This weekend, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra presents the thrilling fifth episode in the Star Wars saga: The Empire Strikes Back – in concert!
Returning to the WSO is former associate conductor Julian Pellicano, who makes his way back to Winnipeg from a galaxy far, far away... Toronto.
“It feels unusual to be a guest,” says Pellicano. “It definitely feels strange. I have to say after, you know, a few 100 concerts over the past decade.”
Certainly, it will be like welcoming back a member of the family, as Pellicano spent 11 seasons with the orchestra, who make their home at the Centennial Concert Hall.
“I feel like I lived in that house (the Concert Hall) ... maybe more so than my own house sometimes.”
The space of the Concert Hall will be filled with the exciting and epic orchestral writing of John Williams.
“We're trying to highlight the fact that it's a masterpiece of a score,” says Pellicano.
Williams is amongst the movie greats – alongside past masters Korngold and Steiner – harkening back to the age of early Hollywood, notes Pellicano.
He also finds similarity in the score to the operatic works of the revolutionary German Romantic composer Richard Wagner.
“Especially in this film, even more than episode 4, episode 5 is even more Wagnerian in that the interplay between the score and the screen,” he explains. “The subtleties of what's happening before your eyes. And then it hits your ears ... the themes that are running through the orchestra continuously.”
When asked if one might also be able to find similarities between Jedi and conductors, Pellicano only laughs.
“Now that you bring it up, yeah. Certainly makes sense.”
Pellicano embraces the force – and the forces of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra – Friday and Saturday at the Centennial Concert Hall.
Limited seating is available through the WSO website (www.wso.ca).
Both shows begin at 7:30 p.m.