Disney classics announced for Live in Concert performances
The Novello Orchestra will present two classic Disney films in concert this summer, with Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book being performed live to film at New Wimbledon Theatre as part of Wimbledon Children’s Festival on 10 & 11 August.
Disney’s live-action adaptation of the animated classic Beauty and the Beast features an unforgettable score from eight-time Oscar®-winning composer Alan Menken, along with new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and two-time Academy Award® winner Howard Ashman. The film also features three new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.
The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in the live-action re-telling of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, a stunning cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. Directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos and based on Disney’s 1991 Beauty and the Beast, the film stars Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Audra McDonald with Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Emma Thompson.
The Jungle Book features lively score cues and music from Oscar® and GRAMMY®-nominated composer George Bruns, along with song favourites ‘The Bare Necessities’ and ‘I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)’ by Oscar®-nominated songwriter Terry Gilkyson and the Oscar® and GRAMMY®-winning songwriting duo, brothers Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman.
Released in 1967, The Jungle Book is the last film produced by Walt Disney. The animated musical classic is based on Rudyard Kipling’s novel of the same name and follows the story of Mowgli, a “man-cub” found in the jungle as an infant and raised by wolves, who is later guided by his wise protector, Bagheera the panther, on a journey to find a human village. Though he resists leaving the only home he’s ever known, along the way Mowgli befriends happy-go-luck Baloo the bear and encounters many colourful characters, including King Louie the orangutan leader of the monkeys, Kaa the trickster python, the ruthless tiger Shere Khan and the noble Colonel Hathi of the elephant patrol. The Jungle Book is a heartwarming tale that celebrates the true meaning of friendship. The film features the voices of Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway, J. Pat O’Malley and Bruce Reitherman.
Tickets go on general sale on Friday (19 April) at 10am here.