CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries is as beloved as it is extensive. As the show ramps up for its 18th season, it will also be gracing fans in Halifax with a special evening celebrating the show’s legacy.
Murdoch Mysteries in Concert is being held at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium on Friday and Saturday Sep. 27 and 28, starting at 7:30pm. The concert features a look back on the series’ music and how it came to be, with a special screening of the music-centric episode “Murder in F Major” including an orchestral backing from Symphony Nova Scotia, conducted by Lucas Waldin.
“The first half of the program is a bit of a tour through a background on the series, a little bit of me dissecting what it is exactly we do when we create music for TV and film,” says the series’ Emmy-nominated longtime composer Robert Carli in an interview with The Coast. “So, we actually play scenes without music, and then we slowly build a cue with an orchestra, which is really exciting.”
Joining Carli as the evening’s host is Thomas Craig, who plays Inspector Thomas Brackenreid on the show. Craig will walk the audience through the night of music and will be available for a meet and greet after the screening, which requires a separate ticket. Craig will also be singing a special number from the show, though Craig and Carli want to leave the specifics to surprise.
Murdoch’s Symphony
This is far from the first time Murdoch Mysteries has had the symphonic treatment. Carli says the idea came to fruition in 2022, and has since been presented across the country. From his experience, it’s always been a crowd-pleaser, but the concerts have also become a highlight for those involved.
“It’s a real thrill,” says Carli. “I mean, to have your music performed by an orchestra, even in a studio, is exciting. To do it in front of a live audience is a really, really rare treat. I think it’s worth noting that these kinds of concerts are really reserved typically for huge Hollywood blockbuster studio films like Star Wars and Superman. For a Canadian television show to have the privilege of presenting in this fashion is unprecedented, and I feel very fortunate.”
Craig agrees with Carli, finding that the concert has really brought him back to the days of stage acting, in a way.
“For me as an actor, it’s fantastic,” says Craig. “I’ve done quite a lot of stage work, but I’ve not really been on stage since the back end of 2019, just prior to COVID, so this has given me a little taste of being back on stage again.”
They're both particularly excited to visit Halifax: a place where Carli has visited, but Craig’s never been.
“To come and perform there this time of year, you know, it’s beautiful,” says Carli. “I have friends out in Halifax and I’ll be doing a little touring around Sunday after the show, just because I love it so much out there.”
“Murder in F Major”
The episode being screened during the event is particularly music-focused, centring around the formation of a symphony orchestra in Victorian-era Toronto.
“One of the interesting things about this particular show is that there’s often music on-camera, on film that we hear, but it will be played live by the orchestra, so it’s kind of a cool meta experience that you’re hearing and seeing—an orchestra live on stage, but you’re also seeing an orchestra on screen,” explains Carli.
This format leads to creative decisions that help to immerse the audience, such as the band tuning their instruments while it’s happening on screen, or the sounds of musicians warming up which wasn’t captured in the studio while the show was being filmed.
Tickets for the concert can be found on Symphony Nova Scotia’s website. A special meet and greet with Thomas Craig is set to happen after the concerts, with tickets for that available via Eventbrite.
The new season of Murdoch Mysteries is set to premiere Sep. 30 on CBC Gem and will air on television Oct. 7.
