Hans Zimmer is one of the most recognisable (perhaps only second to John Williams) film score composers in history. Therefore, it was, on one hand, no surprise to see the 20,000-person capacity Qudos Bank Arena filled to the brim for the first of two nights that the legendary German composer played in Sydney. Yet, on the other hand, it is quite the marvel that a film composer has captured the imagination of so many that they have come in droves to see his music brought to life. 

Zimmer and his humongous team consisting of instrumentalists, singers, dancers, stage performers and crew have to continually improvise in order to maintain interest in the primarily orchestral music and as they filled the Qudos Bank Arena stage as the curtain rose, it was clear that they would be making sure they did everything they possibly could for the audience. 

The show began with a dramatic interlude as a lone performer walked the stage, before the full orchestra was revealed, with Zimmer centre stage, playing a variety of instruments. After some short introductory pieces, Zimmer’s band moved into the Wonder Woman Suite, with the extraordinary string player, Tina Guo, taking centre stage. Her mastery of her instrument was truly remarkable, demonstrating technical brilliance whilst performing with absolute command (in a theatrical, rock style as well). It was a breathtaking start to the show and a sign of what was to come, with the rest of Zimmer’s band also showing an incredible degree of skill throughout the night. 

Zimmer also brought out a few singers throughout the night, but mainly, they were to complement the instrumentalists on stage. Australian Lisa Gerrard took to the stage for the Gladiator suite, singing some of the most ethereal high notes in glossolalia (essentially, singing to word-like sounds rather than actual words). It further added to the diversity of the work that Zimmer was putting on the stage and ensured that the audience retained interest through a first act that showed off Zimmer’s skill as a composer as well as his band’s brilliance. Zimmer closed out the first act, with the iconic Pirates of the Caribbean suite, for which he highlighted the women in his band (who made up the majority of those on stage). 

“If you read the history books, the really fierce pirates were women,” the composer said playfully. 

A long intermission separated the two acts, which the venue struggled to handle. As crowds descended into the alleyways, lines for the facilities spanned the perimeter of the venue and food and beverage outlets could not handle demand as chaos ensued for the unusual situation. Qudos Bank Arena very rarely sees intermissions for capacity shows and perhaps it won’t see another for a long while but it certainly created an interesting experience during this show. 

When Zimmer and his band returned for the second act, there was energy from the very start, with Zimmer moving from Dune into The Dark Knight, showing off the thrilling and pulsating score. A period of relative lull followed as the band played the slightly less exciting Last Samurai suite before Zimmer moved into some more obscure films like Dark Phoenix (which even Zimmer admitted was not a great film). 

At this point, the audience was starting to feel the three-hour plus runtime of the concert but they were brought back into the arena when the band began to play the Interstellar Suite, which is widely regarded as one of Zimmer’s best works. The slightly rockier edge that the live orchestra gave to the work only added to the evocativeness of the score, with a large disco ball and flashing lights moving around the arena to add to the ethereality of the moment. This was Zimmer at his absolute best and the band and effects complemented him perfectly. 

Zimmer’s main set closed with the Lion King and this was a magical moment for many in the audience. The iconic call was led by the original singer, Lebo M, who joined Zimmer and the band with his daughter, who sung superbly throughout the show. The music of The Lion King evokes familiarity and warmth, and Zimmer very much played into this, with the full orchestral sound leading to a spectacular finish. 

Zimmer is a master of exploring tension in his work and this was most evident in the encore, with the opening notes of the classic James Bond theme song being elongated for suspense and Zimmer walked back onto the stage. The sounds of the great chases filled the air, creating an excitement as the band fed into the feeling of a last hurrah. The night concluded with Zimmer on the piano, playing “Time” from Inception, which was a fitting way to close the night, as the final notes of the piano hauntingly rang through the air. After he finished, Zimmer sheepishly asked “what did you think,” to which the audience response was unequivocal. 

Overall, this was a fantastic concert with Zimmer showing off the breadth of his musical discography with the support of incredible musicians, crew and singers. The show is a monumental work and the effort to put it together is plain for all to see on stage. While some pictures from the movies would have been useful to add context and perhaps a slightly shorter length would have been welcome, Zimmer is a master of his craft and made sure that everyone in the audience on the rainy Sydney night left with a smile. It may be a while before Zimmer returns to Australia again but there is no doubt that for all in the crowd, it was a night they would never forget. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Hans Zimmer – Qudos Bank Arena – 26^th April 2025

Photo credit: Suzanne Teresa