Joe Hisaishi assessment: Studio Ghibli composer enchants the Royal Albert Hall | Films | Entertainment | EUROtoday

After performing his Studio Ghibli hits final yr at Wembley, Joe Hisaishi has returned to the UK for a few stints on the Royal Albert Hall.

Not to be lowered to the cinematic scores of Hayao Miyazaki motion pictures he’s finest recognized for, the Japanese composer, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, started his newest live performance together with his personal self-titled Symphony 2.

Moving from chaotic to twinkly melodies, the cheerful conductor took his enraptured viewers, a lot of whom have been his native Japanese, by a 40-minute musical journey earlier than the interval.

Kicking off the second half with a “When in London” rendition of Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the Ghibli followers got an unbelievable deal with.

For nearly half an hour, Hisaishi performed the white tie-clad orchestra by his Princess Mononoke Symphonic Suite.

This epic tour by the 90s traditional took us from the delights of the Legend of Ashitaka theme by the tumultuous cost of The Demon God and past.

When it got here to the encore (there have been a number of), Hisaishi was met by an audible gasp from the viewers as he started a piano solo of One Summer’s Day from Spirited Away earlier than concluding with World Dreams.

Overall, it was a fascinating and lovely night for movie followers nostalgic for Ghibli magic and traditional music lovers alike.