The Scene In and Around Boston . . . The Boston Pops Opening Night 125th Anniversary Concert on May 4 featured guest soloists, Broadway sensation Idina Menzel, legendary trumpeter Doc Severinsen, and pianist Michael Chertock, celebrating the orchestra's rich tradition of performing an innovative blend of great music, from beloved classics to cutting-edge contemporary favorites. Symphony Hall was festively transformed for the evening, with giant balloon arches at the main entrance, a huge "125" on top of the marquee to commemorate the anniversary milestone, accent lighting on the exterior of the building to illuminate Symphony Hall's distinctive architecture and a special red carpet leading from the Massachusetts Avenue sidewalk up the stairway to the main lobby. In addition to "Isabella Stewart Gardner" arriving via a horse-drawn carriage, conductor Keith Lockhart and Peter Fiedler, son of conductor Arthur Fiedler, also made a grand entrance, but from an antique fire truck reminiscent of the legendary maestro's early days with the orchestra. The concert's opening highlighted the extraordinary legacy of Arthur Fiedler (Pops Conductor 1930-79), the Pops' maestro for nearly half a century. One of the most beloved figures in Boston music history, he put the Pops on the map beginning in the 1930s. The program continued under the direction of Keith Lockhart with a series of musical selections that showcased the distinctive contributions of conductor/composer John William (Pops Conductor, 1980-93). Mr. Williams is one of America's most accomplished and successful composers for film, and this section of the concert featured the orchestra in some of the special arrangements of the great movie scores he brought to life for Pops audiences. Doc Severinsen, the longtime trumpeter, bandleader, and irreverent sidekick on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson," made a special appearance. He is one of the very few performers to have collaborated with all three of the evening's tribute conductors. Keith Lockhart (Pops Conductor 1994-present) led the program's grand finale, which highlighted the Pops' present-day accomplishments and provided a lighthearted glimpse into what the future may hold for "America's Orchestra." Multiple Tony Award-winning actress/vocalist Idina Menzel was the soloist for this portion of the program. For current information about the "125th Boston Pops Anniversary Season," visit www.bostonpops.org.
Dennis Lehane is Honorary Event Chair for June 4th BPL Fundraiser Boston native and best-selling author Dennis Lehane is the Honorary Event Chair of the upcoming fundraiser, "Support the Boston Public Library," sponsored by the Boston Public Library Foundation on Friday, June 4 in the National Historic Landmark Building in Copley Square. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. with "Cocktails in the Courtyard" followed by a dinner/program in Bates Hall. Throughout the evening guests can enjoy guided art and architectural tours of the McKim Building as well as view the "Away We Go!" vintage travel poster exhibition. Desserts, a Jazz Lounge and dancing with the BPL's Young Professionals can be enjoyed until 12:30 a.m. The event chairs are Diane Cataldo, Roberta and Dr. Lawrence H. Cohn, Cynthia Dareshori, and Amy and Paul Kraft. The large committee includes Zamawa Arenas, Catherine Luchini Gerson, Susan Glover, Lynne Kortenhaus, Andrew Marconi, Ed Quinones, Holly Safford, Jacquie and Ira Stepanian, and Janet Wu - to name a very few. Among the many sponsors are WBUR, Staples, Boston Duck Tours, Martignetti Companies, The Red Sox Foundation and Table & Tulip Floral Design. Proceeds will enable the BPL Foundation to continue to support the Library in offering programs such as the award-winning Homework Assistance Program, as well as sponsor special exhibitions at the Central Library in Copley Square and neighborhood public library branches.. For ticket information, call Daria McLean, Director of Development at 617-247-8980 or email info@bplf.com. Reservations must be made by May 26. Incidentally, the golden age of travel is brought to colorful life in the new exhibition of vintage travel posters at the BPL. "Away We Go!" invites visitors to journey back to the early twentieth century via some of the most beautiful and important travel posters from the BPL's collection. Along the way, extraordinary, eye-catching posters are vivid reminders of the beauty, excitement, and adventure of travel during the 1920s-1950s, when a world of enticing destinations and new modes of transportation beckoned onlookers to journey to distant lands. Visitors will be able to create personal, take-away versions of their own travel posters and can browse a special, travel-related book section located within the exhibition. In addition, the prints featured in "Away We Go!" are available in digital form along with the entire group of 350 posters in the BPL's travel poster collection. The Boston Public Library's complete collection of travel posters is available on the library's Flickr page with a link from www.bpl.org. "Away We Go!" is free and open to the public at the Central Library, located at 700 Boylston Street in Copley Square. Enjoy! |
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In addition to events covered and reported by the columnist, "The Scene..."
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Among the special guests at the festive Boston Pops Opening Night was "Isabella Stewart Gardner" (the lovely arts-and-entertainment reporter Joyce Kulhawik in a John Singer Sargent pose), who arrived at Symphony Hall via a horse-drawn carriage. (Photo by Hilda M. Morrill)