La La Land in Concert assessment: Worth singing and dance about | Theatre | Entertainment | EUROtoday

In a transcendent night on the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London, the convergence of cinematic brilliance and orchestral grandeur took centre stage. The juxtaposition of a movie about making it within the showbiz world opening at a legendary venue often reserved for probably the most profitable acts created a meta second of sheer brilliance.

Despite the unforgettable Best Picture Oscar gaffe, La La Land has etched its mark as a rare success. Director Damien Chazelle’s homage to Los Angeles and the golden period of film musicals has cultivated a loyal following, evident within the sea of vibrant yellow attire paying homage to Emma Stone’s iconic apparel within the viewers yesterday night.

A sold-out viewers of greater than 5,000 fans gathered to witness the movie’s Oscar-winning composer, Justin Hurwitz, command the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, completely synchronised with the movie projected on a colossal display.

As the curtains rose and the band additionally took their seats, attendees had been serenaded by the enchanting “Overture” a chunk initially excluded from the movie however masterfully set the tone for the night. The infectious power of “Another Day of Sun” shortly adopted – the movie’s famend freeway opening – and captivated the viewers from the outset.

Immersed in a various crowd of households, {couples}, and solo aficionados of musical magic, I, a self-professed La La Land fanatic, marvelled on the proximity of Justin Hurwitz, resplendent in his white tuxedo, guiding the orchestra via the mesmerising “Someone in the Crowd”. The live performance seamlessly transitioned right into a extra intimate atmosphere, showcasing the pianist’s virtuosity in carrying the narrative via items like “Mia & Sebastian’s Theme” and the enchanting “City of Stars.” A pleasant swap to synth for the upbeat “Start a Fire” added a contemporary twist, though the absence of “I Ran” or “Tainted Love” from the pool celebration scene left us craving for extra (one man can solely achieve this a lot).

The grand orchestrations reached their zenith with the ethereal “Planetarium,” the place Mia and Sebastian waltzed among the many stars at Griffith Observatory, and a sweeping “Epilogue” that crescendoed into “The End”.

Each musical notice turned a conduit of shared emotion, as evidenced by a magical second of reference to a fellow attendee. A dapper-looking man, sat subsequent to his glamorous-looking spouse turned to me because the orchestra performed. No phrases had been exchanged however he raised his proper arm and ran his hand down it, displaying the goosebumps-inducing affect the efficiency had on him. We had been united via our shared appreciation of classical music and cinematic excellence.

Jazz took centre stage, skillfully led by the orchestra’s trumpet participant and a gifted ensemble, flawlessly navigating the movie’s numerous musical genres. Despite the bold nature of the enterprise, the reside band hardly ever faltered, sustaining a harmonious synergy with the movie.

It’s additionally price noting the lead actors’ vocals are remoted and amplified, which works for Stone (notably in her nervy “Audition”) however not all the time for Gosling (who appears to get progressively flatter in every rendition of “City of Stars”). There had been occasions once I wasn’t certain if it was it was the band taking part in the music, or the music from the unique movie.

But that’s one of many few criticisms in what’s in any other case a magical reside musical manufacturing for a film that celebrates the magic of reside music.

La La Land in Concert is definitely price singing and dance about. A efficiency of roughly two and a half hours, together with a 25-minute interval, ensured that each minute was a testomony to the fascinating attract of this symphonic spectacle.

The evening was unequivocally price celebrating, a harmonious fusion that deserved a standing ovation.

In the ‘Films in Concert’ collection on the Royal Albert Hall, movie fanatics can even catch a screening of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and the legendary Indiana Jones image, Raiders of the Lost Ark in 2024.