Following the recent passing of Bond legend Sean Connery, Agents are Forever acts as something of an unexpected tribute to the beloved star. While it was recorded long before the passing of the icon, the timeliness of its home release lends a poignancy to the experience of watching and listening to the performance, and with selections from Connery outings Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger and many more, it is hard not to feel moved.
Under the baton of film music expert and conductor Hans Ek, this remarkable concert covers film and television music of the past six decades with a truly stunning performance from the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, featuring incredible vocals on a handful of beloved Bond themes by Caroline Henderson. With incredible laser shows and stunts – a humorous opening sees a decoy conductor sniped off the podium as the James Bond theme kicks off, much to the shock of the audience – this is more than just an orchestral performance. The film is surprisingly cinematic, with James Bond visual effects such as the iconic circles from the spy film’s opening featured, bringing the visuals of the stage production to life.
The repertoire crams a heck of a lot into 85 minutes, with the soundtracks of thrilling spy and detective movies such as Mission: Impossible, The Pink Panther, and The Ipcress File featured alongside beloved James Bond themes, while fans of BBC’s Sherlock will be thrilled to see and hear the unprecedented live performance of a medley of the show’s score. The highlight of the show, though, is those themes. The wonderful Caroline Henderson’s vocals on Bond classics new and old including Diamonds are Forever, Live and Let Die and Skyfall are truly astonishing, breathing new life into the themes while also feeling familiar and respectful. Fans of the spy series will be thrilled with the results.
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Henderson sound sublime, the production is exciting and the direction of this filmed version by Karsten Andersen brings all aspects of the performance to life. It is a wonderful experience. Agents are Forever is a stunning concert film, filled with intrigue, espionage, and musical passion.
Agents are Forever is available now from EuroArts on CD, digital and Blu-ray.