Unveiled: Boy soprano showcases awe-inspiring vocals for the 'Lord of the Rings' soundtrack on video
In the epic saga of The Lord of the Rings, the music played a crucial role in enhancing the cinematic experience. One such contribution came from a young boy soprano named Ben Del Maestro, whose breathtakingly beautiful and poignant voice graced the soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Del Maestro, along with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Voices, and the London Oratory School Schola, was deployed for all three Lord of the Rings films. These ensembles, while not forming a specific named band or orchestra beyond those listed, collaborated to create a powerful sound that resonated with audiences worldwide.
One of Del Maestro's most significant contributions can be found in the track 'Minas Tirith', where his voice shines during a scene where Gandalf rides in, sending out a divine ray of light to save the rangers from the Nazgüls on the road to Minas Tirith. The line he sings, in one of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth languages, is: 'Their race was over; all courage gone. A light shone in the west - The White Rider had come.'
This line, which has recently resurfaced on social media, has caused renewed appreciation for Howard Shore's epic score. Shore, who won three Academy Awards, four Grammys, and three Golden Globes for his Lord of the Rings soundtrack, masterfully incorporated Del Maestro's voice into the fabric of the soundtrack, creating a vocal refrain that perfectly matches Peter Jackson's cinematography.
Del Maestro's involvement in the soundtrack has had a lasting impact. In 2003, his voice featured in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and over the years, his early recordings have brought joy to many music and film fans. Beyond The Lord of the Rings, Del Maestro also contributed vocals to the title track 'Inner Universe' from the series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
However, Del Maestro seems to have stopped singing professionally after his voice broke as a teenager, and he hasn't had any IMDb credits since 2003. Despite this, his unforgettable name and contribution to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack have left an indelible mark in the annals of film music. The soundtrack, which topped many film music charts, including the Movie Music Hall of Fame in 2023, continues to be celebrated as one of the greatest in film history.
