CEDAR FALLS - "If ever, oh ever a Wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one because, because, because, because, … because of the wonderful things he does."

John Goberman is certainly a wizard in the eyes of music lovers and film buffs.

The Emmy award-winning, New York-based producer created "Oz With Orchestra," a unique presentation of the full-length beloved film classic "The Wizard of Oz," featuring live orchestral accompaniment. It has been presented by only a handful of Midwest venues since its premiere in 2005.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony's Spring Pops will feature the Iowa premiere of "Oz with Orchestra," at 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 25 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Audiences will see the digitally remastered "The Wizard of Oz" from start to finish projected on a cinema-sized screen suspended above the Great Hall stage. All of the film's dialogue and singing is done by the movie's stars, and the entire music soundtrack will be performed live by the symphony.

"I guess we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto."

For sure, because it's a completely unique symphony experience, Goberman said in a phone interview.

"It's fabulous. You can't get over the sound of the orchestra playing the music live with the gorgeous technicolor movie and Judy Garland singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' - it's a knock-out. It's such fun. You're experiencing a performance of the film, not a screening. All of the energy from the live orchestra … all those great songs … the audience has a great time."

Goberman is creator of the acclaimed "A Symphonic Night at the Movies" and produced the award-winning "Live at Lincoln Center" series. He created "Oz With Orchestra" by removing the musical soundtrack from the film while leaving the original voice audio intact. That takes a real wizard.

"It's a tricky thing to take the music off the film so what's left is untouched," Goberman said. "I also had Judy Garland's original 1939 recording sessions with orchestra, so her voice could be separated from the others. Then it became an issue of reconstructing the score. A miracle worker, John Wilson, listened to it and wrote it down for orchestra," he said.

The full orchestra, conducted by Music Director Jason Weinberger, will play entirely new transcriptions of Harold Arlen's lost scores. Weinberger conducted "Oz" with the Louisville (Ky.) symphony last year.

"I was really impressed and moved by the whole thing. Any opportunity to expose our WCFSO audience to this is a great one for us to take, so I didn't have to give it much thought. The fact that it's 'The Wizard of Oz' and it's a great classic Midwestern story, I thought that would be appropriate, as well," said Weinberger.

It's been a bit challenging for people to understand the Oz concept, Weinberger said. "Some people think we're just screening the film or showing scenes from the movie and playing a few songs or that there will be live vocalists singing the songs with the musicians. We're performing the entire movie soundtrack while the film is shown."

Goberman has been giving films the live orchestra treatment for some time, starting with "Alexander Nevsky," the 1938 Sergei Eisenstein film with music composed by Prokofiev. "The 'Wizard' was a perfect candidate, too, because there is so much great music in it. In many ways this film was built on the music - and the songs are fabulous," Goberman said.

Directed by Victor Fleming, the 1939 movie was a technical marvel for MGM studio in the late 1930s. Moviegoers were bowled over by the film's lush Technicolor scenes. The screenplay was based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," and featured Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, who is struck unconscious during a Kansas tornado. The farmhouse lands with a thud on the Wicked Witch of the East and Dorthy finds herself in Oz. She makes some unusual friends and an implacable enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants her sister's ruby slippers. The Good Witch Glinda puts the shoes on Dorothy's feet and sets her on the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, where the Wizard of Oz will help her return home.

Deleted scenes

A longer version of Ray Bolger's dance directed by Busby Burkley & Ray Bolger had some hilarious moments, but the scene was scrapped after a few preview showings. The clip is now available in its entire form on the 2000 Warner Bros. "The Wizard of Oz" DVD and video.

On the way to the Witch's castle, the Witch sent the Jitterbug after Dorothy and friends. The bug sent them in a dancing frenzy which weakened them against the Winged Monkeys. The film still includes an indication of the scene in which the Witch states, "I sent a little insect on ahead to take the fight out of them!" Clips from Harold Arlens' home videos are the only clips of the scene available to the public. The clips are on the 50th Anniversary Video release as well as the 2000 Warner Bros. Edition.

Dorothy was to sing another verse of "Over the Rainbow" while prisoner of the Witch, but it was so sad it was scrapped. It is unknown if clips exist.

A reprise of "Ding-Dong, the Witch is Dead" was sung as the heroes parade through the Emerald City. Footage for this scene no longer exists.

Blooper reel

Like most movies, "The Wizard of Oz" has its share of bloopers. See if you can spot one of these:

After the witch leaves Munchkinland, Glinda knocks her wand into her crown.

After slapping the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy uses Toto to cover her face to conceal her giggles.

The Tin Man breaks a flowerpot to make a crown for the Lion, but when the flowerpot crown is dropped, it doesn't break.

Just after the apple tree begins throwing apples at Dorothy and the Scarecrow, watch Dorothy's feet. For just a second you'll see her wearing black shoes, not the ruby slippers she's supposed to be wearing.

After the Tin Man puts out the Scarecrow, who has been set on fire by the witch, the Tin Man and Dorothy are talking and she's clutching Toto. When the camera angle changes to Dorothy's line, "I feel like I've known you all along," Toto has vanished.

Source: Slipups.com, moviemistakes.com

Contact Melody Parker at (319) 291-1429 or melody.parker@wcfcourier.com.