THE ESO, the North Shore Choral Society and soloists present Sir Karl Jenkins’ tragic and ultimately life affirming The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. From the pounding drums suggesting marching armies to the soaring final cello solo, featuring ESO Principal Celloist Ellen Frolichstein, this stirring and ambitious work confronts war’s horrors yet promises peace. Blending texts from the Christian Mass with Islamic calls to prayer, referencing ancient epics, and modern laments, this monumental work delivers visceral rhythms, tribal menace, and transcendent hope. The program begins with a very different and more traditional view of soldiery, Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, “The Military.” The Armed Man’s final message of hope is a fitting close to the ESO’s 80th anniversary season.