People in and around London who want to get the chance to see Howard Shore in concert are in luck! Tickets for a new concert on September 22nd (a coincidence?) in the Royal Albert Hall go on sale today! [More]

People in and around London who want to get the chance to see Howard Shore in concert are in luck! Tickets for a new concert on September 22nd (a coincidence?) in the Royal Albert Hall go on sale today!

The Lord of the Rings Returns!

After Festival Hall Sell-Out In May

NEW EXCLUSIVE UK DATE ANNOUNCED

22 SEPTEMBER at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Columbia Artists Management presents

The Lord of the Rings Symphony

in six movements for soloists, chorus and orchestra

Royal Albert Hall

22 September 2004 at 7.30pm

London Philharmonic Orchestra & London Voices

Howard Shore, composer & conductor

BOOKING OPENS MONDAY 5 APRIL 2004 9am

Tickets: £15; £25; £35; £40; £45 (plus booking fee)

Box Office: 020 7589 8212 Website: www.royalalberthall.com

One of the most eagerly-awaited, stupendously-acclaimed and, now, richly-awarded cinematic events of all time (both in middle-earth and this earth), The Lord of the Rings lives on in the powerful score composed by Howard Shore. Among the extraordinary 33 Oscars, Baftas and Golden Globes, Shore has five to his name – Academy Awards for Best Score for Fellowship of the Ring and both Academy Awards and Golden Globes for not only Best Score but also Best Song for The Return of the King.

Having composed ten hours of music for the trilogy (in both its theatrical release and extended DVD versions), Howard Shore now returns to London where he recorded the whole score with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, to conduct the orchestra and London Voices, with soloists, in his Symphony based on the film scores, in the recently-refurbished Victorian majesty of the Royal Albert Hall.

ShoreR17;s Symphony was premièred in Wellington, New Zealand as part of the celebrations for the opening of The Return of the King in December 2003. Subsequently performed in America, Canada and Australia, its forthcoming Royal Festival Hall performance on Sunday 23 May sold out immediately. The Royal Albert Hall concert will be its only UK performance next season.

Follow, once again, the intrepid fellowship of nine as they collectively, and individually, battle against the evil of Sauron and try to protect the ring-bearer, the hobbit Frodo, as he carries the burden of “the one ring to rule them all” to Mordor’s Mount Doom. Shore’s score was an integral part of Peter Jackson’s overall design, and the beauty of Rivendell and the elves is as evocatively caught in sound as it is in images; the battle scenes are as memorable for their pounding ferocity as the sight of thousands of orcs, oliphants or the Nazgul.

The performance will be accompanied by projected images from artists Alan Lee and John Howe, whose drawings inspired Peter Jackson and his team. Together with Shore’s soaring music, they bring a touch of Middle Earth to the Royal Albert Hall, from the mystery of the mines of Moria to the grandeur of Minis Tirith; from the beauty of Rivendell to the horror of Helm’s Deep; and the two towers themselves, Saruman’s Isengard and Sauron’s Barad-dûr in Mordor. Remind yourselves of the host of wonderful characters evoked by the stunning score – Gollum, Treebeard, Merry & Pippin, Arwen, Eowyn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Boromir and Faramir.

The promoters regret that there are no concessions for hobbits, elves, orcs, goblins, dwarves, ring wraiths or, indeed, any wannabe Lord of the Ring!

‘Method Fest’ is hosting a screening of Ian McKellen’s new film, EMILE, in Burbank, California. It screens tonight at 7 pm. [methodfest.com]


Happy Birthday Hugo Weaving! Hugo was born on April 4th, 1960 in Nigeria. That makes him 44 today! Happy Birthday Hugo!

From the ISU website: Capen Cinema and the Bone Student Center will host The Lord of the Rings Trilogy on Sunday, April 4th in Braden on the largest movie screen in town. Come out and see the movies for FREE! ($3 for non-ISU students and staff). [More]

Trivial Pursuit Sword Winner

AW writes: A co-workers husband won Sting in the Lord Of The Rings Trivial Pursuit sweepstakes. She brought it into the office today and I snapped some pics. The sword is an authentic prop used in the movie and is permanently mounted in an acrylic enclosure. [More]