St. Louis Symphony - Mozart's Magic Flute in Concert

By Sam Wisman

Published February 27, 2026 at 3:39 PM CST

Ben Bliss performs with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and Children's Chorus, February 2026

The Magic Flute is a story that blends fairy tale and philosophy. One of Mozart’s most brilliant orchestral scores, this magnificent, extravagant opera-in-concert production combines the talents of the SLSO, a cast of acclaimed vocalists including Kansas City born tenor Ben Bliss, and the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and Children's Chorus.

An agreement with the St. Louis Symphony allows us to share audio for this program up to two weeks after the program's original air date. You can find more episodes here.

Host

Rod Milam
St. Louis Public Radio

Commentator

Lauren Eldridge Stewart
Assistant Professor of Music at Washington University

Conductor

Stéphane Denève

Ben Bliss with the St. Louis Symphony — Ben Bliss performs with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and Children's Chorus, February 2026

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Magic Flute

Ben Bliss, tenor (Tamino) (SLSO debut)
Mei Gui Zhang, soprano (Pamina) (SLSO debut)
Will Liverman, baritone (Papageno) (SLSO debut)
Rainelle Krause, coloratura soprano (The Queen of the Night) (SLSO debut)
David Leigh, bass (Sarastro) (SLSO debut)
Teresa Perrotta, soprano (First Lady) (SLSO debut)
Jennifer Feinstein, mezzo-soprano (Second Lady) (SLSO debut)
Daryl Freedman, mezzo-soprano (Third Lady) (SLSO debut)
Rodell Rosel, tenor (Monostatos) (SLSO debut)
William Socolof, bass-baritone (Speaker) (SLSO debut)
St. Louis Symphony Chorus | Erin Freeman, director
The St. Louis Children’s Choirs | Dr. Alyson Moore, artistic director

Backstage intermission interviews with Stéphane Denève, Ben Bliss and Erin Freeman

These broadcasts are produced by St. Louis Public Radio and made possible in partnership with St. Louis Public Radio and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.