Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince performed by WASO @ Riverside Theatre
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince? More like Harry Potter and the half-assed narrative.
The 2009 adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novel, directed by David Yates, is a meandering affair that follows Harry, Ron, and Hermione through their sixth year at Hogwarts. Throughout the year, Harry learns more about Voldemort’s past; obsesses over Draco Malfoy’s clandestine affairs; fumbles his way through an awkward romance; and manages to still be concerned with Quidditch.
The film suffers from abrupt shifts in tone, ranging from saccharine yet stilted romance scenes, to bleak and despondent scenes that convey the impact of war, to comical and light-hearted moments of ill-placed humour. Throughout, Rowling wrestles with her desire to construct a mature narrative that confronts the horrors of war but also explores the whimsical nature of growing up in a magical and fantastical world. Ultimately, the film lacks the central plot line that anchored the episodic nature of the previous stories, and only seems to find its momentum in the final 30 minutes.
In contrast, the shortcomings of the film highlight Nicholas Hooper’s abundant skill as a composer. After a mixed reception for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hooper managed to rise from the ‘meh’-shes to produce the emotional backbone this film sorely needed.
Orchestrating the night’s live performance of the film was Nicholas Buc, a conductor whose diverse resume includes work with Wynton Marsalis, Birds of Tokyo, and Missy Higgins, as well conducting the premieres of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Lion King. Throughout the night, Buc brimmed with energy, his baton punctuating the air with passionate strokes as he led WASO through another spectacular performance.
Hooper’s score is rich and robust, breathing life into the film and transforming it into an enjoyable experience. Opening teases the familiarity of the iconic Hedwig’s Theme, evoking a nostalgic longing not fully satisfied until Ginny. Such nostalgia is abruptly buried by menacing percussion and sinister strings that emphasise the ominous nature of the Death Eaters as they terrorise Britain. The Story Begins maintains a quick pace, emphasising Dumbledore’s mysterious and sudden re-appearance in Harry’s life.
Wizard Wheezes, is a raucous, rambunctious, jazzy number that begins with a rumbling floor tom and snapping high-hat à la Goodman’s Sing Sing Sing, perfectly embodies the chaotic and exuberant nature of the Weasley twins and their aforementioned wheezes. Harry and Hermione, centred around the gentle plucking of the harp, evokes the quiet, reflective tension engulfing the two eponymous friends as they navigate uncertain and unsettling feelings.
Into the Rushes is a masterful example of tension and release, with rapid, grating strings embodying the frantic chase from The Burrow that culminates in a mournful lament as the characters contemplate the burning timbers that represent their loss of innocence.
Inferi in the Firestorm is the standout moment in the score, blending abrasive, dissonant strings with a stately, magnificent, orchestral crescendo as audiences bask in the visual spectacle of Dumbledore driving back the undead.
Dumbledore’s Farewell, a rich concord of wordless cinema and stately, mournful strings, is a fitting tribute to Dumbledore that creates a palpable embodiment of grief and loss amongst the audience. Lastly, The Friends is a sombre yet uplifting end to the film, perfectly capturing the moment where Harry, Ron, and Hermione shed their innocence to embark on their quest to defeat Voldemort.
Overall, Hooper’s score is captivating – a perfect embodiment of sorrow, tension, and contemplation that flirts with levity and quiet reflection when necessary – and was performed magnificently by WASO.
MATT VASSILIOU
Photos provided courtesy of WASO
