"Star Trek: Into Darkness" showing at Royal Albert Hall in London.
A Star Trek performance at Royal Albert Hall in London. Courtesy photo.

Want to get inside a Star Trek movie and actually be there when the live music is played that for everyone else is heard as the film’s soundtrack? This weekend is your chance.

“Star Trek: Live in Concert” is landing in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. with a screening of “Star Trek Into Darkness” accompanied by the San Antonio Symphony’s live performance of composer Michael Giacchino’s thrilling musical score.

“Star Trek into Darkness,” director J.J. Abrams’ most recent blockbuster hit in the Star Trek franchise, will be performed “live to picture” by the orchestra.

“The orchestra will play the soundtrack as the film is showing, so the final product the patron will experience is the entire movie with the dialogue, the action, and the music – but the difference is the music is performed live,” said David Gross, president of the San Antonio Symphony.

The composer, Giacchino, is best known for creating scores for films including “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “Jupiter Ascending.” In 2006, he scored J.J. Abrams’ first feature film, “Mission: Impossible III,” and continued to work with him on “Cloverfield,” “Star Trek,” and “Super 8.”

Hear him talk about his work, his team and his early interest in Star Trek here:

The process of writing music for a film can be quite intensive. Typically the composer studies the final edit of the movie to coordinate the music he is composing with the action of the film, and then he scores it so that the instrumentation of the orchestra will highlight the action or the emotion taking place in the film, Gross explained.

Musicians will be wearing a click track, or an electronic metronome, throughout the performance, that is synchronized with the movie, and the conductor, Constantine Kitsopoulos, will use a monitor on display in front of him to keep time with the score.

“It’s a complicated process, but the end result is impressive, and the music is great music,” Gross said. “I think that for people who either normally do not attend the symphony concert or who want to experience the symphony in a different way, these performances resonate with a younger generation that will go and walk away saying they had a positive experience with the Symphony.

“We want the San Antonio Symphony to make it accessible to as many people as possible,” Gross said.

As part of the fun, the Symphony invites guests to come dressed as their favorite Starfleet crew member.

The “live to picture” action film will be featured in high-definition as the young Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise track down an indestructible rogue terrorist and, in the process, uncover a secret plot to militarize Starfleet and engage in all-out war with the Klingon Empire.

A screenshot from the film, "Star Trek: Into Darkness."
A screenshot from the film, “Star Trek: Into Darkness.” Photo credit of the Star Trek Live in Concert franchise.

“Star Trek: Into Darkness” is one of two movie scores performed by the San Antonio Symphony, in addition to “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” that was very popular with concertgoers. The symphony will be playing “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II” next April, Gross said.

The San Antonio Symphony attended the Alamo City Comic Con this year to promote the Star Trek concert and is partnering with the Majestic Theatre to present and market it and other presentations.

Guests may want to purchase the Special VIP Experience to enjoy prime seating, a post-concert conversation with the conductor back stage, a “Star Trek: Into Darkness” poster and a chance to win autographed memorabilia signed by Giacchino. The VIP Experience is $150.

For box office and group sales information, click here.

Visit the San Antonio Symphony website for more information about “Star Trek Into Darkness” at www.sasymphony.org. Visit the Majestic Theatre website for more information about tickets here.

UPDATE: Rivard Report reader Will Maney has won two VIP tickets to this Friday’s show. Have fun, Will.

The Rivard Report is giving away a pair of VIP Experience tickets for the Friday evening performance. To enter, leave a comment on this story telling us who your favorite Star Trek character is – from any movie or television series. Be sure to provide your full name and email address in the correct fields. The Symphony will have the winners’ tickets available at will call, which concertgoers can pick up by providing a first and last name and photo ID.

*Featured/top image: A Star Trek performance at Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo credit of the Star Trek Live in Concert franchise.

Related stories:

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San Antonio Symphony Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Something Monday Goes to the Majestic & Empire: Where the Stars Leave Their Mark

WICKEDly Good Show at the Majestic 

Hidden Treasures: Backstage Murals at the Majestic

Katherine Nickas was born in San Antonio near Fort Sam Houston but grew up in southern Indiana. In 2007, she began working for Indiana AgriNews where she covered topics ranging from corn and soybean production...

39 replies on ““Star Trek Into Darkness:” A Musical Voyage at the Majestic Theatre”

  3. I love this movie. Although I love all the characters, especially in the new one, my favorite would have to be the new Sulu (John Cho). He has a fricken futuristic swords, does martial arts, and cooly takes command of the ship at a moments notice, then he decides to go down with the captain like it’s no big deal.

  5. I wasn’t sure I’d like the Star Trek reboot, but I love it! Great casting and interpretations of the original characters. I love Spock (who doesn’t?), but I also think Uhura kicks some serious butt! I’d love to introduce my son to Star Trek if we go– gotta pass this obsession onto the next generation 🙂

  9. My wife listens to this soundtrack all the time. The music is amazing. Lt. Chekhov is awesome in the reboot movies – I’ll put him as my favorite.

  11. Favorite character: Nyota Uhura!

    Her character is of historical significance in the scifi genre, she’s a smart intelligent human being, and a key player in ensuring the crew in the USS Enterprise is forever safe.

  22. Spock is my favorite. I related to him as someone who doesn’t quite fit in but has a lot to offer. As an openly gay man seeing an openly gay man play Spock, I was so extatic!

  26. I always liked Scotty. There were quite a few stories with him that I enjoyed. Then when I graduated from Architecture school James Doohan, who played Scotty in the original series, was a guest speaker. He told some hilarious stories about the cast and crew. Simon Pegg is playing Scotty in the new incarnation and he is doing a great job.

  30. Data. His personal quest to understand humanity reminded us what we must do to cultivate our own.

  32. Favorite character: the omnipotent Q. Once the writers started having fun with the character in the third season of TNG, he became someone to look forward to. H/T to John DeLancie for his portrayal. Best appearance: “Déjà Q” where he lost his powers and was trying to convince the bridge crew of it:

    Capt. Picard: Return that moon to its orbit.
    Q: I have no powers! Q, the ordinary.
    Capt. Picard: Q the liar! Q the misanthrope!
    Q: Q the miserable, Q the desperate! What must I do to convince you people?
    Lieutenant Worf: Die.
    Q: Oh, very clever, Worf. Eat any good books lately?

  35. Sulu, original Star Trek series, got to meet George Takei at this years Comic Con, it was awesome! Love all incarnations of Star Trek, they’re my bonding moments with my Dad 🙂

  36. “Bones” McCoy has to be my favorite. His back and forth discussions with Kirk and Spock were some classics!

  37. I would have to say my favorite character is Spock! Although Star Trek as a whole is just amazing.I would love to win these tickets and surprise my husband who is a huge Star trek fan. He has been working so hard for us and I would love to surprise him with a night out to see this amazing experience. Plus It would make me the Best wife ever.

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