Join us for a rare screening of The Manxman, Alfred Hitchcock’s penultimate silent film and one of the best and most mature works of his early career. The film is accompanied by the Oakland Symphony conducted by Ben Palmer, performing an original score by Stephen Horne. Set in a remote Isle of Man fishing community (but shot in Cornwall), the film was adapted from the bestselling novel by Sir Hall Caine, published in 1894. The story follows two boyhood friends who take markedly different paths in adulthood: Pete becomes a fisherman, Philip a lawyer. Both fall in love with the same woman, the daughter of a puritanical Methodist, bringing them into conflict not only with their own moral code but also that of the strict Manx society. 

More about the film. 

Event Details

The cathedral will open for seating at 6:30 pm. The entrance to the cathedral is at the top of the Great Steps. The accessible entrance is via the glass doors on Taylor Street or from the cathedral garage. 

About the Performers

Ben Palmer is Artistic Director of Covent Garden Sinfonia and Chief Conductor of the Orchestra da Camera di Pordenone and Babylon Orchester Berlin. Personally authorized by John Williams to conduct his film scores in concert, and acclaimed as “a masterclass in conducting” by Hans Zimmer, Ben Palmer is one of the world’s most sought-after specialists in conducting live to picture. With a repertoire of more than 50 films, ranging from fiendishly difficult silent movies such as Metropolis and Modern Times, to Star Wars and Top Gun: Maverick, he appears regularly at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, KKL Luzern and Concertgebouw Amsterdam. 

Stephen Horne has long been internationally considered one of the leading silent film accompanists. A house pianist at London’s BFI Southbank for over thirty years, he has played at all the major UK venues and recorded music for many DVD and online releases of silent films. Although principally a pianist, he often incorporates other instruments into his performances, sometimes simultaneously. With the help of conductor-orchestrator Ben Palmer, Horne completed the fully orchestrated score for The Manxman, which had its premiere at the 2022 closing gala of Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Pordenone. 

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