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It’s fair to say live scores of movies are having a moment. Wherever you look there’s an orchestra of some sort tuning up to unleash epic soundtracks from the likes of John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Jonny Greenwood. Okay, not everywhere but certainly in the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall, where ‘Phantom Thread’ and ‘E.T.’ are getting the full live treatment this month. Here’s just a few to mark in your diary.
1. ‘Phantom Thread’ with live accompaniment by the London Contemporary Orchestra
Introduced by director Paul Thomas Anderson and composer Jonny Greenwood, this is part-premiere, part concert, all completely unmissable.
Royal Festival Hall. Jan 31.
2. ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ in Concert
Flying bicycles, soaring hearts, giant swells of emotion: the Covent Garden Sinfonia will be making John Williams’s great Spielberg score come alive again at the RFH.
Royal Festival Hall. Jan 25.
3. ‘The Divine Woman’ and ‘The Mysterious Lady’
Legendary conductor Carl Davis conducts his own scores to a pair of Greta Garbo flicks.
Royal Festival Hall. Mar 4.
4. ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Take your own munchkins to see the beloved musical accompanied by a 60-piece orchestra.
London Palladium. Apr 13.
5. ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’
John Williams’s score accompanies the first Potter sequel. The conductor will use a wand, we’re assuming.
Royal Albert Hall. Apr 27-29.
6. ‘La La Land’
The London premiere with Justin Hurwitz’s score should be a popular one. All together now: ‘City of stars…’
Theatre Royal Drury Lane. May 27.
7. ‘Jaws’ – Live at the Palace
The Palace in question is Fulham rather than Buckingham, but still a suitably grand venue for Spielberg’s great hungry-fish-focused sea movie. Der-da, der-da…
Fulham Palace. May 27.
8. ‘Star Trek’ in Concert
JJ Abrams’s ‘Trek’ reboot will be accompanied by a live performance of Michael Giacchino’s score. Listen out for the Tribble clefs.
Royal Albert Hall. Jun 2.
9. ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ in Concert
The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and English Chamber Choir play the five tones.
Royal Albert Hall. Jun 14
10. ‘The English Patient’ Live
It was a Best Picture and a Best Original Score winner, so you’re getting whole lot of Academy Award into your ears with this baby. Witness Ralph, Kristin and Juliette’s loves and losses amid of a swirl of orchestral goodness.
Royal Albert Hall. Oct 18.
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