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Musician Peter Wolf, former frontman for the J. Geils Band, says he is looking forward to visiting Portland for some Stravinsky, and perhaps a beer.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Portland Symphony Orchestra's "Great Stories to Tell!" with Peter Wolf and members of Portland Ballet, under the direction of Robert Moody.

WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Merrill Auditorium, Portland

TICKETS: $20 to $70 through PortTix, the Merrill box office, by calling 842-0800 or online at www.porttix.com

ALSO: Scott Harris, director of the School of Music at the University of Southern Maine, will give a preconcert lecture at 1:15 p.m. Moody and Wolf will do a Q&A immediately following the performance.

Although it may seem out of character for a rock star, Peter Wolf says it's really not a stretch for him to sit in with the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

Wolf, the former frontman for the J. Geils Band, will narrate Igor Stravinsky's theatrical work "L'Histoire du Soldat (A Soldier's Tale)" during Sunday's orchestral program at Merrill Auditorium.

Actor Judd Nelson, who is from Portland, was supposed to do the part but had to cancel because of an injury. Wolf, who lives in Boston, was happy to step in.

"I figured, why not? My dad was in the Robert Shaw Chorale, and I grew up around symphony orchestras. My dad was also in vaudeville and jazz. So this was something that wasn't foreign to me at all. And besides, I love Portland," Wolf said.

Sunday's program will begin at 2:30 p.m., under the direction of conductor Robert Moody. Members of Portland Ballet will perform. In addition to "A Soldier's Tale," Sunday's program will include music by Mendelssohn and Respghi. The program is titled "Great Stories to Tell!"

Wolf fronted J. Geils for many years before moving into a solo career in 1984. The J. Geils Band plays reunion concerts now and again, but Wolf is very much a solo musician these days.

Over the course of his career, he has performed with many high-profile figures in popular music, including Aretha Franklin, John Lee Hooker, Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen.

He has recorded audio books and helped narrate a film, so he's accustomed to using his speaking voice as part of his performance repertoire. The biggest challenge, he said, is simply familiarizing himself with the Stravinsky piece.

He said he knew of "A Soldier's Tale" because of the recording that rock star Sting and actress Vanessa Redgrave made, but he had never heard it performed all the way through.

He got the call to sub for Nelson from an old friend, Bob Ludwig, who owns Gateway Mastering & DVD in Portland. Gateway is a record mastering facility that has become a leader in the music business. Many of the world's biggest stars, from Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen, have their records mastered here.

Wolf has known Ludwig for many years, and enjoys coming to Portland to hang out while his records are mastered.

When Nelson notified the orchestra last week that he would be unable to keep his commitment, orchestra staff members scrambled to find a replacement. Among the calls they made was one to Ludwig, who suggested Wolf.

The rock star barely hesitated. He rarely turns down a chance to visit his favorite city north of Boston.

"I love Maine, and I love Portland particularly. Great bookstores ... great bars. The heart is a lonely hunter, so I thought I would venture up and give it a try. So you can tell people that I am rolling into town, double-parked in the highway of love, and rolling in and out of your different barrooms, of which Portland has some very good ones. I'm looking forward to trying some of your city's fine home-brewed beer and some of their good wine."

Staff Writer Bob Keyes can be contacted at 791-6457 or at:

bkeyes@pressherald.com