In 1889 – 90 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov lifted a four-minute cortege from his sprawling opera-ballet Mlada and turned it into a stand-alone dazzler, Procession of the Nobles – music so glittering that it has become Hollywood shorthand for royal red-carpet entrances and grand award shows. Czech maestro Jaroslav Šíp’s concert-band transcription keeps every trumpet flourish intact, but fattens the tuba line and adds triangle, tambourine and crash cymbals for an extra coat of sonic gold leaf. As the orchestra plants the final fortissimo chord, feel the hall itself don its crown: pageantry distilled into four unforgettable minutes. From Mythic Opera to March-Hall ClassicMlada—a Wagner-sized fantasy about ghost brides, Baltic princes and rainbow ascensions—never caught on, but Act II’s opening march did. In the original staging the chorus shouted “Make way for the princes!” while antiphonal trumpets and horns fired call-and-answer salvos above percussion and swirling strings. That prismatic orchestration, long studied by film composers, explains why the piece still underscores everything from Olympic openings to coronation documentaries. Bring your regal best to the Old Museum Building on Sunday August 31st and let the music roll out the red carpet! Tickets are available now via www.kgow.org.au or just click the yellow button below. | 
