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Friday, 14th November 2014

In Events In Japan,

Godzilla gets music festival for 60th birthday

It's a mark of how beloved and adored the great Godzilla is in his home country of Japan that the beastie will get a birthday music festival in his honour next January, in celebration of turning 60.



The creature, who originally wrecked havoc in Tokyo in a black-and-white film of the same name released in 1954, has spawned an entire franchise of subsequent movies and is a recognisable pop culture icon across the world.



There have been action figures, TV spin-offs, cartoons, and even appearances on The Simpsons - so perhaps it's little wonder that the people of Japan wanted to make sure Godzilla celebrated his sixtieth in style.



The event programme will be split into two separate parts, with the first comprising a live performance of Symphonic Fantasia No. 1, a 15-minute suite of various themes that Akira Ifukube composed for several Godzilla scores, as well as other monster movies produced by Toho in the 1950s and 1960s.



And who better to perform the piece than the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, led by composer/conductor Kaoru Wada who happens to be an apprentice of the late Ifukube?



This segment will also feature a question and answer session with the star of the Godzilla 2000 film Shiro Sano, who has made reappearances in some of the subsequent incarnations as well.



The second part of the festival will feature a full showing of the original film, with the soundtrack provided once again by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, along with female chorus Chor June. All attendees will receive a special commemorative bookmark upon entry.



Seats are priced at 6,500 yen, 7,500 yen, or 8,500 each depending on where you want to seat and the event will take place at the NHK Hall in Tokyo. The doors open at 4:15pm and both long-running fans and newcomers alike are welcomed.



Related news stories:

The new tourism ambassador of Tokyo is? Godzilla! (10th April 2015)

Toho promises new Godzilla film (10th December 2014)

Tokyo to get Godzilla-themed hotel (27th February 2015)

