An Evening of Gothic Romance & Horror - Phantom of the Opera

Vancouver Bach Choir presents the return of Andrew Downing’s spectacular multimedia work Phantom of the Opera, February 20, 2016, 8pm at The Orpheum. This mesmerizing score for the legendary silent film, of the same name, is performed with new intensity and nuance by VBC alongside a virtuosic chamber ensemble.

“Since the world premiere of Downing’s masterful score commissioned by VBC three years ago, local music and film lovers alike have been calling for a reprise performance,” says Leslie Dala, Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir. “The composition, moving unto itself, adds a new layer of depth and emotion to the experience of Rupert Julian’s iconic motion picture. We look forward to bringing this special concert event before new audiences, and patrons joining us again for the second ever presentation.”

VBC’s more than 100 voices together sing the lyrics of Downing’s Phantom of the Opera, which are taken from text within the film. The accompanying chamber ensemble was curated especially for this occasion, and consists of an unusual combination of instruments including clarinet, piano, and double bass – played by the composer himself.

As one of Canada’s most inventive and multifaceted musicians, Andrew Downing is ideally placed to write such an ambitious piece. He is the recipient of two Juno Awards, two West Coast Music Awards and the Grand Prix de Jazz; the works that heralded these awards range from contemporary jazz creations to a chamber ensemble piece based on the life of Andre the Giant.

Downing’s previous soundtracks for silent films include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Impossible Voyage, and The Shock. By interpreting narratives into intelligent, compelling musical themes, the composer creates works that offer accessibility and reward to both musical novice and aficionado.

Audience members will relive the terror, heartache, and romance of The Phantom of the Opera as a crisp print of the film is projected within the Orpheum concert hall. Released by Universal Pictures in 1925, Rupert Julian’s masterpiece is held to be one of the best horror movies ever created; its success would prompt the studio to finance a legendary string of monster features including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and The Mummy. Lon Chaney’s performance as the Phantom remains harrowing, despite nearly a century passing since its first haunting screening (at which time the famous unmasking scene was said to have made patrons faint and scream).