Planet Earth in Concert(地球行星音樂會)

The BBC and the National Geographic are two of the greatest producers of quality documentaries on nature and scientific discovery. Last night we had the chance to see excerpts of the BBC series Planet Earth to the sound of live music created specially for by the award winning composer  George Fenton (b 1950) and performed for us by the HKPO under the guest baton of Benjamin Northey and whenever there are vocal parts, they are performed by the wonderful voice of Haley Glennie-Smith. It was an indescribably enjoyable to experience one spectacular image after another of life on planet earth in high definition on the screen suspended over the stage. As there were no verbal explanation in the excerpts shown, originally done by the inimitable David Attenborough, the conductor introduced the various episodes to us before he began the music, adding a kind of intimacy to the music which it would not otherwise have. 

The first episode was about the creation of the moon and the inclination of the earth's axis after the earth was hit by a meteor the size of Mars.

The second was about mountains

and the Earth's highest challenges



The Himalayas at the borders of Pakistan and the Tibet




and the way the each year the storks must cross the rarefied air of the Himalayas to reach their breeding ground in swamp land



And the world of snow and ice of Anartica

and the way all mothers must look after their calves.

and the way each year whole packs of animals must journey from one part of their habitat to another



and the life of hunting dogs

and the life of the snow leopards



and how the caribou must endure attacks by the patient wolves in their annual migration



The 3rd was about  fresh water

including the great rivers and waterfalls like the Iguacu

and the need of animals for fresh water like the elephants of the Okavango



and river predations when African animals try to reach for water in their annual migration



The 4th was about caves, including sea caves, underground chalk caves, gypsum caves with all kinds of animal



 and aquatic creatures, insects, bats and other cave animals living in there with or without wings.

The fifth was about life in the deserts

The 6th is about life on in the arctic regions

The 7th episode is about life in the great plains.

The 8th is about life in the jungles.

The 9th episode is about life in the shallow seas.

The 10th episode is about life in the seasonal forests

And the 11th episode is about life in the Deep Oceans



It ends with the question: since human beings are gifted with great powers either to create and to destroy. Shall we further or destroy life? The choice is up to us.