By Eva Lewis, Charlotte Symphony

It is both sacred and profane. It is of romantic love and carnal desire. Primitive, passionate and powerful, the Charlotte Symphony will present Carl Orff’s ecstatic piece of love, springtime and passion.

On February 24^th and 25^th at 7:30 p.m. listeners will enjoy in the work in a new way, while sipping cocktails and sampling hors d’oeuvre in the modern Knight Theater. Audience members can enjoy a beverage while listening to the explosive combination of the Oratorio Singers and Charlotte Symphony, led by Director of Choruses and Assistant Conductor Scott Allen Jarrett.

The Charlotte Oratorio Singers, Charlotte Children’s Choir, the Charlotte Symphony and three soloists will combine forces to present gripping performances of the massive work. After the concert, audiences can mingle in the lobby while enjoying a beer sample courtesy of Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and experience the jolly sounds of Renaissance tavern music by early music group the Charlotte Waites.

This concert also serves as an event for the Charlotte Symphony’s new young affiliate group, CSO Pulse. With 60 members since launching in the fall of 2011, the group represents the future generation of Charlotte Symphony concertgoers.

Part of the innovative KnightSounds series, which offers a modern take on the concert-going experience, listeners can participate in a daring musical experience to stimulate and delight the senses. Funded by the Knight Foundation, the concerts center around multimedia and interaction. Only in its second season, the series has attracted national attention for its groundbreaking endeavors.

In August, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation awarded $125,000 to the Charlotte Symphony to expand the KnightSounds season, including the commissioning of a synchronized digital animation video to accompany a future concert performance.  Last season’s sold-out “Tangos and Tapas” concert offered participants the chance to engage in a professional tango lesson and spicy hors d’oeuvres to compliment the evening. Latin composers and the salsa band Orquesta Mayor made for a red-hot concert!

Carmina Burana promises to expand on the contemporary mission of Knight Sounds, reach young audiences and extend the impact of the Charlotte Symphony.