‘Wicked’ Is Going on Tour With a Live Symphony Orchestra

The blockbuster hit will head to concert halls around the world, where a full orchestra performs Stephen Schwartz and John Powell's music live, synchronized to the action onscreen. Wicked: In Concert, Film with Live Orchestra Hurwitz Concerts Trending on Billboard The Wicked movie is gearing up to defy gravity all over again, and this time with a live orchestra behind them. Wicked: Part One is heading to concert halls around the world, where audiences will be able to watch the blockbuster film on a massive screen while a full symphony orchestra performs Stephen Schwartz and John Powell’s music live, synchronized to the action onscreen. The live-to-film series will kick off with a special preview in San Francisco on Jan. 16, 2027, before its world premiere at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on Jan. 23. From there, Wicked: Part One in Concert will travel to Chicago, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with additional cities to be announced. The concert experience comes at a time when music from Wicked proved to be a blockbuster in its own right. Wicked: The Soundtrack, credited to Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and various other artists, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in December 2024, becoming the highest-debuting soundtrack ever from a big-screen adaptation of a stage musical. Those songs — from “Popular” to “Defying Gravity” — will get an entirely new setting. The concerts are being produced through a collaboration between Universal Film, Universal Destinations & Experiences and Hurwitz Concerts, the company founded by Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz. Hurwitz Concerts has previously brought films including La La Land and Whiplash to concert stages, with orchestras performing their scores live alongside the movies. “I absolutely love the live-to-film format and think the Wicked films are so perfect for it,” Hurwitz said in a statement shared with Billboard. “It’s an honor for me to help bring Stephen Schwartz’s masterpiece musical and John Powell and Schwartz’s brilliant, cinematic score to concert venues around the world.” For Schwartz, the new format gives audiences another way to experience the music that fans have already embraced on screen and on the record. “When I’ve seen live concerts of film scores, I’ve always found it an amazing experience, so I’m delighted that the Wicked movies are now becoming film concerts,” Schwartz also shared in a statement. Find the dates and locations (so far) below: San Francisco (preview concert)January 16, 2027 New York (World Premiere)January 23, 2027 ChicagoJanuary 30, 2027 Mexico CityMarch 6, 2027 GuadalajaraApril 17, 2027 MonterreyApril 24, 2027 TorontoMay 29, 2027 MontrealJuly 17, 2027 VancouverJuly 24, 2027 Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up