National Symphony Orchestra

“O Fortuna!” Carmina Burana’s towering first movement rolls in like thunder, announcing a celebration of spring, the delightful debauchery of nights at a tavern, and the joys and sorrows of love. Although the words were written by medieval monks, this outrageous cantata is an unstoppable force brimming with bawdy, irreverent satire on the ever-changing fate of man. The National Symphony Orchestra, two choruses, and stars of the Wolf Trap Opera come together for Carl Orff’s epic choral masterwork. The evening also includes a selection of the best loved melodies from one of the most frequently performed operas of all time, Carmen.