GROWING up, Gerard Salonga saw his father’s admiration for The Godfather, a novel that chronicles a fictional crime family in New York City.
But, it was not until his teenage years, when he watched the iconic film adaptation of the book, that he truly connected with the story.
Now serving as resident conductor with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), Salonga is thrilled to bring The Godfather Live concert to our shores.
With the movie projected on a big screen, the MPO will perform the score live at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in Kuala Lumpur.
In an interview at the venue, Salonga shared his vision and preparations for the concert which will be held at 8pm on June 14.
Salonga says music is the unseen character which keeps the audience engaged. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
“I’ve done lots of film concerts and my approach has always been the same – to understand how the music fleshes out the characters.
“Music is the unseen character which keeps the audience engaged and drives their emotions,” he added.
Salonga said many MPO musicians were thrilled upon learning about The Godfather-themed concert.
“Some messaged me to ask when they would be able to get the score to start practising.
“Some works of art transcend time; they remain relevant forever.
“The Godfather delves into issues like power and abuse, which are relevant even today.” he added.
Salonga, who recently conducted MPO’s La La Land in concert, said film concerts could connect newer fans with classic movies.
Likewise, he said such concerts could also introduce orchestral music to wider audiences.
Conductor and producer Justin Freer, in a statement, promised an exhilarating evening.
“There is not much film music as instantly recognisable as Nino Rota’s work in The Godfather.
“And, there are only a handful of films as masterfully made.
“The marriage of these two masterpieces live at DFP will be a visual and aural feast,” he said.
Tickets are priced between RM298 to RM648, and available at www.mpo.com.my or DFP Box Office.
Tickets are inclusive of light refreshments.
For details, call 03-2331 7007.
