The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concerts have been playing world wide since January 2012. Originally conceived as a limited run to celebrate the Zelda franchise’s 25th anniversary, it has now lived to see the series run past the the 30-year mark and has been updated accordingly. Not only is Breath of the Wild featured in the concert, but footage from the re-releases on 3DS and Wii U is also used which helps bring the concert into the next generation.

But you’re not there for the footage. While it certainly helps trigger memories of all those locations, characters and battles you’ve come across, the concert puts the music at the forefront. The Zelda Overture, which was one of the highlights from Nintendo’s E3 2011 conference, opens the concert. I have to admit, I regularly listen to an audio rip I found online (this was before the concerts originally started in the US), yet hearing it for the first time performed live sent shivers down my spine. There’s always something special about hearing music performed lived and the Zelda soundtrack is no exception. The Overture has of course been updated recently to feature a small section inspired by Breath of the Wild.

After the Overture plays the concert is split into various remixes of Dragon Roost Island from The Wind Waker, A Majora’s Mask Melody and a short Breath of the Wild suite. The latter was one of the more interesting pieces, featuring the main theme from The Great Plateau area but also being integrated with sound effects from the game including birds chirping and the wind cutting through the grass. It’s here where you start to appreciate the different tones and styles of each game. The Wind Waker had a distinctive island setting driven by emotion, Majora’s Mask was darker and creepier, while Breath of the Wild focuses more on exploration and lets you bask your natural surroundings and having complete freedom.

Between pieces translated video messages from Shigeru Miyamoto, Koji Kondo and Eiji Aonuma were shown. The three men are legendary amongst Zelda fans, so it seemed fitting to have them talk about their feelings towards the series and see their delight at the prospects of the The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concert.

The main highlight of the concert comes from suites inspired by individual games. Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds each had their own set with footage of the games shown to accompany the music. I noted that Ganondorf’s theme usually meant a showcase was shown of all bosses for that particular game, which seemed like a shame given most bosses have their own distinctive theme. But, you can only play so much in a two hour concert. To name a few of the more popular themes that were played; Saria’s Theme, Outset Island, the Pirate Ship theme, Ghirahim’s Theme and the Temple of Time. Overall there was a great mix and it would have resonated with anyone who has properly played any of the Zelda games.

I attended the 8pm concert at the Arts Centre Melbourne on September 3rd. The orchestra was conducted by the talented Jessica Gethen, who brought great energy to the stage with her bright smile and appreciation for the musicians and fans alike. It is disappointing however how the organiser has treated the Australian fan-base. For some time Australians thought Perth was the only local capital city the concert would be visiting, but then a Melbourne show and later a Sydney show were announced. You have fans who would have booked tickets for an interstate session only for it to come locally. Others who don’t have a local show as an option (like this South Australian…) like to know their options ahead of time so that they can plan travel budgets and work out what there best options are.

Regardless, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses is a breathtaking experience for any Zelda fan. It demonstrates the unique musical tones of each game, shows how the series has evolved throughout the ages, and is certainly a step above listening to pre-recorded audio. If you ever get the opportunity to see the concert, prepare yourself for a night of pure delight.