St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concludes 145th season with staged classical finale, hip hop collaboration, Disney favorites, and music by The Beatles

(March 31, 2025, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced details of its May concert calendar, which includes the final classical performances—a semi-staged production of Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt—and concerts that bring the talents of hip hop artists DMC and the Sugarhill Gang, Disney music favorites, and the music of The Beatles to the concert stage.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.  A full concert calendar is available at slso.org or on the SLSO’s mobile app (available for iOS or Android).

As the transformational expansion and renovation of Powell Hall nears its conclusion, the SLSO will perform May concerts at the Stifel Theatre in downtown St. Louis and at the Contemporary Art Museum. Shuttle service will be available for the classical finale program starting at $15 per seat. Shuttles depart from Plaza Frontenac.

The SLSO recently announced its 2025/2026 season returning to Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. Learn more about this celebratory season at slso.org/season.

Peer Gynt: An Epic Tale
Saturday, May 3, 7:30pm CDT
Sunday, May 4, 3:00pm CDT
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Stéphane Denève, conductor
Camilla Tilling, soprano (Solveig)
Vidar Skrede, Hardanger fiddle (SLSO debut)
Actors from Concert Theatre Works
St. Louis Symphony Chorus | Erin Freeman, director

Edvard Grieg Peer Gynt (First complete performances)

Written and directed by Bill Barclay, adapted from the play by Henrik Ibsen

For the conclusion of the SLSO’s 145th season, Music Director Stéphane Denève leads complete performances of Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt, a reflection on the meaning of home befitting the end of the SLSO’s second and final nomadic season as its permanent venue is expanded and renovated. Rowdy, charismatic, and outrageous, Peer Gynt explores life, joy, and fun, enhanced by director and writer Bill Barclay’s acclaimed adaptation. In this fully staged performance, the SLSO and St. Louis Symphony Chorus are joined by actors from Concert Theatre Works, puppets, and sets for epic performances. Soprano Camilla Tilling makes her SLSO debut as Solveig, Peer Gynt’s central character, alongside Vidar Skrede, in his SLSO debut on the Hardanger fiddle, a traditional Norwegian instrument.

A Celebration of Hip Hop featuring DMC and the Sugarhill Gang 
Thursday, May 8, 7:30pm 
Stifel Theatre 
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Edwin Outwater, conductor
DMC, vocals
The Sugarhill Gang, vocals

Repertoire announced from the stage.

Hip hop legends DMC and the Sugarhill Gang join the SLSO on stage to share some of their greatest hits. From Run-DMC’s “It’s Like That (Hellraisers version),” “It’s Tricky,” and “Walk this Way” to the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” and “Apache,” driving rhythms and rapid-fire rhymes join with lush, orchestral melodies in this unique and exciting musical collaboration. Darryl “DMC” McDaniels changed music history when he broke down cultural barriers with his band Run-DMC. Run-DMC first impacted the world 40 years ago with their recording debut “It’s Like That/ Sucker MCs.” From the first rap group to grace the cover of Rolling Stone to the first to appear on MTV, DMC changed music, culture, fashion, and language. The Sugarhill Gang crashed through the walls of urban cities and into the mainstream of society with the first worldwide rap hit, “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979. Sugarhill Gang is believed by many to be the first professional hip hop group, because they introduced to the masses (both in the United States and overseas) this unprecedented genre of music.

Disney Princess: The Concert
Friday, May 9, 7:00pm CDT
Saturday, May 10, 2:00pm CDT
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Jason Seber, conductor
Susan Egan, vocals
Courtney Reed, vocals
Syndee Winters, vocals
Adam J. Levy, vocals
Benjamin Rauhala, music director/piano

The enchanting world of Disney princesses comes to life for a Mother’s Day weekend program with the SLSO. Featuring stars from Broadway’s Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King, Disney Princess: The Concert features favorites from a popular line-up of animated films, including Frozen, Mulan, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Moana, and more. In addition to iconic songs by princesses, heroes, and villains, performers share behind-the-scenes stories of the film and Broadway productions. Audiences are encouraged to dress in royal attire and share the joy of Disney at this acclaimed concert experience.

Resonant Waters: Shaw and Debussy
Thursday, May 15, 7:30pm CST
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
3750 Washington Ave., St. Louis MO 63108

Erin Schreiber, violin
Shawn Weil, violin
Beth Guterman Chu, viola
Bjorn Ranheim, cello

Caroline Shaw                        Entr’acte
Claude Debussy                   String Quartet in G minor

Presented in partnership with the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

Music and visual art converge for this chamber music concert presented at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM). After an introduction from CAM Ferring Foundation Chief Curator Dean Daderko on the Like Water exhibition on display at CAM, the concert pairs Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte, a shape-shifting contemporary piece inspired by Joseph Haydn’s classical forms, with Claude Debussy’s luminous String Quartet in G minor. Both works embody themes of fluidity and transformation, creating artistic dialogues through sonic motion and resonance.

Revolution: The Music of The Beatles
Saturday, May 17, 2025, 7:30pm CST
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Samuel Hollister, conductor
Paul Loren, vocals
Colin Smith, vocals
Rick Brantley, vocals
Jon Epcar, drums
Tim Lappin, electric bass
Oscar Rodriguez, guitar
Luke McGinnis, keyboard

Program announced from the stage. Additional artists announced later.

The Beatles come to life in Revolution, the authorized symphonic tribute to the Fab Four, featuring top vocalists and musicians accompanied by Grammy winner Jeff Tyzik’s new arrangements transcribed and arranged from the original master recordings at Abbey Road. Accompanied by hundreds of rare and unseen photos from the historic, London-based archives of The Beatles’ official fan magazine—The Beatles Book Monthly—along with video and animation, Revolution takes audiences on a musical and visual journey . The production features arrangements of over 25 top hits, including “Ticket to Ride,” “Penny Lane,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Get Back,” “Here Comes the Sun,” and “Hey Jude.” 

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