The Princeton Symphony Orchestra Brings Movies To Life
By Victoria Corinne
This February, The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is playing a concert that will most definitely make you feel like you’re a part of your favorite hit blockbusters. The PSO Saturday Evening POPS! is performing their annual mid-winter show in a big, cinematic way.
Hosted by NPR film critic Bob Mondello, conducted by PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov, and featuring a special guest appearance by the American Boychoir, the program spotlights the award winning works of John Williams, composed for the popular box office films Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones. The voices of the American Boychoir join in on Amistad’s “Dry Your Tears, Afrika,” Saving Private Ryan’s “Hymn to the Fallen,” and Empire of the Sun’s “Cadillac of the Skies” and “Exsultate Justi.” Many other movie scores will be represented, including music from The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Cinema Paradiso, Laura, The Magnificent Seven, Sunset Boulevard, Lawrence of Arabia, and Vertigo.
Bob Mondello will provide his witty and intelligent commentary as host, giving insights into the large role that music plays in each of the selected movies. For more than three decades, Bob Mondello has reviewed movies and covered the arts for NPR News, sharing critiques and commentaries about the most intriguing films on All Things Considered.
A frequent collaborator in movie productions, The American Boychoir recently starred along with Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates in the film Boychoir, which was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September. Previously, the choir sang in Empire of the Sun, Interview with the Vampire, and Wide Awake.
“We are thrilled to recognize the artistry and impact of movie music throughout cinematic history in a program that is shaping up to be one of the most marvelous musical events of the winter,” says PSO Executive Director Melanie Clarke.
The PSO performs at the historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University. Tickets for PSO Saturday Evening POPS! are on sale now for $75, $60, $48, $30 and $25 (students 17 and under). To order, visit www.princetonsymphony.org or call: (609) 497-0020.
