|
 |
|
Photo courtesy of Indianopolis Symphony Orchestra |
|
 |
|
|
BALTIMORE — Universes will collide when BSO Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra SuperPops and an all-star vocal ensemble in iconic works from “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “Superman” and “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,” Jan. 17 at the Music Center at Strathmore and Jan. 18 through 20 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.
Symphony audiences rarely see a conductor using a light saber for a baton, singers donning “Star Trek” apparel, transporter beam special effects or a dazzling laser light show, but the Sci-Fi Spectacular will have all these thematic elements.
The cast includes narrator George Takei, who played Mr. Sulu in Star Trek for 41 years, Broadway tenor Mike Eldred and soprano Kristen Plumley, backed by the Scifi-ettes choral ensemble.
The show is designed to appeal to fans of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001), “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” (1999), “Somewhere in Time” (1980), “Close Encounters of the
Third Kind” (1972), “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (1951). Science fiction television shows are also included in a piece especially created for this show. Everly arranged “Lost in Syndication,” a medley of science fiction television show theme songs pulling from “The X-Files,” “The Jetsons,” “Twilight Zone,” “Lost in Space,” “Outer Limits” and “Stargate.” The king of science fiction soundtracks, John Williams, composed eight of 14 works featured in this program.
George Takei will take a break from his busy acting schedule to narrate these performances with the BSO. Takei, best known for his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in the acclaimed television and film series “Star Trek,” has more than 30 feature films and hundreds of television guest-starring roles to his credit. Takei currently appears on NBC-TV’s prime time show “Heroes” as Kaito Nakamura.
Takei received a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame in 1986 and he placed his signature and hand print in the forecourt of the landmark Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood in 1991.
Among his credits is a music industry accolade — a 1987 Grammy nomination in the “Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Recording” category. Takei’s distinctive voice is featured in Walt Disney Pictures’ full-length animated features “Mulan” and “Mulan II,” Star Trek audio novel recordings, Fox Television’s “The Simpsons” and “Futurama,” and in numerous voiceovers and narrations.
Takei has been a guest narrator for several symphony orchestras. In November 2004, he narrated Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” with the Honolulu Symphony conducted by Samuel Wong. He has narrated Johan de Meij’s “The Lord of the Rings Symphony” with the Long Island Philharmonic and other orchestras, all conducted by David Warble.
After beaming down to the stage in full Star Trek apparel, Takei will act out famous speeches from selected films as well as additional narration on the program.
Audiences are also encouraged to “dress the part.”
Tickets for these concerts range from $15 to $84 and are available through the BSO ticket office, 877-BSO-1444 or 410-783-8000, or BSOmusic.org.
|
