We’re going to make you an offer you can’t refuse: 

Come see The Godfather Live in concert with its legendary score performed by members of the Flint Symphony Orchestra (FSO) on March 29 at FIM Whiting Auditorium. This ten-time Academy Award-winning film tells the story of the Corleone family under patriarch Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), with career-making performances from Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall. 

“The Godfather is arguably one of the greatest movies of all time and feels like an obvious choice to play on the screen with Nino Rota’s score performed by our own FSO,” said Ella McAndrew, director of programming at FIM Whiting Auditorium.  

“This film helped bridge old and new Hollywood, and we are hoping that it will continue to introduce our community to the incredible work that our FSO musicians bring to the stage. The score is absolutely integral to the storytelling and amplifies the emotion of the entire film – we wanted to make sure our audiences had the opportunity to participate in that experience live,” she said.  

Italian composer Nino Rota composed the underscore for the film, including its iconic “Love Theme.” Director Francis Ford Coppola felt that Rota’s music gave the film more of an Italian feel, and it was written with the intention to evoke the tragedy within the film. Music from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Verdi’s La Traviata was also incorporated.  

The Godfather Live is the second live-to-picture event at FIM. While the experience of live movie music is unparalleled for audiences, it is also unique for members of the orchestra. The contract includes a conductor, score and instrumentation that are specific to the film. Musicians in the FSO are highly trained professionals who are flexible and accustomed to working under different conductors and rehearsal scenarios, explained Michelle Tschirhart, manager of operations at FSO.  

“It’s always a real pleasure to work with someone who you’ll learn something new from,” said Michelle Tschirhart, manager of FSO operations. “For Godfather specifically, there’s a certain style of playing, and we’ll be relying on the conductor to relay that kind of information.”  

So why is The Godfather considered among the best films of all time? There are surely numerous film school dissertations on this topic, but to put it in broad strokes: it’s an epic story diving into a fascinating topic (the Mafia), that most of us have never had direct experience with. Yet it remains so relatable – everyone has their own version of family drama, after all.  

It also boasts strong characters, stellar performances, stunning visuals and, at the end of the day, it makes audiences feel something. Whether you’re a Godfather buff or have never seen it before, don’t miss the chance to experience this legendary film live with the FSO.  

Sidebar: 
Did you know…

….Nino Rota got the cold shoulder from the Academy of Motion Pictures?  
The Godfather film score was originally nominated for an Academy Award, but was later disqualified because Rota had reused some parts of his previous score for Fortunella, a 1958 Italian comedy. 

…Marlon Brando used cue cards?  
He claimed that reading his lines during the take increased his spontaneity and made his lines sound less canned. 

…the ideas of “mafia” and “mob” are only implied?  
Neither word is spoken in the movie at all.  

…many famous actors were passed over in casting?
Guys like Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, and Robert DeNiro didn’t make the Godfather cut. (Although, DeNiro did have a memorable role in The Godfather: Part II.) 

…the film about family dynamics was an actual family affair?
Many members of Director Francis Ford Coppola’s tribe appeared in the film, including Talia Shire (sister), Sofia Coppola (daughter),Gian-Carlo and Roman Coppola (sons), Eleanor Coppola (wife), Italia Coppola (mother) and Carmine Coppola (father).