The Utah Symphony invites you to relive some of cinema’s most beloved blockbusters while listening to a live orchestra perform the score. Crowd favorites ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,’ ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ ‘A Nightmare Before Christmas’ and ‘High Noon’ will be featured in this new ‘Films in Concert’ series for the 2017-18 season.
The series will commence with the first installment in the Indiana Jones franchise on Sept. 7 and 8. Audiences will be immersed in Jones’ quest for the Ark of the Covenant while the Utah symphony orchestra plays John Williams’ Oscar-nominated score. Scenes of epic proportion and action will be met with an equally anthemic playing of ‘The Raiders March,’ which has become as renowned as the action classic.
Sure to interest younger crowds and hopefully spark some interest in the symphony, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ will also be performed. Right in time for Halloween, Tim Burton’s unusual Christmas—or Halloween, depending on who you ask—tale, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ will be showcased on Oct. 24. Follow Jack Skellington as he puts his own spin on Christmas, breaking out in song to Danny Elfman’s delightfully strange score. Following this creepy treat, Harry Potter will be making an appearance at the symphony from Dec. 21-23. ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ will come as an early Christmas present for witches and wizards of all ages. Brady Beaubien, Concert Producer for the Harry Potter Film Series hopes to once again immerse audiences in the wizarding world with the help of another of John Williams’ unforgettable scores, following their first foray into J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world with their performance of ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.’ “Harry Potter is synonymous with excitement around the world,” Beaubien said in a press release, “and we hope that by performing this incredible music with the full movie, audiences will enjoy returning to this world, and to the many wonderful characters and adventures that inhabit it.”
The series will end on Feb. 17 with a premiere showing of Oscar phenom and Western classic ‘High Noon.’ This will be a definite treat for any fan of westerns, particularly since it also boasts one of the most iconic scores ever composed. Suspense will abound as Marshal Will Kane plans to defend Hadleyville from vicious outlaws while Dimitri Tiomkin’s score is played live by the Utah Symphony.
Paul Meecham, President and CEO of both the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, explained that these musically immersive film experiences serve as an investment in both world class entertainment and in future symphony goers. “The Orchestra recently invested in a state-of-the-art projection system that allows us to present these films on the giant screen with amazing clarity that enhances our audiences’ overall experience,” he said in a press release. “This film series shows our commitment to creating exciting programming that inspires a whole new generation of symphony goers. There is nothing quite like the immersive experience of watching a feature film on the giant screen while the soundtrack is played by a live orchestra.”
All shows take place at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. Tickets for the entire series can be purchased either online on www.utahsymphony.org or over the phone at (801) 355- 2787 now; single tickets will become available in June. Time to make your favorite movies come alive!
@daanielsonn