REVIEW: Big battles get more epic in 'Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert'
John Williams' brilliant score in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi must be heard live.
Fans of the space opera gathered at the Theatre at Solaire for the third year on Sept. 5 and 6 to catch the conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy with a twist: the 85-member Filharmonika Orchestra, led by conductor Gerard Salonga, played the Oscar-nominated soundtrack.
The space transformed into a Star Wars lover's dream with banners of the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire hung on pillars. Attendees, some of whom brought lightsabers and came in cosplay, also got to pose with characters like Chewbacca, Admiral Ackbar, and Nien Nunb. The Theatre Store was a merch haven filled with blind boxes, t-shirts, figurines, keychains, and more.
The show started differently than usual; there was no introduction from Salonga. But guests seemed all too familiar with what goes down during a Film Concerts PH show, as they comfortably cheered, laughed, and celebrated what happened while they watched Return of the Jedi play on a big screen.
The grandeur begins as early as the opening crawl. Hearing the booming trumpets and horns live for the Main Theme kicked things off with a bang. The orchestra takes the drama and the action to the next level, whether it was the battle over Sarlacc's Pit while Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) rescued Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from Jabba the Hutt, or Yoda's (Frank Oz) emotional passing on Dagobah.
The scene featuring Emperor Arrives will have your attention divided between Palpatine's (Ian McDiarmid) arrival on the second Death Star and the Filharmonika Orchestra, who play the theme with such intensity. Every sharp movement of the violin and cello bows commanded attention.
Additionally, the Filharmonika Orchestra kept audiences on the edge of their seats with their renditions of Williams' other iconic scores during battle scenes like Into the Trap and The Forest Battle. The horns and percussion were again in the spotlight, with the strings adding to the thrilling suspense.
As Salonga led the orchestra for the end credits themes, fans began to cheer, with some even raising their lightsabers. It was as if everyone was on Endor celebrating with the rebels and the Ewoks after the Emperor's defeat.
While all Star Wars films are available for streaming, catching a film concert is a different experience. There's nothing like that feeling of community as you watch an iconic piece of cinema you all love. The cherry on top is the live orchestra. The score played live makes it feel like a new experience all over again.
Disclaimer: PhilSTAR L!fe is a media partner for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert.
