FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Friday, February 6, 2009

TICKETS GO ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC FEBRUARY 23

SEASON HIGHLIGHTED BY POPS’ NEW CD RELEASE,
THE RED SOX ALBUM

KEITH LOCKHART OPENS HIS 15TH SEASON WITH FESTIVE MAY 6 GALA
FEATURING LEGENDARY PERFORMER BARBARA COOK
JOHN WILLIAMS LEADS POPULAR FILM NIGHT
MICHAEL FEINSTEIN PRESENTS THE SINATRA PROJECT
LINDA EDER SINGS SONGS OF JUDY GARLAND

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE SPECIAL TRIBUTES TO THE
APOLLO 11 MOON LANDING, BALLETS RUSSES, RICHARD RODGERS, BENNY GOODMAN, BILLY JOEL, HARRY ELLIS DICKSON, AND AMERICA’S NATIONAL PASTIME, BASEBALL

GOSPEL NIGHT AND JOHN PIZZARELLI BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
LET’S DANCE SEASON FINALE

BOSTON POPS’ 2009 SEASON AND OPENING NIGHT
SPONSORED BY FIDELITY INVESTMENTS

In his 15th year as Conductor of the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart returns to the podium for the orchestra’s 124th season, May 6-June 21. The season is highlighted by the launch of the Pops’ brand-new Red Sox Album, produced in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox and Major League Baseball, and scheduled for release on Monday, April 6, the opening day of the Red Sox season.  Continuing the season theme, America’s Favorite Pastime, music from the new CD, along with baseball-themed segments featuring celebrity narrators and film clips, will be featured in programs throughout the Boston Pops’ 2009 season.

Musical highlights featured in the Red Sox Album and in programs throughout the season include new arrangements of Fenway’s traditional fan anthem “Sweet Caroline,” “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” Sousa’s classic “Stars and Stripes Forever,” and the musical version of baseball’s famous heart-wrencher, “Casey at the Bat,” with a special guest narrator.  Sousa’s “National Game March” is highlighted by the crack of David Ortiz’s bat.   Members of Red Sox Nation will also be treated to a new arrangement of the Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shippin’ Up to Boston,” the theme song for Jonathan Papelbon’s Irish victory dance. The album, which includes a foreword to the CD booklet by award-winning print and TV commentator Mike Barnicle, features the Boston Pops Orchestra along with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver, conductor.  

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops kick off the Symphony Hall season on Wednesday, May 6, with a gala “Opening Night at Pops” filled with festive music, chilled champagne, and special guest, the legendary Broadway star and cabaret performer Barbara Cook. Season highlights include “Film Night” led by the incomparable John Williams (May 26-29) and a number of unique tributes, such as a special homage to the legendary Ballets Russes, featuring some of the music and dance that catapulted ballet to a new level of artistic achievement (May 19).  “Apollo 11 Anniversary” celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first manned mission to the moon with historic NASA footage accompanied by excerpts from Holst’s “The Planets” (June 12 & 13).

Two of today’s most gifted vocalists turn their considerable talents toward inspiring tributes to two of the greatest superstars of American culture -- Linda Eder sings the songs of Judy Garland (June 9 & 10) and Michael Feinstein’s classy “The Sinatra Project”(June 19 & 29) is an homage to Ol’ Blue Eyes, conducted by Erich Kunzel in a welcome return to the Pops podium for the first time in twelve years. Tony nominee Michael Cavanaugh reels through a high-spirited evening of Billy Joel favorites (May 8 & 9). Special evenings also honor two of the Pops’ most beloved conductors, Harry Ellis Dickson (May 20) and the legendary Arthur Fiedler, whose annual tribute this year also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of the “King of Swing,” Benny Goodman (June 2 & 5).

“A Richard Rodgers Celebration” takes audiences on a journey down the Great White Way in a program showcasing the vivid and memorable theater music of one of the world’s greatest songwriters (June 16 & 17). Long-time audience favorites, such as “Gospel Night,” led by Charles Floyd and featuring Edwin Hawkins and the New Edwin Hawkins Singers (June 6), are complemented by programs showcasing genre-defying contemporary artists, such as cello diva Maya Beiser, featured on concerts headlined by the popular multi-faceted jazz guitarist/vocalist/bandleader John Pizzarelli (May 12-13).

Erich Kunzel, one of the world’s leading pops conductors and a Boston Pops favorite, leads the season’s rousing finale, “Let’s Dance” (June 21).  This special program offers audiences the chance to dance the night away to music ranging from the familiar standards of the Swing Era to the pop favorites of here and now.

Photos and bios of artists appearing in the 2009 Boston Pops season are available at www.bostonpops.org/presskit.

SEASON DETAILS
OPENING NIGHT AT POPS  WITH GUEST BARBARA COOK (May 6)
Legendary Broadway song stylist Barbara Cook joins Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for the season opener, which begins with a festive pre-concert reception for all attendees.  Cook, “Broadway’s favorite ingénue” in the heyday of musical theater, is celebrated for her distinctive artistry as a concert, cabaret, and recording artist. With repertoire ranging from intimate ballads to Broadway show-stoppers, she has won legions of fans around the world. The concert will also feature a performance of Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” to mark the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Opening Night at Pops is sponsored by Fidelity Investments.  This program will repeat on May 7. 

MICHAEL CAVANAUGH SINGS BILLY JOEL (May 8 & 9)
The “Piano Man” himself picked Michael Cavanaugh to star in his smash hit musical Movin’ Out, choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp. The Broadway sensation was nominated for a Tony Award for his vivid performance as Joel’s onstage alter ego, and he brings his high-energy vocals and piano playing to such show-stoppers as “Uptown Girl” and “Just the Way You Are.” Steven Reineke, the newly appointed conductor of the New York Pops, makes his Boston Pops debut as the evening’s conductor.  The Michael Cavanaugh series is sponsored by New England Coffee, the official coffee of the Boston Pops. 

JOHN PIZZARELLI, WITH MAYA BEISER (May 12 & 13)
Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops’ commitment to the rich multiplicity of genres that reflect today’s music scene is showcased in a program featuring virtuoso jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli and avant-garde cellist Maya Beiser. A consummate entertainer, Pizzarelli is as at home with a classic standard from the American Songbook as with a cool jazz reverie or a late-night ballad. Beiser’s impressive artistry has captivated audiences around the world with genre-bashing music that stretches the limits of her instrument’s expressive potential. She will perform the world premiere of a suite by renowned film composer James Newton Howard based on his score for M. Night Shyamalan’s suspense movie, The Village.

BALLETS RUSSES (May 19)
As part of a city-wide celebration of the legendary company’s 100th anniversary, Keith Lockhart and the Pops honor the Ballets Russes and its founder Serge Diaghilev. The most influential dance company of the 20th century, the Ballets Russes created ground-breaking creative partnerships among some of the most innovative choreographers, composers, dancers, and designers in history, altering the face of dance forever. The Pops’ program features some of the music and dance the company made famous.

TRIBUTE TO HARRY ELLIS DICKSON (May 20)
Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops honor one of Boston’s favorite conductors, the late Harry Ellis Dickson, the Pops’ former Associate Laureate Conductor. As Arthur Fiedler’s associate for 44 years, Dickson helped make classical music accessible and enjoyable for millions of new listeners. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the conductor’s birth, this special tribute to “Mr. Pops” includes some of the maestro’s favorites, including Offenbach’s sparkling Gaité Parisienne and music of Leroy Anderson.

BASEBALL NIGHT/THE RED SOX ALBUM (May 21-23)
Celebrating the release of the Boston Pops’ latest CD, the Red Sox Album, produced in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox and Major League Baseball, this rousing concert, led by Keith Lockhart and showcasing music drawn from the CD, features film clips and a slate of baseball classics, from Fenway fan anthem “Sweet Caroline” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” to the charming musical version of that poignant poem “Casey at the Bat.” Baseball fans will also be treated to some of America’s most cherished patriotic favorites, such as the “Star-Spangled Banner,” “God Bless America,” and  “Stars and Stripes Forever,” as well as a new version of the Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shippin’ Up to Boston,” the theme song for Jonathan Papelbon’s trademark Irish step dance.   The Red Sox Album will go on sale to the public on April 6 and will be available for purchase at www.bostonpops.org and the Symphony Shop, located in Symphony Hall, with other retail locations to be announced at a later date. 

FILM NIGHT (May 26-27)
Boston Pops Laureate Conductor and film composer John Williams leads the orchestra in a wide-ranging program of music for film and featuring film excerpts to accompany some of his best-loved scores. The program also includes the world premiere of his Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, featuring Boston Pops principal violist Cathy Basrak. 

FILM NIGHT (May 28-30)
John Williams leads the orchestra in a salute to the legendary achievements of the great director Stanley Donen with a program drawn from some of the director’s unforgettable MGM musicals, such as Singin’ in the Rain, Funny Face, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and will feature a special film tribute. Donen’s distinctive talent helped reinvent the movie musical in the last half of the 20th century. The May 30 program includes a special appearance by Mr. Donen.   The Film Night Series (May 26 – 30) is sponsored by Arbella Insurance Group Charitable Foundation.

BENNY GOODMAN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION/FIEDLER TRIBUTE
(June 2 & 5)
The Boston Pops salutes the great swing clarinetist Benny Goodman on the 100th anniversary of his birth with a program that celebrates the “King of Swing’s” phenomenal impact as a virtuoso instrumentalist and dynamic bandleader, and will feature the Boston Pops principal clarinetist Thomas Martin. The program will get Symphony Hall jumping with some of the favorite hits Goodman and his band made famous, from “Sing, Sing, Sing” to “Let’s Dance.” The evening of June 5th, led by Keith Lockhart, also features the annual tribute to Arthur Fiedler, the Pops’ legendary maestro for nearly half a century who elevated the orchestra into a beloved national institution. Special film clips feature historic footage of Fiedler and Goodman.

GOSPEL NIGHT, WITH THE NEW EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS (June 6)
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the rousing classic “Oh Happy Day,” Edwin Hawkins and the New Edwin Hawkins Singers and band join the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, the orchestra, and conductor Charles Floyd in an exuberant, wide-ranging evening of Gospel music in all its glory. Floyd, who recently conducted the inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial, has helped turn this annual event into one of the Pops’ most eagerly anticipated evenings.

LINDA EDER SINGS JUDY GARLAND (June 9 & 10)
One of the most gifted and versatile contemporary vocalists on the scene today, Linda Eder joins Keith Lockhart and the Pops for an evening celebrating the extraordinary musical legacy of Judy Garland. Drawing from her acclaimed 2005 CD By Myself, Eder lends her rich expressive vocals to songs the legendary diva made famous, such as “Me and My Shadow,” “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” and the unforgettable “Over the Rainbow.”

APOLLO 11 ANNIVERSARY (June 12 & 13)
Marking the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, Keith Lockhart and the Pops celebrate the triumphant achievement with an evening of stirring music, including Gustav Holst’s colorful The Planets. The program integrates footage of the historic lunar landing provided by NASA and includes a newly commissioned film with music created especially for the occasion. The program also invites the audience to join in on a special sing-along of songs about the moon, from “Moon River” to “Fly Me to the Moon.”  This concert will also feature a performance of Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” to mark the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.

A RICHARD RODGERS CELEBRATION (June 16 - 18)
One of the most celebrated songwriters in musical theater history, Richard Rodgers forged an astonishing career that spanned six decades, netting him countless awards, ranging from a Pulitzer to Tonys, Grammys, and Oscars. A veteran of stage and screen, he wrote, with lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II, more than 900 published songs and 40 Broadway shows, including Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Pal Joey, Carousel, and The Sound of Music. Keith Lockhart and the Pops are joined by vocal fellows from the Tanglewood Music Center for an evening showcasing Rodgers’ remarkable legacy.

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN: THE SINATRA PROJECT (June 19 & 20)
Four-time Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein is widely hailed as one of today’s most distinctive interpreters of American popular songs. In this special evening, the singer/pianist turns his inimitable talents to the “Chairman of the Board” himself, the one and only Frank Sinatra. Feinstein draws from his latest CD release, The Sinatra Project, for an evening of some of Sinatra’s most memorable songs in new arrangements by Bill Elliot. The orchestra is led by one of the country’s great pops conductors, Erich Kunzel, in his first appearance with the Pops in twelve years. The June 20 program also includes a performance of Tchaikovsky’s lively Rococo Variations by Young Concert Artists’ 2008 first prize winner, cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan.

LET’S DANCE (June 21)
The Boston Pops’ season finale is a rollicking dance party, with music that takes audiences from the percolating rhythms of swing to the pop favorites of today. Erich Kunzel leads the orchestra in this dazzling dance fest. A special dance floor will be cleared for the occasion.

Programs and artists are subject to change.  For current program information, dial 617-CONCERT (266-2378).  For further information, please call the BSO at 617-266-1492 or visit www.bostonpops.org.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the 2009 Boston Pops season at Symphony Hall go on sale at 10 a.m. on February 23.  All performances start at 8 p.m. with the addition of a special Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. on May 9. Tickets for “Opening Night at Pops” on May 6 are priced from $30 to $119.  All other tickets for the 2009 Boston Pops are priced from $20 to $89. 

Tickets may be purchased online at www.bostonpops.org or by phone through SymphonyCharge at 617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with a $5.50 handling fee for each ticket ordered online or by phone).  Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Symphony Hall box office, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday from 1 p.m. through the first concert intermission on concert dates.  Most major credit cards, personal checks, and cash are accepted at the box office.  For Group Sales of 25 or more, please call 617-638-9345 or 800-933-4255. 

The Boston Symphony has a dedicated line for disabled patrons who would like to purchase tickets to BSO, Boston Pops, or Tanglewood concerts, or who need information about disability services at Symphony Hall or Tanglewood.  This line can be reached by dialing 617-638-9431.  For access via TTD/TTY, please call 617-638-9289.  Patrons with disabilities can access Symphony Hall through the Cohen Wing on Huntington Avenue or through the Massachusetts Avenue entrance. 

SPONSORSHIP
Opening Night at Pops and the entire 2009 Boston Pops season is sponsored by Fidelity Investments.  The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel is the official hotel of the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony.  Commonwealth Worldwide is the official chauffeured transportation provider of the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony.  American Airlines is the airline partner of the Boston Pops. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For current Boston Pops program information, dial 617-CONCERT (266-2378).  For further information, please call the Boston Symphony Orchestra at 617-266-1492.  The Boston Pops is on the Internet at www.bostonpops.org.

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PRESS CONTACTS:
Bernadette Horgan, Director of Media Relations (bhorgan@bso.org) 617-638-9285
Kathleen Drohan, Assoc. Director of Media Relations (kdrohan@bso.org) 617-638-9286

POPS Press Release, February 06, 2009