Review: Candle lit classical concert makes movie magic in Marbella

CANDLE lit classical concerts have brought movie magic to Marbella as part of their nationwide tour.

Hundreds of candles surround a string quartet and as the sun sinks low over the Marbella hills, the stirring chords of Hans Zimmer’s music quiets the crowd. 

Movie and music lovers have gathered in Villa Padierna, Benahavis for Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer. 

An international concert organisation, Candlelight tours a wide range of music turned classical, from Queen to Coldplay to Vivaldi. 

Although intrigued by the modern offerings, I decided to go for Hans Zimmer as I was excited to hear the music from so many beloved, famous films. 

For this edition, string quartet Musica Origen Ensemble took to the stage.

Opening with a haunting piece from Dune, the music instantly transported the excitement of blockbuster movies to the marble amphitheater. 

It was easy to get lost amongst the soft candlelight and rousing notes as the quartet played medleys from The Dark Knight, The Lion King and the Da Vinci Code. 

In between some songs, the quartet told anecdotes or fun facts about each piece adding some interesting context. 

Once the instruments struck up, it was easy to see how Zimmer had composed the Interstellar soundtrack with the simple instruction: “think of your daughter.”

The haunting melodies were performed with great feeling, moving the whole audience. 

It was followed by more upbeat pieces from the adventurous Pirates of the Caribbean and Sherlock Holmes. 

The musicians’ skills were clear as their fingers moved with astonishing speed and precision. 

Each piece filled the amphitheater with a rushes of excitement, heartbreak and drama, making me truly understand the power of a good soundtrack. 

It was truly a pleasure to witness real time how such intricate pieces are crafted and as the final notes of the Gladiator medley floated out I was shocked the concert was already over. 

Like with any great film, the time had flown by and I was soon on my feet, joining in the standing ovation. 

To see the latest concerts from Candelight, visit their website here.