WSO goes galactic with George Takei

There's music fromStar Trek and Star Wars and everything in between. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra takes off on a sci-fi flight of fancy with host George Takei, the original Mr. Sulu from Star Trek.

The program was put together by guest-conductor Jack Everly who will make his Winnipeg debut atthe helm of the orchestra this weekend.

SCENE caught up withEverlyon the edge of the universeto get some background onthe show:

What's it like working with George Takei as host?
George is such a delight and such a gentleman. He's one of the nicest people in the world to work with. He brings such a resonance to the whole evening.

In the second half, he recites the speech exactly as it was written forthe original The Day the Earth Stood Still from 1953. What he brings to that, with that magnificent voice of his, is even on a higher level than what the great British actor Michael Rennie brought to it.

In this day and age, especially when we have access to all these films, what our audiences actually enjoy is hearing this music that they know -- and they feel it's iconic and they understand the associations -- they hear it without the visuals and it's a revelation to them.- Jack Everly, conductor

In his first appearance, he basically comes out and kibitzes with the audience and with Kristen Plumley [guest soprano] and sets up the reason for the existence, as it were, of why Star Trek came to be and his experience with it. It's all improvised and it's reallyquite something to hear. Often it goes into uncharted territory so I never quite know what that opening banter is going to be.

How did you get introduced to the world ofsci-fi?
Science fiction for me as a kid was something I read a lot. I wasn't even that aware of the film and TV part of it until I sawTwilight Zone,Outer Limitsand the filmThe Day the Earth Stood Still. That was a big deal for me, it had a tremendous impact on me.

It was a combination of the brilliant writing of the script -- I was just riveted through the story because it's an allegory for so many things about the human race and the fear factor of the unknown. Then when that's combined with Bernard Hermann's music, it all came together for me.

What is the reaction of the audience to these concerts?
Ecstatic! Otherworldlysometimes.

Do people ever show up in costume?
All the time, they really do.We're always amazed at who shows up in what. Of course my favourite thing to watch is the observation of your,shall we say, 'ongoingconcert-goer' who suddenly finds himself sitting next to a StarshipTrooper or Princess Leiaor Dr. Spock. You never know.

What's your own favourite scene from a sci-fimovie?
I have so many, but one of my favourites has to be in ET, when the young boys are trying to save him and he's in the bicycle basket with the robe over him and they take off and just when you think all is for nought, they levitate and there's a marvellous image of them cycling in front of the full moon. And that is also in the music that we are going to play -- you hear it and you think, 'wow there it is!' The music is just as inspiring as the imagery in the film.

Just to be clear, there are no visuals in the concert, there are no film clips. Are people OKwith that? How do you translate these highly visual movies to the orchestra only?
In this day and age, especially when we have access to all these films, what our audiences actually enjoy is hearing this music that they know -- and they feel it's iconic and they understand the associations -- they hear it without the visuals and it's a revelation to them.

They hear it acoustically and they hear it on a large scale that only the live symphony orchestra can bring to it. We've never heard, 'oh gee, I wish there had been film clips.'We've never heard that, frankly.

To what do you attribute this fascination with sci-fi?
I think it's because of what is says about humanity and the possibilities for the future. I do believe at its core, thatis where the passion comes from, from its fans. It's become visionary, it's become inspiring and hopeful for the future, all the while pointing out perhaps not only the foibles of aliens but the foibles of humanity.

I think it's a marvellously inventive and fertile ground for storytelling and because of that, it's a marvellous reason for really great music.