Keith Lockhart brings Pops back to life in holiday shows
Keith Lockhart is exhausted — but in a good way. And it’s only 7:30 a.m.
“I had a 2K hour rehearsal with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus yesterday and I’m exhausted, but it’s as much mental as physical,” said the affable Boston Pops conductor during our early Tuesday morning chat, his second of the day.
It was the first time we’d talked since early March
2020, a few days before the pandemic shutdown put the world in lockdown and made live concerts and performances a fond memory for artists and audiences for over a year.
But Lockhart and the Pops are back and ready for a marathon Holiday Pops season, with 32 concerts, through
Dec. 24, at Symphony Hall and four run-out gigs, including Worcester’s Hanover Theatre and Conservatory on Friday and Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Dec. 19. The concerts mark the first live holiday Pops performances with audiences since December 2019.
“I spent 16 months —
March 12, 2020, to July 4 of this year — without performing. And that’s hard for a performing artist who’s been doing that for 40 years,” said Lockhart, who’s clearly delighted to bring Holiday Pops to life again.
The season brings back all the classics that people expect, Lockhart said, noting “It’s a great year for tradition.”
These include Duke Ellington’s jazzy version of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite,” the annual narrated presentation of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” the lively “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” signaling the Jolly Old Elf ’s arrival, and “Sleigh Ride.”
New additions to the Pops holiday offerings include two popular Mexican Christmas songs by Silvino Jaramillo, and a new medley of holiday spirituals, The Good News Voyage by David Coleman with projected images by Ashley Bryan that are evocative of the Black Nativity, on which it is based.
“These pieces add color and have a different sound,” Lockhart said.
In addition, there will be seven shorter kids’ matinees with no intermission and a sensory friendly concert on Dec. 5 for those on the autism spectrum and their families.
Programming is identical in the run-out concerts to Worcester and Lowell, said Lockhart, with The Metropolitan Chorus performing.
Food and drink will be offered at table seats in Symphony Hall. Proof of vaccination and masks are required.
It is with “sheer joy” that he and the Boston Pops return to live performances for Holiday Pops, Lockhart said. And he’s ready for the live, music-making marathon he’s about to start running.
For tickets to Symphony Hall Holiday Pops concerts, visit bostonpops.org or call 888-266-1200.
Limited seating is available for the concert at Hanover Theatre in Worcester on Friday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. Visit thehanovertheatre.org.
Tickets are available for the concert at Lowell Memorial Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 19. Visit www.lowellauditorium.com.
In the wings
More ‘FUDGE’ at Mrt » Merrimack Repertory Theatre has extended live performances through Dec. 19 of “The Rise and Fall of Holly Fudge” by Trista Baldwin, its world-premiere holiday comedy. The new schedule includes a second socially distanced performance and a shift in the video-on-demand dates for the show. The new performances are Dec. 16 (socially distanced) 7 p.m.; Dec. 17, 8 p.m.; Dec. 18, 4 p.m.; and Dec. 19, 2 p.m. Video-on-demand will now be available Dec. 20 through Jan. 4. Call 978-6544678 or visit mrt.org for tickets. holiday Music » Join the Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra for its “Holiday Sleigh Ride!” holiday concert at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lowell High School, 50 Father Morrisette Boulevard. Featured will be dancers from Tricia’s Dance School and special guest Ernie Boch Jr. narrating “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Handicapped accessible and parking at Ayotte Garage across the street from the school. Masks required. Tickets are $20 for adults; $10 for seniors; high school and younger are free. Tickets available at www.brownpapertickets.com. … It’s Holiday Party Pops time with the Chelmsford Community Jazz Band at Chelmsford Center for the Arts, 1A North Road, at 7 p.m. Saturday. The fun night features jazzy arrangements of holiday favorites, plus a few surprises. Tickets available online at https://happsnow.com/event/ the-chelmsford-center-forthe-arts. Proof of vaccination and masks required. holiday Fun » Learn how to play those reindeer games at “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer: The Musical,” a family-friendly show playing Worcester’s Hanover Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Tickets $29-$59 at https://tickets.thehanovertheatre.org/online.
Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston presents “Christmas Time in Concert” Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 4, 5, 11 and 12 at noon in the Robinson Theatre at Waltham High School on Lexington Street. Included are holiday classics, solos, duets, the Living Nativity and more. Tickets are $45 and $35 for adults, $20 for children, with a senior discount of $3 for over 65, at www.reaglemusictheatre.org or call 781-891-5600. … The Players Ring in Portsmouth, N.H., presents “A Christmas Carol,” reimagined with music and magic Dec. 3-23. Tickets are $25 for general; $22 for seniors and students; $15 for kids under 12 at www.playersring.org/christmas-carol21/.
Nancye Tuttle’s email address is nancyedt@verizon.net.