The opening song from the 1992 animated film Aladdin, “Arabian Nights,” is one of the classic pieces in the Disney catalogue. Now you can enjoy that nostalgia hit listening to the iconic theme while also being amazed by Lina Kuipers’ fresh orchestral take on it. The Dutch conductor from Utrecht brought together an amazingly talented orchestra and choir to perform the song, which made the cover quite the hit on YouTube.
Kuipers began by playing a trumpet melody before moving to take the lead as conductor. Julius de Bruin then totally stole the show with his vocals, singing the lyrics as performed by the Peddler character. The orchestra combined classical instruments with rock and pop instruments, creating a dense arrangement which was the perfect platform for de Bruin to shine on the mic. As the song progressed, the choir took a greater part in the arrangement, and then began a vocal interplay with de Bruin.
Fans online were loving the orchestral arrangement and added comments such as “I don’t know why but this is amazing! I’m here listening to this almost every day. Good job!” and “Everyone is so fantastic – it’s hard to believe. The solo narrator and singer, the ensemble singers, the perfect and enthusiastic orchestra, and the best and clearest possible conductor! I really enjoyed this!”
Kuipers arranged the performance as well as conducted it, while the ODM Conservatory Utrecht performed the music and vocals. The inspired cover was quite popular on YouTube, gaining 1.3 million views after Kuipers uploaded it on July 5, 2023. The Broadway cast of Aladdin also scored a hit on YouTube with their live performance of “Friend Like Me” on Good Morning America.
The music and lyrics for “Arabian Nights” were written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, respectively, for Disney’s 1992 animated film Aladdin. A performance of the song by the Peddler, who was voiced by Bruce Adler, opened the movie.
Menken and Ashman wrote several reprises of “Arabian Nights,” but they did not make it into the final cut of Aladdin. An alternate version of the song, which featured some of the unused lyrics from the original demo, did, however, make its way into the soundtrack of the 1994 Disney film The Return of Jafar.
“Arabian Nights” has featured in a total of four feature films, with its most recent appearance being the 2019 Disney live-action Aladdin. The song has also featured in several television shows, attractions, and video games.
If you would like to hear more from Lina Kuipers, you can subscribe to her YouTube Channel for more incredible music.