The St. Louis Symphony Chorus presents Shostakovich's Eighth Symphony with works by Mendelssohn and Stravinsky, conducted by David Afkham.
The St. Louis Symphony Chorus takes the stage at Powell Hall on Saturday, Nov 14, and Sunday, Nov 15, for a program built around Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8. It's the first performance of the chorus' 50th anniversary season, and they're pairing the symphony with two choral settings of psalm music: Felix Mendelssohn's Psalm 114 (When Israel out of Egypt Came), Op. 51 and Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms. David Afkham conducts both nights.
Shostakovich's Eighth is the heavy lift here. He called it a wartime requiem and described it as deeply sad, but he also left a hopeful note: "Life is beautiful. All that is dark and depressing will disappear, depart, and the beautiful will reign." That tension—the weight of the dark stuff and the insistence that something better comes after—is exactly what the piece is about. The chorus handles the Mendelssohn and Stravinsky, so you'll hear voices on the first half and the full orchestra on the second.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in St. Louis and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Both performances run about two hours and ten minutes, including intermission. The Saturday night concert is followed by a post-concert after party in the lobby, and you don't need an extra ticket for it—it's included. The weekend is part of the orchestra's 26/27 season, its 147th. The Saturday show is at 7:30 PM and the Sunday matinee is at 3:00 PM, both at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Blvd in the Grand Center entertainment district.
