Spaghetti Western Orchestra August 14, 2012

The Magnificent Five are Riding into Town!

The stunning soundtracks include THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY,
FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST

Following sell out performances at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and a thirty one date UK tour Spaghetti Western Orchestra returns home for one week of performances at the Sydney Opera House from Tuesday, 14 to Sunday, 19 August. This ingenious gang of comic maestros, starring Shannon Birchall, Boris Conley, and David Hewitt, underscore instantly recognisable compositions with clever sound effects recreating every punch up, gunshot, and jangling spur that define the gun slinging west.

Originally from Australia, Spaghetti Western Orchestra has had enormous success around the world but are virtually unknown here at home. With their hilarious celebration of the iconic collaborations between Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone, this highly theatrical show features classic themes from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, For A Few Dollars More and Once Upon a Time in the West as well as ingenious recreations of the saloons, spittoons and shotgun-slinging ambience of the Wild Wild West.

Dressed in period attire against a dramatic scorched sun backdrop, five brilliant musician performers play over 100 'instruments' which range from the conventional to an incredible array of everyday objects including playing cards, rubber gloves, coat hangers and packets of cornflakes. The musical arrangements are accomplished and endlessly inventive, summoning the power of an entire orchestra and using foley (sound effects) artistry to recreate the punch-ups, gun-shots and jangling spurs evoking the glorious movies that made Clint Eastwood a star.

★★★★ A near-perfect meeting of musical and visual humour
- The Times (London)

Spaghetti Western Orchestra burst on to the international scene at The Montreal Jazz Festival in 2007 and has garnered critical acclaim and energetic fans whenever it has played at International Festivals throughout the world. Three previous visits to the Southbank Centre in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were sold out, the Orchestra featured on the achingly cool Later… with Jools Holland in 2009 and at the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall in August 2011.

Composer-conductor Ennio Morricone has composed more than 300 motion picture scores over a 45-year career winning an honorary Oscar in 2007. Along with his canon of western soundtracks, his film credits include The Mission, The Untouchables and Cinema Paradiso.

★★★★ Take the magnificent music of Ennio Morricone, add five multi-talented, unashamedly theatrical Australians with impeccable comedy timing and let them loose on 100 instruments and you have some idea of Spaghetti Western Orchestra. A joyous celebration
London Evening Standard

★★★★ Wildly inventive and funny
Daily Telegraph (UK)

★★★★ An endearing, impressive show
The Guardian

Sneak peek at

The Orchestra PATRICK CRONIN, GRAEME LEAK, SHANNON BIRCHALL, BORIS CONLEY, DAVID HEWITT
All music composed by ENNIO MORRICONE
Director & Designer DENIS BLAIS
Lighting Designer KEITH TUCKER
Producer GLYNIS HALL for Glynis Henderson Productions

Spaghetti Western Orchestra
Sydney Opera House – The Playhouse, Bennelong Point Sydney
DATES: Tuesday, 14 – Sunday, 19 August 2012
Opening Night Tuesday 14th August
TIMES: Tues 14, Wed 15, Thu 16, Fri 17 at 7.30pm; Sat 18 at 1.30pm & 7.30pm; Sun 19 at 1.30pm & 5.30pm
TICKETS: Adult $89.90; Conc $39.90; Groups 8+ $79.90
BOOKINGS: Sydney Opera House Box Office www.sydneyoperahouse.com or 02 9250 7777

Official Website: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com