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| Sergei Eisenstein: Battleship Potemkin (Photo supplied by BFI) |
Sergei Eisenstein’s legendary 1925 silent film, Battleship Potemkin is widely considered a masterpiece in early cinema. It was inspired by the failed 1905 Russian Revolution and its iconic climactic scene – a fictional massacre of civilians on the iconic Odessa steps in Ukraine – is widely studied for its editing and pioneering use of montage. Later in his career Eisenstein would famously collaborate with composer Sergei Prokoviev for two projects, Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible.
In 2017, a new score for the film was commissioned and performed by The Pit Orchestra. The score was composed collectively by The Pit Orchestra members under the guidance of lead composers Tom Richardson, Chris Muirhead and Chris Bailey. Now, for the film’s 2025 centenary, The Pit Orchestra is bringing back Battleship Potemkin with a new version of the score reimagined by Tom Richardson with technical guidance from composer Simon Dobson.
For one night only on 13 December, University of Plymouth’s The House performing arts centre will journey audiences to a Russian Imperial Navy battleship on the Black Sea when a mutinous uprising by the ship’s crew against their ruthless officers, sparked by spoiled meat, becomes a violent clash and one of the most famous closing scenes in cinema history.
The event continues The Pit Orchestra’s mission to breathe new life into classic cinema through live performance. Twelve musicians will perform this moving revival, many of whom will play multiple instruments while also forming a dynamic choir.
The Pit Orchestra is a freely evolving ensemble of trained and untrained musicians who mix classical and modern instruments and transform with every performance. They write original scores, soundtracks and musical accompaniments in collaboration with filmmakers and artists, and are inspired by a wide variety of musical genres including rock, folk, electro, jazz, ambient and classical. The orchestra formed in 2013 (as The Imperfect Orchestra) and has consistently maintained principles of collaboration, artistic expression, diversity, inclusivity and, perhaps most importantly, celebration of the amateur.
The Ukrainian Singers of Plymouth will open the event with a performance of traditional and contemporary Ukrainian music.
Full details from The Pit Orchestra’s website.
