For over a year, "Auditorium Philms" has been one of the most exciting features in the Auditorium Theater's programming and concert schedule.
At each Philms event, a classic movie is projected on a big screen, and the film's music is performed by a live orchestra from the Chicago Philharmonic.
Julie and I have attended several Philm events, including the most recent one last Saturday featuring Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 version of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
I had mixed feelings when Coppola's movie was released 32 years ago. It was an interesting cinematic experiment and a unique novel adaptation, but ultimately, I thought it was a huge mess.
Since then, I had seen the film in bits and pieces on cable but was only motivated enough to sit down and watch it again once I heard about the Philms event.
The best part of the film has always been Polish composer Wojciech Kilar's incredible music. The score is lush, complex, and sweeping and adds immeasurably to the mood and power of the movie.
I was eager to hear a full orchestra and choir perform it live. And the remarkable musicians and singers did not disappoint.
The movie, however, is still a mixed bag. Coppola's "Dracula" is deeply flawed and wildly inconsistent. The tone shifts are insanely abrupt, and the inconsistent acting is quite jarring, to say the least, with a genuinely awful Keanu Reeves and an embarrassing, laughable performance by Anthony Hopkins.
But the love story is great. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder are terrific, and the technical aspects of the film are all top-notch. I also enjoyed more of the film's crazier shit this time because I'm still buzzing from adoring Coppola's "Megalopolis" so much.
And I still love the score. On Saturday, the Chicago Philharmonic, conducted by the terrific Diego Navarro, magnificently accompanied the film.
In addition to the great concert, the night also featured an appearance by my friend, the one and only Svengoolie (AKA: Rich Koz), in which he got some laughs, hosted a fun costume contest (not unlike the ones he hosts at Flashback Weekend), and opened the concert with a wonderful, informative and amusing introduction of the film that set the stage for the outstanding performance/screening.
Julie and I had a blast walking around the lobby and talking to several attendees, many of whom were in fabulous costumes, complete with incredible handbags and other accessories.
These remarkable Philms events are just one of the many examples of how the Chicago Philharmonic is revitalizing classical music.
Terell Johnson, the Chicago Philharmonic's executive director and responsible for Auditorium Philms, is deeply invested in supporting Chicago's performing arts community and shaping the future of the classical music industry.
According to Musical America, the leading classical music industry publication, "Chicago Philharmonic is fast becoming the savviest programmer in Chicago's symphonic firmament under the leadership of new executive director Terell Johnson."
In 2021, it named Johnson one of thirty nationwide "Professionals of the Year. "
Johnson is blazing a trail for more inclusive symphony concerts with genre-bending programming featuring a range of diverse artists, including the sold-out Chicago Premiere of Marvel Studios' "Black Panther in Concert" featuring Senegalese tama drummer Massamba Diop, the American premiere of composer Tan Dun's guitar concerto performed by leading classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, and a multi-media performance with indie music star Kishi Bashi analyzing Japanese-American internment during WWII.
In the past two years, the Chicago Philharmonic has also expanded its longtime partnership with Ravinia Festival to present the inaugural four-day Ravinia El Sistema-inspired "Seminario," where students from around the country were mentored by Chicago Philharmonic musicians and famed conductor Marin Alsop.
Johnson will continue to diversify the Chicago Philharmonic's repertoire, audience base, board membership, and roster of musicians as he and the Philharmonic shape the future of classical music with one-of-a-kind events like "Bram Stoker's Dracula In Concert."
I highly recommend checking these events out. See you at the next one!
Thanks for reading, and please SUBSCRIBE to my weekly NEWSLETTER!
And consider joining me on Patreon as a paid subscriber to help keep this thing going.
Thanks again!