If you’ve heard of iconic movies like “Inception” or “The Dark Knight,” then you’ve listened to the legendary film scores composed by the infamous Hans Zimmer. On Sunday, September 16th, Hans brought his ‘The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension’ tour to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The expansive orchestra was under the direction of conductor and musician Matt Dunkley. Dunkley is a close personal friend of Hans Zimmer and the perfect person to lead the expansive group of talented musicians. Dunkley himself is a multiple GRAMMY-nominated Conductor and is well-versed in the world of composing and arranging music. He’s also not a stranger to the world of film as he has worked on over 200 films, including “The Great Gatsby”, “The Incredible Hulk,” and “Iron Man.”
‘The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension’ features a live orchestra comprised of some of the most talented musicians in the world. Carla Chamoun, from Lebanon, and Gan-ya Ben-gur Akselrod, from Israel, added the most beautiful vocals to the “Gladiator Suite.” Dressed in flowing gowns, Carla and Gan-ya sang “Now We Are Free” while the orchestra played along. Timothée Berte-Renou, originally from France, was the lead soloist for the “No Time To Die Suite.” Traditionally, cellists play while seated, but Timothée performs while standing, which allows him to perform in front of the orchestra. When he performs, the audience can tell how passionate he is about the music by the way he sways to the music. Briana Washington, from California, was the lead for the “Interstellar Suite.” This movie and its score have become so well-known, and it’s safe to say Briana did it justice and performed the piece beautifully. The original score was centered around the organ, so it was a crucial instrumental voice for this piece.
Now, when you hear the word orchestra, you probably think of classical music; however, this concert was anything but that. The performance was filled with complex lighting and laser effects that were perfectly timed to important moments in the music, which made it a truly immersive experience. The music Hans Zimmer writes is well-known to many people across the world. The way the visual effects were incorporated into the show was done in a way that highlighted and worked together with the music. Changes in the tone were accented by the changing of color values, while spotlights were used to single out soloists across the stage. Additionally, the large screens behind the orchestra would often portray scenes from the movies the music came from. The movie scenes were also timed with the music in a way to highlight the music. The lights and background imagery truly worked together with the music to create an immersive experience for the audience.
Although Hans was not physically there to perform alongside the orchestra, he helped to narrate the show with Matt Dunkley in between songs. Their silly banter and conversations added some fun to the evening. For example, Matt was introducing the next piece while Hans interrupted to tell Matt to hurry up and start playing. During other pieces, videos of Hans playing the piano filled the screens. Hans was involved with the production of this show, even though he wasn’t there in person.
Hans himself is a German composer who has made a huge impact on the movie and music industry. He brings stories and movies to life through music. Every score is perfectly scored to fit the story that is being told. From stories that take place in ancient Rome about gladiators to stories that take place in alternate universes. Hans Zimmer will often highlight instruments that you most likely haven’t heard of. The Gladiator score, for example, features the duduk, which is a wooden Armenian flute from the 5th century. If he can’t find the sound he’s looking for, he will find a way to make a new instrument. For the Dune score, Hans and Pedro Eustache, made a 21’-long horn out of PVC from hardware stores.
All of the music performed at ‘The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension’ were suites of movie scores that Hans Zimmer wrote. The suites allow the audience to enjoy arguably the most iconic snippets of movie scores without watching the whole movie. The performance featured suites of the following movies, to name a few: “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Rock,” “Interstellar,” “Inception,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Pearl Harbor.”
If you missed this performance of ‘The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension,’ there are some other opportunities to see it. This is the first time this tour has been in the United States and it’s truly a spectacular show if you’re a fan of movies that Hans Zimmer has worked on. While there are no shows in New York, they will be touring around the United States until mid-October. The full tour schedule can be found on their website.
Photos by Lauren Hunter
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