Monday, June 30, 2014

LIGHTS, CAMERA, MUSIC!


 SF SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES 2014/2015 FILM SERIES

Last year the San Francisco Symphony launched its first film series, film nights at Davies Symphony Hall where the classics played onscreen while the orchestra performed their scores live. It was a runaway success, with sold-out screenings and glowing reviews (one of those rave reviews was mine). Thus, the way was paved for another series, and the symphony has just announced the schedule of films set for its 2014/2015 season,"From ruby slippers to Brando at his best, cinematic greats are made even greater when accompanied live by the San Francisco Symphony...":

Scarecrow, Lion, Dorothy and Tin Man

On September 27, the symphony's 2014/2015 film series will kick off with a celebration of the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz (1939). The orchestra will accompany the beloved classic, led by conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos.

The Godfather, Part I, Connie's wedding

January 10, 1915, brings the U.S. premiere of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) with live orchestral accompaniment. Conductor Justin Freer will lead the symphony in Nino Rota's masterful, unforgettable - and Oscar-winning - score.

Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain: What a glorious feelin'

"Gotta Dance" will be the theme on March 28, when clips from the musicals An American in Paris (1951), Singin' in the Rain (1952) and Brigadoon (1954) will be featured as well as the ballroom scene from Madame Bovary (1949) and "the waltz with spaceships" from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Joshua Gersen will conduct.

Stanley Kubrick's 2001

The final series event on April 25 will showcase the film scores of Oscar and Grammy-winning composer Tan Dun for three martial arts films, Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Zhang Yimou's Hero (2002) and Feng Xiaogang's The Banquet (2006). Scenes from the films will play on the big screen while Damian Iorio leads the symphony in performing their scores.

Zhang Yimou's Hero

The symphony will also host a special Halloween film night on October 31 this year, with the 1920 silent version of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, starring John Barrymore. Todd Wilson will provide live organ accompaniment.
 
Barrymore as Mr. Hyde

For more information about the the SF Symphony's 2014/2015 Film Series, click here (please note, additional events have been added since this post was published).

2 comments:

  1. What a wonderful series this will be! If I lived in SF, I would drag my poor, hapless husband to at least one of each.

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    1. He might just surprise you and have a good time. Last year, I saw VERTIGO at the symphony with a friend who isn't a big classics fan (or a symphony fan either, for that matter) and he loved it.

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