REVIEW: The Force is strong with 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert'
It was the last of three shows of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert at the Theater at Solaire on Aug. 31, but conductor Gerard Salonga expected the slightly smaller crowd (compared to the Saturday night and Sunday noon performances) to be the most energetic.
The love for Star Wars could be seen the moment you stepped into the venue, as audience members dressed as different characters across the franchise—from Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) to Han Solo, and even Rey from the sequel trilogy. The Force was strong with them!
Similar to the Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert earlier in June, fans could check out and shop for merch. There were Funko Pops, blind boxes, shirts, keychains, and a plushie Grogu you'd really want to take home.
The lobby wasn't decorated to the teeth like the Harry Potter concert, but the cosplayers portraying Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, the Mandalorian, and more made up for it. Attendees waited in long lines to take photos with the cosplayers and got to take home souvenir printed pictures.
@philstarlife #StarWars but add more drama, action, and adventure! The Filharmonika Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Salonga, brought to life John Williams’ iconic score at the ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert.’ #PhilStarLife #entertainmentnewsPH ♬ original sound - philstarlife
As soon as the iconic first few bars of the Star Wars theme hit as the opening crawl flew in, I felt goosebumps. The theme was played in the lobby as the audience waited to get into the theater, but hearing the Filharmonika Orchestra bring the score to life was like punching it to hyperdrive. Viewers could see the musicians really put their bodies into playing John Williams' iconic score.
The heroic moments, like Han Solo (Harrison Ford) rescuing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on Hoth and Luke finding Yoda on Dagobah, felt more epic. Meanwhile, Darth Vader (voiced by the late James Earl Jones) was made more menacing with the live version of the Imperial March—you could feel the intensity in every trumpet and trombone note.
One of my favorite parts of the show—apart from the iconic paternity reveal—has to be the Imperial fleet's chase of the Millennium Falcon in the asteroid field. Its fast pace was nail-biting, and I found myself switching between watching the scene on screen and observing how the orchestra moved. (The latter was just as mesmerizing.)
Iconic moments such as Han and Leia's first kiss and Vader's grand reveal, "No, I am your father!" drew loud cheers from the audience. The slowed-down version of the Imperial March added more drama to the iconic scene, especially live—it made me want to come to the Dark Side.
After the show ended with a round of applause, I was left wanting more Star Wars. A day later as I'm writing, I'm watching Return of the Jedi and yearning to hear Williams' score played live by an orchestra again.
The Empire Strikes Back, released in 1980, followed the adventures of Luke, Han, Leia, and the rest of the Rebel Alliance after they face an attack by the Imperial forces while on Hoth. In their escape, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda, a Jedi master. When he senses his friends are in peril, Skywalker races to save them—only to come face-to-face with Darth Vader, who gives him a startling revelation.
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Disclaimer: PhilSTAR L!fe is an official media partner of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert.
