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John Williams emerges from behind curtain, to conduct surprise ‘Indiana Jones’ at US premiere

John Williams conducts surprise ‘Indiana Jones’ at US film premiere. Picture: Getty

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

 

Legendary composer John Williams conducted a surprise orchestral set at the US premiere of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’, to the audience’s delight.

Attendees of the US premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on 15 June were in for a treat, as John Williams made a surprise appearance on stage with a live symphony orchestra to play the franchise’s much-loved music.

Before audiences saw the film for the first time, some of the franchise’s most famous faces, including George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, were introduced to the stage.

After a few moments, Spielberg was handed the microphone, and he began paying tribute to his long-time collaborator and friend, John Williams.

“The person who is the glue to all five of these films, who gave us all of our rhythm and all of our melody, the great maestro, John Williams,” Spielberg said.

As he announced his long-time collaborator’s name, the screen behind Spielberg rose like a curtain to reveal Williams and orchestra. “This is amazing,” members of the audiences can be heard saying in shock.

Williams then led the orchestra in 12 minutes of glorious music from Indiana Jones, from the iconic main melody to some of the composer’s newer themes, including music from The Dial of Destiny.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Premiere: John Williams performs

“We have a tradition with Indiana Jones which is that Indy has his music in all the various moves that he has, and his action scenes and comedy, and so many modes, the music is always there,” Williams told the audience. 

“The other part of the tradition,” Williams added, “Is that we usually have a theme for the heroine or leading lady. In this film we have Phoebe Waller-Bridge. You’ll see the most brilliant duet between Harrison and Phoebe as they do their wonderful witty dialogue and action and comedy and jeopardy.”

Williams continued, “Phoebe will be represented musically by a lyrical piece, reminiscent of the ’40s and ’50s and old Hollywood… This is ‘Helena’s Theme.’ It’s all about Phoebe, not all parts of her, but a lot of it.”

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Intro & John Williams Live Performance at U.S. Premiere

The 91-year-old composer, who earlier this year became the oldest person to be nominated for an Oscar, was set to lay down his baton after Indiana Jones. But in January, he reversed on his decision, admitting that he “couldn’t say no” to Steven Spielberg on an additional upcoming project.

Spielberg then revealed that he was making a documentary on Williams’ life. A release date has not yet been given, but we can take a guess at who could be providing the soundtrack...

The Lark Ascending

'Coppélia,' 'Christmas Fairytales,' and 'Limang Daan' highlight Ballet Philippines' 54th season

Ballet Philippines 2023: A diverse box of delights.

BY PHILIP CU UNJIENG

Jun 29, 2023 11:48 AM

  

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This 54th season of Ballet Philippines sees the troupe living up to its theme of the “Power of Dance,” by showcasing diversity. And to enrich the agenda, Ballet Philippines is proud to announce that it has a new home for the next three years: The Theatre at Solaire.

This is a coup for Ballet Philippines, as many performing arts companies have been scrambling for regular venues since the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) went into hiatus for its three-year renovation program. The Theatre at Solaire is one of the most sought-after, well-equipped, and designed live performance venues in town, so it is a great fit for Ballet Philippines.

At a media lunch held at the Oasis, Solaire, the Ballet Philippines Board of Trustees was represented by Kathleen Lior-Liechtenstein, Bernadette Aboitiz, and Rosalind Wee. Artistic Director Misha Martynyuk introduced a short snippet of "Coppelia," which will serve as a teaser for the company's 54th season.

Kathleen Liechtenstein speaking to Mark Wilson, with Bernadette Aboitiz to Mark’s right.

"Coppélia" will be performed on Aug. 4-6, with five performances spread over the three days. The ballet was first performed in 1870, and it is considered a classic of the genre. It was originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with a libretto by Charles Louis Nuitter. "Coppélia" is a comic ballet, and it is a wonderful light-hearted way to usher in Ballet Philippines' 54th season.

At its core, "Coppélia" is a story about a young boy named Franz who falls in love with a life-sized doll named Coppelia. Franz's girlfriend, Swanilda, is determined to dispel Franz's infatuation with the doll, and she soon discovers that Coppelia is actually a creation of Professor Coppelius, a mysterious inventor.

Ballet Philippines gave a sneak preview of "Coppelia" to media guests at the press conference in Solaire.

The premise of creating life from inanimate objects was a popular one in the 19th century, and "Coppélia" is one of many works that explore this theme. Other famous works that deal with this subject include "The Adventures of Pinocchio" and "Frankenstein, the Modern Prometheus."

This concept of creating life from inanimate objects is still a popular one today, as evidenced by the continued fascination with robots and AI bots. This is why the theme and storyline of "Coppélia" will have a broad appeal. If Misha ratchets up the comic elements, as he promised during the press event, then a good time is guaranteed for all, young and old alike.

The ever entertaining Rosalind Wee, with Metro Channel’s Lala Ventura.

The second performance of Season 54 will be "Christmas Fairytales," slated for Dec. 15-17. The set design and costumes promise to be part of the wonderment attached to this performance. The ballet is set at a regular home, and when the young girl asks her minder to read her a fairy tale, she is whisked away to a world where the toys and storybook figures come alive. And of course, waking up the next morning with her family is the best reality.

On March 8-10, 2024, Ballet Philippines will present "Limang Daan," a Filipiniana ballet that looks back through dance at 500 years of cross-cultural encounters and references, dominated by Spanish influences. "Limang Daan" is both art and history, reflecting on our yesterday, informing us of today, and preparing us for our tomorrow. It promises to be quite the spectacle.

The 54th Season of Ballet Philippines is a diverse lineup of performances, with something for everyone. From the classic "Coppélia" to the whimsical "Christmas Fairytales" to the thought-provoking "Limang Daan," there is sure to be something to enjoy.

The sun continues to shine brightly on Ballet Philippines, and its new home at Solaire is a fitting place for this talented company to continue to grow and thrive.

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It reached #1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 in New Zealand Charts, and #5 in the US Billboard Hot R&B Sides.

"Wonderland By Night" is an instrumental song that served as the theme of a film about Germany. Bert Kaempfert was a German-born multi-instrumentalist who worked with popular artists such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and the Beatles. He produced the Beatles' first session in 1961, in which the Beatles backed Tony Sheridan, and Kaempfert's influence continued to inspire them.

Kaempfert started to achieve success with "Wonderland by Night," and his rise to the top began in 1959, when he was hired as a staff producer for Polydor Records in Germany. The song was particularly appealing to more mature listeners, and Decca Records, which made an agreement with Polydor to distribute Kaempfert's releases in America, worked to assemble an album around the song.

As a result, many of the tracks that rounded out the album, including the Kaempfert original "Lullaby for Lovers" and his version of the standard "La Vie En Rose," were filler.

Bert Kaempfert continued to chart albums through 1971. He died at the age of 56 in June 1980 in Switzerland.

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