The American Revolution through film music

Item

Title

Subject - keywords

Cinema

European revolutions

Date

22 December 2021

Date Issued

2021

Abstract

"The Orchestra of the Greek National Opera performs excerpts from multi-awarded scores, which served as soundtracks of important films inspired by the American Revolution. The concert is accompanied by simultaneous screening of excerpts from these films in the Stavros Niarchos Hall. The American Revolutionary War was a progenitor and a source of inspiration not only for the Greek War of Independence but also for the whole of the (per Hobsbawm) European “age of revolution”. Epic in its scope and spectacular in its dramatic twists and turns, the American Revolutionary War has been the subject of – or historical setting for – an enormous number of motion pictures, made both within and outside of the official Hollywood production machine. Many of these films boast symphonic scores of outstanding quality and high-flown inspiration, thanks to the artistic input of distinguished, award-winning composers. Through the compositions of master craftsmen (such as John Corigliano, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, etc) from the whole history of cinema – an era-defining industry for the United States during the whole of the 20th century and well into our own time, straddling as it does in unique ways the high and popular conceptions of art – the Greek National Opera pays tribute to a revolution that historically preceded the Greek War of Independence, led, however, to the founding of a constitutional model of governance based on the example and ideals of the classical Greek republic. "
(Edited description from organiser’s website:https://2021.nationalopera.gr/art-never-ending-revolution)