(NEWARK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens in concert February 7–9 and April 17–19, respectively. Since the release of the first Star Wars movie more than 40 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on both cinema and culture, inspiring audiences around the world with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects and iconic musical scores composed by Williams.
The NJSO performs Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert on February 7 at 8:00pm at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, February 8 at 2:00pm and 7:30pm at NJPAC in Newark and February 9 at 3:00pm at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick. In the spectacular climactic sixth episode of the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader readies the second Death Star to unleash the final blow to the Rebel Alliance. Luke Skywalker joins R2-D2, C-3PO and Princess Leia to free Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and launch a desperate attack upon the entire Imperial Fleet.
The Orchestra performs Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert on April 17 at 8:00pm at the Count Basie Center for the Arts, April 18 at 2:00pm and 7:30pm at NJPAC and April 19 at 3:00pm at State Theatre New Jersey. Thirty years after the defeat of the Empire, Luke Skywalker has vanished, and a new threat has risen: The First Order, led by the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke and his enforcer, Kylo Ren. General Leia Organa’s military force, the Resistance—and unlikely heroes brought together by fate—are the galaxy’s only hope.
Constantine Kitsopoulos conducts.
Tickets start at $35; through a special double-feature deal, patrons can save 25% by purchasing tickets to both films. Tickets for all dates and locations are available from the NJSO online at njsymphony.org, by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or in person at 60 Park Place, Suite 900, in Newark. NJSO Patron Services hours are Monday–Friday, 10:00am–5:00pm, and concert Saturdays, 11:00am–5:00pm.
Tickets for the February 9 and April 19 performances are available from State Theatre New Jersey online at STNJ.org, by phone at 732.246.SHOW (7469) or in person at 15 Livingston Ave in New Brunswick. State Theatre New Jersey Guest Services hours are Monday—Friday, 10:00am–6:00pm; Saturday, 1:00pm–5:00pm, and at least three hours prior to curtain on performance dates unless otherwise specified. State Theatre New Jersey co-presents the February 9 and April 19 performances.
For more information, visit njsymphony.org/starwars.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert and Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert presentations licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner/Chappell Music. © 2019 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © DISNEY
John Williams - In a career spanning more than five decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage, and he remains one of our nation’s most distinguished and contributive musical voices. He has composed the music for more than 100 films, including all eight Star Wars films, the first three Harry Potter films, Superman, Memoirs of a Geisha, Home Alone and The Book Thief. His 45-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including Schindler’s List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Indiana Jones films, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln and The Post.
Williams composed themes for four Olympic Games. He served as music director of the Boston Pops Orchestra for 14 seasons and remains their laureate conductor. Williams has received five Academy Awards and 51 Oscar nominations, seven British Academy Awards, 24 Grammys, four Golden Globes and five Emmys. In 2016, he received the 44th Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute.
Disney Concerts is the concert production and licensing division of Disney Music Group, the music arm of The Walt Disney Company. Disney Concerts produces concerts and tours and licenses Disney music and visual content to symphony orchestras and presenters on a worldwide basis. Disney Concerts’ concert packages include a variety of formats, such as “live to picture” film concerts and themed instrumental and vocal compilation concerts, and range from instrumental-only symphonic performances to multimedia productions featuring live vocalists and choir. Current titles include the Star Wars Film Concert Series (Episodes IV–VII), Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Fantasia, Pixar In Concert, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Alice In Wonderland, Frozen, Ratatouille, The Pirates of the Caribbean series (Episodes I–IV) and Silly Symphonies, which last year collectively accounted for more than 400 performances in many of the world’s top concert venues, including Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Tokyo Forum and the Hollywood Bowl. Numerous new concert packages and touring productions from Disney’s portfolio of studios, including Disney’s feature animation and live-action studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel, are currently in development.
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra - Named “a vital, artistically significant musical organization” by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra’s superb musicians.
Music Director Xian Zhang—a “dynamic podium presence” The New York Times has praised for her “technical abilities, musicianship and maturity”—continues her acclaimed leadership of the NJSO. The Orchestra presents classical, pops and family programs, as well as outdoor summer concerts and special events. Embracing its legacy as a statewide orchestra, the NJSO is the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and regularly performs at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown and bergenPAC in Englewood. Partnerships with New Jersey arts organizations, universities and civic organizations remain a key element of the Orchestra’s statewide identity.
In addition to its lauded artistic programming, the NJSO presents a suite of education and community engagement programs that promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music. Programs include school-time Concerts for Young People and the NJSO Youth Orchestras family of student ensembles, led by José Luis Domínguez. NJSO musicians annually perform original chamber music programs at community events in a variety of settings statewide through the NJSO Community Partners program.
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