The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is set to open its 2025/26 season in grand style, blending cinematic nostalgia with classical mastery.
The season begins with a special tribute to Oscar-winning composer James Horner, followed by a prestigious season-opening concert featuring conductor Daniel Harding and celebrated pianist Paul Lewis.
Before the official season launch, the HK Phil will, in a pre-season program, pay homage to the late James Horner, one of Hollywood’s most revered composers, in a two-day concert series, The Epic Movie Music of James Horner.
Marking the 10th anniversary of his passing, the performances on September 12 and 13 at Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium will showcase Horner’s sweeping orchestral scores, which earned him two Academy Awards and a lasting legacy in film music.
Under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductor Sir Dirk Brossé, the orchestra will bring to life iconic themes from Titanic, Braveheart, Avatar, A Beautiful Mind, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, among others.
Adding to the magic, award-winning actress and vocalist Crisel Consunji will lend her voice to the timeless My Heart Will Go On and All Love Can Be, transporting audiences back to the emotional heights of Horner’s most beloved works.
The HK Phil’s 2025/26 season officially commences on September 18 and 19 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, with Daniel Harding, Music Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, taking the podium.
The programme opens with Haydn’s dramatic La passione symphony, a work brimming with the fiery intensity of the Sturm und Drang era.
British pianist Paul Lewis, renowned for his profound interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven, will then take center stage for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25, a piece that balances elegance with grandeur.
The evening culminates with Richard Strauss’s Don Quixote, a symphonic adventure that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
Featuring HK Phil principals Andrew Ling (viola) and Richard Bamping (cello) as the knight-errant and his loyal squire, the piece promises a vivid musical journey through chivalry and imagination.
The Epic Movie Music of James Horner: September 12 (7.30pm) & 13 (3pm) at Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium. Tickets: HK$420, $320, $220, $50.
Season Opening: Daniel Harding & Paul Lewis: September 18 & 19 (7.30pm) at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets: HK$880, $700, $520, $380.
Tickets for both events are available via URBTIX.
Marco Lam (marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com)
