The Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis concludes its 2025-2026 classical season on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with a world premiere commission, “How Mr. Silver Stole the Show.” Conductor Roger Kaza leads MOSL in this classical music and multi-media event based upon the children’s book by Kate Klise. The work is inspired by the true 1947 story of a stray kitten who wandered into the Hamilton Hotel in St. Louis just before the Greater St.Louis Cat Club Show. Despite having no pedigree, Mr. Silver won two blue ribbons–and a new forever home.
Spotlight on St. Louis and Missouri Artists and Civic Leaders
Kaza states, “I’m tremendously excited about our season finale. It is an honor and a privilege to commission and perform a world premiere work, and we are particularly proud to showcase musicians, artists and community leaders from our city and state. We are also thrilled to be performing for the first time at 560 Music Center, which is a great venue for both the music and visual components of our concert.”
Composer Stefan Freund is a professor of composition at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a founding member of the 2026 Grammy award-winning ensemble Alarm Will Sound–the ensemble in residence for the Mizzou New Music Initiative. He is a champion of introducing contemporary classical music to new audiences, making it both welcoming and accessible. Freund has collaborated with the American Wild Ensemble, and has contributed to projects like The Three Robbers, an “immersive audible landscape” which incorporates narration with music and visuals from the children’s story, and is currently installed at The Rabbit hOle in Kansas City.
Author Kate Klise is a renowned author of children’s books, and has sold more that one million copies of her books. Kate divides her time between her farmhouse in the Missouri Ozarks and her bungalow in St. Louis. How Mr. Silver Stole the Show was selected for the 2024 Wisconsin Library Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Children’s Literature. Book illustrator Sarah Klise (and sister of Kate) will provide visuals for the premiere.
Narrator Sarah Fenske is currently St. Louis Magazine’s executive editor, host of The 314 Podcast, the monthly Legal Roundtable on St. Louis Public Radio and a panelist on Nine PBS’ Donnybrook. With more than two decades in journalism, Fenske has also hosted St. Louis on the Air for STLPR, and was editor-in-chief for The Riverfront Times.
Breathtaking and Heartwarming—A Concert for All Ages
The program opens with Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite–a magical, enchanting five-movement work based on the imaginative fairy tales of Charles Perrault–and concludes with Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. This vibrant, exuberant work transforms lesser-known piano duets by Weber into a colorful orchestral showpiece and has remained a favorite with American audiences since its 1944 premiere.
From music inspired by a beautiful princess and a fearsome beast, to a transformation of piano duets into an orchestral masterpiece, to a stray kitty that becomes an award-winner, MOSL’s season finale concert is one for all ages, with special prices for children, students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the concert at the 560 Music Center ~ E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall, or online in advance from Eventbrite.com.
Seating is general admission.Roger Kaza