Those familiar with the performing arts are well aware of the unspoken set of rules that seem to dictate classical concert etiquette: Thou shall not applaud between movements of symphonies. Thou shall not talk during the concert. Thou shall not unwrap or eat candy during the performance.
Though created out of respect for the artists and the concert-going experience, the expectation can make a trip to the opera seem intimidating for newcomers.
The Chattanooga Symphony and Opera is trying to change that perception by tossing a little magic into the equation. Literally. For its 2018-2019 season, the CSO is treating audiences to "The Music of Harry Potter" and "The Music of Star Wars" in its effort to attract a more multi-generational crowd.
Stormtrooper masks are a popular costume choice.Sneak peek of Star Wars
Bernhardt says “The Music of Star Wars” is a “candy shop” for him because of his history with the space opera’s famed composer, John Williams, whom he’s considered a friend and mentor since they met 30 years ago, in what Bernhardt jokingly refers to as “the Jurassic Period”.Unlike “The Music of Harry Potter,” which follows the movies chronologically, the Star Wars performance follows a more dramatic structure devised to tell a story and show how Williams precomposed himself for the prequel movies.For young Anakin Skywalker’s melody, for example, the tune starts off hopeful, but slowly melts into a light yet unmistakable version of Darth Vader’s instantly recognizable “Imperial March,” hinting at the boy’s sorrow and foreshadowing the villain he will one day become.Though there’s an ebb and flow of emotion to give the audience (and orchestra) a chance to breathe, Bernhardt says he always likes to start the night off with “wow!”“And it’s not always the main title,” he says. “It could be the Vader march, or something that immediately puts you in that theater seat from the first time you saw the movie.”
While Harry Potter is a special event, "The Music of Star Wars" is part of the CSO's long-running "Pops series," which has featured music ranging from Broadway to R&B for more than 25 years.
Until recently, however, the average age of Pops subscribers was no different than the CSO's typical crowd, with an average age of about 57, says CSO Executive Director Samantha Teter.
The challenge, says principal Pops conductor and music director emeritus Bob Bernhardt, has been to knock down the walls that keep some people from coming to concerts, a feat the CSO has achieved by promoting a more relaxed, "come one, come all" environment for both its Pops and classical offerings. Guests are encouraged to wear whatever they'd like - whether T-shirt or tuxedo - and applaud whenever they feel so moved. Bernhardt even likes to turn and talk to the audience about the significance of specific pieces, a move that would likely be scoffed by many traditionalists. Then, by tapping into fan culture - a la Harry Potter or Star Wars music - the CSO seeks to make the experience more relatable for young spectators.
"That's one of the fun things about Harry Potter and Star Wars: We're actively bringing the fandom into the audience hall," says CSO Marketing and Communications Manager André Charitat.
The 27-year-old already has his wizarding costume ready for the coming concert, but admitted there was a time when he might have felt uncomfortable at a symphony. "It was all this unknown - I didn't know the music, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. But I know Harry Potter; I know Star Wars. So it just makes it a lot less intimidating for people, millennials especially."
Before the CSO started bringing characters like Lord Voldemort and Darth Vader to life, it was already beginning to draw in a more intergenerational crowd with familiar tunes and notes of nostalgia.
Last year, for instance, the orchestra presented "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony," featuring the misadventures of Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote, and even Tom and Jerry on an overhead screen as the soundtracks to their antics were performed live.
"A lot of people grew up on Bugs Bunny - that's how people like me first learned classical music," Teter says. "So these parents who grew up on it brought their children, and even though they didn't wake up on Saturday mornings and watch the cartoons like I did, they were just as engaged, if not more."
Sometimes, fans are dead ringers for Harry Potter movie characters.Bernhardt says he was most surprised by the public's reaction to the CSO's annual "Big Band Fever." Featuring hits from swing era legends like Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington, the Pops conductor expected the concert hall to be mostly populated by older music-lovers who courted to such tunes in the '30s and '40s. Instead, he says, the hall is mobbed each year by college students eager to get up on stage and swing dance - which guests are invited to do - making it the most intergenerational show the orchestra performs.
"There is something about being in a concert hall that for some people is off-putting. That's why setting it up for dancing gives people a different view of this place," Bernhardt says.
He's hoping this season's offerings will continue to change perspectives, knowing that whether the music takes them to Hogwarts or Tatooine, they're being exposed to the magic of the symphony.
Bernhardt is also hoping to see at least half of the audience in costume, he says.
If you go:
“The Music of Harry Potter”Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. General admission ticket prices range from $28-$90.“The Music of Star Wars”May 4, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. General admission ticket prices range from $15-$85. get a sneak peek of what to expect at chatterchattanooga.com.