"Exterminate! Exterminate!" If those words, delivered with a distinctly sinister and metallic twang, don't mean anything to you then news of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in February 2012 probably won't have any effect on you. If you recognise them however, then a thrill of anticipation is already coursing through your veins and the news is quite literally music to your ears.
Based on the hugely successful BBC Doctor Who Proms of 2008 and 2010, the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular will feature the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra playing music from the last two seasons written by musical director and multi-award winning composer Murray Gold, who's been with the series since 2005. In that time he has created new arrangements of the familiar TV theme and composed many musical themes for recurring characters, including the Eleventh Doctor and his sidekick Amy Pond, as well as favourite foes like the Daleks, The Silence and Silurians.
The concerts won't just be a presentation of Gold's sometimes orchestral, sometimes electronic but always haunting music. While the full repertoire for the Spectacular has yet to be announced the BBC Proms also featured other suitably galactic or stirring works such as Gustav Holst's The Planets and Wagner's The Ride of the Valkyries. It is certain though that the Doctor and friends will be appearing on the big screen and that the Cybermen and Daleks will be among the live monsters along for this musical ride. The Orchestra will be conducted by Ben Foster, who also conducted the BBC Proms, and will feature Melbourne's own Concordis Chamber Choir with Andrew Hunter as choir master, counter tenor Tobias Cole and soprano Antoinette Halloran.
Date: Saturday 4 February 2012 Concerts: 2 performances - 2pm and 7pm Duration: 2 hours Venue: Plenary Hall, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Prices: Adults - from $49 to $139; Concession - from $29 to $79; or Family (2 adults & 2 children) - from $125 to $285. Tickets: Available through Ticketmaster here; by calling 1300 723038; or at The MSO Box Office, 3 Driver Lane Melbourne (behind GPO).
Doctor Who is loved by millions of fans around the world, and the current protaganists - Matt Smith as the eleventh regeneration of the world's favourite humanoid alien, and Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill as his trusty time-travelling companions, Amy Pond and Rory Williams - have proven very popular. I know this is slightly off-topic but I do have a question for all you fanatical followers. If Star Trek fans are Trekkies what do you call Doctor Who fans? Are they Whobies? Whoots? (probably not - makes them sound like owls). Whosters? If someone can fill me in I'd be grateful. In the meantime mark Saturday 4 February 2012 in your astral calendars, keep your TARDIS primed and steer clear of Weeping Angels. It'd be a shame to miss it.
