Concert ‘Christmas’ in Prague with the Filmová Filharmonie – December 2023 [SUMMARY]

On Sunday, December 17th, the Filmová Filharmonie orchestra performed two Christmas concerts, both of them full of film-music, at the iconic Rudolfinum in Prague (read more).

 

SoundTrackFest founder & director Gorka Oteiza, attended the second session and leaves us this summary of the concert.

 

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS… IS FILM MUSIC!

On Sunday, Dec 17, 2023, we enjoyed a wonderful concert entitled ‘Christmas’ at the Rudolfinum in Prague, Czech Republic, performed by the Filmová Filharmonie orchestra conducted by Robert Kružík together with the Kühn Mixed Choir (choirmaster: Igor Karpilovskiij), the Bonifantes Boys Choir (choirmaster: Jan Míšek), and the special participation of the powerful voice of tenor soloist Petr Nekoranec.

 

The audience, who sold out all the tickets for the two concerts of the day (15:30h & 19:30h), received nearly two and a half hours of soundtracks and songs, intermission and encores included, in a show where the main protagonist was the music, with no distractions of lights, screens or videos/pictures. A wise decision, very well received by the audience, as the silence and attention paid to the music, was maximum during the whole evening.

 

The concert program was as follows:

The concert started on time with a delightful piece of Beauty and the Beast – Overture (Alan Menken), setting the tone of what we were going to listen. Following was one of the great suites of the first half, and maybe of the concert, The Nightmare Before Christmas (Danny Elfman), a great medley that told us musically the whole story of the movie, starting with the intro and This is Halloween, followed among others by Jack’s Lament, What’s This?,  Kidnap the Sandy Claws, Making Christmas or the wonderful Finale. A real tour de force for the orchestra with many changes of rhythm and style, exceptionally well executed.

 

Then, Petr Nekoranec entered on stage to tenderly sing Holiday Inn – White Christmas (Irving Berlin), followed by two pieces not very usual in concert from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (John Williams), the themes Prologue and Christmas at Hogwarts. Really delicious.

 

Next came four pieces from the Czech movie Anděl Páně (An Angel of the Lord): Adeste Fideles / Krásný Útěk / Hněv Boží / Valse Allegro e Tranquillo. Composer Milos Bok, creator of the soundtrack, was present at the hall and received a great applause and a bunch of flowers at the end of the block.

 

To end the first half of the concert, a mighty and very well-constructed suite from Gremlins (Jerry Goldsmith), sweet at its beginning, playful in the middle part, and fast & strong at the end, gave a perfect and powerful closure to the first half.

 

During the intermission, we were able to see cosplayers dressed up as characters of the movies of the concert and people taking pictures with them. The tables of the waiting hall had a bunch of brochures of the orchestra’s next concerts in 2024 (Fantasy, Games & John Williams), together with free pins and stickers with the logo of the show, as a nice souvenir of the evening. To top the experience, a lounge, open to everyone, offered Craft Beer personalized with the poster of the event (delicious beer by the way!).

 

The second half started around 20:50h with the two choirs present on the balcony above the orchestra on both sides of the organ, and a very joyful Suite from It’s a Wonderful Life (Dimitri Tiomkin) with a great performance of tenor soloist Petr Nekoranec. Following came The Snowman – Walking in the Air (Howard Blake) where the soloist young boy did not find the right tone the part he was singing, but finally got together with the orchestra.

 

Then, a movie that turns 20 years now, Love Actually (2003) – Craig Armstrong, was the protagonist, with a beautiful rendition of a Love Theme Suite which transported us through all the love stories that happened and had a happy ending during the movie.

 

Christmas tales and the world of imagineering got another opportunity to shine with A Christmas Carol – Main Title (Alan Silvestri) followed by the incredible and vibrating The Polar Express – Concert Suite, again by all-the versatile Alan Silvestri, in a medley that delivered all the strength of the orchestra and choirs, targeting directly our deepest Christmas feelings.

 

The final stretch of this second half was dedicated to the amazing soundtrack created by Maestro John Williams for Home Alone, with four carefully-selected pieces, starting with the cheerful Main Theme, followed by the iconic and heartwarming Somewhere in my Memory, on its way to the Star of Bethelem, and ending with the dynamic and celebratory Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, all of them superbly wrapped up by the orchestra and the warm voices of the choirs. A great thematic block, with a wonderful performance.

 

A standing ovation from a grateful audience, managed to get back on stage the orchestra, conductor, choirs, and tenor soloist, for a delicious encore: Sleight Ride (Leroy Anderson), followed by one of the most-known Christmas film music melodies of the last decades; the soundtrack of Edward Scissorhands (Danny Elfman), giving us goosebumps with a tender and delicious interpretation. To end the block of encores: God Bless Us Everyone from A Christmas Carol where orchestra, choirs, and soloist, gave the grand finale to the concert.

 

In summary, I can state that we had an amazing Christmas concert, with an excellent performance of choirs & orchestra, sharply guided by conductor Robert Kružík. We enjoyed a very interesting program, carefully and masterfully selected, with a perfect balance of songs and themes of the best (if not the best) Christmas film music of all times.

 

The Filmová Filharmonie orchestra is demonstrating once and again, and season after season, that can provide top-quality film/TV/video game music concerts, in an excellent world-class venue: the Rudolfinum in Prague.

 

So, if you’re around in town next time they celebrate a concert (which in 2024 will be February for ‘Fantasy‘, April for ‘Games‘, and June for ‘John Williams‘), don’t doubt for a second and secure a ticket. You will regret it if you don’t!

 

Article and pictures by Gorka Oteiza