ORLANDO, Fla. – Do you feel it?
Christmas season is finally here and for some families, that includes the tradition of rocking out at a holiday-inspired concert.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be making a stop in Central Florida and is also in the spirit of giving back.
Fire, lights shows guitars and hair flips are just a few expectations for the show. Watching the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, it may seem like you’re at a heavy metal concert, but if you listen closely, you’ll hear familiar holiday tunes.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a rock opera group known for its Christmas tours.
“Our founder, Mr. Paul O’Neill had a real special knack for combining traditional themes, classical music and good old fashioned American rock and roll,” said write and musical director Al Pitrelli. “At any moment you’ll have a Mozart symphony, a little bit of rock and roll, R&B, Jazz, vocal duet and it’s all wrapped up in the biggest rock and roll production on the planet.”
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This year’s theme is ‘The Lost Christmas Eve.’ Vocalist Kayla Reeves said each performance tells a story.
“The core of that story is redemption and second chances and I think there’s always an empty seat at the table around Christmastime. There’s always a sense of missing someone and through Paul’s story, there’s always a happy ending,” said Reeves.
Pitrelli has been with TSO from the very beginning. You’ll also spot him rocking out with his guitar on stage.
“The first show we did in 1999, we had one box truck, one bus, and one fog machine. After 25 years we now have 21 tractor-trailers, 12 buses, and a lot of fog machines and we want to give a bigger show every year,” said Pitrelli.
Pitrelli said the show has grown to about 24 band members and 80 crew members. Each show is unique, bringing back ‘repeat offenders.’ -- what TSO refers to fans who return year after year.
“On a deeper level, the story, the music, and art should always be accessible... There was a quote I read from Leonard Bernstein not too long ago, in regards to Beethoven that said ‘Music and art should be always accessible, but never ordinary.’ That statement put me back on my heels because it’s so Paul O’Neill with TSO. The story, the poetry, the lyrics, and the characters, everything about it is accessible because everyone in the audience can relate to it, but nothing about a TSO show is ordinary to say the least,” said Pitrelli.
For example, last year one of the vocalists sang a Mozart opera in a 10-foot snow globe.
“The weirdest thing that ever happened is we lost one truck in Kansas City a bunch of years ago. The production manager came up to me and said ‘Hey boss, we lost a truck last night. There was an accident or a breakdown, everyone is okay.’ I said ‘Which truck?’ He said ‘the one carrying the stage.’ By sound check, I don’t know how they got plywood and crates, I don’t know how they pulled it off but we had a stage built already and we did a great show. These are the things the audience never knows about and we need to acknowledge our crew because they are magnificent,” said Pitrelli.
Pitrelli said his favorite part is inspiring the next generation of musicians.
“The influence we have over the younger members of the audience. five and six-year-olds come to a show and they’re watching and the next year they come down the autograph line and then they want to take piano lessons or want to sing and explore the performing arts, that’s the reward for me,” said Pitrelli.
Reeves said TSO has created an extended family for her.
“I really enjoy the rehearsal process and Al and I have been touring together for 14 years and we really have become a family. Getting to see everyone and getting back on that stage, there’s a magic and sense of wholeness,” said Reeves.
TSO also gives back, with a dollar from each ticket sold going towards community projects. This year will mark the 20 millionth ticket sold and 20 million dollars donated since its inception.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be rocking out at the Kia Center on Saturday, Dec. 14. There is an afternoon and evening show.