The Charlotte Symphony will return to its ‘birthplace’ — a restored Carolina Theatre

Nearly a century after its debut, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra will return to the stage where it all began for its spring gala next month.

It will be among the first groups to perform in the restored historic Carolina Theatre at Belk Place in uptown Charlotte, the orchestra said in a news release Tuesday. The orchestra held its inaugural performance in the theater on March 20, 1932.

Orchestra president and CEO David Fisk calls the theater “the birthplace of the Charlotte Symphony.”

The orchestra’s Spring Gala, A Homecoming, is at 7:30 p.m. March 28 at Carolina Theatre at 230 N. Tryon St. The concert will feature one of the world’s best-known opera stars, Renée Fleming, inspired by her Grammy Award-winning album, “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene.”

“This celebration honors not only our rich history and deep ties to our city, but also how far we’ve come and the exciting future ahead,” Fisk said in a statement.

About the Spring Gala concert

Fleming is a five-time Grammy-winning soprano, who has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, President Barack Obama and at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. She is the only classical singer to perform the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. Fleming also has sung on soundtracks from “Piglet’s Big Movie” to “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.”

Last Wednesday, Fleming resigned as artistic director at large for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts following the firing of chairman David Rubenstein to be replaced by President Donald Trump. Trump had recently ousted 18 members of the Kennedy Center’s board, replacing them with a Trump-aligned majority.

Fleming said on her Facebook page that she decided to leave out of respect to billionaire and philanthropist David Rubenstein, who had been chairman for 14 years and planned to step down in September 2026, and Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter, also resigned Wednesday.

“I’ve treasured the bi-partisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best,” Fleming said on her Facebook page. “I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country.”

The Spring Gala will spotlight Fleming’s “Voice of Nature” album by blending classical and contemporary works to explore humans’ relationship with nature. It will be accompanied by a National Geographic Society film.

The performance features songs by Björk, Handel, Kevin Puts and Nico Muhly, as well as “Twilight and Shadow” from The Lord of the Rings.

For the second half of the concert, orchestra members will join Fleming in an “intimate program of chamber orchestra works and songs,” the symphony said.

Tickets are on sale now.

More about Carolina Theatre

The Carolina Theatre opened in 1927.

The first movie to play there was the silent comedy film “A Kiss in a Taxi.” The theater also was the stage for big-name acts like Bob Hope, Katherine Hepburn and Elvis Presley.

The theater has been vacant since closing in 1978. But in 2013, the Foundation For The Carolinas took ownership of the decaying building and began a $90 million renovation in the summer of 2018. The project was funded by donors, the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

Along with Carolina Theatre, the Belk Place campus includes the foundation’s headquarters, Levine Conference Center and The Luski-Gorelick Center for Philanthropy. The name honors Belk family members, known fort he Belk department store chain and civic contributions in the region.

More about the Charlotte Symphony

The Charlotte Symphony’s first performance nearly 93 years ago at Carolina Theatre was under Music Director Guillermo S. de Roxlo. It’s one of the oldest continuously operating symphony orchestras in the Carolinas.

The symphony presents about 150 concerts each season, including its classical series, pops, family and movie performances.

Led by Music Director Kwamé Ryan, the orchestra employs 65 professional full-time musicians. The organization has emphasized its community ties by offering pop-up concerts around the region in addition to its extensive work with promoting music education in schools and through its youth orchestra programs.

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This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM with the headline "The Charlotte Symphony will return to its ‘birthplace’ — a restored Carolina Theatre."