Diana Washington Valdez at the El Paso Times has filed the following report on the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA:

Trans-Siberian Tradition Stays Fresh

Imagine the "Nutcracker." Throw in some more Christmas songs, and add a powerful laser light show and some masterful vocals and rock instrumentation. You'll get an idea of what the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is about.

TSO will bring its show Nov. 16 to UTEP's Don Haskins Center.

"It's going to be bigger than last year's -- a big, massive production," Al Pitrelli, the band's guitarist, said in a telephone interview.

The way Pitrelli describes it, there will be no lulls in the orchestra's Winter Tour 2007 repertoire: "We're going to have new songs, new singers and some surprises."

He also tried to explain the band's enduring popularity.

"Integrity and staying true to our art form," he said. "We put on the best show with the best performers that we can. We don't try to be something that we're not. We're not on some fashion bandwagon, either. We make really, really good music, and America loves it. The TSO has become a tradition."

El Pasoan Crystal Morton said she's a longtime TSO fan.

"My boyfriend and I are fans," she said. "We try every year to get tickets to their concert, but they always seem to sell out before we can buy them. I like TSO because their music is so eclectic. It has a bit of everything I like, from classical to hard rock. It also brings back memories of Christmases past.

"... But, best of all, TSO songs tell stories -- about angels, candles, peace, children, shelter, charity, snow, magic, hope, bells, love and good deeds," she said. "To put it simply, their music makes me feel warm."

A tradition the group likes to continue is greeting fans after their performances.

"There's no big backstage party -- we like to meet and greet the people who come to see us," Pitrelli said. "We know thousands of people on a first-name basis."

Producer and composer-writer Paul O'Neill began TSO in 1996 with Jon Oliva and Robert Kinkel.

Its debut album, Christmas Eve And Other Stories, soon became a top seller for the Lava/Atlantic label. The music has been featured in movies including How The Grinch Stole Christmas and The Little Vampire.

Early on, O'Neill set out to create music that would have a strong effect on audiences. He decided to do this by pairing memorable lyrics and music to a compelling story. The success of the formula speaks for itself.

The band only tours for a couple of months, but that period includes a grueling 56 shows across the nation. The rest of the time, the band prepares for the next year's production.

In the future, Pitrelli said, the band hopes to add some overseas shows, perhaps in Australia, Japan and Europe.