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'Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert' at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts

The crashing of the massive boulder thundering through the collapsing temple filled the TD Pavilion at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts recently. The adventures of Indiana Jones were projected on a 40-foot-high screen as part of the Mann Center’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert.”

"Raiders," the summer blockbuster and top-grossing film of 1981, kicked off this season's Movies @ the Mann series. With the Reading Symphony Orchestra performing the score live, it brought a new found excitement to re-watching Steven Spielberg's classic about the archaeology professor and his quest to recover the legendary Ark of the Covenant before it falls into the hands of the Nazis.

Audience members were part of a full sensory experience as the orchestra, conducted by Andrew Constantine, heightened the excitement and anxiety as they performed the Academy Award-nominated score by John Williams. Even though I’ve seen the movie many times, listening to the memorable music being performed live made it feel like I was watching the film for the first time.

It's the 1930s and Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is tasked by the government to recover the legendary Ark of the Covenant before it falls into the hands of the Nazis. Indy’s quest takes him to Nepal and Egypt, reuniting him with an old friend (John Rhys-Davies), an old foe (Paul Freeman) and an ex-flame (Karen Allen).

As soon as we hear the recognizable rousing four trumpets from "Raiders March," we know our hero is ready for action. Jumping on a horse to chase the Nazis and the ark, our hero is accompanied by the rising tempo of "Desert Chase" during the intricate stunt work and tense eight-minute action scene.

Many in the audience displayed their love of music and the movie by sporting their best Indiana costumes, complete with whips, leather jackets and fedoras. There were also a few Marion Ravenwood's (Karen Allen) fans, dressed in similar style white peasant blouses and red harem pants the character wears in the film.  

Watching a quintessential summer movie, while listening to a superb live orchestra perform the memorable score, was a perfect night at the newly renovated pavilion.

If you go: BMW Movies @ the Mann series continues this summer with three more events including: "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert" on Saturday, July 20 and "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert" on Friday, July 26 both featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra. "Grease," the summer lovin' classic, will feature a score performed by The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia on Thursday, Aug. 15. For all BMW Movies @ the Mann performances, audience members are encouraged to pack a picnic and enjoy a night of music and film under the stars.

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