Jazz icon Wynton Marsalis’ update of Stravinsky’s uncanny tale, L’Histoire du soldat (The Soldier’s Tale), is a modern parable of temptation and redemption.

Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale updates the classic narrative to explore a jazz fiddler’s pact with the devil.

In this tale set in the world of commercialism, the fiddler, seduced by promises of fame and fortune, confronts the loss of her artistic soul.

The suite is brought to life with a chamber ensemble including violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone and percussion, mirroring Stravinsky’s original instrumentation but infusing it with jazz rhythms and blues.

The work consists of eight movements. In ‘The Fiddler’s March’, a jazz march introduces the tale. Swing rhythms then depict the fiddler’s rise in ‘A Fiddler’s Soul’.

We then follow the fiddler’s journey through solitude, longing and conflict until the final, triumphant movement, ‘The Blues on Top’.

Marsalis’ blend of musical genres and moral complexities come to life through a dynamic mix of instruments and narration in an evening of engaging music, drama, and storytelling.

Explore themes of integrity, sacrifice, and redemption in a performance that redefines traditional tales.

Programme:

Wynton Marsalis: A Fiddler's tale