Royal Albert Hall, October 27, 2024

James Cameron’s 2009 fantasy epic gets its world premiere projection with live orchestra, and they bring out the big guns in every sense. 

The first performance of any movie in a ‘films in concert’ production is always a big deal, and when producer Pierre O’Reilly managed previous Cameron movie concerts for Titanic and Aliens, he convinced the director to come along for the fun. True to tradition, Cameron joined O’Reilly on stage for Avatar in a pre-concert talk, along with Simon Franglen (Composer of Avatar: The Way of Water and producer of ‘I See You’ and ‘My Heart Will Go On’).

The creatives talked about how they enjoyed working with the late composer James Horner, and then it was on to the main event. The stage was packed with artists, comprising the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra under the baton of Ludwig Wicki, the National Youth Choir and vocal soloist Eleanor Grant.

James Cameron’s third collaboration with Horner (after Aliens and Titanic) would prove to be their last after the composer’s tragic death in 2015, and what immediately strikes you about the Oscar-nominated score is just how much of it there is in the movie’s 162-minute run time.

The music typically falls into two camps – the multi-layered tribal-influenced themes for the native population the Na’vi, and the militaristic, brass-heavy jingoism of the belligerent invaders. The latter is prime Horner, complete with frequent flourishes of his much used (and oft-derided) ‘Danger’ motif, which pops up frequently across his work. It’s in the tribal material where the score really takes flight, particularly where Sully takes command of a banshee.

The percussion section is without doubt the star of the show, with a fantastic array of drums and ethnic instruments creating the sounds for Pandora. I know that I’ve said this time and again, but this really is the best way to experience a movie. While the HD projection of the movie was 2D instead of its typically 3D presentation, the orchestra was multidimensional in every other way. In the climactic battle, every player on stage was engaged, creating an exciting and harmonious explosion of sound that shook the 150-year-old venue. Oh, and then star Sigourney Weaver joined Cameron on stage during the applause. What a night.

Verdict: The Royal Albert Hall continues to host the very best ‘films in concert’ with an outstanding premiere that will be long remembered by those who were lucky enough to attend. 10/10  

Nick Joy