Who would have thought that I or anyone would enjoy watching a 1925 black-and-white silent movie in today’s world of color high-definition and surround sound? Well, think again!
It was a beautiful warm night under a clear sky on Friday, July 7, when I returned to Chicago and the Grant Park Music Festival for a different experience -- viewing Battleship Potemkin.
A huge screen was set up in Pritzker Pavilion right over the center of the huge Grant Park Symphony Orchestra on the stage. At 9 p.m., the orchestra played the Shostakovich score created in 1975-1976 for the restored version of this milestone film, which was shown from beginning to end on the big screen.
The effect was amazing! We did have surround sound with the fabulous Pritzker Pavilion sound system carrying the remarkable playing of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra to the far corners of the lawn.
I have never seen this film from beginning to end before but in this setting with this music in the background it was wonderful!
The Grant Park Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Alasdair Neale, who is the Music Director of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony. In his 11 years with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, he has propelled this festival to become the largest privately funded free admission symphony in America.
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jlp (not verified) | Tue, 07/11/2006 - 11:29am
Oh, but you should have been there Saturday night, when the end of the movie signalled the start of fireworks! Truly a wow finish.
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