from StarWars.com:
Star Wars: In Concert, the unique multi-media event featuring music from all six of John Williams’ epic Star Wars scores has returned to North America! This return kicked off on May 13, 2010 in Ft. Myers, Florida, the start of a 40-city leg of the worldwide tour that will include dates in the United States, Mexico and Canada. This leg concludes in London, Ontario on July 25. Over 350,000 Americans attended Star Wars: In Concert during its three-month inaugural 47-city North American tour last year, which Pollstar rated as the 9th biggest tour of 2009 in January.
Star Wars: In Concert also plays Orlando, Memphis, Baton Rouge, Bossier City (Louisiana), Wichita, El Paso, Tucson, San Diego, Las Vegas, Ontario (California), Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Fresno, Spokane, Nampa (Idaho), Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Regina, Green Bay, Des Moines, Moline, Madison, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Grand Rapids, Ft. Wayne, Washington DC, Raleigh, Uncaseville (Connecticut), and Hamilton (Ontario).
The tour returns to North America following a month in Europe with stops in Dublin, Liverpool, Glasgow, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Milan, Antwerp, Hamburg and the O2 Arena in London, where it began one year ago.
With live narration by Anthony Daniels (the actor who portrayed C-3PO in all six films), the production features a full symphony orchestra and choir, accompanied by specially edited footage from the films displayed on a three-story-tall, high-definition LED super-screen — one of the largest ever put on tour. The footage actually runs in sync with the live music to create a full multi-media, one-of-kind Star Wars experience.
“We’ve taken the key themes from the music and cut together all the images that fit with each theme, so you can really get a sense of how the music played into the images,” said George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars Saga. “The whole soundtrack is a testament to John Williams’ creativity and his extraordinary ability to enhance the emotional aspects of the films.”
“Creating the music for the Star Wars films has been an exciting and wonderful experience for me, and I therefore have derived particular pleasure in assembling a compendium of themes from all of the films to be presented in Star Wars: In Concert,” said Williams. “The editors at Lucasfilm have created original film montages to accompany each of the musical selections, and in the process, I believe that a singular and unique Star Wars experience has been born.”
“This event has been crafted to present Star Wars from many points of view; for the first time, the full dramatic sweep of Williams’ iconic scores can be heard performed live in one evening,” said Another Planet Touring Producer Spencer Churchill. “The show is a new way of experiencing the epic scope of the saga.”
Accompanying the concert is an exclusive exhibit of Star Wars costumes, props, artifacts, production artwork and specially created behind-the-scenes videos from the Lucasfilm Archives. Many of these pieces are leaving Skywalker Ranch for the first time ever. The exhibit features many classic fan favorite artifacts, as well as several new and never-before-seen items, including:
- Full costumes for Jedi Masters Kit Fisto and Plo Koon will be on display.
- For the first time ever, pages from John Williams’ original hand-written sheet music for Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace will be exhibited for the public.
- Also on display will be various never-before-seen props from the films, including blasters and helmets from Coruscant, Tatooine and other iconic Star Wars locations.
For more information, please visit StarWarsInConcert.com.
What the critics are saying:
“Star Wars: In Concert is more a multi-media, sensory overload extravaganza, than a mere concert… the crowd was stoked from the get-go. Host Anthony Daniels had the crowd in the palm of his hand.” — Timothy Mangan, The Orange County Register
“Dazzling! It gives the audience a new way of experiencing the story, bringing cheers and a standing ovation from the audience.” — Scott Iwasaki, The Salt Lake City Deseret News
“The biggest revelation was John Williams’ still stirring, romantically inspired, emotionally satisfying, compelling and exciting score — one simple story, well told, elevated by the dynamic symphonic music that revolutionized the way films are scored.” — David Burger, Salt Lake City Tribune
“A 90-minute laser streaked, crashing-cymbals, living color extravaganza, made and approved by its originators.” — John Timpane, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Star Wars: In Concert is produced by Another Planet Touring in association with Lucasfilm Ltd. The production is directed and designed by Steve Cohen. Star Wars: In Concert had its world premiere at the O2 Arena in London on April 10 and 11, 2009.