One of the most iconic films of the sci-fi genre, "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," was recently brought to life for audiences at the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater in Istanbul. As part of the "Movies in Concert" series organized by Piu Entertainment, this unique event combined cinema with live music, featuring the Istanbul Film Orchestra conducted by maestro David Mahoney.
Before the concert began, Mahoney warmly welcomed the audience in Turkish, saying, “Welcome, everyone.” Fans of the franchise attended the screening dressed in colorful costumes, adding a festive and immersive atmosphere to the evening.
The unforgettable score by composer John Williams was performed live by the 100-member orchestra, while the entire film was screened on a giant white screen. The movie was presented in its original English language with Turkish subtitles, allowing the audience to experience the film as it was originally made.
John Williams, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for the 1977 film "Star Wars: A New Hope," composed the music for all nine films in the Star Wars saga. He was also nominated multiple times for his scores in other installments of the series, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest film composers.
David Mahoney, a British conductor and Classical Brit Award winner, is renowned as one of the leading figures in film music orchestration. Having conducted numerous prestigious concerts around the world, Mahoney brought his expertise and passion to this memorable event, creating an unforgettable night for fans of Star Wars and film music alike.
