Questions & Answers
Q: What is this event?
A: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Live to Film presents Peter Jackson’s award-winning motion picture on an enormous projection screen while, on stage, Howard Shore’s entire original score is performed live in careful synchronization with the picture.
Q: Who are the performers?
A: Maestro Ludwig Wicki will lead Switzerland’s 21st Century Orchestra, the Collegiate Chorale and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
Q: Will the film play straight through, start to finish?
A: No, there is an intermission situated in the middle of the film.
Q: How is the sound balance between the film and the orchestra achieved?
A: The film is prepared with a special audio mix that includes dialogue and light sound effects. The live music, then, is allowed to play an especially prominent role in carrying the story’s drama and heart.
Q: How is the music synchronized?
A: Maestro Wicki will conduct with a laptop computer running Auricle, a color-coded system that indicates the music’s starting and stopping points, as well as tempo:
- White Circle: Flashes on the downbeat of every bar. Numbers beneath the circle indicate measure numbers.
- Green Stripe: Passes from left to right across the screen to prepare the conductor for the music’s starting point.
- Purple Stripe: Alerts the conductor to an upcoming change.
- Orange Stripe: Marks a pause in the music.
- Red Stripe: Marks the end of a scene.
Q: What other events are scheduled for this weekend?
A: This weekend will be packed with events celebrating the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and the music of Howard Shore. Keep visiting the website for announcements!