The Madison Symphony Orchestra performed the music of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” alongside a projection of the film as part of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series on Saturday.
This is the fifth year of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series at the Overture Center since the series’ creation in 2016.
The Overture Center was packed with Muggles of all ages for the event. The show’s traveling conductor, John Jesensky, made sure to inform the audience that, unlike most symphonic shows, their cheers, boos and laughs were more than welcome.
Audience members certainly took advantage of the opportunity, with cheers erupting for the movie’s beloved main characters. The evening’s loudest cheers came for supporting characters Mrs. Figg and Neville Longbottom. Though both don’t necessarily play enormous roles in this film, their sincerity and pure-heartedness clearly made them fan favorites.
The audience members felt the music was so seamless and impressive they kept forgetting it wasn’t the original soundtrack. For an already great movie, the live orchestra was only an added bonus.
“There’s no better way to watch this movie,” one audience member said.
The orchestra performed the score accurately and seemingly without being distracted by the movie above their heads. One of their most impressive performances was the dynamic and staccato-pierced “Dolores Umbridge.” The song transitions from a bright but ominous descending march to a more imposing, chromatic fade-out.
The theme echoes the harsh change in mood which occurred as soon as Umbridge, the film’s antagonist, appeared on screen. Imelda Staunton plays the character so well that a shared, visceral reaction came over the audience, who all immediately shuddered and booed.
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The night’s atmosphere was amplified by the many attendees who wore Gryffindor cloaks, ties or t-shirts. A handful of parents and children sported matching outfits, reinforcing the feeling of nostalgia and camaraderie. One audacious audience member even sported a costume identical to Umbridge’s trademark pink outfit.
The experience felt like being in a movie theater, except with the added bonus of a larger audience, who would occasionally heckle something in the movie and allow us all to share an impromptu laugh. Considering the crowd consisted of people of all ages, enjoying the sense of community built out of our shared love of the Harry Potter books and movies was a heartwarming and entertaining way to spend a Saturday evening.
