SFSymphony+ | Stravinsky: The Soldier’s Tale | Behind-the-Scenes Feature

On June 1, 2022, Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony release a new concert film of Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale on the Orchestra’s free video streaming service, SFSymphony+. The hour-long film was conceived and directed by acclaimed British director, designer, and video artist Netia Jones, inspired by the 1921 Russian abstract art exhibition 5x5=25. The release is one of Salonen and the Symphony’s key signature digital projects in the 2021–22 season aimed at expanding the possibilities of the orchestral experience through digital collaboration. In addition to Salonen, who conducts the performance, Stravinsky: The Soldier’s Tale features actor Bruce Davison as the narrator, soldier, and devil; Alonzo King LINES Ballet dancer Adji Cissoko; and seven San Francisco Symphony musicians: Concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, Principal Bass Scott Pingel, Principal Clarinet Carey Bell, Principal Bassoon Stephen Paulson, Associate Principal Trumpet Aaron Schuman, Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins, and Principal Percussion Jacob Nissly. Filmed in March 2022 in the San Francisco Symphony’s SoundBox performance space and a studio in Richmond, CA, the production is multidimensional, with large screens surrounding the musicians projecting dancer Adji Cissoko’s improvised choreography throughout the film.

Added 27 Mar 2026