42 | October 2019
M U S I C
BY SAL PARADISE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW WONDERLY
I
f you haven't attended a Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra
performance in recent years, it may surprise you to learn these
are the titles of three of the programs being planned by the
orchestra this season.
"Heroes vs. Villains," the program that launches the 2019-2020 concert
season at Methodist University on Oct. 19, is touted on the orchestra's
website like this: "Bam! Pow! Join the Fayetteville Symphony as we
celebrate the epic battle of good vs. evil with our tribute to heroes
and villains. Be a part of the action with James Bond, Wonder
Woman and Spider-Man as we battle pirates, the Dark Knight,
Godzilla and Star Wars."
Fervent classical music snobs, for lack of a better name, may
turn their noses up at such symphonic-themed shenanigans,
but bottom line, it's all about putting as many fannies as
possible in the seats.
A lighter classical concert repertoire of Wagner's "Prelude
to Die Meistersinger," Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet" and
Barber's "Adagio for Strings" may still be a bit too stuffy for the
mainstream – those who want more than mere sound and fury
and passages of orchestral beauty in an informal setting.
"Look, orchestras want one thing. ey want to play, sound good
Pop goes the
Symphony
Heroes vs. Villains.
Music She Wrote.
Musical Folktales.
