PLAY! A Video Game Symphony, Singapore Festival Orchestra conducted by Arnie Roth – Asian Premiere. Also featured are the Vocal Consort and choir from NUS. Attended the last performance of PLAY! yesterday with Hendri and we were in for a visual feast as well as music to the ears. (This is going to be a long post! – You’ve been warnded!)

It was also our first time at the Esplanade’s Concert Hall. Well, first time there physically. I caught a glimpse of the concert hall in its 3d glory back at the outing at IHPC (Institute of High Power Computing) – CAVE immersion, and was given a tour around the esplanade’s concert hall air condition system. Ain’t that cool?!

Passed the bag checking and off we headed to the concert hall… Our seats were at Circle 2, along the aisle. Hehe… There was still time, so we decided to hang around the corridoor of the concert hall. What we saw next blew us away. We saw a Chinook hovering on the edge of the waters of marina bay! Apparently they were rehearsing for this year’s National Day Parade! Oh wow. And yes, its also our first time seeing a military aircraft so upclose … woot! and all the speedy crafts… wow… thats already a visual feast for the eyes!

As it approaches 7.15 pm, we decided to get settled into the seats at the concert hall. My… the hall is so beautiful. (first timer there) haha… and yeah, the ushers were very nice, they made sure we found our seats… hee… and yup, the orchestra’s players are already testing their instruments… and we heard strains or super mario brother’s playing in the background! yay!

Soon, the concert started… and it started with the following pieces… and some of them were sung by the vocal consort in the chrous segment of the pieces… The Fanfare of PLAY! was played first and the very old classics of Super Mario Bros were next… Haha… the game play video is so funny… oh yes, this is the youtube clip of it, taped by someone in Stockholm. Its better to be heard live at the hall.. but this is better than nothing…

Shenmue and Shenmue II pieces were great, and I am taken awed by the superb graphics Lost Odyssey was good, and Sonic the Hedgehog! yay! I love the game so much, that I have the Emulator and the ROMs to play with it… hehe… and yes the game play video featured were all so familar… haha…

Metal Gear Solid… and Blue Dragon were nonetheless lovely… and the song just threw you into the game itself! Kingdom Hearts were next… followed by FINAL FANTASY VI Dancing Mad Medley… and then intermission followed… hehe…

A quick walk outside to stretch the stiff limbs and it was back to the hall again for the second part of the concert… and yes, next up was Daytona USA… Takenobu Mitsuyoshi was amongst the audience and he performed solo with a piano! Oh my god… his vocals are excellent… and the way he plays the piano, literally throws you back into the game atmosphere! even the gameplay vid was so classic… the arcade version… where its one of my fav games there… and one lucky audience went home with Sonic the Hedgehog plush toy! aww… so lucky!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion suite was played next… and so is Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross…

WOW – World Of Warcraft – Its so good, it left me yearning for more… I played Warcraft III and its expansion pack – The Frozen Throne… yes, its that good… Jason Hayes is the man behind it. HALO did not disappoint either… Castlevania – the pipe organ segment is so gd… and save for a few missing notes… its great… considering that its a solo part on that player… The Legend of Zelda brought back familiar memories of playing the game… as well as the finale piece… FINAL FANTASY VII – One Winged Angel… wooot! and for the encore part, they played The Revenge of Shinobi as well as One Winged Angel again… and yes, that song fits the finale and it ends with a huge bang, of thundering applause and standing ovation…

Credits goes to Arnie Roth, for arranging such a beautiful programme, and the band as well, even though its Singapore Festival Orchestra, they did a superb job too… and last but not least, the choir members… whose voices compliment the music and delivered a smashing impact…

Would love to attend PLAY! again, and may they return soon!

The Gal
Nicole