Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert
25 January, 2025, Plenary of the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, VIC
Saturday night movies with movie snacks have long been a tradition in my family, although even the best surround home sound system might sound a little lacklustre after seeing Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
The classic film by blockbuster duo George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, which stars a young Harrison Ford, has a score by the legendary film composer John Williams. The story and series probably need no introduction and have thrilled and entertained for generations since the first release in 1982 and I suspect has sparked many a childhood obsession with archeology, travel and adventuring.
Staged in the cavernous Plenary of the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, there was a real buzz in the audience, with food trucks and a couple of fun social media photo stands completing the experience in the foyer. You could hear that this was a ‘first’ symphony experience for a lot of people, including my brother Ben who came with me.
The reviewer with Ben his brother having instituted on participating in one of the photo booth activities.
I know from chatting with my friend Ross Campbell (author of Melbourne at the Movies: Confessions of a Certified Cinephile) that film music has its own distinguished history and as a complete art form in itself. Think Eric Korngold, for example. I mention this to acknowledge that while delivering a very entertaining package, this was also a serious artistic and technical undertaking by conductor Ben Northey and the MSO.
After bounding onstage in a fedora, ubiquitous with the character of Dr Jones, conductor Ben Northey traded his prop whip for his baton and urged us to forget traditional concert etiquette and to boo and cheer as we pleased.
Even before the orchestra started, my brother and I marvelled at the number of musicians and variety of instruments, the range of percussion and the technical feat of putting it all together with the action on the big screen.
The film and accompanying live music didn’t disappoint. John Williams has spoken on camera about Korngold and the influence of these highly classical trained composers on his extensive body of work and it was evident to me as the MSO started with bows moving in glorious unison, that this was a serious score, delivered with all the energy and guts worthy of a symphonic work.
If I’m honest, some of the scenes and characters in the film did seem dated, however regardless of this, the music sparkled and thrilled, especially in the fight and chase sequences, of which there were plenty. From the dramatic opening chords, right to the end of cast and film crew credits, the MSO carried us throughout the glorious romance, adventure and excitement of the score.
It was wonderful to see regular concert goers, film buffs, families and first timers chatting and connecting during interval, talking about the instruments and marvelling at how synchronised the music was with the action on screen. Not just an exercise in breaking down barriers between music genres, Ben Northey and the MSO delivered a very special movie night experience.
