DIRECTOR GINTS ZILBALODIS AND COMPOSER RIHARDS ZAĻUPE TO ATTEND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF FLOW IN CONCERT WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY

EXPERIENCE THE AWARD-WINNING ANIMATED MASTERPIECE WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2025, AT BENAROYA HALL 

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG

Seattle, WA – The Seattle Symphony is excited to announce that the visionary director and the acclaimed composer behind Oscar-winning animated Latvian film Flow, Gints Zilbalodis and Rihards Zaļupe, will be in attendance at the world premiere of Flow in Concert with the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall. Prior to the concert’s world premiere, Zilbalodis and Zaļupe will participate in a private Youth in Conversation panel for select teens and then following the concert, there will be an Ask the Artist panel for the audience in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.

“I’m incredibly excited for the Flow live orchestra experience! This is a story told without words, which means that music has a much more significant role than in most films,” said director Zilbalodis. “Flow started as a small and personal film to me but has found an incredible audience around the world, which has allowed us to put on a show that feels very special.”

“I am eagerly looking forward to the premiere of Flow in Concert with the Seattle Symphony, especially since both Gints and I will be present at the concert,” said composer Zaļupe. “This is a very significant event for me, for Gints and for all of Latvia. I have created a special acoustic instrumentation, where a very important role is played by a wide range of percussion and keyboard instruments, which will intertwine with the transcendent sound of strings and wind/brass instruments. It will be the same film, but a completely new experience. See you there.”

On Wednesday, September 10, at 7:30 p.m., audiences will experience a powerful fusion of cinema and live music as the Seattle Symphony, with Douglas F. King Associate Conductor Sunny Xia at the podium, performs the haunting, atmospheric score of Flow alongside a screening of the animated film.

Following the film’s world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and a historic win for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards, Flow has captivated audiences worldwide with its poetic, dialogue-free storytelling and singular visual style.

Flow’s plot follows a solitary cat navigating a post-apocalyptic world submerged in water. As it encounters other animals and the remains of a lost civilization, the film explores themes of loneliness, resilience and connection — with a uniquely meditative pace and stunning artistic detail.

Ticket Information

For more information on tickets, visit seattlesymphony.org or contact the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office. The Seattle Symphony Ticket Office is located in Benaroya Hall, at Third Avenue and Union Street. The Ticket Office can be reached by phone at 206.215.4747 during the following times: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

SUNNY XIA | CONDUCTOR

Recognized for her innate musicality, compelling presence and technical precision, conductor Sunny Xuecong Xia’s ability to forge an immediate and captivating connection with orchestras and audiences alike has led to engagements around the country. Xia began her position as the Assistant Conductor of the Seattle Symphony in September 2022 and has served as the Douglas F. King Associate Conductor since the start of the 2023/2024 season, a role she continues in the 2025/2026 season. She also takes on three new positions in the 2025/2026 season: Associate Conductor of the Seattle Opera, Principal Conductor of the Ozark Music Festival and Conducting Fellow of the San Diego Symphony. Recent engagements include performances with the San Diego Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Seattle Opera, Baltimore Symphony, New Jersey Symphony and Chandler Opera Theater. A dynamic advocate for contemporary music, Xia led the Seattle Symphony in works by Samuel Adams, Quinn Mason, Reena Esmail, Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, Bruce Ruddell, Gabriela Ortiz, Gabriella Smith, Paul Chihara, Tan Dun and others, as well as the world premiere of former Composer in Residence Angelique Poteat’s climate change-inspired Dear Humanity for Youth Chorus and Orchestra.

GINTS ZILBALODIS | DIRECTOR

Born on April 13, 1994, in Riga, Latvia, Gints Zilbalodis is a Latvian filmmaker, animator, and composer. He gained international recognition with his debut feature film, Away (2019), which he single-handedly wrote, directed, animated, and scored. The film won the Contrechamp Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. His second feature, Flow (2024), marked his first collaboration with a team of animators and was co-produced with studios from France and Belgium. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and went on to win several awards, including Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards and the 82nd Golden Globe Awards. Flow was notable for being the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award.

RIHARDS ZAĻUPE | COMPOSER

Rihards Zaļupe, born in 1983 in Talsi, Latvia, is an award-winning composer, producer and percussionist. He has a diverse portfolio that includes symphonies, sacred music, and film scores. Zaļupe has composed music for several internationally recognized films such as Flow (2024), The Pagan King (2018) and 1906 (2019). In addition to his composition work, Zaļupe has been a percussionist with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra for over 15 years, contributing to his extensive classical music background.

SEATTLE SYMPHONY 

Under the leadership of Music Director Xian Zhang, the Seattle Symphony unleashes the power of music, brings people together and lifts the human spirit. Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has won five Grammy Awards, 27 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 750,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts.

BENAROYA HALL

Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is located in downtown Seattle. Opened in 1998, Benaroya Hall is the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. It has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Benaroya Hall has three versatile performance venues, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall and Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, all renowned for their pristine acoustics, luxurious design and prime location. For additional information, including rental information, event listings and public tour schedules, please visit benaroyahall.org. 

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FLOW IN CONCERT WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Wednesday, September 10, at 7:30 p.m.

Sunny Xia conductor
Seattle Symphony

Sunny Xia’s position is generously underwritten as the Douglas F. King Associate Conductor.