Masterworks Chorus Sets 'Carmina Burana'

Photo: Ryan Arnst

(Press Release) March 12, 2026 (Palm Beach, Fla.) — Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches will set the stage ablaze during its next performance, with an epic rendition of Carmina Burana on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in North Palm Beach.

Written by Carl Orff in 1936, Carmina Burana includes unforgettable favorites including O Fortuna--which has been used in countless popular media such as Star Wars. The score was inspired by a medieval manuscript discovered in a Bavarian monastery—a collection of poems about earthly pleasures, extravagance, passionate love, and the cruel randomness of fate.

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Audiences will feel thunderous chords and energizing rhythms from Masterworks’s dynamic 70-voice chorus, accompanied by two pianos and the Florida Atlantic University Percussion Ensemble, directed by Professor Matthew Nichols.

Three professional musicians will perform solos, including Dr. Goetzemang Lehobye, soprano, Dr. Mitchell Hutchings, baritone, and Leo Williams, tenor. Orff subtitled Carmina Burana as a "scenic cantata” in his intention to stage the work with dance. Special guest Sara Salivar and student dancers from The Benjamin School will realize this movement.

“Few works begin with such electrifying force as O Fortuna, the first movement of Carmina Burana,” said Bryan Ijames, artistic director of Masterworks Chorus. “Starting with the pounding on an ancient drum, this haunting cantata celebrates life's unpredictability. Carmina is the perfect introduction to classical music. We invite community members of all ages to join us for this exhilarating afternoon of musical storytelling.”

General admission starts at $35 per person. Sponsorships are also available. To purchase tickets, visit masterworkspb.org. Carmina Burana is generously sponsored by CIBC Private Wealth, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, and Palm Beach County.