Photo by Jen Ruff
“Wonder Meets Wow” states the Playbill program for November of 2025. This is the 146th season of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and one of the first events after the immaculate transformation of Powell Hall. Renovations to the Symphony’s longtime home include a new box office, more bathrooms and concession areas, new seats, and two additional elevators. Upon walking into a building I hadn’t been to since I was a child, I breathed a long sigh. Inside, I often well up with pride when the city has done something impressive. For all of the bad things that have been and will be said, I still love this city and am glad when it shines, and the Jack C. Taylor Music Center is shining brightly. Among the improvements were 50% reduced energy for lighting by switching from incandescent and fluorescent lighting to mostly LED, 67% more restrooms, an additional 64,000 square feet and the upgrading of the acoustics.
On this beautiful Sunday afternoon there was almost no parking to be found. Families large and small, young and young at heart, clamored in excitement to see the performance. Seeing this Disney meet symphony was fascinating when I watched the symphony perform the score from Coco at Stifel Theatre this time last year, but this one I really couldn’t wait for. The Lion King is easily in the top 5 of most Disney lovers’ favorites and you could feel that excitement as people rushed from concessions to take their seats. I sat there for a good 20 minutes just looking and appreciating the building, the crowd, the artists warming up a bit.
Conductor Samuel Hollister greeted us all with warmth and humor. He said that his wife just barely convinced him not to bring one of his new kittens to hold up when Rafiki held up Simba to the Pride Lands in the film. He encouraged cheers and applause and most importantly to have an amazing time. As the feature started and the opening of Hans Zimmer’s score accompanied by the Grammy Award-winning SLSO, I couldn’t have been the only one with chills. Laughter and singalongs filled the air. Little princes and princesses giggled and gasped throughout. And of course, the sniffles: no matter how many times you’ve seen it, the passing of Mufasa will always touch you. I didn’t realize this, but it hits even more when you’ve lost a parent and that was the case for me this day. Like Simba, you think they’ll always be there and the loss is unconscionable to process. The beauty is that Walt Disney films introduce real life pain and insurmountable odds but walk with you on the healing and almost hold your hand and lift your heart with small steps forward through your trials and tribulations.
There’s a part in this film where Mufasa preemptively tells Simba how to move forward knowing he won’t live forever, and on this day, it hit like a ton of bricks in the best way.
“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand the balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great circle of life.”
So I left that day a little more healed than when I went in and I feel that I wasn’t alone at all. Please visit the SLSO and see for yourself the treasure we have. We are very lucky to have many buildings with unique works across all versions of art. Supporting this art is how we keep having truly amazing experiences. | Diane Ruff
