National Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Watching Harry Potter at home is one thing. Hearing John Williams's score played live by the National Symphony Orchestra while the original film unfolds on the big screen is another. On August 27, the Filene Center gets the full Hogwarts treatment, with the orchestra performing the music that helped define the first movie, from the opening notes of "Hedwig's Theme" onward. The format also makes this a particularly good Wolf Trap outing for people who have long since outgrown midnight movie premieres but still know every beat of the story. Come early enough to make use of the lawn's picnic-friendly setup, then settle in for a film you probably remember by heart with a live score giving it a fresh dimension.