcracker in a brand new light, by taking advantage of the full range of dance styles that the Woodbury Dance Center teaches,” says EMSO Music Director and Conductor Elizabeth Prielozny Barnes. WDC dancers, ranging from elementary to high school age, will be accompanied on stage by EMSO’s full symphony orchestra, along with a live rendition of the story’s narration. Woodbury Dance Center’s Co-Artistic Director, Buffy Johnson Breen, says the concert will be a unique experience for audiences and performers alike, "It is an extraordinary opportunity for our dance students to perform with live music - especially a full symphony orchestra!" A meet-and-greet with all of the concert’s performers and refreshments will immediately follow the performance.

Three other concerts will be presented in EMSO’s A Season of Stories concert series later in the season: Chapter Three: Romance on February 11, 2017; Chapter Four: Generations on February 27, 2017; and Chapter Five: Traditions on May 21, 2017. The first concert in the series, Chapter One: Friendship was presented on November 6, 2016. Visit EMSO’s website at www.emsorch.org for more information on all five concerts.