The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra goes silent on Halloween with the horror film classic Nosferatu

Count Orlok ascends the stairs

Count Orlok aboard a ship

The KSO opens its 34th season on All Hallows Eve with a fang-tastic screening of the 1922 film together with an adapted opera score to Der Vampyr.

When opening a season on Halloween, you need to go with your guts. So pairing a 100-year old silent film with a 200-year old opera score sounded intriguing. Hopefully it won't be a pain in the neck.”

— KSO Music Director, James R. Cassidy

NEWPORT, KY, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra opens its 34th season on Halloween with the silent horror film classic Nosferatu, paired with the 1828 opera Der Vampyr, adapted to the film for live orchestral accompaniment by composer Timothy Brock. The evening will open with the Disney 1929 cartoon “The Skeleton Dance” featuring Carl Stallings’ original musical accompaniment, before launching into the 86-minute feature film.

German film director F.W. Murnau's best known film is Nosferatu (1922), an adaptation of

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897), starring German stage actor Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok. Stoker’s estate won a copyright infringement lawsuit against Prana Films. In addition to damages, the court ordered all existing prints of the film to be destroyed. However, one copy had already been distributed globally. It is this single print which has been duplicated over the years, making Nosferatu an early example of a cult film.

Heinrich Marschner’s 1828 opera Der Vampyr (The Vampire) was based on John Polidori's 1819 short story “The Vampyre,” which took place in then present day Scotland. In 1833, Richard Wagner composed an allegro to replace the a portion of a second act aria. The opera Der Vampyr is still sometimes performed with Wagner's allegro in place of Marschner's original.

Don’t miss the film that started the campy fang-fests of the last 103 years accompanied live by a (singerless) opera score. Attend dressed as your favorite cinematic vampire and receive a free, bloody-good drink courtesy of the KSO. Celebrate All Hallows Eve in concert with the KSO, 7:30 Friday. October 31 at Greaves Concert Hall, NKU, Highland Heights, KY. For additional info and tickets — kyso.org or call (859) 431-6216.