See John Williams Lead Dazzling 'Harry Potter' Music and Light Show at Wizarding World Opening
Leave it maestro John Williams to put the grand in grand opening last night as the latest Wizarding World of Harry Potter was inaugurated in a gala ceremony at Universal Studios Hollywood.
The 84-year-old five-time Oscar winner and national treasure, picked up the baton to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a stirring 10-minute medley of his Harry Potter soundtrack music accompanied by a dazzling light and firework display set against the backdrop of Hogwarts castle (watch above). The L.A. outpost, which includes an immersive recreation of Hogsmeade village and rides set inside Hogwarts castle and outside Hagrid’s Hut, follows similar attractions in Orlando and Osaka.
Among the attendees were a handful of Potter cast members: Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and twins Oliver (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley), the latter two arriving onstage in a replica of the Weasleys’ flying Ford Anglia.
Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Evanna Lynch, Oliver Phelps, and James Phelps at Wizarding World opening (Giana Mucci/Yahoo)
Steven Spielberg, who has been a creative architect of the Southern California theme park since the 1970s, was also on hand.
For more on the Wizarding World’s western outpost, and how it incorporates Easter eggs from the films, check out our ultimate insider’s guide.
