Review: Dracula @ WMC
Dracula: The Music & Film
Wales Millennium Centre
Sunday 27th May 2012
World-renowned composer Philip Glass has many classic film scores to his name, with his music for The Hours and soundtrack to The Truman Show just two of the highlights of his multi-award winning resume.
However, very few films can claim the masterpiece status of Bela Lugosi’s 1931 Dracula and having been commissioned to compose the first original music score for the film in 1998, Glass reconfirmed his own status as a true great.
81 years on from the original release of the film, the Wales Millennium Centre audience was treated to a screening with the live accompaniment of Glass’ score performed by the Grammy Award winning Kronos Quartet – with the composer himself joining the ensemble on stage.
Although at times the music made it difficult to hear the dialogue, for the most part it added great depth to the stunning melodrama of the film and such was the natural addition of music that it was easy to forget that it was being played beneath the screen. Of course, both the film and the soundtrack stand alone as separate works and if anything that is testament to the original film that it still works so well without music. However, Lugosi’s iconic haunting stare has never looked so menacing than when accompanied with the sinister arpeggios and dark stringed melodies, which helped to draw out something extra from the more menacing scenes.
In Cardiff for one night only, the killer combination attracted a strong crowd and it was a real pleasure to watch a film with such a huge legacy in the grand and spacious surroundings of the WMC. It’s a shame that such an enjoyable show could not have had a longer run, but this was a very special event that all attendees are sure to remember.
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2 Comments – Postiwch sylw
CeefaxOfLife
Rhoddwyd sylw 48 mis yn ôl - 30th May 2012 - 14:10pm
CeefaxOfLife
Rhoddwyd sylw 48 mis yn ôl - 30th May 2012 - 14:11pm
And my favourite Philip Glass piece -