by Barbara Arnstein
On Sunday, July 6th, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform music from several of the very popular Harry Potter movies, with a fireworks display grand finale. The performance will be conducted by Fernanda Lastra. The iconic music from the Harry Potter franchise will include “Double Trouble”, from “The Prisoner of Azkaban”, with lyrics taken from the spell recited by the three witches (the Weird Sisters) in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”. The creepy words begin, “Double double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble.” (Fun fact: another line, “Something wicked this way comes” in “Double Trouble”, also taken from “Macbeth”, is the title of a novel by fantasy author Ray Bradbury.) The rest of the witches’ spell is a macabre recipe that the Addams family probably prepares every Halloween, including creepy ingredients beginning with “eye of newt and toe of frog”. The orchestra will also perform “Hedwig’s Theme”, along with the Quidditch World Cup music from “The Goblet of Fire”. The gates open at 5pm and the performance runs from 8-10pm followed by the fireworks from 10-11pm.
About the BPO performance, Jonathan Parrish, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s Vice President of Artistic Orchestra Operations commented, “We wanted to bring some movie magic to Ellicottville this summer with music that families know and love from the most popular Harry Potter films. John Williams’ film score is full of iconic themes and moments that shine with a live orchestra.”
“This is the first time we’re performing this program in Ellicottville after presenting it at Outer Harbors’ Terminal B last summer and we’re thrilled to share it with the Summer Music Festival.”, he continued. “Irish Classical Theatre actor Phil Farugia will narrate the program in costume. Aspiring wizards can take part in a spell-casting competition on stage, and the evening will conclude with a traditional patriotic salute.” Simone Viola, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, further elaborated, “The spell-casting competition is a brief interlude in the program when children are invited on stage to say a spell from Harry Potter into the microphone. Then the crowd cheers for their favorite aspiring witches and wizards”.
The other events at the festival include the Battle of the Bands on the fourth of July; a show performed by the winner of the battle (on July 5th at 8:15pm); a performance by country music star Hailey Whittiers, and the annual pet parade. Kids twelve and under are admitted free. For more information, go to: ellicottvilleny.com/events/2025-summer-music-festival. 