Hugh Grant introduces London audiences to Murnau’s legendary 1926 silent film
For one night only – 27 February 2012
At a time when brand new silent film, The Artist, is being applauded by critics and, by all accounts, heading for 2012 Oscars success, London’s Royal Festival Hall is proud to announce a unique cinematic and musical event: a special film screening of one of the greatest stories ever told: the epic silent masterpiece, FAUST, created by one of the most celebrated and influential directors of the late silent era, German director, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau.
Drawing on the older traditions of the legendary tale of Faust, the film (starring Gosta Ekmanas Faust, Emil Jannings as Mephisto, Camilla Horn as Gretchen/Marguerite, Frida Richard as her mother, Wilhelm Dieterle as her brother and Yvette Guilbert as Marthe Schwerdtlein, her aunt) is the last German movie directed by Murnau.
The film will be introduced from the stage by one of Britain’s best-loved actors, Hugh Grant.
Accompanying this cinematic classic will be the Philharmonia Orchestra, performing the worldwide premiere of one of the Britain’s brightest young composers, Greek-born Aphrodite Raickopoulou, with live accompaniment by the internationally celebrated Venezuelan-American improvising pianist, Gabriela Montero and conducted by Emmy award winning composer-conductor, Benjamin Wallfisch.
Says Benjamin Wallfisch: "I am so excited to be collaborating with these wonderful artists in this reinterpretation of one of cinema's great masterpieces. Aphrodite's beautiful, emotional composition and Gabriela's masterful musicianship, together with the incredible players of the one of the world’s finest orchestras, will surely provide a powerful new perspective on one of the greatest and most universal stories ever told... "
Says Gabriela Montero: “as a musician, I've always been interested in collaborating with other art forms because I believe our innate, primal and deep reaction to music enhanced by visual beauty and a great story can have an enormous impact on a human being. To not only perform the score of the wonderful composer, AphroditeRaickopoulou,but also to improvise to the moving love story of "Faust" will be an occasion when all the senses will be awakened, moved and ultimately involved in living through film and sound the greatest gift we can experience: love.
This evening’s concert performance is sponsored by Dr Michael Peagram and Mr Bruno Wang.
A Carmen Zgouras Special Entertainment Production
Youtube links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifTSiwuRnQI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sia0SCHsrI