Calgary Philharmonic Disney in Concert evokes magical nostalgia

By Aisouda Savadlou, Oct 18 2016 —

The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra brought the magic of Disney to Jack Singer Hall from Oct. 7–8. Disney In Concert: Tale As Old As Time featured songs from childhood favorites such as Hercules and Beauty and the Beast as well as newer Disney musicals including Frozen and Tangled.

CPO’s 2016–17 resident conductor Karl Hirzer led the concert. He recently finished graduate studies at McGill’s Schulich School of Music. Alongside Hirzer, the show benefited greatly from the presence of four incredibly talented vocalists. Aaron Philips, Andrew Johnson, Lisa Livesay and Whitney Claire Kaufman put on a phenomenal performance in both their solo songs and duets. They also took advantage of the length of the stage accompanying appropriate motion and tone to match the character they impersonated.

The performance was divided into two acts separated by a 20-minute intermission. The acts were separated into medleys based on themes, with one section dedicated to beloved sidekick songs and another to villain soundtracks.

One of the highlights of the night was the recreation of the battle scene from Sleeping Beauty. The chilling music — adapted from Tchaikovsky — in addition to the accompanying movie clips displayed on the screen with Hirzer’s purposeful baton movement created an escapade to another universe of fairies, royalty and true love.

Just when the audience thought the magic was coming to an end, one last piece kicked the nostalgia into high gear. Not listed on the program, “Circle of Life” took the audience by surprise and brought a smile to every face that left the concert that night.

Whether you’re a Disney lover or an orchestra fan, the CPO reminded us that we all have one more thing to be thankful for and that is the music of Disney and our childhood.

For more information, visit calgaryphil.com