This August, the drama of the Corleone family and the New York mafia comes to New Jersey in a brand-new way. New Jersey Symphony will present "The Godfather Live" at two venues next month as part of their "at the movies" series – first at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (1 Center St., Newark) on Friday, Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and then at The Count Basie Center for the Arts (99 Monmouth St., Red Bank) on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. The event is sure to bring fun for fans of the film franchise both young and old.
Released in 1972, “The Godfather” became an instant cult classic for many and won three Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Marlon Brando. It established Francis Ford Coppola as one of the most pioneering directors of the 1970s and has been named one of the greatest films of all time by several leading publications.
The concert, which will feature the movie played live on a large projection screen and Nino Rota’s classic score played live by the Symphony, will be conducted by Nicholas Hersh. Hersh is currently the music director of the Modesto Symphony in Modesto, California but frequently guest conducts for other organizations, including New Jersey Symphony. He commented on how he thinks this concert differs from other live-in-concert events.
Conductor Nicholas Hersh. Photo courtesy of New Jersey Symphony
“The two main elements – the screening of the movie as it was originally presented and the fact that it is combined with Nino Rota’s lush Italian score played live – make it an amazing experience for the audience."
There is also no secret that the film is very lengthy, clocking in at right around 2 hours and 45 minutes (though the Symphony has listed a run time of 3 hours and 20 minutes due to breaks). Hersh said that although the duration of the movie is quite long, the amount of music actually in the film is much less than other live-in-concert titles, making it easier for the Symphony to conserve energy.
“This score is a little less taxing,” Hersh said. “There are a lot of moments where there is ambient sound without underscore for long swaths of time. When we do get to play, it is a very emphatic and enjoyable score, versus a John Williams score (“Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park”) where there is much more score to play and so it's much more demanding.”
Rota’s score for “The Godfather” was ranked as the number five film score of all time by the American Film Institute. It was Rota’s first big break into the American film scene after composing music for several Italian films in the 1950s and 60s, gaining him international recognition. The melodies of his score still carry through today as the film finds a new generation of viewers.
One thing to note is the proximity of New Jersey to the original setting of the movie in New York City. With Newark only being about 12 miles from New York, there are some carryovers in the culture of the film into everyday New Jersey life. Hersh said that this connection will carry over into how these audiences will view and react to the film, especially if they are first-time viewers or if some time has passed since their last viewing.
“There is a strong element of location with this concert,” Hersh said. “There will be a musical connection to Italian-American heritage and people from all over the state will have ties to the film and its setting.”
“The Godfather Live” is presented by New Jersey Symphony in conjunction with CineConcerts, the leader in producing live-in-concert events. In the past, CineConcerts has presented events for some of the largest film franchises in the world, including “Harry Potter” and “Star Trek.” Justin Freer, the producer of “The Godfather Live,” said in a press release that he hopes that the concert honors the original heritage of the film while showcasing the score.
“We are proud to embrace the evolution of live experience, and we hope that this concert honors the many talented musicians that bring the music of the movies to life while giving everyone the ability to re-live one of the great masterpieces in cinema,” Freer said in a press release.
With just two concerts scheduled in New Jersey, “The Godfather Live” will be a must-see event that will capture the essence of the heritages of both New York and New Jersey. Hersh said that he just wants to see his audiences walk away happy and hope they appreciated the orchestral additions to a film that they may have seen multiple times.
“I hope that they come away humming the score,” Hersh said. “Especially during the scene when Michael goes to Sicily – when these scores are played by a live orchestra, audiences can find true appreciation for live cinema and music.”
Tickets for both the Newark and Red Bank performances can be found on New Jersey Symphony’s website. New Jersey Symphony is under the direction of music director Xian Zhang and presents events throughout the state, ranging from classical concerts to family events. Their mission is to inspire, entertain and educate audiences throughout the state through the power of classical music, and “The Godfather Live” is one way to attract new audience members to their events.
NJPAC in Newark and Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ | August 16th-18th, 2024
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