Nobuo Uematsu composes for Merregnon: Heart of Ice

Known for his work on the hugely successful Final Fantasy series - often referred to as the “Beethoven of video game music” by his fans - Nobuo Uematsu’s distinct and soul-stirring melodies form the basis for a unique musical experience for the young and young-at-heart alike.

The concert is the brainchild of producer and artistic director, Thomas Böcker and follows in the footsteps of his hugely successful Merregnon: Land of Silence, which continues to be performed by world class orchestras to sold out audiences. Dubbed “Peter and the Wolf for the PlayStation generation”, Land of Silence has been praised for bringing high quality, concert hall music to young and enthusiastic audiences.

The new Merregnon: Heart of Ice tells the story of Kjugo, a cheerful wooden robot who must search for his creator in a realm of eternal frost, ruled over by the malevolent Ice Wind Dancer. It is a symphonic fairy tale of adventure and self-discovery, brought to life by Uematsu’s extraordinary music and heartfelt narration of a story by German author Frauke Angel, who returns after her acclaimed work on Land of Silence.

Completing the creative team is Emmy award winning producer and director, Julien Chheng. Known for his imaginative work on animations such as Primal and Ernest & Celestine, Chheng is responsible for Heart of Ice’s illustrations, which depict the memorable cast of characters as aspects of the orchestra, as well as the musical world itself.

“We are so excited to be returning to Merregnon with a concert that is full of new music, characters and stories,” said Böcker. “Nobuo has been a close friend of mine for 20 years and I couldn't be happier for him to be lending his talent to what is going to be his first ever original work for the concert hall. I’m sure fans old and new will be thrilled with the results.”

“I know that composing for Merregnon: Heart of Ice will be a very special experience for me,” explained Nobuo Uematsu. “It is very fulfilling to be able to create melodies for an audience of young people around the world. It is such a charming story; I really admire the vision Thomas has for this project. This is something that will delight a whole new generation of concert attendees. I am very thankful to be asked to be part of this wonderful production.”

Merregnon: Heart of Ice is going to receive its world premiere on February 29, 2024, when it will be performed by the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie in Ludwigshafen, Germany as part of the BASF Festival. The show will be conducted by Eckehard Stier. Tickets go on sale at the end of June 2023.