Houston Symphony to Present IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE With Live Score

The Houston Symphony is bringing holiday cheer to movie buffs and fans of Frank Capra's great American Christmas classic IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE with a screening of the film accompanied by the film's score performed live by the orchestra at 7:30 p.m. December 9.

The 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama tells the story of George Bailey (James Stewart), who has given up on his dreams to help others, and his journey alongside his guardian angel. The film will be projected on a giant screen while Dimitri Tiomkin's heartwarming score and newly-restored music is performed live by the orchestra.

Joining the orchestra in the screening of the Christmas favorite with live soundtrack are members of the Houston Symphony Chorus directed by Dr. Betsy Cook Weber. The concert will be led by guest conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos whose musical experiences comfortably span the worlds of opera and symphony, where he conducts in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and The Royal Albert Hall.

Kitsopoulos has made a name for himself as a conductor and in musical theater, where he leads orchestras on Broadway. The 2016-17 season marks his seventh as music director of the Festival of the Arts BOCA, an extraordinary multi-day cultural arts event in South Florida. He was artistic director of the OK Mozart Festival, Oklahoma's premier music festival (2013-15). He also recently completed an eight-year tenure as music director of the Queens Symphony Orchestra.

The concert will be 7:30 p.m. December 9 at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana. For more information, call 713-224-7575 or visit houstonsymphony.org.