‘Harry Potter’ a magical concert for musician
Thousand of fans will be at the Center for the Performing Arts this weekend to see Symphony Silicon Valley perform “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert.” And one of them, Sergi
Goldman-Hull, will be onstage with a violin in his hands.
“The experience for me, as a violinist and a movie fan, is phenomenal,” Goldman-Hull said. “I get so pumped up and excited for every movie, even if it’s the fifth or sixth movie in a row, especially if it’s a movie I love and know very well.”
Symphony Silicon Valley performed Peter Jackson’s epic “Lord of the Rings” series in 2015 and did “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” last October, with the movie projected on a 40foot screen behind the orchestra. GoldmanHull and his wife, Caelin
White, are big fans of both series, and the film/orchestra experience actually figures into their love story.
Goldman-Hull had concocted a plan with symphony President Andrew
Bales to propose to White following one of the “Lord of the Rings” performances — a perfect moment, he thought, given the “one ring” theme. Alas, logistics got in the way of the public proposal, but the marriage has been magical for the past 1 ½ years.
And while the violinist will be having the time of his life playing John Williams’ epic “Harry Potter” score, he hopes the format created by CineConcerts can inspire a new generation of symphonygoers. “I do hope that it turns people on the other music and classical concert performances we do at the California Theater because that music is also a truly amazing experience,” he said.
You can check out the magic for yourself at one of the four performances scheduled Friday through Sunday. Seat availability
is getting tight for the Saturday and Sunday shows, Bales said, but there are lots of good seats available for Friday night’s concert, which is the world premiere of “Chamber of Secrets” in the format. Get tickets and other details at www.symphonysiliconvalley.org. LIMITLESS ENTERTAINMENT: The students at the College of Adaptive Arts are used to showing that creativity isn’t constrained by disability or other special needs. So it makes sense that the emcees at the school’s second annual Staff Showcase Night on Saturday night,
Chad Bojorquez and Eliza Riley, are also not strangers to overcoming challenges: They’re both wheelchair users.
The 7:30 p.m. event at the Hammer Theatre Center in downtown San Jose will showcase teachers and staff performing music, theater, hip-hop, ballet and poetry. Tickets are available at www.collegeofadaptivearts.org or at the door.
WATCH YOUR TONGUE, ‘FRANKENSTEIN’: City Lights Theater Company had a fantastic opening night celebration Saturday for “Frankenstein,” the new play it commissioned from
Kit Wilder. It’s based more on the original Mary Shelley book than any of the adaptations the public is more familiar with — the creature is articulate, not green and there’s not a bolt in his neck to be found — and the cast is fantastic.
The show includes two child actors — Nicholas Papp and Kassia Bonesteel — and that’s made things interesting for the rest of the cast when it comes to backstage language. Executive Artistic Director Lisa Mallette says the “swear jar” has gotten some healthy donations, and Nicholas and Kassia will decide which nonprofit cause to support with the money when the run ends April 23.