Ryuichi Sakamoto’s unforgettable musical compositions for the cinema are the protagonists of the first event that Romaeuropa this year dedicates to the Japanese Maestro. The Brussels Philharmonic, conducted by Dirk Brossé, performs melodies that made the musician famous throughout the world and which have become part of our collective imagination: from the soundtrack for The Last Emperor to the unforgettable Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence up to the most recent of his compositions for The Revenant.
Program:
The Last Emperor: Endroll (8:02)
Yae No Sakura: Opening Theme (3:02)
Snake Eyes: Theme (5:26)
The Sheltering Sky: Main Theme (6:26)
High Heels (Tacones Lejanos): Main Theme (3:08)
Little Buddha: Acceptance (8:49)
Babel: Bibo No Aozora (6:28)
The Last Emperor: Rain (4:16)
Wild Palms: Main Theme (2:31)
Femme Fatale: Bolerisch (6:11)
Hara-Kiri (Ichimei): Small Hope (5:00)
The Revenant: Main Theme (3:07)
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence: Main Theme (6:02)
Bio
Dirk Brossé for more than 40 years has worked around the world as a highly regarded and award-winning composer and conductor. He is currently music director of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and music director of the Ghent Film Festival. John Williams chose him as principal conductor for the “Star Wars in Concert” world tour. He is professor of composition and conducting at the School of Arts / Royal Conservatory of Music in Ghent. He has composed more than 400 works including concertos, lieder, chamber music and symphonic works. He has composed music for stage, film and television. His score for the BBC/HBO series “Parade’s End” was nominated for an Emmy Award. He has recorded more than 100 albums and collaborated with world-renowned artists such as John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Jessye Norman, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Herman Van Rompuy, John Malkovich, Stijn Coninx, Frank Van Laecke and many others.
Brussels Philharmonic has been founded in 1935 by the Belgian public broadcaster NIR/INR. It enjoys an excellent reputation for performing premieres of new works and has collaborated with world-renowned composers. The orchestra’s historic home is the Flagey Building, one of the world’s finest concert halls. The Philharmonic has gained international attention through regular performances in major European capitals, as well as in Japan and the United States. The orchestra is acclaimed for its unique expertise in performing and recording film music, including the Oscar-winning score for “The Artist.” The orchestra’s recordings, released by Deutsche Grammophon, Palazzetto Bru Zane, Klara, Brussels Philharmonic Recordings and Naxos, have been warmly received by the international press, receiving numerous awards, including the ECHO Klassik, Classica Choc de l’année and Diapason d’Or de l’année awards. Music director Kazushi Ono’s vision overlaps with that orchestra in the authenticity with which the great repertoire is kept alive, in the constant search for innovation, in the commitment to give back to the music of today and tomorrow a cental role, and in the passion for symphonic music in a broad and always generous way. The Brussels Philharmonic is an institution of the Flemish Community.
Credits
Photo © KAB America Inc.
Photo by Neo Sora
