Copyright by Walt Disney Pictures
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Symphony will present Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert brought to life by legendary composer John Williams' GRAMMY®-nominated score performed live to the film. Led by conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos, performances take place May 29-31 in Red Bank, Newark, and New Brunswick.
Since the release of the first Star Wars movie almost 50 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 Academy Award®-nominated film and its RIAA® gold-certified soundtrack feature twenty score cues composed by the legendary Oscar® and GRAMMY®-winning Williams and is performed to thrilling effect in a live concert experience.
The Resistance is in desperate need of help as its freedom fighters are relentlessly pursued by the First Order. Hoping to be trained in the ways of the Force, Rey travels to a remote planet to recruit the legendary Luke Skywalker to the Resistance. Meanwhile, the First Order seeks to destroy the remnants of the Resistance and rule the galaxy unopposed. In Lucas film's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks new mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.
The concert will be led by conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos on Friday, May 29 at 7:30pm at Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank; Saturday, May 30 at 7:30pm at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark; and Sunday, May 31 at 2:00pm at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick. Tickets and more information are available at njsymphony.org.
Constantine Kitsopoulos has established himself as a dynamic conductor known for his ability to work in many different genres and settings. He is equally at home with opera, symphonic repertoire, film with live orchestra, music theatre, and composition. His work has taken him worldwide, where he has conducted the major orchestras of North America, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and the Tokyo Philharmonic.
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, choruses, 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 that range from instrumental-only symphonic performances to multimedia productions featuring live vocalists and choirs.
Featuring concerts from the largest movie franchises in the world—from Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios—current titles include the Star Wars Film Concert Series, Toy Story, Disney Princess: The Concert, Coco, The Lion King, Up, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Infinity Saga Concert Experience.
New Jersey Symphony is a GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-winning orchestra. Under the direction of Music Director Xian Zhang, the Symphony performs more than 55 mainstage concerts across the state at venues in Newark, Princeton, New Brunswick, Red Bank, and Morristown, as well as at schools and public spaces statewide. Programming at the Symphony reflects an unwavering commitment to diverse communities throughout the state, while providing students unparalleled opportunities to achieve musical excellence through its Youth Orchestra and other education programs. In 2024, the Symphony announced it would continue to deliver its statewide activities from a new, permanent office, rehearsal, and concert space in Jersey City, set to open in 2027.
