In this trip to Middle Earth, it’s the melodies that matter | Review
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I read J.R.R. Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” novels some three decades ago, and haven’t seen Peter Jackson’s epic film adaptations since their original releases roughly 20 years ago. But the second I heard the pastoral notes of Howard Shore’s beautifully straightforward shire melody Friday night, it all came rushing back to me.
That’s the power of Shore’s Oscar-winning score for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” which the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is presenting in concert this weekend in its Walt Disney Theater.
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park put together the large orchestra, directed by Shih-Hung Young, and loaned its choir and youth choir to the event. I’m not sure how they fit everyone on the stage; it is bursting with performers under the large movie screen.
And the sound comes bursting into the audience, with great swells and flowing patterns. Shore’s score feels symphonic with its different themes and instrumental voices. The human voices add to the emotional richness.
Prepared by Bach Festival Society artistic director John Sinclair, the singers impressed from the moment their gentle oohing began underscoring the prologue. The singing often consists of vocalization without words, or lyrics in various Elvish dialects. The sound is understood emotionally, not literally.
With voices, chimes and harp glissandi, angelic sounds float over the Elven paradise of Rivendell. On the other end of the scale, musicians rock with the rhythm of the unrelenting percussive beats accompanying the creation of the evil Sauron’s war machine.
The lower stringed instruments have never sounded so malevolent as when played as Ian McKellen intones the horrifying words of the accursed jewelry that bedevils Frodo: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.”
The male voices also inspire dread: with their droning in our heroes’ slog through the deadly Mines of Moria or fiercely chanting during the approach of the evil Balrog. The youth voices shine through with their own unique timbre, emphasizing the naivete of some characters — and also sounding like a call for hope.
The rich sonic-scape adds to the gorgeous landscape on view in the film.
And kudos to the audience members, who were better behaved than crowds at similar concert-film stagings for “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” movies. Most stayed through the credits — it’s a concert and the musicians are still performing — where they were treated to soloist Kaitlyn Lusk’s shimmery ethereal voice, as well as a pretty operatic turn by Rollins student Stella Monner.
Some in the enthusiastic audience were really in the spirit — sporting capes (not the sort one might wear to the opera) and elven ears. And if you recall that the “Lord of the Rings” films, like the novels, is a trilogy then you know what’s next: A sequel. “The Two Towers,” the second installment will be presented in concert this August.
‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ remaining performances: 7 p.m. Jan. 27 and 2 p.m. Jan. 28; go to drphillipscenter.org.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ In Concert
When: Aug. 9-11
Where: Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave. in Orlando
Cost: $59.50 and up
Info: Drphillipscenter.org
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