The day had finally arrived. Fans of Genshin Impact, known as ‘Travellers’, have been patiently awaiting the return of the highly anticipated Genshin Impact Concert Tour since it was announced earlier this year. Many gathered at the Calvary Convention Centre hours before the show, eager to experience the wonderful music of the popular video game, performed by the renowned Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), conducted by Thanapol Setabrahmana.
Regardless of whether fans arrived in cosplay or their finest formal wear, the show was nothing short of immersive, transporting everyone to the enchanting and mysterious world of Teyvat. Here are some of our favourite moments from the concert:
As the lights dimmed, the MPO opened the show with Genshin Impact’s iconic opening theme, familiar to players from the game’s loading screen. Once the ‘gates’ were opened, the orchestra took us back to the early days of exploring the nation of Mondstadt with “A Day in Mondstadt”, followed by “Bard’s Adventure”, Venti’s theme, which was accompanied by the character’s demo trailer projected on the big screen.
Travellers gasped as Eula’s theme, “Flickering Candlelight,” began to play, inspiring them to tango along with the character. One of our favourite moments from the Mondstadt region was when the orchestra performed “The Wind Returns for the Fairbrew,” a piece familiar to those who completed the event quest featuring the character Razor.
As we journeyed to Liyue, MPO had the audience cheering with excitement as they performed the ever-popular “Myriad of Lights,” evoking cherished memories of Genshin’s inaugural Lantern Rite event. The ensemble maintained the energy by performing some of the fans’ favourite tunes, including “Rex Incognito” (Zhongli’s theme), “Letter from Ajax” (Childe’s theme), and the epic boss battle music “Younk Lord,” which brought back memories of the struggles to defeat the 11th Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia for the first time.
MPO had us all on the edge of our seats during “Dance with the Great Vortex” and “Moment of Life or Death” before concluding the segment on the nation of Geo with “The Exquisite Night Chimes.” Travellers were then transported to the sombre atmosphere of Inazuma, a time when the nation was still under the Vision Hunt Decree. The audience was overjoyed when “Serene and Fathomless” (Ayato’s theme) began to play, followed by “Tsubaki in Thawing Snow.” The segment wouldn’t have been complete without the boss battle theme “Bane of Ambition,” the iconic piece associated with the fight against the Raiden Shogun.
As we moved on to Sumeru, many were moved to tears when the musicians began playing “A Dream of Falling Branches,” accompanied by the cutscene from the nation’s Archon Quest. The ensemble then had us swimming in a sea of dreams with “Boundless Bliss” (Nahida’s theme) and broke our hearts with “Ashes of Anupadhisesa” and “Of Solitude Past and Present” (Wanderer’s theme). As we’re nearing the end, MPO brought us to the Nation of Hydro, Fontaine, where they entertained us with upbeat pieces including “Secret Inside The Hat” (Lyney’s theme) and “Unofficial Operation” (Navia’s theme) before diving in to “Font of All Waters” (Neuvillette’s theme).
Goosebumps were felt and tears streamed down our eyes as the MPO played “Sinner’s Finale,” before perfectly concluding the segment with “All the World’s a Stage” (Furina’s theme). Just when we thought the show was over, the conductor returned to the stage and surprised us with a few pieces from the brand-new region of Natlan, including “Need a Hand” and “Anthem of the Savannah.”
Overall, the Genshin Impact concert was absolutely magnificent, leaving Travellers with a deeper appreciation for miHoYo’s composers who crafted the game’s music. We eagerly anticipate what next year’s show will bring, hoping for guest vocalists to perform some of the popular songs from the soundtrack.