REVIEW: 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' gets more thrilling with a live orchestra
The magic returned to the stage, and it's more thrilling than ever.
A year after Prisoner of Azkaban in concert, Film Concerts PH gave the next film in the franchise the musical treatment, with the 92-member Filharmonika Orchestra, under the baton of Gerard Salonga, performing Patrick Doyle's legendary score.
The Theatre at Solaire was a haven for Potterheads for the weekend as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert was staged. Attendees dressed in Hogwarts robes walked through the lobby, which featured elements from the wizarding school, like candles floating in the ceiling. Banners of the three schools competing in the Triwizard Tournament—Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang—made the decorations distinct to the fourth Potter film.
Completing the experience was the merch store, where fans could score shirts, jackets, wands, and more. This edition's shop looked sparser, but they did have special holographic photocards—including one of Robert Pattinson, who played Hogwarts champion Cedric Diggory.
In the Goblet of Fire, Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) fourth year coincides with the prestigious Triwizard Tournament, a grueling competition between three wizarding schools. The contest, as it turns out, is not for the faint of heart, as the champions are put to the test in an arena to battle a dragon, the pits of a black lake to escape merepeople, and a haunting maze where peril awaits.
Harry suddenly gets picked to compete in the dangerous games against three more experienced students. But that's not all the "boy who lived" has to deal with as the evil Lord Voldemort secretly plots for his return.
As with previous Film Concerts shows, Salonga opened the show with a quick intro about what to expect. "It's not like your normal Saturday at the cinema... Because this is a concert, you are free to react, to express yourselves, to cheer your favorite character, to laugh at funny situations, and to boo the other guy," he said.
And cheers filled the theater as soon as the Filharmonika played the opening note of The Story Continues. Doyle's brilliant score specializes in tension, in making events feel more grand—and the live orchestra captured just that. Hearing the tremolo of violins in person keeps you at the edge of your seat for suspenseful scenes like the Death Eaters taking over the Quidditch World Cup and Harry escaping merepeople and grindylows in the Black Lake.
The Filharmonika orchestra also elevated anthems like the Hogwarts' March and The Quidditch World Cup, which felt more glorious live. Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) return became more intense, as you can feel the fervent drum beats echo through the theater. The nail-curdling live music did justice in delivering powerful emotion for the return of the franchise's biggest villain.
When the show came to a close, the Filharmonika Orchestra and Salonga took a bow to thundering applause from the crowd—some were even calling for an encore.
As we were exiting the theater, fans chattered about the experience. I overheard a group discussing how they believed some audience members watched Goblet of Fire for the first time through the show. If that was the case, there's no better way to experience Harry Potter—for the first time, or the nth time—than with a live orchestra playing the spellbinding score.
Disclaimer: PhilSTAR L!fe is an official media partner of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert.