Dubai Opera brings the dinosaurs and Indiana Jones

Three-dimensional music. That’s what Pirmin Zangerle, production manager of the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra, promises people going to see Raiders of the Lost Ark (April 19 and 21) and Jurassic Park (April 20 and 21) at the Dubai Opera.

The Steven Spielberg films with John Williams’ memorable scores have won more than three Academy Awards each, including for Best Sound and Best Sound Editing; Raiders took the titles in 1982 and Jurassic Park in 1994.

Talking to Gulf News tabloid! ahead of the event, the Switzerland-based Zangerle is full of praise for the symphony, and the experience.

He calls the show “magic”. He echoes the sentiments of Dubai Opera’s Chief Executive, Jasper Hope: “If you haven’t seen a Hollywood blockbuster accompanied by a full live symphony orchestra then you’ve truly never experienced the incredible power of music to bring films to life.”

Here are excepts from the interview.

What can the audience expect?

Well, they can expect a lot, of course. It’s a very special format. It is a film presentation that you know from the cinema, but now what is different is the music in the film — that is of course very important for a film — is not coming from the loudspeaker; it is played live by a symphonic orchestra, which you can imagine [in] 3D — not in [a] visual sense, but in [an] audio sense. So you have the slight impression that the music is not in the film, but just, like, jumps out of [the] film.

What are the challenges of putting on a live show?

The film is two hours long, or two-hours-15 minutes [in length], and you have maybe, like, 90 minutes of music in it. And the music has to be perfectly synchronised with the film… and that means that the orchestra on the one side plays it [in a] very musical way and [at] the same time they have to play it in a very accurate way, [so] that it’s really always in time with the film.

How long does it take for an orchestra to get the timing right?

Typically, for a professional orchestra it takes three to four rehearsals, and for a couple of days. But in our orchestra, we now have 10 years of experience in that field. Our orchestra knows very well how it works and what they have to pay attention [to] and also our conductor is really an expert in this kind of performance, so they know very well what they have to take care of.

What was the first movie you put live music to?

Lord of the Rings.

What is the best part of a live performance with a movie such as this?

To see and feel a symphonic orchestra, which is composed by 85 musicians, by 25 different instruments, to see that live from stage. To see music that [is tied] to everybody. I mean, everybody knows music from Indiana Jones’ Raiders of the Lost Ark, the famous Raiders’ March, everybody knows that. [It is] the same for Jurassic Park. Everybody knows the beautiful melody when they [the humans] enter the park and the first time that you see the dinosaurs, so these are like magic moments in film — and now you hear that music played live by the orchestra together with the film, and that’s very magical somehow and very touching, because suddenly you understand how important music is for a film.

What’s the best seat in the house?

I don’t know the Dubai Opera [acoustics], but from my experience — if you have a gallery or a balcony, to sit a little bit upstairs so that you have a wonderful view of the orchestra in combination with a great view [of] the screen [is best]. So I would say not too close; close is [better] in a rock concert... that’s not the same for a film concert. It is better to have a little distance and be a little higher up, to have a good overview.

What’s next for the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra?

I dream of a James Bond movie, because I mean James Bond is legend, and the music... everyone knows. The other thing we have started recently are the Harry Potter movies, they are [such] beautiful films and they have wonderful music, so these are two of the examples we would like to work on.

What are you looking forward to doing in Dubai?

See some of the skyscrapers, go up on them. I hear some of the musicians from the orchestra, they will do some kind of desert trip, so go one day in the desert… just do some sightseeing.

Is there something you would like to say to the audience?

Dubai Opera is quite a recent building, I think. And I’m sure many of them [residents of Dubai] have been [to see] a show at the Dubai Opera, but I would say just come and experience that special event when you have a film with a live orchestra playing the music — it’s very special. It’s very spectacular.

MEET THE ORCHESTRA

The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra is based in Lucerne, Switzerland. It plays about 30 concerts of symphonic film music every year around the globe.

In 2007, the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra partnered with composer and three-time Academy Award winner Howard Shore. He was the man behind the musical genius of the Lord of the Rings. The show was performed in 2008. In the next few years came performances of the other movies in the series. The group has put on concerts across the country and the seas, in New York’s Lincoln Center (2015).

The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra has also worked with a number of composers including Howard Shore, Michael Giacchino and James Horner, Grammy Award-winner Alan Silvestri, singer-songwriter Randy Newman, Emmy Award-winner Danny Elfman, Bafta-winner George Fenton and ASCAP award-winner Patrick Doyle.

This year, after their gig in Dubai, 21st Century Symphony Orchestra will present favourites La La Land and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets live in concert in Lucerne.

Don’t miss it!

The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra will perform Raiders of the Lost Ark (April 19-21) and Jurassic Park (April 20-21) at the Dubai Opera. Tickets start at Dh150.