Accompanied by a band of 19 musicians, the Odessa Opera Orchestra & Friends, and eight dancers, they magnificently recreated Zimmer’s iconic scores such as ‘Gladiator’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Thelma & Louise’, among others. The staggering visual spectacle, courtesy of Derek McLane’s masterful set design, added another layer of awe to the event.
The concert was packed to capacity as Zimmer presented music from his most notable film titles, unfolding an entrancing journey of sound and light that lasted three solid hours. Zimmer, the trailblazing composer and music pioneer, led the stage, his charisma matched by an army of musicians influenced by his work.
Zimmer, a veritable rock star in the realm of film scores, eschews the conventional image of a soundtrack composer. He navigated the stage with aplomb alongside his band, The Disruptive Collective, notably highlighting the talents of virtuoso Tina Guo, and even engaging with the audience while playing his electric guitar.
The setlist, replete with rock elements and spectacular remixes, included classics like ‘Dune’, ‘Inception’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘Man of Steel’, and ‘The Dark Knight’. Interestingly, he performed ‘Anthem’ from Top Gun, a track from his friend Faltermeyer, aligning with the significant success of Tom Cruise’s recent sequel.
Audience members will undoubtedly remember performances like ‘The Lion King’, with its emphasis on vocal prowess, and the breath-taking ‘Gladiator’ section featuring the remarkable Lisa Gerrard. Notably, Zimmer’s inclusion of ‘No Time to Die’ in his repertoire heralds his role as the new composer for James Bond.
In a little over a year, the same venue will host a repeat performance, albeit with a different setlist and without Zimmer’s physical presence (although his collaborator Gavin Greenaway will be involved). This performance, titled ‘The World of Hans Zimmer: A New Dimension’, is another spectacle fans eagerly anticipate.
