Experience Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in concert in 2022 as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s Films in Concert series.
Return of the Jedi (1983) sees Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia and co. joined by Jabba the Hutt, Yoda and the Ewoks in an adventure across the galaxy as Darth Vader prepares to unleash the final blow to the Rebel Alliance.
Presented live in concert for the first time in the UK, the climactic sixth episode of the Star Wars saga will be projected in high definition on the big screen, with Oscar-winning composer John Williams’ musical score performed live by the incredible London Symphony Orchestra.
Since the release of the first movie nearly 40 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on both cinema and culture, inspiring audiences around the world with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects and iconic music scores.
Approximate schedule:
Friday Evening concert
5.30pm Restaurants and bars open
6.30pm Boxes open
6.45pm Auditorium opens
7.30pm Event starts
8.40pm Interval (20 minutes)
10.30pm Approximate end
Friday 23rd September 2022 saw Fantha Tracks head to the ever-impressive environs of the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington Gore, London to experience – with 5000 other fans – the thrill of seeing Return of the Jedi on the big screen. Not only that, the thrill of seeing Jedi with music performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, in GFFA circles the greatest ensemble of musicians ever to take up brass, woodwind, percussion and strings, sending the room to the galaxy far, far away, it was something not to be missed.
This series of performances was originally due to take place 23rd – 25th October 2020, but due to the global pandemic we were required to wait almost two years for the rearranged dates; from a Star Wars perspective it was worth every second. As the hall filled and the lights dimmed, the Fox Fanfare (in my humble opinion as much a piece of Star Wars music as The Imperial March or the Main Theme) rolled out, then the pause, ‘A Long Time Ago…’ and boom, the scroll-up began and we were no longer in SW7 but instead somewhere in the Moddell Sector of the Outer Rim Territories above the forest moon of Endor as Lord Vader’s Lambda Class shuttle swung from his Star Destroyer to the partially completed Death Star.
We all know the story of a film that celebrates its 40th anniversary next year – watch out for Star Wars Celebration in April where the love for the original trilogy closer will be all too evident – but it was refreshing to see the humour still land (Han meeting the Ewoks for the first time especially) and the thrill of the battle of the Sarlacc Pit looking as fine as ever. The work done on the film was highlighted in the recent Light & Magic documentary on Disney Plus, and a visit to that superb series as well as a dive into the vault to find Classic Creatures and From Star Wars To Jedi: The Making of a Saga wouldn’t be the worst decision either. As Dennis Muren said, this was ILM’s magnum opus, an optical extravaganza that arguably remains untouched in the pre-digital era (this was the ‘Special Edition’ so a dash of CG is blended in there, along with the odd wandering Dug) and to see it on the big screen, in the Royal Albert Hall no less, was a grin-inducing, face-achingly pleasing treat.
Fingers now firmly crossed for more in this concert series. The Force Awakens happened in the States a couple of years back, a stunning score which would be most welcome, but the dream is to hear the lavish, expansive beauty of The Phantom Menace performed by the orchestra that recorded the soundtrack back in 1999 played in the grandest of halls; the roar of the podracer engines, the rush of adrenaline as Anakin tears through the Trade Federation Lucrehulk, hearing Duel of the Fates with a full choir and the LSO at full tilt….we can but dream.
- Hardcover Book
- Smith, Geof (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages - 07/28/2015 (Publication Date) - Golden Books (Publisher)
