On March 17, silent-film organist Dennis James will perform on Segerstrom Concert Hall’s William J. Gillespie pipe organ, as the original black-and-white 1925 Phantom of the Opera film starring Lon Chaney is screened. The concert at the Costa Mesa, California hall is part of the Pacific Symphony’s 2018-19 Pipes to Pedals series featuring the organ. The original soundtrack in 1925 by J. Carl Briel was lost, though it is thought to include quoted material from Gounod’s Faust, which is prominently featured in the film’s story line. At Segerstrom Concert Hall, James will perform his own original score to accompany the film. James has been active in the silent-films-with-live-music revival, performing programs with solo piano, theater organ, chamber ensembles, and symphony orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra, as well as internationally. Click here for more information about Segerstrom’s Gillespie pipe organ.
Posted March 12, 2019
