Historic Fort Clinch, garrisoned during the Civil War and one of the best preserved nineteenth century forts in the country, will be the outdoor setting for Igor Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du Soldat” or “A Soldier’s Tale.” “A Soldier’s Tale” is a 1918 theatrical piece "to be read, played, and danced." Set to music by  Stravinsky, it is based on a Russian folk tale about a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that predicts the future. Stravinsky scored the music for a small group—a septet of violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone, and percussion—to compensate for a lack of players, since so many were enlisted in the army during World War I. The story is told by three actors: the soldier, the devil, and a narrator, who also takes on the roles of minor characters. A dancer plays the non-speaking role of the princess, while an ensemble of mimes also will perform. The setting will take full advantage of Fort Clinch’s history and scenic views of the ocean and St. Mary’s River.

Our special production of “A Soldier’s Tale” will feature violinist Jennifer Koh, an Amelia Island favorite and Grammy nominee, recognized for her expertise in interpreting Stravinsky. Since the 1994-95 season when she won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the Concert Artists Guild Competition, and the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Jennifer Koh has performed with leading orchestras and conductors around the world. Committed to exploring connections between the pieces she plays and searching for similarities of voice between different composers, her programs often present revealing juxtapositions, offering works by composers as divergent as Mozart, Ornette Coleman, Schubert and Wuorinen.