Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Spring Spectacular

Of course, every Trans-Siberian Orchestra tour comes with a story and the spring tour is no exception. The first half of every show will be devoted to presenting the Orchestra’s 2000 CD, Beethoven’s Last Night in its entirety, complete with a story depicting the great composer haggling with the devil for his very own soul.

“Beethoven was the world’s first heavy metal musician,” TSO creator Paul O’Neill said. “The main theme in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony could easily have been written by Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath.”

But the tale isn’t just about Beethoven and Satan. O’Neill says “Beethoven’s Last Night” also includes some of the composer’s personal acquaintances, such as Mozart and the Hapsburg Empire’s royal family.  According to O’Neill, the story is as “riveting and relevant today as it was when it occurred three centuries ago.”

Well, as some of it occurred, anyway. “Beethoven’s Last Night” may not be 100 percent factual, what with all that bargaining with the devil and all. In fact, TSO describes it as “combining 50 percent of what happened with 50 percent of what might have happened.”

The tour begins in Cincinnati at the Taft Theatre March 25. Akron’s EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall is scheduled for March 26 followed by a performance at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square Theatre March 27. Remaining March gigs are Syracuse, N.Y., at the Landmark Theatre March 28 and Rhode Island’s Providence Performing Arts Center March 31.

Other stops include Boston at the Wang Theatre, Citi Performing Arts Center April 1; Pittsburgh at the Benedum Center April 4; New York City at Radio City Music Hall April 8; Washington, D.C., at the Warner Theatre April 11; Toronto at Massey Hall April 13 and Oklahoma City at the Civic Center Music Hall April 27.

Last show on the schedule is set for May 2 just outside Dallas at the Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie.

While “Beethoven’s Last Night” makes up the first half of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s evening program, the second half will be devoted to selections from the group’s recently released double album Night Castle, which the Washington Post recently described as a “classic rock soundtrack that mixes real life heroism and history into a rock opera that is truly magical.”

For more information on the upcoming spring tour, “Beethoven’s Last Night” and everything else in the Trans-Siberian world, click here for the Orchestra’s Web site.