A couple of weeks ago saw those wonderful performances at Radio City Music Hall, of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, with live orchestral accompaniment. Various TORn staffers and friends were there; our friend Constance G. J. Wagner shares her thoughts about the event:
The Two Towers at Radio City Music Hall
February in New York can be wind-whipped and cold — much like the gusts one experiences when standing before the doors of Meduseld in Rohan. This is all an artsy way of describing the walk TO Radio City Music Hall In New York City on February 17th to immerse myself in the “score to screen” live music performance of Howard Shore’s powerful score for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. However, as cold as it was outside on the streets of Manhattan, the fellowship felt among the audience waiting for the performance to start created warmth and energy that crackled with electric anticipation. When conductor Ludwig Wicki came onstage to begin the show, the walls of Radio City vibrated with a fan-fueled roar of expectation and excitement. It would, they felt, be a night to remember.
Hearing the score played live, seeing a choir and soloists bring both intimate and epic musical moments to life in real time, is an experience not to be missed. It deepens the depiction of character and the emotional context of the saga as a whole, particularly since this is a shared experience with all of Middle-earth spread across a 60-foot screen.
The audience cheered the arrival of each hero’s first appearance on the screen, but also gave rousing applause to soloist Kaitlyn Lusk, who dazzled with lyric, numinous vocals and a glittering golden gown to match. Equally impressive was the boy soprano soloist who captured the intensity of the battle cry of the Rohirrim with soaring, impossible notes.
At night’s end, cheers and more cheers for the soloists, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, the adult choir — MasterVoices, and the conductor rolled through the audience like a great wave with a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.
The experience was immersive and impressive and amazing – particularly for those fans whose viewing of the film may have only been on small screens. For this part of Tolkien’s tale to be presented as literally larger than life with sound to rock the soul … well, it is something for the ages.
Finally, the audience left the theatre filled with anticipation for another round in another year when Return of the King comes to the screen with its own sights, and sounds … and wonder. And so to all the musicians who brought Howard Shore’s score to an audience in such brilliant fashion, one can only offer thanks and say: Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo — A star shines on the hour of our meeting.
The Return of the King in 2025?
The Return of the King is the one movie of the trilogy which was not part of the original performances with orchestra at Radio City Music Hall; so, we’re very much hoping we’ll see that movie presented in 2025! Of course, we’ll let you know as soon as we hear!
We come to it at last… Having celebrated the 20th anniversaries of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers movies, NZ Post are now marking that same milestone for the third and final film in the trilogy. Some stunning new stamps are available now, with coins due to ship closer to the holidays.
Here’s what their press release tells us:
NZ Post releases final The Lord of the Rings trilogy stamp and coin collection
NZ Post is proud to release special edition stamps, coins and limited-edition prints to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
To be released November 1st by NZ Post, this is the third, and final, of three 20th anniversary collections – having previously released issues commemorating The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables, Antony Harris says, “Like the previous two special edition releases, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will be just as popular among Kiwis and international collectors.
“There will be a lot of interest from around Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the world, as this collection marks the final milestone in the history of such an iconic series of films,” Harris said. “The previous two stamp releases have sold across the globe like nothing we had ever seen before.”
The Lord of the Rings is a series of three epic fantasy adventure films based on the novel The Lord of the Rings by British author J.R.R Tolkien.
Harris said, with only eight weeks until Christmas, any items from this final release would make an ideal gift – especially for family and friends living overseas.
The special edition stamps, coins and prints are being released in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
The artist behind the stamps and pins is New Zealander Sacha Lees, who began her career at Wētā Workshop working on The Lord of the Rings trilogy as an illustrator, creature designer and airbrush and concept artist.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 20th Anniversary stamps will be released on Wednesday 1 November 2023. To order and read about the collection visit collectables.nzpost.co.nz
Once again, these products from NZ Post are stunning. The eagle (or elf!) eyed among you may notice that these stamps also contain ‘hidden messages’ – keys lines from the movies, somewhere in each image. The coins are equally beautiful; you can see the Beacons and Meduseld ones below. There is also a Gondor coin, and one showing Gandalf crowning Aragorn, the returned king. See these, and take a closer looks at all these fabulous pieces, by visiting NZ Post’s website now.
In February of this year, we saw performances at Radio City Music Hall of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, with live orchestral accompaniment. It has been announced today that February 2024 will see The Two Towers getting the same treatment – and having last time sold out their two dates, and added two more, this time they’re starting with four opportunities to attend. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow; but here at TORn we have an exclusive presale code for you, so you can claim your tickets today!
Get your tickets now
February 14 through 17, 2024, 8pm each night, fans can enjoy Peter Jackson’s The Two Towers back on the big screen, with 238 musicians playing and singing along. To claim your tickets before they go on general sale tomorrow, click here, and use the code TORTWO.
The Return of the King is the one movie of the trilogy which was not part of the original performances with orchestra at Radio City Music Hall; fingers crossed for 2025! Meanwhile, read the press release about the upcoming The Two Towers performances, below – and snap up those tickets while you can!
21st Anniversary Concert THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Two Towers In Concert
Academy Award Winner HOWARD SHORE’S Score Performed Live to the Epic Motion Picture
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, SOLOISTS
Ludwig Wicki, Conductor
238 MUSICIANS ONSTAGE BENEATH A 60-FOOT SCREEN
Radio City Music Hall, New York FEBRUARY 14-17, 2024
NEW YORK, NY — Celebrating the 21st anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Academy award winner Howard Shore’s score will be presented live, in concert. Experience the epic motion picture and its legendary score at the historic Radio City Music Hall, beneath a 60-foot screen accompanied by 238 musicians, including symphony orchestra, chorus and soloists, this coming February 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2024.
After four nights of standing ovations at Radio City Music Hall in February 2023, and an ongoing international tour, The Lord of the Rings, In Concert, will be reuniting the Fellowship for the second installment – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The 2024 concerts will mark the return of The Two Towers, In Concert, to NYC for the first time since its sold out run in 2015. The live performances of Howard Shore’s score of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, In Concert, are unmatched in the movie-going experience – the iconic and ethereal score having been voted No .1 in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2023.
The Two Towers, In Concert, is represented by CAMI Music, who is partnering with Bowery Presents to bring these performances to life at Radio City Music Hall.
The Two Towers, In Concert, will be conducted by Ludwig Wicki, who was the inaugural conductor of The Two Towers, In Concert, and specializes in bringing films and their scores to life. Orchestra, soloists, and chorus for the 2024 performances at Radio City Music Hall will be announced at a later date.
The epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003) – directed by Peter Jackson and based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel became an international phenomenon. Released by New Line Cinema, the trilogy is among the highest earning films of all time and won a total of 17 Academy Awards. Howard Shore was honored with Academy Awards for Original Score for The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Return of the King (2003), and for Original Song for Into the West, featured in The Return of the King (2003).
Howard Shore commented on the return of The Two Towers, In Concert to New York City: “The concerts on February 14th through 17th , 2024 will bring Maestro Ludwig Wicki back to NYC’s historic Radio City Music Hall leading a symphony orchestra, chorus, and soloists. Based in the city of Lucerne, Switzerland, where we first began performing the complete score to the theatrical version of the films in 2008, Maestro Wicki is the foremost conductor of this score-to-film concert. Over the years he has worked to perfect this music and his precision, detail and supreme musicianship will be on display at Radio City. I am so very happy to have The Two Towers return to New York.”
Tickets will be on sale from 10am tomorrow – but are available to TORn’s followers NOW, with the code TORTWO. Get yours here! Find out more about these upcoming performances by looking for LOTRConcerts on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook. Hope to see you there!
During San Diego Comic-Con 2023 this year our friends at Diamond Select Toys had several new collectibles for fans to contemplate getting when they are available for order. Two of those pieces were the awesome Gandalf the White Gallery Diorama, and the Aragorn Gallery Diorama. This is a new line of collectibles for the DST The Lord of the Rings line, with them both being around 9″ tall. You can order both right now via the DST site, with Gandalf coming in at $75 and shipping in quarter one of next year, and Aragorn coming in at $59, with him shipping in the back half of this year.
Last September we shared with you the beautiful stamps and pins the good folks at NZ Post released, to celebrate twenty years since Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was released. Now a stunning pair of coins is available, celebrating those towers (or at least one version of what Tolkien may have meant by his ‘Two Towers’ title!) Here’s what NZ Post’s press release tells us:
After 12 long months of eagerly anticipating part two of the trilogy, in late December 2002 fans were rewarded with the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. After the unbridled success of The Fellowship of the Ring, which was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, the second instalment had a tough act to follow. Nevertheless, the enthusiastic audiences for the sequel ensured it was not only the highest grossing film of that year but, at the time of its release, the third-highest grossing film of all time.
The principal photography for all three The Lord of the Rings films took place in New Zealand from 11 October 1999 to 22 December 2000. New Zealand’s mountains, rivers, forests, fields and plains all played a part, and vast studio sets stood in for the more fantastical environments required to build the world of Middle-earth. Weta Digital, the creator of visual effects for the trilogy, doubled its staff for the vast post-production requirements presented by The Two Towers, with challenges that included a large-scale battle scene and the digital rendering of a speaking character.
Thousands of everyday New Zealanders played a part in contributing to this film – from a stadium full of cricket spectators recording an Uruk-hai war cry, to local equestrians riding their horses as extras in the plains of Rohan. Most Kiwis will recognise at least one place as their New Zealand, whether it’s a favourite walking spot near their home or a family holiday destination. The Two Towers is part of a larger legacy left by the trilogy, which gave countless New Zealanders unique experiences, memories to cherish and stories to tell for generations to come.
Minted from 0.999 silver, this set of coins features each of the towers alluded to in the film’s title – Orthanc, the stronghold of evil wizard Saruman, and Barad-dur, where the spirit of the Dark Lord Sauron resides. The coins have a black proof finish and selective colour highlights the detail of Sacha Lees’ artwork.
Set of two silver coins Features the two towers alluded to in the film’s title The obverse of each coin acknowledges New Zealand as the home of Middle- earth Designed by New Zealand artist Sacha Lees Each coin is minted from 1oz of 0.999 silver Low worldwide mintage of 499 sets Presented in an elegant display case with a certificate of authenticity.
Set of two brilliant uncirculated coins Features the two towers alluded to in the film’s title The obverse of each coin acknowledges New Zealand as the home of Middle- earth Designed by New Zealand artist Sacha Lees Low worldwide mintage of 1,000 sets Presented in a specially designed display pack.
As ever with NZ Post, these products are beautiful, and very collectible. The coins are available now on NZ Post’s website.
Our friends at Weta Workshop have a couple of really amazing environments up for pre-order. We’re in the last five days of the timed order window for the amazing Helm’s Deep which is part of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 20th Anniversary. You can snag your pre-order right now for $899 USD, with shipping expected towards the end of 2023. This is going to be one of the must-have environments for any The Lord of the Rings collection.
We also get our first-ever mini-environment from the trilogy, with the new Mini-Orthanc. This version is Orthanc as seen after Saruman’s Orcs have destroyed the area around the tower. You can order this piece for $99.99 USD, with it shipping in quarter 2 of next year. This will be an open-edition piece.
