SSO conjuring Disney Magic in Once Upon a Time
It takes a lot of practice and repetition to get ready for a Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra performance but rarely does that preparation involve watching movies with the family. The principal oboist has been re-watching Disney classics with her three-year-old son ahead of the orchestra’s performance of Disney In Concert Once Upon A Time.
Stephanie Unverricht is looking forward to sharing her love of Disney with the audience. (Julie Isaac Photography)
“We’ve been singing a lot of Hakuna Matata in our house,” says Unverricht. “Disney’s music sparks creativity. When we’re playing, we reenact scenes from the movies or go on our own adventures with the characters. These songs unlock the imagination.”
“We keep coming back to them because they make us feel good.”
It’s a magic formula of story and music that’s continued for nearly 90 years. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to Moana 2 (2024), Disney soundtracks have enchanted generations.
Karl Hirzer will lead orchestra in a celebration of Disney’s movie music. (Harder Lee Photography)
“The music speaks to the child in all of us,” says conductor Karl Hirzer. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid and you have your favourites on repeat or if you’re older, we keep coming back to them because they make us feel good.”
The concert is a review of movie soundtracks in the Disney catalogue featuring Broadway-calibre vocalists, backed by the orchestra as they perform all the classic tunes with movie clips playing on the big screen above.
“This is so much bigger than the live to film experience because we have top tier vocalists singing live,” says Hirzer. “These are performers of the highest calibre; fully fledged entertainers who are coming to blow us away.”
The concert is a sure bet for movie lovers of all ages. The medleys span Disney’s history, movies like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Encanto, and Pirates of the Caribbean, just to name a few.
“We have a lot of fun on stage.”
Unverricht loves getting into the spirit of the performance and hints there may be a few princess decorations for her instrument.
“We have a lot of fun on stage,” she says. “It’s a real joy to hear and see the audiences reaction to music that’s so familiar. Even in the opening credits of these shows, the crowd goes wild.”
