Film Concerts Philippines is inviting audiences to return to Middle-earth with one of the most ambitious productions in its history: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert. From March 4 to 6, 2027, at The Theatre at Solaire, Peter Jackson’s acclaimed 2001 film will unfold on the big screen while Howard Shore’s Academy Award-winning score is performed live by a 247-member ensemble, the largest the company has assembled to date.

The performance features the 96-member Filharmonika Orchestra, the Philippine Madrigal Singers’ 100-member adult choir and 50-member boys’ choir, and soloist Malena Rampi, all under the baton of conductor Reuben Blundell. This marks the first time Filipino audiences can experience the official full live-to-film concert presentation of the first chapter of the landmark trilogy.

Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring follows young hobbit Frodo Baggins, who inherits a perilous quest: to destroy the One Ring before it falls into the hands of the Dark Lord Sauron. Joined by the Fellowship, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Samwise, Merry, and Pippin. Frodo sets out from the Shire on a journey that tests courage, friendship, and resolve against the growing forces of darkness.

Directed by Peter Jackson and starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, and Liv Tyler, the film received 13 Academy Award nominations and won four, including Best Original Score for Howard Shore. Together with The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003), it formed a global phenomenon that earned 17 Academy Awards across the trilogy and ranks among the highest-grossing film trilogies of all time. The extended editions remain enduring favorites; in early 2026, Philippine screenings of the extended cut of Fellowship for its 25th anniversary returned by popular demand after strong initial runs.

Shore’s score is widely regarded as one of the defining achievements in 21st-century film music. Drawing on centuries of stylistic traditions, it employs rich leitmotifs for characters, places, and objects, the pastoral warmth of the Shire, the ethereal beauty of the Elves, the ominous power of the Ring and Mordor, creating a comprehensive musical world that carries much of the narrative weight. The live-to-film format, in which the full motion picture plays while the orchestra, choir, and soloist perform the complete score in precise synchronization, has been a global success since its 2008 premiere in Lucerne, Switzerland. The broader series of Lord of the Rings concerts has been performed more than 500 times worldwide by leading orchestras.

In March 2027, Manila joins cities that have hosted these productions, with the scale of the ensemble, nearly 250 performers, matching the epic scope of the material. Recent international stagings have similarly featured orchestras of around 200–240 musicians alongside adult and boys’ choirs, underscoring the production’s reputation for immersive grandeur.

At the center is the Filharmonika Orchestra, the Manila-based ensemble affiliated with Film Concerts Philippines. Founded by conductor Gerard Salonga in 2005 and restarted in 2024 after a hiatus, it draws many of its players from the former ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. The group has become the resident orchestra for Film Concerts PH’s growing slate of live-to-film and symphonic presentations, including successful runs of Harry Potter films, Star Wars titles, Studio Ghibli scores by Joe Hisaishi, and other major franchises at The Theatre at Solaire.

Joining them is the Philippine Madrigal Singers (the Madz), one of the world’s most acclaimed choirs. Founded in 1963 by National Artist for Music Andrea Veneracion and long led by Mark Anthony Carpio, the ensemble is the first choir to win the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice (1997 and 2007). Their participation—both adult and boys’ choirs—brings the choral writing of Shore’s score to life with the precision and emotional depth for which they are known.
Conductor Reuben Blundell brings specialized experience with the production. The Australian-born music director of the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra near Philadelphia and the Riverside Orchestra in New York City has worked with the Lord of the Rings in Concert series as an assistant conductor since 2018 through CAMI Music and made his debut leading a performance in Ottawa in 2026. He holds a DMA in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music and has a background as both conductor and violinist with major ensembles.

Soloist Malena Rampi, an Argentine singer, composer, and guitarist based in Portugal, adds a distinctive vocal presence. Her work blends jazz, experimental, folkloric, and singer-songwriter elements, and she has performed across Argentina, Portugal, and Spain.

Audiences at The Theatre at Solaire will see the full film projected while the 247 performers deliver Shore’s score live, creating the communal and visceral impact that has defined the series. The venue has hosted many of Film Concerts Philippines’ largest presentations, offering a fitting setting for the scale of this production.
Exclusive pre-sale access for Film Concerts Philippines community members runs from November 9 to 11, 2026. Registration is available at filmconcerts.ph/community for early access to tickets and special discounts. Public ticket sales begin November 20, 2026, via TicketWorld.com.ph