4 Can’t-Miss Holiday Experiences with Your Charlotte Symphony

July 11, 2024

It may be sizzling hot here in Charlotte, but we're already dreaming of cooler days and festive cheer. To get you into the holiday spirit early, we're celebrating Christmas in July with fantastic deals on our incredible lineup of holiday concerts, starting on July 17! Here are four magical holiday experiences you won't want to miss:

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert

November 29-30, 2024 | Ovens Auditorium



Get ready for a festive adventure with the Muppets! Watch as Kermit and the gang work their magic to transform Ebenezer Scrooge (the one and only Michael Caine) from a grumpy miser into a holiday enthusiast on one unforgettable Christmas Eve. Your Charlotte Symphony performs the score live as this beloved family film lights up the big screen. It's a merry, Muppet-filled celebration you won't want to miss!

2. Handel's Messiah

December 13-15, 2024 | Knight Theater



The sacred holiday tradition of Handel's stunning masterpiece is back! Join your CSO, Charlotte Master Chorale, and four incredible soloists for an evening of passion and exquisite beauty. This enduring oratorio will have you leaping to your feet -- "Hallelujah!"

3. Cirque de Noël

December 19-21, 2024 | Knight Theater



The circus meets the symphony in this spectacular holiday show! With jaw-dropping acrobatics and your favorite holiday tunes, this fresh show will dazzle your family and ignite the wonder of the season! Don't miss out on this high-flying musical adventure.

4. Holiday Pops Family Concert

December 7, 2024 | Knight Theater



Join us for one of Charlotte's most cherished holiday traditions, perfect for the whole family! We'll bring beloved seasonal classics to life with timeless carols and spirited renditions of festive favorites. With special surprises from Santa and his crew, this joyful celebration promises to delight audiences of all ages.

Don't miss out on discounts for select holiday performances starting on July 17. The best deals melt away on July 31!... Read more

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4 Can’t-Miss Holiday Concerts in 2022

July 6, 2022

Christmas is only 170 days away, so we're bringing you some holiday cheer during one of the hottest months of the year! Use this guide to pick your favorite holiday concerts now and be ready for our big Christmas in July sale starting July 13. Secure your seats quickly before tickets disappear like snowflakes in the Carolina sun!

The Polar Express™ in Concert

Hop on board The Polar Express and be immersed in the musical magic of Christmas Eve with a wild ride up and down mountains, across ice fields, and over mile-high bridges. We'll journey to the North Pole while watching this iconic film about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas -- all while the beautiful musical score is performed live by the Charlotte Symphony. BELIEVE!

Handel's Messiah

Handel's beloved masterpiece is a must-see every holiday season, but this year it's sure to be extra special when we welcome Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green back to the Charlotte stage to conduct his world-renowned interpretation. Hallelujah!

Holiday Pops

Create new memories with the whole family at our all-new immersive holiday concert experience. Falling snow, classic holiday favorites, sing-alongs, and special guests -- including the North Pole's most celebrated resident -- will brighten your holiday season and leave you with a warm glow.

Cirque de Noël

Circus + Symphony = high-flying fun! This fresh, new show combines jaw-dropping aerial acts flying high above the orchestra with the sounds of your favorite holiday music performed live by the Charlotte Symphony. Bring the whole family and prepare to be awestruck!
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Christmas in July? Yes, please!

July 7, 2021

There is no doubt about it, summertime in the Carolinas is HOT. What better way to manifest cooler temperatures than by taking a look at what the CSO has in store for you this fall and winter? Make your selections now and be ready for our big Christmas in July sale, beginning July 19.

Home Alone in Concert

Handel's Messiah

Magic of Christmas

Delight in the wonder of the holiday season at the annual Magic of Christmas concert with sing-alongs, falling snow, and so much more! NEW this year, we welcome vocalist and entertainer Tony DeSare back to Charlotte to help us spread holiday cheer. December 10-19 in the Knight Theater.

A Very Thorgy Christmas

Thorgy Thor brings her charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent back to Charlotte this holiday season! Experience the world premiere of this holiday show in the Queen City, brought to you by the queen of Classical Music. One-night-only, December 22 in the Knight Theater.

Cirque de Noël

The circus meets the symphony! Back with a fresh show filled with awe-inspiring acrobatics and musical holiday favorites, this event will fill your family with the wonder of the season. December 29-30 in the Belk Theater.

New Year's Eve with Melinda Doolittle

Ring in the New Year with an unforgettable evening of music featuring American Idol finalist and soul-stirring songstress Melinda Doolittle. Your ticket includes a post-concert party with champagne, dancing, and a countdown to midnight! December 31 in the Belk Theater.... Read more

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Meet "Christmastime in Charlotte" composer, Gary Fry

December 5, 2019

Emmy-winning composer Gary Fry returns this season for Magic of Christmas & The Singing Christmas Tree, Dec. 13-22 at Knight Theater. We sat down with Gary to find out if his beloved carol written for the Queen City, "Christmastime in Charlotte," will sport a new verse, when he begins listening to Christmas music every year, and more.

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Do you have any holiday traditions?
I think our family traditions are pretty normal. We gather for family dinner on Christmas Eve, and my wife gives all our children (and now, grandchildren) Christmas pajamas before bedtime, and we read the Clement Moore poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke. Christmas Day is a time for spending time with family and opening gifts!

Last year, you wrote a new Christmas carol for us, "Christmastime in Charlotte." Will there be any changes or additions to the carol this year?
From the beginning, the idea was to have one verse of lyrics that changed each year to reflect things that were happening currently in Charlotte, or something special related to the Magic of Christmas program that particular year. You'll just have to come to the concert to find out what the "topical lyrics" are this year!

Which part of the concert are you most excited for?
It's all exciting to me especially the fact that this year joining our wonderful Charlotte Symphony are Carolina Voices' The Singing Christmas Tree, the Charlotte Children's Choir, and Grey Seal Puppets. It will all make for a very fresh and exciting new sound and look - filled with Christmas spirit!

What's your favorite Christmas carol?
Well, I must say I especially like "O Holy Night" as a traditional carol, and the music from the movie The Polar Express is wonderful as far as newer Christmas songs go. And, hearing "Christmastime in Charlotte" is always a wonderful thrill for me as a composer.

If you were a sugar cookie, what shape would you be?
Ha! A Christmas cookie shaped like a harp or a bell-- something musical!-- would be appropriate for me.

A potentially controversial question: At what time of the year do you start listening to Christmas music?
Since I work on so much Christmas music, I listen to it literally year-round. I'm already listening to Christmas music for 2020!

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Joyful. Heartwarming. Pure family fun. Make new family memories to cherish for years to come at Magic of Christmas & The Singing Christmas Tree, Dec. 13-22 at Knight Theater.... Read more

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5 Exciting holiday experiences with your CSO this season

October 29, 2019

The Holidays are just around the corner, which means the return of time-honored traditions and the making of new ones. From acrobatics above the orchestra to snow in the theater, check out these five exciting experiences that you can have, only with your CSO.

1. Snow in the Knight Theater

You may already be familiar with the CSO's annual Magic of Christmas, but did you know that it snows in the theater following the concert? Featuring a visit from Santa, audience sing-alongs and your favorite holiday music, this longstanding Charlotte tradition combines this year with Carolina Voices' The Singing Christmas Tree December 13-21.

2. Acrobatics above the orchestra

When the circus comes to town, they don't mess around. Cirque de Noel on December 28 at Belk Theater will include stunning aerial feats that will wow the whole family.

3. Dancing on stage for New Year's Eve

The party has moved to the Belk Theater this year to accommodate more room for the post-concert festivities. Swing into the New Year with style with Gershwin's famous Rhapsody in Blue, followed by champagne, desserts, a live jazz band, and a countdown to midnight.

4. Halleluja!

Handel's Messiah returns this year by popular demand. The CSO will perform this beautiful, dramatic work featuring the Hallelujah Chorus with the Charlotte Master Chorale and four soloists on December 6 & 7 at Knight Theater.

5. Watch Kevin get left Home Alone

Part of the CSO's Movie Series, the orchestra will perform the soundtrack to this delightful holiday classic live in sync with the film projected on a large screen above orchestra. Don't miss it on November 29 at Belk Theater.... Read more

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