“The tale is thrilling, if I say so myself. But now is not the time to tell it. Take my arm.” -Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
The dusk demesnes of the concert hall obscured the faces of wizards, witches and muggles alike, gathered to witness the spectacle: The Sydney Symphony in none other than the Sydney Opera House. The only source of light was reflected off the Millennium Bridge on-screen as it crumbled underneath a charcoal cloud that loomed across the London skyline. Ringing throughout the entire city was an eerie, sing-song voice, accompanied by chanting basses, “I killed Sirius Black, I killed Sirius Black!”
With that, Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince commenced.
The movie, which served as an astounding visual, has not lost its magic touch, whereas the beautiful orchestra further ignited our senses through its magnificent composition of emotions. We were welcomed into the Weasley brothers’ joke shop by a plethora of instruments that conjured in us a sense of child-like wonder. As we immersed into memories in the Pensieve, the swirling symphony painted a surreal experience lullabied by its oceanic echoes and ethereal vocals.
Meeting The Dark Lord as a child, accompanied by a foreboding, blood-curdling melody, could not have been more guiltily gratifying. Taut viola strings tightened around our necks at every mention of "He Who Must Not Be Named". Having memorised iconic dialogues and knowing each scene by heart still did not prepare me for the instrumental experience at all. As the choir seamlessly spotlighted the fear on Draco Malfoy’s pale face to juxtapose his death threat to his headmaster, an unfathomable feeling of pity overwhelmed me for the helpless, young boy. Yet another scene featured soaring violins that hummed with adrenaline as we trailed Dumbledore and Harry down an ill-lit cave, seething with malevolent life forms. Harley Quinn’s insanity was an ostensibly trivial portrayal, eclipsed by murderer and sought-after criminal Bellatrix Lestrange, whose sweetly savage demeanor carved out a haunting philharmonia. When Dumbledore fell, the percussion fell silent, not unlike a gunshot to the head. Notwithstanding, I somehow shed not a single tear as the cries of the cello quenched the sorrow that the scene deserved.
Allow me to speak from personal experience when I claim that Quidditch is a sport like no other. Thus, it no doubt takes a true wizard and mastermind to cast a score that captures the essence of a real Quidditch match. Humourous moments weren’t left unforgotten throughout the performance. The flight of harp strings, resembling the beat of butterfly wings, serenaded the fleeting moment that Ginny lightly plants a kiss on Harry’s lips. During the Death Eaters’ chase through the sweeping flames, the whirly tube, also known as a bloogle resonator, unintentionally induced giggles among the crowd, breaking the dark spell that enveloped the scene. The flutes added a sparkle to Luna Lovegood's quirks and a snappy touch to Hermione Granger's wit. All in all, the wicked edge of betrayal was dampened by love, which was encapsulated in the mesmerising soundtrack brought to life.
The entrancing piece concocted a symphonic brew of diverse wonder as we inhaled potions for luck and love as well as winded through intricate plots steeped in magic. The magnificent work of music was conducted by the genius of a wizard named Nicholas Buc and conjured by notable composer, Nicholas Hooper. Without a doubt, the masterpiece kept the audience spellbound from start to end. Fly out on broomsticks to meet the Sydney Symphony before the tickets disapparate... quicker than the snitch.
Point your wands and cursors below to listen to a snippet of "Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince in Concert".
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