Neal Conan, host of NPR’s “”Talk of the Nation,”” and Celtic band Ensemble Galilei will perform their multimedia work “”Universe of Dreams”” this Friday at Centennial Hall.

A massive projected backdrop of high-resolution images from the Hubble Space Telescope will accompany music from Ensemble Galilei and various readings spoken by Conan.

“”It is something that is unique, the meshing of the music and the images and the language is extraordinary. When it works right … it’s magic,”” Conan said in a phone interview.

Working with the musicians and a live audience is something that has been a unique experience, he said. The whole performance has been a collaborative effort between Ensemble Galilei and Conan.

The literary works have a wide range, from the poetry of Stanley Kunitz and Shakespeare to Navajo creation myths to the more bizarre prose of Monty Python.

Conan has worked with Ensemble Galilei on other projects, including a show titled “”First Person: Stories from the Edge of the World,”” which was produced using the National Geographic archives. The group also plans to work together to produce a new show called “”First Person: Seeing America”” using the photography collection from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The show will premiere at the Met in October 2010.

The Friday performance is likely to sweep audiences away, Conan said.

“”It’s so much more than the sum of its parts,”” Conan said. “”It really works together beautifully.””

— Kellie Mejdrich

IF YOU GO

Centennial Hall

Friday, 8 p.m.

$15 for UA students, faculty and staff

$20 – $40 for general public