The Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera is performing “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert” at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
SACRAMENTO, Calif — Wizards, witches and Muggles alike can experience the magic of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert this weekend, as the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera brings the beloved film to life on stage.
The performance will feature a full screening of the movie with live orchestral accompaniment at the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center — 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, and 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
“There’s really nothing else quite like it,” said Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera CEO Giuliano Kornberg.
Fans are encouraged to dress up for the Halloween-season event, with robes, hats and wands all welcome. Kornberg said 130 musicians — 82 orchestra members and 48 chorus singers — will fill the stage for the concert.
“It’ll just be loud and a lot of sound,” he said. “Another really fun thing about these Harry Potter concerts is people dress up in their favorite house costumes. They wear robes, they wear hats, they bring wands. We have special lightning bolt shaped cookies for people to eat.”
This marks the third Harry Potter concert performed by the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, which has previously presented the first two films in the series. Kornberg said the music can be technically demanding for musicians to follow along with the conductor while the film plays on screen.
“The fact that the entire ensemble with the conductor can put this whole masterpiece of a score together while there’s a big screen playing the movie is really impressive,” Kornberg said.
The organization is also in the middle of a busy season, preparing for other community performances and educational programs. Through initiatives like Opera on the Go and Link-Up, hundreds of third- and fourth-grade students across the Sacramento region learn to play instruments and perform with professional musicians.
The orchestra is also preparing for another themed event — a Final Fantasy concert just in time for Halloween.
ABC10’s Lora Painter, who is a board member of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, spoke with Kornberg about the performances.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10 | Stockton’s Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band win Grammy for Best Children’s Music Album