Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" Gets a Live Concert Screening Event in Australia for its 30th Anniversary

Crank the Cardigans, because Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo + Juliet is getting a special live concert experience screening at the Sydney Opera House this September.

What's Happening:

• Disney Concerts & Baz Luhrmann are presenting William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert at the Sydney Opera House, a live cinematic concert experience featuring 1996's Romeo + Juliet.
• The 20th Century Fox film, directed by Luhrmann (Moulin Rogue!, Elvis) and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, will be backed by a live 12-piece orchestra.
• The news was announced by Billboard, who revealed the event will take place this September at the Sydney Opera House to mark the occasion of the movie's 30th anniversary.
• Like other live concert/movie events, Romeo + Juliet will play in full with the dialogue intact, while the live orchestra will perform the film's score and music live in sync with the action. Australian native Luhrmann's bold, hit film -- which considerably raised the profile of both DiCaprio and Danes -- moved the story to a modern setting, and was backed by a hit soundtrack featuring the likes of Radiohead, Garbage, and Des’ree, while Nellee Hooper, Marius de Vries, and Craig Armstrong provided the score.
• Luhrmann told Billboard that he feels Romeo + Juliet continues to connect to young audiences because “When we made the film, it was really important to find a visual language where nothing in the film could actually be dated. It’s why we don’t have technology or any object that is time specific."
• William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert will premiere Sept. 29. Presale begins July 3 at romeoandjulietinconcert.com, with tickets on sale to the general public on July 6.

What They're Saying:

• Baz Luhrmann: “Bringing this theatrical expression of Romeo and Juliet, the film to the Sydney Opera House is deeply personal as it was [costume designer] Catherine Martin and my creative home in the beginning of our journey. I couldn’t think of a better way of celebrating the 30 years that this film has managed to continue to touch audiences, of every generation, than by doing something special in the iconic creative home, the Sydney Opera House.”
• Floris Douwes (producer and managing director at GEA Live): “Romeo + Juliet has always lived somewhere between cinema, theater, music video and fever dream, which makes it a perfect title for the in-concert format. To launch this production at Sydney Opera House with Baz Luhrmann’s support is a huge occasion for the film 30 years later. Hearing it performed live adds a new charge from beginning to end.”