TSO adds charm to first Harry Potter
Maybe I’m biased, but I think the cool kids of Slytherin had it all over the other Hogwarts houses at the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone In Concert event Tuesday night.
They had the loudest cheers when Justin Freer, the show’s producer/ conductor, called on Sony Centre audience Muggles to declare their Potter affiliations prior to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra commencing its live accompaniment to the movie screening. The Women’s Chorus from Toronto Amadeus Choir and the Elmer Iseler Singers joined in.
“I’m encouraging you to let loose a little tonight, if you may,” Freer said.
“Please, please, feel free to cheer out loud for your favourite characters.”
Slytherin supporters were evidently in greater number, or at least louder, than the righteous eggheads of Ravenclaw, the gallant nerds of Gryffindor and the earnest strivers of Hufflepuff.
(Journalistic integrity compels me to report that Slytherin characters in the film also received the most audience boos during the screening because, well, Slytherin.)
It’s normally not a good thing to encourage audience boisterousness at a movie screening. But this one gets a Hogwarts hall pass because it’s designed to be an immersive experience, part of a music-and-film trend that will also see La La Land get the live orchestra treatment later this year, as well as more Harry Potter movies.
There was a real summer-camp vibe at this first of three Harry Potter nights at a packed Sony Centre, as devotees of J.K. Rowling’s phenomenal novels-turned-films gath- ered to celebrate their shared love of boy wizard Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his loyal pals Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint).
Potter fans young and old were in attendance, many of them accompanying family and friends to share the experience — among them our cottage pal Brynne Billings, who by chance was sitting two rows ahead of my wife, Maggie, and me. I already knew Brynne was a Potterphile from way back, because in the summers when a new Potter book came out, she’d race my kids Jake, Joe and Emily to see who could read it first.
Costumes were surprisingly not in abundance — it was a work and school day, after all — but I spotted one Hermione fan in Hogwarts’ robes confidently striding down the aisle. I also saw a man, obviously keen on Potter arcana and math, sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with a large “9-3/4,” which of course would puzzle only a Muggle, am I right?
The movie commenced, along with the note-perfect instrumental and vocal work of the TSO and its guest singers in recreating John Williams’ Oscar-nominated score for Chris Columbus’ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the series-establishing first of eight Potter films and also one of my favourites. It’s the one where neglected orphan Harry discovers his magical heritage and enrols at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The viewing was a bit strange at first.
The film was screened with English subtitles, perhaps in case the TSO got too loud (it didn’t). There were lights on and above the stage to allow the musicians and singers to read sheet music, making the screen seem a little washed out. But how appropriate it was that Freer was waving a wand!
It soon felt normal, but then came the shock of realizing how young and positively adorbs the young Radcliffe, Watson and Grint were in their Harry Potter movie debut, which I reviewed upon its release in November 2001. (I awarded it four out of four stars.)
I wistfully thought of how my own kids were about that age when I took them to see the film 16 years ago.
The passage of time was also keenly felt in realizing that many of the actors in Philosopher’s Stone are no longer with us, among them Richard Harris (Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore), Alan Rickman (Slytherin head and potions master Severus Snape), Richard Griffiths (Harry’s nasty uncle Vernon Dursley) and John Hurt (wandmaker Mr. Ollivander).
All have passed on to that great Hogwarts in the sky (or maybe Scotland), leaving us to ponder Dumbledore’s wise words to a homesick young wizard: “It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and to forget to live.” Peter Howell is the Star’s movie critic. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone In Concert continues Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Sony Centre. Tickets: sonycentre.ca