Danny Elfman to perform Tim Burton film scores at Resorts World
The composer will join the Las Vegas Philharmonic for two nights in November, celebrating four decades of collaboration with the director.
By Jasmine Carter ·
Danny Elfman will perform music from his long partnership with director Tim Burton at the Resorts World Theatre on November 13 and 14.
The two-night event features the Las Vegas Philharmonic and runs from 8 p.m. to midnight. Tickets range in price from $80 to $500 and are available for purchase through axs.com.
Elfman first met Burton while working on the 1985 comedy Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. At that time, Elfman was best known as the frontman of the new wave band Oingo Boingo, which had a dedicated following in Southern California. He had not yet composed a full orchestral film score before taking on the project for Burton.
Their collaboration has continued for four decades, producing scores for films including Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Elfman has indicated that he will sing songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas during the upcoming shows. He will likely take on the role of Jack Skellington, the character from that stop-motion animated film.
The specific setlist for the concerts has not been announced. However, several tracks from their filmography are expected to be highlights. “Breakdown Machine” from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is considered a signature piece. Elfman stated in liner notes for his 1990 album Music for a Darkened Theatre that hearing the orchestra play that cue made him “addicted to film music for life.”
Other potential selections include the main titles from Beetlejuice and Batman. The Batman cue “Descent Into Mystery” is just 1 minute and 32 seconds long. Elfman has described “Ice Dance” from Edward Scissorhands as one of his most personal works. He also plans to perform songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which he noted have a style similar to his previous band’s music.
The concerts mark a milestone in the relationship between the composer and the director. Burton, who began as a Disney animator, recognized a shared interest in whimsical and macabre themes in Elfman’s work. This connection established the foundation for a creative partnership that has defined a unique sound in cinema.
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