10 Pictures from the Joe Hisaishi Concert in Paris 10th  June 2017
Last week i flew to Paris and met up with my equally Ghibli obsessed friend Jamie (Oh-Totoro) for what would probably be the most unforgettable music event of my life: Joe Hisaishi conducting and performing a concert of his music for Hayao Miyazakiâs films.Â
Hisaishi performs around the world regularly but its very rare for him to do an all Ghibli performance but after we missed tickets for the first two dates we were willing to pay almost anything for even the worst seat  for the 3rd date. Some how⊠i think through amazing skill and cunning Jamie managed to get us two tickets in the front row near to centre, i mean Hisaishi could have spat on us from his position on the stage and every time he left or came on to the stage he would walk past us and if i was bold enough i could have stolen a hand shake. Also if a vocal/musician guest came out to perform on an individual track they would be standing directly in front of us, which was particularly impressive when the soprano HélÚne Bernardy turned her head towards us i thought my head was going to explode with the power and volume of her voice!!!
Another amazing aspect was that even though the instruments were overhead miked we were so close we were actually hearing the instruments being played because they were about 3 meters away. Ok so on to the pictures!Â
1. The view from my seat and the huge cinema screen which had footage from the corresponding film projected onto it and also close up live camera footage of the musicians and Hisaishi. i didnât look at the screen very often because well⊠we were so close⊠wait didnât i already say that about 50 times?? sorry for the repetition :SÂ
2. The Palais des CongrÚs from outside (featuring a dirty dancing billboard for some reason :P)
3. A full house, taken just before the show when almost everyone was in.
4. Hisaishiâs conductors podium and piano
5. My seat numberâŠ.. Hey did i mention we were in the front row yet?
6. A pan of the stage before the show with Kazuo Oga Totoro art projections.Â
7. In the intermission a special message from Hayao Miyazaki to Hisaishi written especially for the concert was projected it read âMr Hisaishi, Im counting on you for my latest film. Hayao Miyazakiâ (a pretty special moment for the concerts and everyone is happy to hear continued talk of a new feature film)
8. The program for the concert :D there were also two encores of âMadnessâ from Porco Rosso and the final song of the night is the most beautiful piece âAshitaka and Sanâ from Princess Mononoke which was the perfect way to end such an emotionally engaging performance.Â
9. Outside the hall there was a standee written by Ghibli Producer Toshio Suzuki. Iâve failed to translate it properly with google i think because there might be a saying in there near the end that doesnât quite translate but if anyone has the necessary skills please let me know. âThirty-five years ago, Hisaishi met Hayao Miyazaki. I can not imagine the consequences, if destiny had not brought them together that day, in this situation. I say it often, but I think Joe Hisaishi is the only person who suits the films of Hayao Miyazaki. Letâs keep fishing and hunting despair. By listening to the music of Joe. Toshio Suzuki Studio Ghibliâ
10. A view of the stage after the show from half way up the stairs.Â
Well thats it! what else can i say, even though pictures werenât allowed during the show i took a few sneaky snaps of Hisaishi but they turned out blurry and awful! The experience was one i donât think will be rivalled for me and another item ticked off in my life goals and Ghibli checklist along with things like visiting the Ghibli Museum etc. It was also very cool to finally meet and hang out with my friend Jamie of Oh-Totoro Tumblr who i have talked to online about our Ghibli obsession practically every day for the last 4 years or so! anyways thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed the random pictures :DÂ
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