Royal Albert Hall orchestrates its 150 years of history
By Raúl Bobé London, Jul 20 (EFE).- The world-renowned music auditorium Royal Albert Hall in London has opened its doors to receive audiences with an orchestrated soundtrack celebrating its 150 years of history.
British composer David Arnold (James Bond, Sherlock) presented his Circle of Music piece, especially designed for the hall’s anniversary celebrations and brought to life alongside the National Youth Choir and Albert’s Orchestra.
The auditorium borrows the name of Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria, and was inaugurated on March 29 1871, sometimes referred to as The Nation’s Village Hall.
Royal Albert Hall celebrated its 150 years with empty seats in March, when the Covid-19 pandemic locked the public out for the first time since the Second World War.
Once the restrictions were lifted in England on July 19, the Royal Albert Hall was filled to the brim for a musical journey back in time through the hall’s history, which was met with the audience’s laughing, dancing, and emotional applause.
The youth choir’s body percussion echoed the construction of the building, while the orchestra gave the moment its epic flare and a screen ran through iconic moments of the hall’s history and its protagonists.
The Royal Albert Hall is a place for “first times,” as Nicola Adams testifies, herself being the first woman boxer to fight in the auditorium, which also hosted the first major world bodybuilding and table tennis competitions.
It is the “shrine” where classical arts gave way to popular culture, where starring visitors feel like gods, according to one of the ceremony’s star guests, Spice Girls member Melanie C., as she paraphrased Paul McCartney.
British actress Jemma Redgrave dressed up like the women rallying for suffrage rights who took the Royal Albert Hall, when activist Emmeline Pankhurst said the famous words: “they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death.”
With a standing ovation and coloured balloons raining over the audience, the Royal Albert Hall closed its anniversary evening with the happy birthday melody and the hope of running another 150 years. EFE rb/lv/mp
