The Royal Albert Hall will mark John Williams’ 60 years in movies with a special celebration including a rare London performance from the Hollywood legend himself, conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.
An Evening With John Williams In Concert - the 86-year-old composer's first UK appearance in 22 years - will be complemented by Films In Concert presentations of five of his finest works: Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, Jurassic Park, Home Alone, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and Star Wars: A New Hope.
Lucy Noble, artistic director at the Royal Albert Hall, said: “It is an extraordinary honour to welcome the legendary John Williams - the most celebrated, acclaimed and beloved film composer of all time – to take centre-stage in this year-long celebration of his work.
“His music has been the soundtrack not just to our favourite films, but to our lives, and this rare performance with the London Symphony Orchestra promises to be one of those special nights in our history: a unique chance to see a genius in the flesh, presenting unforgettable highlights from his incomparable career.
“We’re also delighted to be able to present five of John’s classic films with their scores performed live and in full, showing the full range of his talent, from the iconic five-note motif of Close Encounters to the bombast and beauty of Star Wars.”
Other shows in the Hall’s 2018 Films In Concert programme include Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Beyond, with their stand-out Michael Giacchino scores, The English Patient – which features Gabriel Yared’s Oscar, BAFTA, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning music – and both Amadeus and Gladiator, which return after sell-out performances in 2016.
Williams has won 24 Grammys, seven BAFTAs, four Golden Globes and five Oscars across his 60-year career.
At the special one-off concert on Friday, October 26, he will be reunited with the London Symphony Orchestra - who recorded his first six Star Wars scores to perform classic music from across his spectacular career. As well as celebrating his 60 years in Hollywood, the show will mark the 40th anniversary of his first public performance with the LSO, which also took place at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Hall’s pioneering Films in Concert programme was launched in 2009, and features world class orchestras playing iconic scores live and in full, as the films are screened in high-definition on a 40ft screen.
Other presentations include the Hall debut of Star Trek Beyond, The Academy Of St Martin In The Fields recreating their accompaniment to Amadeus together with the Philharmonia Chorus, and Gladiator co-composer Lisa Gerrard reprising her vocal performance from the soundtrack live on stage, alongside a mass choir. All newly-announced titles are on sale from 9am on Friday,
