To honor a storied 45-year history with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the 2023/24 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall kicks off the LA Phil’s two-year retrospective dedicated to the music of film, curated by the legendary composer John Williams, whose unparalleled career has influenced generations of music and movie lovers alike. The John Williams Spotlight also commemorates the composer’s close friendship and collaborations with Gustavo Dudamel. Programs range from live-to-picture performances of complete Williams’ scores to concerts honoring the musical history of Hollywood.
The John Williams Spotlight begins with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Concert, performed live to picture November 2 and 3, 2023, conducted by Dudamel. February 2, 3 and 4, 2024, David Newman conducts A Century of Film, programs that feature a musical journey through cinematic history and the soundtracks that scored some of Hollywood’s greatest moments. In Superman in Concert, a one-night-only event on March 15, Thomas Wilkins conducts one of Williams’ most beloved scores from the 1978 film live to picture accompanied by the LA Phil; and on May 18-19, Dudamel conducts the Grand Suite from Harry Potter paired with Philharmonia Fantastique by Mason Bates.
Single tickets for the entire Walt Disney Concert Hall 2023/24 season are currently on sale at laphil.com, by phone at 323.850.2000, or in person at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office.
CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF CONCERTS:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Concert
John Williams Spotlight
Thursday, November 2, at 8 PM
Friday, November 3, at 8 PM
Director Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming masterpiece is one of the brightest stars in motion picture history. Filled with unparalleled magic and imagination, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial follows the moving story of a lost little alien who befriends a 10-year-old boy named Elliott. Experience all the mystery and fun of their unforgettable adventure in the beloved movie that captivated audiences around the world, complete with John Williams’ Academy Award-winning score performed live by Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic while the film is shown at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
John Williams Spotlight
Friday, February 2, at 8:00 PM
Saturday, February 3, at 2:00 PM
Sunday, February 4, at 2:00 PM
Since talkies first showed music’s power to transform moving images, composers have heightened on-screen action and illuminated unspoken drama with soundtracks as inventive and wide-ranging as the films they scored. Few have a greater appreciation for the history of film music—or a larger impact on its story—than John Williams, and the maestro of the movies curates this exploration of cinematic composition featuring landmark Hollywood scores performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conducted by David Newman.
John Williams Spotlight
Friday, March 15, at 8:00 PM
Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Thomas Wilkins leads the LA Phil in John Williams’ triumphant score to the 1978 film Superman. Directed by Richard Donner, and showcasing a young Christopher Reeve, Superman features a star-studded cast including Margot Kidder as intrepid reporter Lois Lane, Gene Hackman as the villainous Lex Luthor, and the inimitable Marlon Brando as Jor-El.
Donner’s beloved film adaptation relays the inspiring origins of Superman, from his narrow escape as an infant from the doomed planet Krypton to his formative years on a farm in Smallville, Kansas, and finally to his arrival in Metropolis, where he leads dual lives as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent and as the mythical “Man of Steel.” Wilkins and the LA Phil perform the score live-to-picture while the film plays in high definition on the big screen.
SUPERMAN and all related characters and elements are TM and © DC Comics. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved
John Williams Spotlight
Saturday, May 18 at, 2:00 PM
Sunday, May 19 at, 2:00 PM
Since the mysterious opening celesta melody of “Hedwig’s Theme” sounded in the first Harry Potter film, John Williams’ score has been inseparable in audiences’ minds from the magic and wonder of the beloved franchise. Each piece captures a character or idea, and Williams said that while he was composing, the enchanting themes all insisted on being “hatched” and “seemed to arrive all clamoring for their individual identities.” Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Phil in a family friendly program featuring a Grand Suite from Harry Potter with a special guest narrator and selected film clips, as well as Philharmonia Fantastique, an animated short film that offers a musical journey through the orchestra guided by a magical Sprite. Described as a “concerto for orchestra and animated film,” the piece combines music by Mason Bates, direction by Gary Rydstrom, and animation by Jim Capobianco resulting in what John Williams praised as “the biggest step forward since Fantasia” for combining music and animation.
