Hitchcock Week...and More...at the San Francisco Symphony

Just over two years ago I attended – and was astounded by - “Casablanca with the San Francisco Symphony” at Davies Hall. Conductor Michael Francis led the orchestra in accompanying the beyond-iconic classic with Max Steiner’s unforgettable score. What an experience it was (click here for my reaction)...

Now the symphony is about to present a Halloween season series, Hitchcock Week, spotlighting several of the Master’s films with live musical accompaniment. The piècede résistance will be “World Premiere: Vertigo” on Friday, November 1, with the symphony accompanying Hitchcock’s great masterpiece with Bernard Herrmann’s brilliant, haunting and, some would say, peerless score.
Bay Area film lovers, get thee to a box office, online or otherwise! Hitchcock Week is about to begin…
Wednesday, October 30, 8pm, Psycho, with Joshua Gersen conducting Herrmann’s legendary score
Thursday, October 31, 7:30pm, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, live organ music will accompany Hitchcock’s early silent thriller on Halloween night

Kim Novak and James Stewart, Vertigo (1958)

Friday, November 1, 8pm, Vertigo - Vertigo accompanied by the San Francisco Symphony…what more is there to say?

Saturday, November 2, 8pm, Hitchcock! Greatest Hits, clips from several Hitchcock classics – To Catch a Thief, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest – to be hosted by Eva Marie Saint, with Joshua Gersen conducting

Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest (1959)

The symphony has scheduled more classic films with live accompaniment over the coming months:

Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, 7:30pm, Singin’ in the Rain
Saturday, February 15, 8pm, A Night at the Oscars will feature celebrated scenes and scores from memorable films
Saturday, April 12, 8pm, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights
Saturday, May 31 at 8pm and Sunday, June 1 at 4pm, Fantasia
A “Compose Your Own Film Series” package offers savings to those who buy tickets to three or more of these film concerts: Click here to go to the symphony website or call (415)864-6000.

Fantasia (1940)