Metropolis in Concert
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- What you'll hear
- All about the music
- Your visit
Groundbreaking. Unsettling. Humans versus machines.
Who’s on stage
Royal Northern Sinfonia with conductor Ben Palmer, a real pro at bringing big films and live music together seamlessly.
What they’re playing
2027 marks 100 years since Metropolis first flickered onto the screen and we’re celebrating in style as part of our Sci-Fi festival weekend. Watch Fritz Lang’s silent masterpiece, with Gottfried Huppertz’s vast Wagnerian-inspired score performed live, perfectly in sync with the film.
Need to know
Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes, including a 20 minute interval.
Age: children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Film rating: 12+
What you'll hear
One of cinema’s earliest full symphonic scores. Bold, sweeping and unapologetically dramatic.
Who's playing it
Ben Palmer conductor
Royal Northern Sinfonia
What's happening in the music
Set in the year 2026, Metropolis imagines a towering futuristic city divided in two. High above ground, the wealthy live in luxury. Far below, workers labour in the machine halls that power it all.
The film music is doing some heavy lifting. Huppertz’s score mirrors the scale of the city, the grind of the machines and the emotional extremes that are so central to the story. Brutal and mechanical one moment, hopeful and human the next. The tension and contrasts pull you deeper into the world of Metropolis.
One hundred years on, its skyscrapers still soar. Its machines still thunder. And with a live orchestra in the hall, its heart beats louder than ever.
Tickets
Saturday 8 May 2027
From: £25.00 - £55.00