A Long Expected Gathering

I bought tickets to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s Fellowship of the Ring presentation last August. Yup, August. This show was a long time coming. And it didn’t disappoint.

While sitting in an auditorium watching a three hour movie may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, combining Lord of the Rings and live music is something that I could NOT miss! From the impressive choir and amazing soloists, to the deep drums and spot on timing of all the performers, it was an incredible show. It was fun to get into the movie, momentarily forget where you are, and then look down at the orchestra and realize what a truly incredible job they were doing.

What I liked even more than the performance itself, though, was how the CPO makes the symphony accessible for a lot of people who may not otherwise be interested. Last night’s crowd ranged from families with young children, groups of high school students, middle aged couples in suits, grandparents, and everyone in between. The CPO’s special performances are engaging and interesting to a huge demographic, so even if you think that a trip to the symphony isn’t for you, you may be pleasantly surprised.

The upcoming 2013/14 season will feature tributes to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Michael Jackson, an aerials and acrobatics show with live accompaniment, a fun filled show of music from the ‘Mad Men’ era, and lots, lots more. And when you head to one of these shows, you can wear jeans. No stress. You can drink a beer at intermission, and you can cheer - loudly and vocally. This isn’t your grandmother’s symphony (but she can come, too!).

The CPO also offers awesome programs including ‘rush hour‘ concerts to get your live music fix (there’s one coming up on May 30th!), and their CPOssibilities program offers affordable tickets for anyone aged 14 to 29.

Let us know what you’ve enjoyed, or are looking forward to at the CPO!

Tagged as: Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, CPO, entertainment, music, orchestra