Since the creation of Tomb Raider in 1996, composer Nathan McCree says he has dreamed of recording the music he created for the first three games using a live orchestra.
Twenty years later, McCree’s dream became a reality with The Tomb Raider Suite.
According to the official website, the suite is “a collection of the most popular pieces from the first 3 games, embellished, extended, and scored for a live concert orchestra.”
Not only was the suite recorded with a live orchestra, but it was done at the world renowned Abbey Road Studios.
Alongside the suite, there have been live concerts. The Tomb Raider Suite actually had its World Premier Performance at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London.
The show was conducted by Robert Ziegler and performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, according to the website, and it received three standing ovations.
There is also a documentary in the works that will showcase the journey of the suite. The first trailer was released on January 17.
All this could not be done, however, without the help of the fans. The project was able to be fully-funded thanks to a month-long Kickstarter campaign. The fans, according to the website, managed to fund 121 percent of the initial target.
I had a Skype call interview with McCree to discuss the success of the suite. The full interview can be heard below.
For transparency, I would like to note that I am a long-time fan of the Tomb Raider series. In the interview, there may be moments where it’s quite obvious when I take off my “interviewer’s hat”, if you will, and I’m simply geeking out with someone I’ve admired for quite some time. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the interview.