‘Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert’ Perfectly Immerses You In A Galaxy Far, Far Away — Review

There lies an unparalleled quality to the true cinematic experience — with a film’s soundtrack amplifying the essence of the movie even further.

For many cinephiles or avid moviegoers, watching any film on the big screen is already quite the experience of its own, but rarely does one get the opportunity to hear a movie alongside a live musical performance of its score. Yet with what Film Concerts PH has achieved in bringing the sci-fi classic, Star Wars: A New Hope to life in concert, the end result is a visual and auditory journey that is unlike any other — and is something that has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.

Last September 7, the 1,700 members of the audience in attendance of the premiere screening of Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert bore witness to a transcendent experience that took us to the stars. The excitable nature of the crowd — equipped with their red and blue lightsabers, while all dressed up in a sea of Jedi robes, regal gowns, formal tuxedos, and others in casual Star Wars memorabilia — was evident upon entry into the lobby of The Theatre at Solaire. With a sold-out show, everyone hurriedly made their way to their seats to catch the Filharmonika Orchestra as conductor Gerard Salonga entered the stage with thunderous applause directed towards him and the musicians. And as the lights slowly dimmed, the excitement was still very much palpable amidst the silence of the crowd.

The opening drum roll of the 20th Century Fox Fanfare theme kicked off the screening with a welcome jolt, that was further solidified by the soaring strings and trumpets of the Main Title theme that played out throughout the film’s opening crawl. Though it was dark across the theatre, you could easily see the reflections from the wide grins of the attendees all around the four corners of the theatre. That same level of bliss and enjoyment was present throughout the entire course of the film, ranging from the distinct themes of the Jawas in their Sandcrawler, the binary sunset of Tatooine, or the infamous Mos Eisley Cantina sequence that elicited laugh-out-loud moments from the audience.

Every note that both Salonga and the Filharmonika Orchestra brought to life paid faithful tribute to John Williams’ iconic score, enriching the big screen experience even further for the avid fans in attendance. The collective reaction from everyone was that of sheer awe, given that nearly everyone was found gushing about the experience by the time it was intermission. To echo what many of them were discussing, it was as if all of us in attendance — both seasoned and rookie fans — were experiencing the joy of watching Star Wars: A New Hope for the very first time.

Even for myself (who grew up binge-watching the entire franchise over and over), the palpable glee and exhilaration that I felt sharing this experience with a room full of like-minded fans ultimately reminded me of just how phenomenal the Star Wars movies are — especially when it came to the music. Seeing all these scenes that I adored growing up further rejuvenated by the accompaniment of live music made me relive that novel sense of joy that I felt all those years ago, making it a core cinematic experience that bridged my love for music and film in perfect unison.

While most people would think that the film ends by the time the credits roll, the concert was still going at full force (Ha!) as both Salonga and the Filharmonika Orchestra played the symphonic suite of A New Hope. It was by then that the audience decided to give a standing ovation with dozens of whoops and cheers paired with thunderous applause coming from the entirety of the theatre. To extend their gratitude for the crowd present at the premiere screening of the concert, Salonga and the orchestra delivered a surprise encore that revisited the symphonic suite of the film — giving audiences a chance to relive the magic of John Williams’ outstanding score live and in the flesh for one last time.]

With what unfolded over that night and its subsequent set of performances the next day, it’s evident that fans were able to experience Star Wars: A New Hope in a manner that they’ve never gone through before. Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert is a journey that perfectly immerses you in a galaxy far, far away, as if we’re feeling the Force course through your very own veins all throughout. It’s bound to be a core memory for those who partook in such an adventure, and for sure it’s something that audiences should get to experience at least once in their lifetime.

For sure, what Film Concerts PH has exemplified with this concert has shown that there are surely more ways to enjoy the big screen experience of cinematic films such as this one — and we’re hoping to see more experiences like this brought to life in the near future.

Listen to John Williams’ score for Star Wars: A New Hope below: