‘Home Alone’ in concert breathes new life into holiday favorite

BYC founder and artistic director: ‘I believe these kinds of concerts really elevate the medium of the film score itself, and get people to listen and appreciate the music in a different way’

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra and members of Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
Photo by Chris Lee

MANHATTAN — “Home Alone” (1990), John Hughes’ classic Christmas comedy, was uniquely resurrected for the holiday season at the Wu Tsai Theater in Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall.

“Home Alone” in concert ran from Dec. 17 through Dec. 20. The film was projected onto a cinema-sized screen with a twist: John Williams’ iconic score was performed live by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra accompanied by Brooklyn Youth Chorus (BYC), in sync with the original film.

Conducted by Constantine Kitsopoulos, it was evident that this sensory experience would be a special one. The orchestra began with the classic 20th Century Fox opening fanfare. Throughout the show, the live music accompanied the visual story.

Members of Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
Photo by Chris Lee

In the movie, Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation. He must defend his home against two bungling thieves.

Dianne Berkun Menaker, founder and artistic director of BYC, told the Brooklyn Eagle that while her organization has been performing with the New York Philharmonic since 2002, “this show is particularly fun because everybody loves the movie so much.”

“It’s kind of a classic and very family friendly,” Berkun Menaker said, adding that 60 BYC members performed each night, and with cast rotation, there were more than 70 involved in the production overall.

“It’s really nice to bring the score to people’s attention,” Berkun Menaker said. “So often with film music, you’re not conscious of it because you’re watching a movie and you’re following dialogue. I believe these kinds of concerts really elevate the medium of the film score and get people to listen and appreciate the music in a different way.”

Dianne Berkun Menaker, founder and artistic director of Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
Photo courtesy of Dianne Berkun Menaker
A highly regarded youth choral organization

BYC sang the choral parts of Williams’ score, most notably the vocal section of “Somewhere in My Memory.” In addition, after the closing credits, BYC and orchestra performed “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas,” from “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”

Founded in 1992, BYC is a highly regarded youth choral organization, famous for performing at major venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in addition to collaborating with renowned orchestras, composers and artists such as David Byrne, Sir Elton John, Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

The view from stage left.
Photo by Chris Lee