The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra have done it again! Their film concert series MSO at the Movies has become an annual staple for Melburnians, and much to the joy of Disney fans, the MSO were taking on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
Conducted by Jen Winley, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, what magically unfolds is a gorgeous fairytale (basically the Frozen of our time for us Millennials) about a beautiful and attentive but humble French girl named Belle (voiced by Paige O’Hara) who is an outcast and far too intelligent for her small provincial town. Under duress, Belle ends up switching places with her father Maurice (voiced by Rex Everhart) to be held captive instead by the Beast (Robby Benson).
We as the audience all know, given away by characters Lumière (Jerry Orbach), Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers), and Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury) who appear to all be talking household items, that the castle where the Beast reside is magical and cursed. What unfolds is a beautiful love story between a cursed prince that learns to love, and a beautiful understanding woman with a big heart.
You would think, seeing the 1991 Beauty and the Beast film so many times during my childhood, I would have noticed everything there is to notice about such an animated classic, however, I found that with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performance, I was still discovering new things. For example, how incredible the score is during the scene where Beast, in the snow-filled woods saving Belle’s life, battles against a pack of wolves. There’s also the fight sequence between Beast and Gaston (Richard White) on the top of the castle ‘Battle on the Tower’, which was so adrenaline pumping, held me on the edge of my seat (even though I’ve seen it so many times), and its score was so exciting to listen and mesmerising to watch, with everyone in the symphony orchestra moving in sync together so gracefully, just like a dance.
I also learnt that despite Belle and Beast being the main characters and canon pairing, it is Gaston that has the best songs. How did that happen?
From the many patrons that attended my session, some were even having their first ever symphony orchestra experience with this film concert, and it was adorable to hear the inquisitive conversations, such as, “What’s an interval?”, and then witness these curious tiny humans want to learn more about the film concert format, the different instruments and the music itself. Others were keenly dressed up as their favourite Disney character. It was honestly a beautiful thing to see, everyone of all ages embracing this kind of music for the first time, via a film concert.
Tears were shed during the iconic ballroom scene where Angela Lansbury’s Mrs. Potts sings the title song ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and when ‘Transformation’ was played, with the firework looking magic changing Beast back into a very handsome prince with soft eyes. There is a reason why this film is so beloved by generations and Beauty and the Beast’s music is the heart of it.
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in Concert have a total of three performances on Friday the 10th of April at 6:30pm, Saturday the 11th of April at 1pm and their final show will be tonight at 8pm, in Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne. If you miss it, never fear, MSO at the Movies have Jurassic Park later this month, as well as other great films for their 2026 season.
For more information and/or ticketing, visit:
https://www.mso.com.au/performance/2026-disney-beauty-and-the-beast-in-concert
https://www.mso.com.au/whats-on?genre=MSO%20at%20the%20Movies
https://www.instagram.com/melbournesymphonyorchestra