The St. Olaf Christmas Festival Hits a High Note by Heading to the Big Screen Live via Satellite

By: Religion News

Getting into the holiday spirit just became easier this year. Music lovers nationwide have the opportunity to experience the legendary St. Olaf Christmas Festival – a two-hour service of hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections that celebrates the birth of Christ – shown in its entirety in High Definition and 5.1 surround sound in select movie theatres nationwide for the first time. The 96th annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Where Peace and Love and Hope Abide, is performed by 600 student musicians who make up five choirs, including the renowned St. Olaf Choir, and the St. Olaf Orchestra.

The St. Olaf Christmas Festival, under the leadership of conductor Anton Armstrong, will be presented LIVE Sunday, Dec. 2nd at 1 p.m. PST / 4 p.m. EST by National CineMedia’s FATHOM, in association with event specialists BY Experience, Inc. from the campus of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. The festival will be simulcast live into nearly 200 participating AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA, Inc., Georgia Theatre Company, Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, Marcus Theatres, National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theatres across the country through NCM’s digital network. Tickets for this special one-time only event will be on sale beginning Nov. 2nd for $20.00 at presenting theatre box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of presenting theatre locations, please visit the website (theatres are subject to change).

Participating choirs include the St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Armstrong (St. Olaf College class of 1978); the Viking Chorus and Chapel Choir, conducted by Christopher Aspaas (1995); the Cantorei conducted by John Ferguson; the Manitou Singers conducted by Sigrid Johnson; and the St. Olaf Orchestra, conducted by Steven Amundson. Each group will perform individually and as part of a mass ensemble.

More than 12,000 students, alumni and friends of the college attend the four sold-out performances presented every December. The festival was first broadcast via radio in 1949 and televised in 1975. Founder of the St. Olaf College Music Department, F. Melius Christiansen, started the event in 1911.

“We are delighted that technology makes it possible for St. Olaf College to share the Christmas Festival with audiences in movie theatres all across America this year,” said St. Olaf College President David R. Anderson. “One of the oldest and most distinguished musical celebrations of Christmas in America, the Christmas Festival reflects not only the excellence of the music program at St. Olaf but also the college's deep and enduring commitment to its religious identity.”

“NCM FATHOM is proud to bring this amazing tradition to music fans who are unable to attend the event in Minnesota but can see it in their local movie theatre in High Definition and 5.1 surround sound,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of National CineMedia’s Fathom. “This special theatrical event is the perfect occasion to kick off the holidays – and witness why millions of people around the world have made this festival part of their holiday tradition.”

The St. Olaf Christmas Festival has been listed as one of five significant global holiday events in The New York Times International Datebook, and has been featured in such publications as TV Guide, The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. Twin Cities Public Television (TPT2) will produce the St. Olaf Christmas Festival. A one-hour highlights version of the Festival will debut on PBS stations nationally in mid December.

About National CineMedia, LLC

National CineMedia (NCM) LLC operates the largest digital in-theatre network in North America through long-term agreements with its founding members, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest theatre operators in the U.S., and through multi-year agreements with several other theatre operators. NCM LLC produces and distributes its FirstLook pre-feature program; cinema and lobby advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services and other entertainment programming content. NCM LLC’s national network includes over 14,000 screens of which over 12,300 are part of the Company’s Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC’s DCN covers 156 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50). During 2006, approximately 550 million patrons attended movies shown in theatres owned by the NCM LLC founding members (excluding Loews). National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 44.8% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC.

About St. Olaf College

St. Olaf is an academically rigorous, nationally ranked liberal arts college that inspires students to foster the development of mind, body and spirit. St. Olaf is a religiously diverse college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its students are part of an enduring community that takes pride in its traditions and innovations.