From "The Dark Knight" to "Inception"... National Symphony Film Music Concert

May 1-2 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

The National Symphony Orchestra will present the film music concert "Hollywood Blockbusters" at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on May 1 and 2, 2026.

The works of legendary blockbuster film composers such as Hans Zimmer, Max Richter, and Gyorgy Ligeti will be combined with media art, aiming to deliver an overwhelming sense of scale and immersion.

The concert will especially focus on the music of Hans Zimmer, providing an overview of the trends in 21st-century film music. While John Williams is known as the composer who ushered in the golden age of Hollywood film scores, Hans Zimmer is regarded as a defining figure of today’s blockbuster sound. Having collaborated with world-renowned directors such as Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott, Zimmer is acclaimed for expanding cinematic narratives by blending traditional orchestration with electronic sounds and rhythms.

National Symphony Orchestra Film Music Concert. National Symphony Orchestra

The performance will open with a suite from Hans Zimmer’s "The Dark Knight." This will be followed by music from "Inception," "Pearl Harbor," "Kung Fu Panda," "The Da Vinci Code," "Wonder Woman," "The Lion King," and "Gladiator," all composed by Hans Zimmer. The program will also feature music from "The Illusionist" and "The Hours," both involving Philip Glass, as well as pieces by Gyorgy Ligeti used in "2001: A Space Odyssey."

The concert will be conducted by Anthony Gabriel, who has previously led diverse film music performances such as "Moby Dick" (world premiere with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra) and "Superman" (Royal Philharmonic premiere). Media artist Woo Giha will be in charge of the visual elements. He has previously participated as a video director for productions such as the National Opera Company’s "La Traviata" and "Tannhäuser."

A representative of the National Symphony Orchestra stated, "The visuals for this performance are not simply supplementary devices to explain the music, but a stage language that visually expands the flow of sound. Audiences will be able to follow the emotion and structure of the music visually, allowing for a more intuitive and multi-dimensional experience of classical music."

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