‘The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’ set to bring video games to life
By Brett Luft, Contributor
It’s been a great year to be a Nintendo fan. This year has included everything from the arrival of the Nintendo Switch to the long-anticipated debut of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to a stellar holiday lineup featuring Mario’s return in Super Mario Odyssey.
But the year isn’t over. Nintendo has one last gift in store for Alberta’s local fans. Jason Michael Paul Entertainment has once again teamed up with Nintendo to bring the music from The Legend of Zelda to life.
The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses is an immersive production featuring music from the entire series. For some Nintendo fans, that means reliving childhood memories. But to others it means making new memories and finding something within other Zelda titles.
“I think what makes the event so memorable for me is emotion and nostalgia that I feel as they play every song,” says Sean Miko, an avid Zelda fan and past-Symphony of the Goddesses attendee. “Their ability to recreate Koji Kondo’s masterful soundtracks is both beautiful and scary at the same time.
“Even if somebody wasn’t a fan of The Legend of Zelda series, going to the symphony still creates a level of emotion that can be felt within every track that they play.”
Miko says he’s looking forward to getting the time off work to see Symphony of the Goddesses again. Zelda is unique because every game has a musical theme that creates opportunities for the production to find fresh content.
A thematic experience
The Legend of Zelda has been long-known for its ability to tell captivating stories in an immersive world. While each game has different settings and themes, the overarching rules never change.
Each game follows Link, a quiet hero linked to a historic prophecy. Link is the chosen one. He is destined to rid Hyrule—the game’s world—of all evil.
But outside of the main characters, the world is also protected by goddesses. Three goddesses are typically responsible for creating the Triforce—a magical item crafted from pure goodness.
And as you’ve probably guessed, this theme continues within Symphony of the Goddesses. The three-movement symphony plays homage to the stories and sounds of the games, using visuals to compliment the story being told by the symphony.
The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses is not a “greatest hits” of the franchise’s soundtrack. It’s a retelling of the series through the lens of music.
A first-time affair
The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses‘ ability to retell the franchise’s stories in a way that’s captivating to newcomers and series veterans is its greatest strength. It’s what separates the production from other video game symphonies, such as Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy.
For a first-time attendee, the ability to put music first is what will make or break an event.
“My expectations are reserved,” Andre Truthwaite says. “I had the opportunity to catch Distant Worlds previously. And while it was well done, I would have enjoyed a more serious expression of the music instead of fanfare.
“I’d love to see a chilling homage to masterfully crafted music with top musicians who love their craft pushing themselves to express it at the highest level.”
Luckily for Truthwaite, that’s probably what he’ll get, according to Miko.
“There really isn’t a concert experience that I’ve been to that can compare,” he says. “You’ll be listening to beautifully orchestrated music crafted by incredibly talented artists who have put in hours and hours of practice to make everything sound perfect.”
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.ca for those looking to check out new music from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at the Dec. 2 show at Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
