Return to Middle-Earth

While idling the minutes before my coffee-flavored beverage was ready at a local cafe, I spied this poster on a bulletin board:

“Hmm,” I said to myself, and hurried away, caramel latte in hand, to verify this information.

The Lord of the Rings Symphony
SPECIAL EVENT CONCERT

Ludwig Wicki, conductor
Kaitlyn Lusk, soprano
Saint Louis Symphony Chorus

Capture the Ring with the SLSO! Since its premiere in 2003, Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings Symphony has received standing ovations on four continents. The musical experience is heightened with projected illustrations and storyboards. “Shore’s musical opus is every bit as impressive as Tolkien’s literary one…even when liberated from the majesty of [Peter] Jackson’s trilogy.”—Seattle Times

The performance times and dates: 7:30 pm on Friday, September 19, 2008 and on Saturday, September 20, 2008. Fans of the film trilogy that we are, M and I feel obliged to attend.

On the SLSO Blog, Eddie Silva noted earlier this month that for the performance, the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus - directed by Amy Kaiser - will sing “in seven languages, five of which are fictitious.” Awesome…though it is to be hoped that they will not attempt to sing in the Black Speech of Mordor, lest the skies darken and the earth tremble!

Though that might be kind of cool, come to think of it.

Film Score Monthly interviewed Shore back in 2001 for an early look at his preparation for composing the score for the films; an excerpt is available online. Interesting reading, and a little something to get you in the mood before the concert.

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