Bringing the story of Star Wars Episode VI to life, an unidentified orchestra performed the John Williams composed soundtrack of “The Empire Strikes Back” at the Adrienne Arsht Center on March 8. While the movie played on an overhead screen, the orchestra performed every sound the movie made, with the exception of speech from the characters. The pieces fit so perfectly with the audio on the screen, making the difference between the live and original audio indistinguishable.
As a die-hard Star Wars fan and violinist, I thought the show was a dream come true. The orchestra grew more and more dynamic as the show went on, making the movie come to life. For example, when the orchestra reached melodies like the Imperial March, I felt as if I became a part of the Star Wars universe and not a member of the audience.
Although I enjoyed many parts of the performance, one of my favorite parts was when the movie became tense. The orchestra transformed the cinematic performance, taking me on the same adventures as the characters on the screen. When the movie reached its climax, the music followed, constantly leaving me at the edge of my seat.
“The Empire Strikes Back” in concert is a definite must-see for Star Wars fans and non Star Wars fans alike. If you want to see an amazing concert performed by extremely talented musicians, then you should definitely check out their next performance at the Knight Concert Hall on June 13.
