One of the best cinematic experiences you can have is watching a film on a big screen with a live orchestra. I’ve been lucky enough to see the likes of The Godfather and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in this way over the years, both of them at London’s prestigious and historic Royal Albert Hall in the centre of town. Well, the venue has announced the two films to headline its 2024 concert series with Top Gun: Maverick, which will be a world premiere, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, which will feature the London Symphony Orchestra performing the film’s complete score for the first time since they recorded it.
Top Gun: Maverick in Concert will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performing Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer’s score – conducted by Balfe in a world-premiere.
The screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark in May 2024 will feature the London Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams’ legendary score in full for the first time since they recorded the original soundtrack in 1981.
Other Films in Concert already announced for 2024 include The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.
The Hall has also announced an additional screening of La La Land in Concert on 27 December 2023.
The venue’s Films in Concert series launched in 2009, building on the Hall’s heritage as a place to experience cinema with live musical accompaniment during the heyday of silent film. In the past 14 years, it has curated a programme of classic films whose unforgettable scores have been performed by the likes of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Titles have ranged from beloved musicals (Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story) to canonical classics (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Godfather) and contemporary blockbusters (Interstellar, Skyfall).
Creatives who have appeared at the shows have included director James Cameron (Titanic), actor Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) and composer David Arnold (Casino Royale), along with the cast and crew of Indian smash-hit Baahubali, which in 2019 became the first foreign-language film to feature in the series.
The London Symphony Orchestra appears by kind permission of the Barbican.
Tickets are on sale at 10am on Friday from www.royalalberthall.com.
