The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra opens its 34th season on Halloween with the silent horror film classic Nosferatu, paired with the 1828 opera Der Vampyr, adapted to the film for live orchestral accompaniment by composer Timothy Brock. The evening will open with the Disney 1929 cartoon “The Skeleton Dance” featuring Carl Stallings’ musical accompaniment, before launching into the 86-minute feature film.
German film director F.W. Murnau’s best known film is Nosferatu (1922), an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), starring German stage actor Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok. Stoker’s estate won a copyright infringement lawsuit against Prana Films. In addition to damages, the court ordered all existing prints of the film to be destroyed. However, one copy had already been distributed globally. It is this single print which has been duplicated over the years, making Nosferatu an early example of a cult film.
Heinrich Marschner’s 1828 opera Der Vampyr (The Vampire) was based on John Polidori’s 1819 short story “The Vampyre,” which took place in present day Scotland. In 1833, Richard Wagner composed an allegro to replace the second half of Aubry’s aria in the second act. Der Vampyr is still sometimes performed with Wagner’s allegro in place of Marschner’s original agitato section.
Don’t miss the film that started the campy fang-fests of the last 103 years accompanied live by a (singerless) opera score. Attend dressed as your favorite cinematic vampire and receive a free, bloody-good drink courtesy of the KSO. Celebrate All Hallows Eve in concert with the KSO, 7:30 Friday, October 31 at NKU’s Greaves Concert Hall in Highland Heights.
For additional info and tickets, visit kyso.org or call 859-431-6216.
Kentucky Symphony Orchestra