Royal Albert Hall: A Hollywood Christmas REVIEW – Festive fun with film favourites

Once again the Royal Albert Hall is right in the festive midsts of its Christmas concerts. And this week saw a real treat in A Hollywood Christmas, as New York conductor John Mauceri led the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the English Chamber Choir on a sleigh ride through some of films’ greatest seasonal scores. Aided by the warm glow of golden lighting and a couple of impressive Christmas trees, the charming Mauceri kicked off with pieces from John Williams’s The Empire of the Sun and Miklos Rozsa’s Ben-Hur. Although not the most obvious choices for Christmas – apart from the Nativity section in Ben-Hur – the scores certainly helped the audience drift into that festive feeling of sitting down to watch a Hollywood classic after a large family lunch.

The Christmas Spirit went up a gear with the world premiere of Franz Waxman’s score of the 1938 film adaptation of A Christmas Carol, featuring the jolly notes of Hark the Herald Angels Sings and other familiar tunes.

Then, just before the interval, the warm and pleasant theme of Williams’ Home Alone arrived followed by the dreamy sparkle of The Polar Express theme to begin the superior second half of the concert.

This is where it really gets good for film fans, with Danny Elfman’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Overture treating the audience to bits of all the film’s memorable – and sometimes creepy – tunes as the mood lighting in the Hall turned an icy dark blue.

But even this was topped by A Hollywood Christmas’ highlight – a seventeen-minute saunter through Williams’ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone score. After all, where is Christmas better put on than at Hogwarts?

JAMES BOND: SKYFALL IN CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2019 INFO

In fact, during the twinkle of the familiar music, all eyes were on a bassoonist for Fluffy the three-headed dog’s section which was celebrated by a traditional feet stamp from the orchestra.

After this piece de resistance, the conductor announced they would complete the evening as they do every Christmas show at the Royal Albert Hall with some traditional Christmas carols.

And in keeping with the Hollywood theme, Mauceri chose ones arranged by

American film and TV composer Carmen Dragon, joyfully leading the orchestra and the enthralled audience through classics like Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful), Carol of the Bells and The First Noel.

This fitting ending was complimented with a couple of encores of Sleigh Ride and Silent Night, which saw the cellists spin their cellos round mid-playing.

Apart from leaving the audience in the warmest and wonderful festive spirits, it was an incredible feat that Mauceri, the orchestra and choir and pulled off.

Giving thanks and showing his appreciation for his colleagues, the conductor revealed they all met for the first time the day before, and then did a full run through at 10 am and a matinee at 2:30 pm before the evening show, all in that day.

Clearly, all the participants have earned their Christmas dinner, one that will no doubt be all the more enjoyable thanks to the memories formed at A Hollywood Christmas.