Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton Discuss ‘The Enchanted Symphony’

Bay Street Theater will host a discussion with Julie Andrews and her daughter (and Bay Street Theater co-founder) Emma Hamilton Walton followed by a moderated Q&A on the prerelease of their collaborative book “The Enchanted Symphony.” The event will take place at Bay Street Theater on Sunday, September 10, at 3 p.m. Preautographed copies of the book will be available at the event or may be purchased in advance with tickets.

“The Enchanted Symphony” is authored by the beloved Golden Globe, Emmy, and Oscar winner Julie Andrews and her award-winning writer, producer and arts educator daughter Emma Walton Hamilton, who together have co-authored more than 30 bestselling children’s books. The book is published by Abrams Books for Young Readers imprint, and illustrated by internationally recognized paper artist Elly MacKay.

During the height of COVID-19, Andrews and Walton Hamilton, like so many across the world, turned to nature to seek the beauty and inspiration lost with the closing of museums, theaters and live music venues. They were inspired to write “The Enchanted Symphony” after learning about “Concert for the Biocene” at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, in which the UceLi string quartet performed for an audience of 2,292 plants — one in every seat in the hall — as a celebration of the value of art, music and theater.

In “The Enchanted Symphony,” a lively village is beset by a mysterious fog. The town turns dull and silent; melancholy neighbors stop visiting each other and no longer go outside … until one day, when a boy’s simple melody for a most unusual audience strikes a chord, reminding everyone of what matters most — even in the darkest of times. This powerful picture book is a hopeful fairy tale that celebrates the simple pleasures of nature and music that genuinely bring us together.

Tickets for the event are $25 per seat (no book), $45 per seat including a preautographed copy of the book, and $150 per seat include a signed book with $80 going toward Bay Street Theater’s Outreach Program, which will cover costs for those who may not be able to afford the cost to attend. Tickets are available at baystreet.org or by calling the box office at 631-725-9500. Bay Street Theater is on Long Wharf in Sag Harbor.