Symphony spectacular

Celebrating the fourth edition of Movie Spectacular, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kevin Abela once again provided the kind of wholehearted entertainment patrons look forward to every spring.

The Mediterranean Conference Centre came alive to the sound of music from classic cinema (Ben Hur, La Vita è Bella) and popular blockbusters (Jaws, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

Scores from animated features including Prince of Egypt and Beauty and the Beast left audiences calling for more and a pitch perfect rendition of Manchini’s Moon River supplied one of the night’s uncontested highlights.

People in the audience waved to friends and family members in the orchestra, while the excited pre-show hubbub created a comfortable atmosphere. Lights dimmed, seats filled, and we were all ready to experience the magic of the symphony.

Four screens mounted above the orchestra showed dream-like Rorschachesque ink blots andfragments of brilliant colour. Some kind of smoke machine billowed wisps of cloud on one side of the stage and a presenter provided a (sometimes stilted) commentary between certain pieces.

However, one hardly needs the gimmicks – the music was evocative enough, it was a simple night listening to old favourites with close friends and the added bonus of a highly talented orchestra ready to animate each moment (capably led by Marcelline Agius).

Selections from Dreamworks animation The Prince of Egypt were beautifully realised alongside a series of kaleidoscopic visuals. This was an excellent choice for the event, the perfect kind of sentimental escapism – the audience sat spellbound as the orchestra ran through a dramatic landscape, plaintive one moment and triumphant the next. The number was rounded off by sustained applause. The fact that the piece was played on Nakba Day had its own resonance too.

It’s clear that one of the things audiences most enjoy about these events is being able to follow the music. Those perhaps not quite so familiar with classical or baroque staples are aware of this music, and that recognition becomes part of the entertainment. Expectations are fulfilled, innovations are recognised and we are encouraged to hear the compositions in a new way. Even if a piece of music prompts recollections of the film in which it occurs, it’s this response to the orchestra’s representation that creates moments of genuine pleasure.

We were then treated to an original arrangement draw from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Pulled together by Abela himself, it really brought home just how vital music is in successful animation.

It breathes a sense of life into the images that live-action dramacannot replicate, and the audience was enchanted. Perhaps it’s because the illusion achieved by animation is so complete – the drawings made to come alive when working hand in hand with sound.

Yet, even presented without the visuals, this music retains some of its mercurial energy. With regards to Abela’s arrangement, perhaps it was not quite different enough from the original pieces to seem innovative, nor close enough to give full satisfaction to fans who wanted nothing more than to be swept up in childhood memories.

A piece from Once Upon a Time in the West included a fond appearance by mezzo-soprano Vanessa Camenzuli (it would have been a lot more fun if she had actually sung) and Frantic’s Liber Tango saw a smoldering performance on the accordion.

But it was Alex Bezzina’s turn on the trumpet for Breakfast at Tiffany’s that really impressed. Entertaining, providing a different energy and not taking himself too seriously in a way certain musicians are wont to do, he delivered a wonderful sound. With Hepburn smiling down from the screens above, it was a charming moment.

The evening’s line-up also featured one of the less instantly recognisable Star Wars themes, quieter and calmer, and a strange video that included a gyrating Princess Leia, close up on Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt’s slobbering tongue.

The Harry Potter piece was a pleasant change of pace and the music from Pearl Harbour was rousing, big and dramatic. It could also boast the best synthesis of visual and musical material, with excellent darting lights and a video of hypnotically circling planes in black and white.

The evening came to an end with Yuji Ohno’s composition for Lupin, a classic Japanese cartoon that has the distinction of being very popular in Malta among a certain generation of television fans (thanks to transmissions from Italy) – a very Maltese end to the evening and an enjoyable lounge sound.

Certainly, this entertaining evening of popular music was a triumph and I look forward to next year’s offerings. By bringing the orchestral experience to people who might otherwise forgo the pleasure, not only are Abela and his team supplying a cultural lifeline, but they provide vital inspiration for new musicians. Blending the magic of cinema and music, this special evening will continue to surprise and delight for years to come.