Pacific Symphony's 2015 Summer Festival's Presents STAR TREK Tonight

Pacific Symphony's 2015 Summer Festival propels its audience across the universe, when it embarks on a thrilling and music-fueled adventure aboard the USS Enterprise for "Star Trek." On the big screen-boldly going where "no man has gone before"-is J.J. Abrams' 2009 blockbuster film starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as a young Captain Kirk and Spock in an alternate reality many years before the original television series. On stage, the Symphony performs Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino's epic score live, beneath the stars, providing the ideal backdrop for the intergalactic film. It's an immersive concert experience and the perfect evening for music lovers, film-goers, science-fiction fans and anyone who loves the cult films and television series-or wants to introduce them to someone new.

Principal Pops Conductor Richard Kaufman leads the orchestra in this symphonic night at the movies, which takes place tonight, Aug. 22, at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre (formerly Verizon Wireless Amphitheater). The film begins at 8 p.m. and guests are encouraged to pack a picnic and arrive at the venue as early as 6 p.m., dressed in their best "Star Trek" gear. Concert tickets range from $25 (lawn seating) to $107 (orchestra). For more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

"The music of Michael Giacchino is fun and exciting, and it brings the action to life in a very special way," says Maestro Kaufman. "I love the opportunity of presenting an entire film score live with music. It's certainly a challenge to recreate the original score in a live performance, both artistically and in terms of synchronization. It keeps everyone on their toes!

But most importantly, it gives the audience both a visual and audible experience that is unique and exciting as the film comes alive in a way that makes it feel brand new."

Abrams selected Giacchino to compose the scores for "Star Trek" and "Star Trek Into Darkness" (2013) after years working with him on the television shows "Alias" and "LOST." Abrams' first interest in Giacchino's music came from his years writing scores for video games, including "The Lost World: Jurrasic Park." Giacchino's credits feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including "The Incredibles," "Ratatouille," "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" and "The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." Giacchino's 2009 score for the Pixar hit "Up" earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics' Choice Award and two Grammy Awards. This summer, Giacchino has three major films in theaters: Disney's "Tomorrowland," Pixar's "Inside Out" and Universal's "Jurassic World."

"What an honor it is for me to be a part of the 'Star Trek' legacy," says Giacchino. "I was a huge fan of the series when I was a kid. For this opportunity, I must thank my friend and collaborator, J.J. Abrams, who made these films incredibly fun to work on. J.J.'s inspired new vision of the 'Star Trek' saga brought me immediately back to my childhood, as if I were watching Gene Roddenberry's brilliant creation for the first time on television. J.J. and I are among the lucky few who get to hear the world's most talented musicians bring a score like 'Star Trek' to life in person. But now that's all changed. For me, the most exciting aspect of the 'Star Trek' film with orchestra concerts is that audiences now have an opportunity to experience the films in a way that can't be replicated in their living rooms-with a full orchestra."

The original "Star Trek" series was created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966 amid the "space race" of the Kennedy era. Not only was the talented TV writer deeply inspired by the "new frontier," but he also made sure to develop characters and plots that shared his values of humanism, inclusiveness and tolerance. The crew aboard the starship Enterprise was fueled by faith in human goodness and the joy of discovery. Despite its short run of only three seasons on NBC, the show was syndicated and from there gathered a loyal following and zealous group of fans who call themselves "Trekkies." It spawned a wide array of cult films, cartoons, comics, novels and spin-off television shows.

The 2009 reboot being screened at the Symphony's concert is the 11th film of the "Star Trek" franchise. With a new cast, the film follows the original characters, James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, as they travel the universe to save the United Federation of Planets from the fearsome villain Nero. Serving as a prequel to the original series, the film allows audiences to experience the adventures of Captain Kirk and Spock before their glory days as protectors of the universe. It is the 23rd century: humans have contact with inhabitants of other planets, and several space crafts are assigned the responsibility of protecting the universe from outsiders and dangerous beings. The film depicts the themes of budding friendship in tough and threatening circumstances, as well as fighting for what is right.

Summer Festival 2015 is supported by the Orange County Register, Avenue of the Arts Wyndham Hotel and media sponsors K-Earth 101, KPCC, KUSC and PBS SoCal.

The film, "Star Trek," is licensed by Paramount Pictures.