It’s the most wonderful time of the year as classic Christmas telly hits the big screen this festive season.
This year the Bridgewater Hall plays host to a live orchestration of Skyfall alongside the unstoppable Daniel Craig as Bond. Keeping audiences entertained with another serving of the iconic British franchise, the production, conducted by Stephen Bell is moulding the modern classic with The Hallé’s orchestra to bring audiences a live rendition of Bond’s most nail-biting production to date.
James’s endeavours have made it to Manchester, seven years after the initial release of Skyfall (2012) celebrated its 50th anniversary of the franchise. In Bond’s 22nd feature, directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty and 1917), the man mystery is given a meaty production that offers an action-packed homecoming, balanced by Mendes infusion of shadowy framework and artsy landscapes.
With the fantastic Judy Dench’s reviving her final performance as M, the gadgets are passed between a broad class of A-listers, including Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem, playing the unhinged Bond brother, Raoul Silva. As the two mummies boys run from Turkey to Japan and England to Scotland, in an effort to protect or destroy M, a story of conspiracies and betrayal unfolds.
In an unbelievable yet gripping production, worthy of repeat viewing, the tense 2-hour 24-minute film plays beside the marvellous Hallé orchestra to unleash the music’s full force to the audience. As a beloved British franchise, the man with the golden gun is often celebrated at the Bridgewater Hall, and you are likely to find at least one production honouring the extensive and playful soundtracks formed by the franchise’s countless composers. Scoring the action to preserve Bond’s back catalogue and breathing new life into the modern classic, Adele’s Oscar-winning score plummets the film to new depths.
The Bridgewater Hall seating in the circle offers the best overview of the entire orchestra and the screen, followed by the middle stalls section that allows for a comfortable view of both. Although the all guns blazing tribute Bond has now passed, there is a constant collection of live concerts to choose from, including Joker and Star Wars later in this year. Live concerts give movies memorable moments and beloved characters a new lease of life, allowing audiences to be recharged with an original film that has the new allure of live music.