Studio Ghibli’s worlds are remembered as much through their music as their animation. This July, those beloved scores arrive in Manila through a live orchestral concert led by Gerard Salonga and the Filharmonika Orchestra.
The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli takes over The Theatre at Solaire from July 31 to August 2, 2026, bringing together an 83-piece orchestra for a weekend dedicated to the music of legendary composer Joe Hisaishi. Presented by Film Concerts PH in partnership with The Japan Foundation, Manila, the production revisits some of the studio’s most iconic films through a purely symphonic format.
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Inside The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli
Under the baton of Gerard Salonga, the concert journeys through the worlds of Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki’s Delivery Service, transforming Hisaishi’s instantly recognizable compositions into a large-scale live experience. My Neighbor Totoro will also feature special narration segments during the performance. Hisaishi’s scores have long carried their own kind of cultural memory, tied not just to fantasy worlds, but to comfort, nostalgia, and wonder.
The production arrives as an official commemorative event for the Philippines-Japan Friendship Year 2026, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Still, the emotional core of the concert remains rooted in the music itself: those sweeping, wistful melodies that have shaped generations of viewers.
The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli runs at The Theatre at Solaire from July 31 to August 2, 2026. Tickets are available on TicketWorld. For more information, visit www.filmconcerts.ph.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli will run from July 31 to August 2, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire in Parañaque City, with four scheduled performances across the weekend.
The concert will feature live orchestral performances of Joe Hisaishi’s music from iconic Studio Ghibli films including Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki’s Delivery Service, performed by the Filharmonika Orchestra under Gerard Salonga.
Tickets for The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli are available through TicketWorld.com.ph.
