Imagine a staid, formal conductor approaching his orchestra. See him raising his elegant baton in anticipation of the strings and brass section taking hold of the audience. Hear the audience take in a quick breath of anticipation. Feel the sensation when a hard, electric guitar takes over and rocks the expectations of the crowd. Experience Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Frank Erwin Center, Monday December 19.

Developed in 1996 by Paul O’Neill, Trans-Siberian Orchestra combines the elegance and emotion of the symphony with the edge and soul of rock music. Using not only intensely powerful music to grab the audience, Trans-Siberian Orchestra brings a whole light and pyrotechnic show to the stage. The smell of sulfur and powder is not just for the benefit of those lucky enough to grab a seat up front; the sheer amount used momentarily stuns the senses of all in the room. The laser light shows are known to open up the performance to the delight of all watching with fog machines pumping out the atmosphere for most of the show.

In addition to the light show, the fog and the music, there will also be the much anticipated performers who bring the whole experience to life. Two performers who are scheduled to appear in Austin are Guy LeMonnier and Anna Phoebe.

Guy LeMonnier is a vocal artist who has been a part of Trans-Siberian Orchestra since 1999 and performed for several seasons in the Christmas Eve & Other Stories tour. He can also be heard on the Beethoven’s Last Night album. LeMonnier, no stranger to the stage, has been performing since his freshman year of high school and has appeared in a large variety of off-Broadway plays such as The Prince and the Pauper and The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Anna Phoebe is a world renowned rock violinist, known for her custom bright pink 6-string Violectra (electric violin). Born in Germany in 1981, she moved to the UK at the age of seven and soon began to show an unusual aptitude for music. She has performed all over the world, including being involved in events such as P. Diddy’s 35th birthday celebration in New York City. The Winter Tour 2005 will be Anna’s second year with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. She was signed on last year as Solo Violinist and String Master and toured with them for three months all around the world.