Full stage of musicians, orchestra to back 'Carmina Burana' at Benaroya

A full stage of orchestra and vocalists awaits "Carmina Burana," while an internationally renowned Chinese guitarist arrives with a promising program.

Seattle Symphony Orchestra

Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle (206-215-4747, www.seattlesymphony.org).

Seattle Symphony Orchestra pulls out all the stops for its performance of Carl Orff's spectacular scenic cantata, "Carmina Burana," joining forces with Seattle Symphony Chorale, soprano Terri Richter and tenor/baritone Paul Karaitis, plus the Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint! Seattle.

Premiering in Frankfurt in 1937, "Carmina Burana's" text is derived from 24 of the poems found in a 13th-century collection that came into the possession of a Benedictine abbey near Munich. The medieval writings are the work of Goliards — itinerant clergy and scholars who satirized the Roman Catholic Church.

Orff's long, Latin subtitle for his score translates to "Profane songs to be sung by soloists and chorus with an accompaniment of instruments and magic tableaux." The latter phrase has inspired many a production involving mime and dance, though that won't be the case at Benaroya Hall.

The best-known movement in the piece is "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (O Fortuna)," with its powerful rhythm, big percussion, driving vocals and a dazzling finish. (Movies and rock groups have frequently used "O Fortuna" for its seemingly sinister — some would even suggest satanic — sound, though "Carmina Burana" is really about ordinary experiences of life: the acquisition and loss of good fortune, the arrival and departure of spring, etc.)

Gerard Schwarz conducts, while the choruses have been prepared by Seattle Symphony Associate Conductor for Choral Activities Joseph Crnko.

The program also includes Mendelssohn's Overture to "Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde," followed by Spohr's Violin Concerto No. 8 in A minor. Seattle Symphony Concertmaster Maria Larionoff is the featured soloist on the latter.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Nov. 13, and 8 p.m. Nov. 14, S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium; $17-$100.

Xuefei Yang

Internationally acclaimed guitarist Xuefei Yang presents an intimate performance of classical works next Tuesday, the first in both the Guitar and Celebrate Asia series for this 2009-10 season.

Regarded as both a musical pioneer and the first Chinese guitarist to sign with a major record label, Yang began playing at age 7 and entered Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music. A year later, she was performing in Madrid, and has gone on to play throughout Europe, Asia and Australia, often collaborating with chamber and symphony orchestras.

Yang's highly eclectic program at Benaroya includes a transcription for guitar of Bach's Lute Partita in E major; Regondi's 1864 "Reverie Nocturne," a Romantic work also regarded as possibly the first piece for guitar to utilize the tremolo technique (a vibrating effect); "The Chinese Garden," compositions by Yang and Stephen Goss based on traditional Chinese folk themes; and Albéniz's "España," six short pieces originally written for piano.

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.; Nordstrom Recital Hall; $35.

Tom Keogh: tomwkeogh@yahoo.com.