Paine Hall. 8 p.m. Tickets available through the Harvard Box Office, (617) 496-2222. $6 student/senior, $10 general.

Imagine what it would have been like if, as a child, Rev. Peter J. Gomes, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and The Memorial Church’s Pusey Minister, had read to you before bed in his booming, mesmerizing oratory style.

This possibility can be experienced on Saturday, Dec. 10, as Gomes narrates the Bach Society Orchestra’s (BachSoc) performance of Prokofiev’s classic composition “Peter and the Wolf.” In addition, BachSoc will perform Bartok’s “Romanian Folk Dances,” Shubert’s “Unfinished Symphony,” and an original composition from Derrick L. Wang ’06.

“Peter and the Wolf” is a symphonic folk tale of heroism, originally written as a child’s introduction to the orchestra, in which each character is represented by an instrument—Peter by the strings, the wolf by the French horns, and the bird by the flute. The music, however, is still sophisticated enough to be enjoyed by all ages.

That’s not to say that audiences won’t experience child-like amusement and wonder. “Maybe for some it will remind them of their youth when they first heard it as children,” Gomes said. “I think it’s whimsical and fun…Who can go wrong with ‘Peter and the Wolf’?”

Gomes, who first narrated “Peter and the Wolf” with BachSoc nearly 30 years ago, is sure to add an extra element to the performance. “Professor Gomes will be a very entertaining person to watch and listen to and this is a major piece of the orchestral repertoire that BachSoc will be performing,” said Daniel W. Chetel ’06, BachSoc’s music director, adding that Gomes may even perform characters like Grandfather in humorous voices.

“I think that’s going to depend on the spirit of the movement, whether I read grandfather or become grandfather,” Gomes said. “I think I’ll wait to be inspired.”