For those who don't know, A Night in Fantasia is an entire orchestra which plays the music featured in selected video games and anime films. A Night in Fantasia 2006 is the latest orchestrated installment Eminence has brought Australia. A night in Fantasia 2006 is a compilation of certain music from Studio Ghibli films and Final Fantasy games.
Twas a cold and dreary night, the expected fans lined the George St sidewalk causing onlookers to stare at the Cosplays, Emo's, Goths and those who had never left their rooms at night.
I was there, although I was confused as to what group I was classed as. I'm guessing.. I was the not so emo-goth-cosplay-nerdy love child that occasionally leaves my room at night.
My girlfriend (Bel) and I stood huddled in fear between these 'fans' located 50 meters outside the Town Hall. It was then a small Asian lady (I know her as the savior) who spotted me asking for me name, apparently she was told to keep an eye out for a very tall guy. I replied with my name and she asks us to follow her.
That was where I met our good friend James who had organised this fine event for us. It's always nice being recongised as VIP, nothing like skipping a few hundred people to get the first seats in the Hall.
We took our seats and patiently waited for the concert to begin. The lights dimmed and the audience was given a quick introduction and also thanked for coming that night. Mr Hiroaki Yura walked out on stage and was introduced as a winner of the Etoh Toshiya International Violin Competition. Unfortunately, Alexey Yemstov wasn't able to attend the concert although was he was still introduced to the audience as the winner of the Prokofiev and Horowitz International Piano Competition.
Finally, the giant back-drop high definition projection screen lit up as Mr Phillip Chu walked out, bowed to the audience and graciously picked up the conductors stick as the orchestra members lifted their instruments and slowly began to play Morning in the Slag Ravine from Laputa Castle in the sky.
As each song was played the back-drop screen displayed scenes of the film or game suiting the audience's emotions.
I must be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this concert, but I was simply blown away with the quality and how beautifully the orchestra played. I was impressed with the music chosen from the Studio Ghibli films and the Final Fantasy games.
The songs played that evening are listed below.
Morning in the Slag Ravine -
Laputa Castle in the Sky
The Opened Way, Battle With the Colossus -
Shadow of the Colossus
War War War -
Howl's Moving Castle
High Win Takes to the Skies -
Final Fantasy VII
Mamma Aiutto -
Porco Rosso
Crimson Wings -
Porco Rosso
Mysterious World -
Howl's Moving Castle
Final Fantasy Medley
Opening Theme -
Final Fantasy VII
Tina's Theme -
Final Fantasy VI
Love Grows -
Final Fantasy VIII
Vamo's alla Flamenco -
Final Fantasy IX
Main Theme -
Final Fantasy IV
Fiddle De Chocobo -
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy -
Final Fantasy
My Neighbor Totoro -
My Neighbor Totoro
Tori no Hito -
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Journey to the West -
Princess Mononoke
Laputa -
Laputa Castle in the Sky
Life's Merry-Go-Round -
Howl's Moving Castle
Promise of the World -
Howl's Moving Castle
Decisive Battle -
Final Fantasy X
Hope - Main Theme (World Premier) -
Final Fantasy XII
1st Movement. Overture
2nd Movement. March of a Wiseman
3rd Movement. Road of Hope
4th Movement. Romance
5th Movement. Road of Hope - Refrain
As the concert approach Promise to the World featured in Howl's Moving Castle, Ms Youmi Kimura was introduced as the vocalist for the song. Youmi is well known for singing in most Studio Ghibli films. As Youmi began to sing, the audience was hypnotized by her sophisticated singing voice. I personally have never heard such a pure sound in a person.
As the concert was drawing to an end, the audience showed its appreciation, applauding the orchestra and its special guests endlessly and with great enthusiasm .
As the final song was played, the audience was rewarded with an encore of 'Katamari on the Rocks' and 'Always with Me' performed by Youmi Kimura. The encore itself deserved its own applause, and it got it. This was the perfect ending to such an eventful night. You could see from the faces of everyone that they were all impressed with the presentation of the concert.
I certainly enjoyed it and I am looking very forward to Eminence's next presentation of A Night in Fantasia 2007. Bravo, guys, bravo.