Borgarting refuses German Star to hold concerts with adapted music from the Harry Potter films in Norway. They also have to pay compensation for concerts that have been held.
Right now
German Star entertainment has for several years toured the world with the concert “The Magical Music of Harry Potter – Live in Concert”, where an orchestra performs adapted music from the Harry Potter films. Previously, they have also held concerts in Norway, including in the Oslo Concert Hall and in the Grieghallen in Bergen in November 2021.
In February last year, the Oslo District Court gave Warner Bros. Entertainment agreed that two of these concerts, which were to be held in March of the same year, should be stopped temporarily. The reason was that Warner believed that Star does not have the right to perform edited versions of the music from the Harry Potter films, which Warner has exclusive rights to.
The concerts were later cancelled.
In November last year, however, the district court concluded that Star can hold concerts with the film music from Harry Potter in Norway, but the judgment was appealed.
On Wednesday, the Borgarting Court of Appeal came to the opposite conclusion:
“The Court of Appeal has come to the conclusion that Star’s performance of musical works from the Harry Potter films during the concerts “The Magical Music of Harry Potter” infringes Warner’s copyright, and that Warner’s claim for a ban on performance and for compensation under the Copyright Act is upheld.”
The reason is that Star has made a number of changes to the original music, which the Court of Appeal agrees with Warner that infringes copyright.
In addition to the ban, Star is ordered to pay Warner NOK 882,794 in compensation, which is the net profit Star was left with after the concerts in Oslo Concert Hall and Grieghallen in November 2021.
It has not been reported that Star has plans to hold more Harry Potter concerts in Norway.
Published: May 24, 2023 6:15 p.m
