I Coulda Been a Contender… The BSO Goes to the Movies
You may recognize the opening title of this blog from one of history’s most famous film scenes starring Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy in On The Waterfront. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform Leonard Bernstein’s score to On The Waterfront accompanying the film during the new season. 
This morning the BSO held a press conference about its 2012-2013 season, and I was happily struck by the number of films the orchestra will accompany. We are more visual now than ever before, so it makes sense to link music performance with film. To me watching a film with the orchestra performing is not a distraction from either the film itself or the performance but a fulsome sensory experience.
The lineup includes Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times in May. Conductor Marin Alsop said she admired Chaplin’s use of music and his understanding of how important music was to cinema.
In June the BSO will romance and rumble West Side Story! My favorite actor/dancer in the film is George Chakiris (thus the photo) who won best supporting actor for his role.
Of all the films the BSO will accompany, I’m ashamed to say that I have never seen Hairspray in its entirety! I’ll have a great opportunity to see it and enjoy the music in January of 2013 with the film’s maker, John Waters narrating. Hey, that looks like Deborah Harry from the punk rock group Blondie!
Tags:Charlie Chaplin, Hairspray, John Waters, Leonard Bernstein, Marin Alsop, Marlon Brando, movies
6 Responses to I Coulda Been a Contender… The BSO Goes to the Movies