Lee writes: We are very close to announcing a new addition to the Lord of the Rings Symphony tour schedule, this one in Detroit on October 16, 2004 at the Fox Theatre, and we’d like to offer your readers another pre-sale opportunity, just like we did for the Chicago show. As in Chicago, TORN readers should use password “RING” to purchase tickets before the general public on-sale. We’re very excited that the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will be performing the symphony in Detroit. Due to scheduling conflicts, Mr. Shore will not be in attendance. At this point I do not know who the conductor will be. [TICKETS]

Boston LOTR Exhibit
Click for more images from the exhibit
The Museum of Science’s new exhibit about the making of the ”Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy pulls back the curtain to expose the realities of director Peter Jackson’s fantasy filmmaking. But it was the fans’ fantasies that reigned at the exhibit’s midnight opening yesterday where many of the hundreds of dedicated ”Rings” followers — many who had come from across the United States and from other countries — were dressed as hobbits and elves, displaying their affection for wizardry of all kinds. [More]

FOR MORE ON THIS PERFORMANCE OR TO ORDER TICKETS ONLINE CLICK HERE
First NY-Metro Area Engagement!

Howard Shore’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS SYMPHONY with The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

John Mauceri, conductor / Sissel, vocalist / Montclair State University Chorale / New Jersey Youth Chorus

TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY: Friday, December 3, 2004 at 8:00pm and Saturday, December 4, 2004 at 8:00pm

NJPAC and NJSO join forces to present the NY Metropolitan Area premiere of THE LORD OF THE RINGS SYMPHONY: SIX MOVEMENTS FOR ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS, a multi-media extravaganza featuring music from the blockbuster big-screen trilogy whose soundtrack recordings have sold over 4 million copies. This once-in-a-lifetime concert will feature composer Howard Shore’s monumental, Grammy and Academy Award-winning score from all three Lord of the Rings films in a six-movement, two-hour musical journey into the realm of Middle Earth – from the tranquility of the Shire to the horrors of Mordor and explosive Mount Doom. To enhance the musical experience, storyboard sketches from the movie trilogy and original illustrations for the centenary edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books will be projected above the orchestra. This spectacular event will incorporate more than 200 performers, including the full New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and two choruses.

Tickets for this performance range from $15 to $68. Tickets are on sale now through, via phone toll-free at 1-888-466-5722, online at www.njpac.org, and at the NJPAC Box Office, One Center Street, Newark, open Mon. to Sat. from 12pm to 6pm, and Sun. from 10am to 3pm. (A $2 facility fee will be added to the price of each ticket purchased through NJPAC. No discounts apply for this special engagement. Please note that the NJPAC Box Office will be closed from August 2 through 29; during that period, tickets will be available online at www.njpac.org and via phone at 1-888-466-5722.)

FOR MORE ON THIS PERFORMANCE OR TO ORDER TICKETS ONLINE CLICK HERE

Etellenie writes: The movie trilogy of The Lord of the Rings will be shown in Parma (Italy) at the summer arena of the Astra D’Essai theater the next three Thursdays: the 5th, the 12th and the 19th. The evenings will be introduced by costumed pageants, music and a buffet dinner offered to the spectators.

The initiative is organized by the Culture Area of the City of Parma – Cinema Office, in collaboration with the Astra D’Essai theater.

The event will consist of the extended versions of the first two movies, i.e. the extended version of The Company of the Ring on Thursday, August 5th – followed by the extended version of The Two Towers on Thursday, August 12th – and finally on Thursday August 19th The Return of the King. On all three occasions the movie will start at 9:30 p.m., but admission is at 8:30 p.m. with the concert starting at 9:00 p.m.

Every evening, before the movie, there will be a pageant of players dressed in costumes based on the originals worn by the actors in the movie, with a concert of musicians and singers specialized in Medieval and Celtic repertoires, followed by a buffet of welcome to the spectators kindly offered by “Slow Food – Convivio di Parma” to introduce everyone gradually into the climate and atmosphere of the sounds and scenes of the movies.

The initiative was made possible thanks to the precious collaboration of the cultural association Yavin 4, to which the fans of the Lord of the Rings belong. They will characterize the three evenings with their costumes, respectively representing the Nazgûls, the Elves and the Gondorians, with the Medieval musical group of the “Lindòrinand” the first two evenings and the Celtic music group “Kalevala” for the last.

The cultural association “Tribe of the Cuckoos” (from Gattatico, Reggio Emilia) will provide the costumes for the service personnel, and several makeup artists from SFX Studios – Parma (specialized in makeup and special professional effects) the evening of August 19 will apply pointed ears to the spectators. Original jewelry and other products will be displayed for promotional purposes.

The cost of the ticket for each movie is € 7, but a specific subscription ticket to all three is available at the price of just € 12.

The initiative was made possible thanks to the contribution of the Monte Parma Bank.

Information: IAT, Tourist Office of the City of Parma: phone 0039.0521.218889 e-mail turismo@comune.parma.it