Middle-Earth is set to invade New York City in the most epic of fashions. The entirety ofPeter Jacksons Oscar-hoarding Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on the beloved J.R.R.Tolkien novels, will be screenedwith live orchestral accompaniment at New York’s famed Lincoln Center in April 2015.
According toNew York Times, Howard Shore’s original score will be performed live by conductor Ludwig Wicki and the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra and Chorus as the films unfold behind them. Two full performance are scheduled to take place atDavid H. Koch Theater between April 8th and 12th: onecycle will take place overthree successivenights, while the other will be occur amidsta weekend that will include afternoon and evening screenings.
This will mark the first time all threeLOTRmovies –2001’sThe Fellowship of the Ring,2002’s The Two Towers,and 2003’sThe Return of the King - will be presented in the live concert format on American soil.Fellowship andTowers were previously shownwith orchestration in 2009 and 2010 at Radio City Music Hall.
Made up of 250 musiciansand singers, the 21st Century players have made a career of live-scoring films; they’ve played along toWest Side Story, some of thePirates of the Caribbean movies,Fantasia, and even choice scenes from the James Bond andStar Trek series. They first performed theLOTR trilogy in their home town of Lucerne, Switzerland back in 2011.
Below, watch footage of the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra playing along toThe Return of the King at Lucerne’sCulture and Convention Center.
