MSO | Jurassic Park in Concert
23rd April 2026, Hamer Hall, Melbourne, VIC
The Occasion
The weekend of 25th April 2026 was devoted to honouring and remembering history — the service and sacrifice of those ANZACs who gave everything so that we might enjoy a quality of life and freedom that, in troubled times, remain the envy of the world. Remembrance and humility are qualities Spielberg communicates compellingly in his dinosaur-versus-man thriller. The giant of Hollywood warns us of the dangers inherent in human arrogance and in ignoring the lessons of the past. Thus, on Thursday night at Hamer Hall, an atypical MSO audience arrived for their share of thrills.
Dinosaur Franchise
The Jurassic Park franchise began in 1993 with Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel. Its blend of animatronics and early CGI revolutionised visual effects and set a new standard for blockbuster filmmaking. The original film’s success led to sequels, including The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. After a hiatus, the series was revived with Jurassic World, launching a new trilogy that expanded themes of corporate exploitation and genetic power. Across decades, the franchise has evolved technologically and narratively, remaining a cultural touchstone in science fiction cinema.
Demise of the Fossil – A New Dawn
The undeniable truth is that for the orchestra, the concert hall, and the theatre — those once-conventional, fossilised artistic disciplines — to survive, evolve, and attract Gen Z, a conceptual reset is required. Smartphones, cable, social media, and AI now dominate the young person’s social, intellectual, and spiritual life. Endless interaction and fascination — all without leaving one’s bedroom — precede even gaming and e-sports.
Steve Jobs not only revolutionised how we communicate, learn, perceive and entertain ourselves, but did so with remarkable speed and minimal effort. These are, after all, the concertgoers of tomorrow. The question remains: how do we incentivise them to put away their smart distractions and attend a live performance? Once Jobs, Gates, Musk, and others released the genie from the bottle, there has been little appetite to return it.
Which brings us to the nub of tonight’s event: a large screen filled with familiar, populist imagery, while the MSO was, at times, overshadowed in competition with a T-Rex. This may not be the solution — but it is an attempt. An attempt to redefine function and relevance within a rapidly shifting society. The demographic of the audience tonight offered no definitive conclusions as to whether a new audience is being cultivated. The challenge of youth engagement — and the success or failure of its solutions — will determine the future role and relevance of the arts in a world of constant, irreversible change.
The Performance
A rollicking, rambunctious MSO ploughed into a John Williams score rich in powerful thematic material, expertly crafted orchestration, and a masterful balance of suspense, tension, release and shock. The stage, overflowing with additional brass and percussion, proved an equal match for the enduring visceral impact of Spielberg’s imagery and storytelling.
Nicholas Buc, at the helm, clearly relished both the hurly-burly machismo and the subtle nuance of the score, while managing the demanding, multi-disciplinary task of synchronising music to film with frame-by-frame precision. He cajoled and shaped a punchy, resilient, and enthusiastically responsive orchestra. The result: a white-knuckle ride of thrills, spills and palaeontological frolics.
Nicholas Buc – Biography
Nicholas Buc is an Australian conductor, arranger and composer renowned for his versatility across classical, film and popular repertoire. A frequent collaborator with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, he is especially recognised for conducting large-scale film-with-orchestra productions, including live screenings of major Hollywood scores. Buc studied at the University of Melbourne and has built an international reputation for his dynamic podium style and meticulous preparation. In addition to conducting, he is an accomplished orchestrator and educator, working with ensembles across Australia and abroad. His engaging approach and broad musical range have made him a prominent figure in Australia’s orchestral scene.
An Unrecognisable Audience
The demographic, physicality, dress code, and responses of this audience were novel, almost unrecognisable to the “usual” MSO attendees. Clearly unfamiliar with classical repertoire and its acquired protocols, the crowd, more akin to the terraces of Australia’s great sporting arenas, embraced their role with raucous enthusiasm.
This was an audience that wanted to have fun. They wished to participate, to show their appreciation. It was the lure of dinosaurs and cinematic thrills that activated their credit cards, not the MSO’s mastery of Mahler or Richard Strauss.
This younger, more economically and professionally diverse crowd serves as a signpost to how institutions might respond to an uncertain, AI-driven future. The dinosaurs belong to the past; AI, as a prominent New York Times journalist observes, belongs emphatically to the present. Tonight, this audience revelled in the convergence of both. Fun and frolics prevailed.
