Jingle Bells

REVIEW:  With a mix of joy, reflection, and sweet surprises, The Holiday Pops’ milestone 50th year continues to make the season bright

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

From hymnal to classical to Santa to the Grinch, The Holiday Pops offers something for everyone and makes it easy to alleviate the stress of the season and happily embrace what truly matters. 

Celebrating a milestone 50th year and the welcome return of the all-volunteer Tanglewood Festival Chorus, The Holidays Pops delivers a tapestry of classical and beloved Christmas carols, spiritual hymns, as well as holiday traditions through art and illustrations which always includes an annual visit from a surprisingly innovative and always jolly Santa Claus.  Boston Pops conductor and host, Keith Lockhart garners warmth and reflective holiday cheer weaving in a certain classic Grinch quote by Dr. Seuss, a highly anticipated sing-along, and maybe even a dancing Maestro.

12.1.23 Keith Lockhart conducts Holiday Pops 2023 (Hilary Scott)

Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, led by Keith Lockhart, and ideal for the whole family, The Holiday Pops continues at Boston Symphony Hall through Christmas Eve.  The show runs two hours including an intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

Elegantly adorning the intrinsically-detailed gold balconies with twinkling lights on thick, festive wreaths is just a sampling of the stunning surroundings inside Symphony Hall.  The stage spontaneously comes to life from illuminated gifts to lighted Christmas trees to glimmering dancing snowflakes.

12.1.23 Baritone Andrew Garland performs Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols with the Holiday Pops (Hilary Scott)

This beautiful performance delivered equal doses of contemplative material and lightheartedness with the first half fanciful and spiritual.  Among the many highlights, Baritone Andrew Garland grandly delivered an eloquent and soaring rendition of Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

12.1.23 12 Days of Christmas with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (Hilary Scott)

With a generation bombarded with CGI and AI, The Holiday Pops thrilled audiences with author Jan Brett’s colorful, authentic and imaginative illustrations.  Accompanied by seamless orchestration by the Boston Pops, the audience absorbed themselves in a Jan Brett children’s book that offers a rich new vision of Tchaikovsky’s classic, The Nutcracker.  Among the memorable images was a fire breathing dragon, reindeers that have antlers with lighted candlesticks, dancing bears, and Santa in a headstand wearing a bucket hat. 

12.1.23 Tribute to Harry Belafonte at Holiday Pops (Hilary Scott)

The evening also contained a moving tribute to EGOT Winner, activist, and musician Harry Belafonte not only honoring Belafonte’s calypso-inspired classic tunes, but his impressive activism featuring various pictures and video of his part in the March on Washington, supporting Martin Luther King Jr, and his work with UNICEF. 

The Pops delivered a captivating gospel tribute in Swahili called The Good News Voyage arranged by David Coleman which contained Go Tell it on the Mountain.  In the second half of the show, The Holidays Pops presented a Jewish song sung in Hebrew, Tikkun Olan (Heal the World), a riveting rendition expressing the yearning and urgency to heal and repair the world ‘Pray for peace and justice/For the sake of peace/heal the world’ as the tempo accelerated into a powerful crescendo. 

12.1.23 Santa Claus with Keith Lockhart (Hilary Scott)

Brimming with beloved classic Christmas carols and guest appearances by Santa and more, the second half of Holiday Pops was a vibrant, yuletide spectacle joyfully kicking off with Sebesky’s Frosty All the Way, a jazz-infused medley featuring Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman and more.  The brass ensemble spinning their instruments was among the playful sights as they performed this catchy and airy collection of carols.

12 Days of Christmas

Boston Pops’ charming signature versions of Sleigh Ride are always clever, cheeky, and increasingly full of madcap high jinks and the 12 Days of Christmas show that anything can happen among illuminated dancing snowflakes.  The Holiday Pops also presented a special annual reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s Twas the Night before Christmas, read briskly by enthusiastic special guest WBZ News journalist Matt Shearer to mark its publication nearly 200 years ago before Santa arrived.  While bulbs glow to the beat, the jolly Tanglewood Festival Chorus delivered A Merry Little Singalong in Santa hats and ears which included Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Walking in a Winter Wonderland, and more.

Holiday Pops concluded with the tender Let There Be Peace on Earth, as Earth shone overhead, brilliantly conveying the quiet hope for the coming New Year.

Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, led by Keith Lockhart, and ideal for the whole family, The Holiday Pops continues at Boston Symphony Hall through Christmas Eve. The show runs two hours including an intermission.  Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: WGBH’s ‘Tis the Night with Ben Folds and Friends’ holiday music special offers some impressive, lighthearted cheer

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Ben Folds, award-winning lead singer of Ben Folds Five, rang in the holiday season with some of Boston’s most renowned performers as he hosted Tis the Night with Ben Folds and Friends which has been featured on WGBY Public Television, New Hampshire PBS, and WGBH 2 this month.  Ben has collaborated with many acclaimed artists in his over 20-year career including Regina Spektor, William Shatner, Tori Amos, and Weezer.  He is also known for performing with many orchestras throughout the world.  Take a closer look at Tis the Night here,  click here to find out when WGBH will broadcast this show next, or here to stream it online.

In this WGBH holiday special, Ben hosts for the most part, leaving it to renowned Boston choruses such as the Boston Children’s Chorus, Handel and Haydn Society, the Harvard- Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, and students from the New England Conservatory to bring in the good cheer.  However, in the few times he collaborated with the artists, this concert special became that much more engaging.

Ben Folds and Caleb Teicher perform on Tis the Night (Meredith Nierman - WGBH)

Ben Folds and Caleb Teicher perform on ‘Tis the Night’ Photo courtesy of Meredith Nierman/WGBH

Tis the Night with Ben Folds and Friends offered a selection of well-known holiday songs done in new, insightful ways.  Surrounded by blue festive lights and illuminated snowflakes, Tis the Night opened fittingly with I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day sung warmly by the Boston Children’s Chorus, dressed in red scarves and multicolored shirts as Ben Folds looks on.

Handel and Haydn orchestra and chorus perform on Tis the Night (Meredith Nierman - WGBH)2

Handel and Haydn orchestra and chorus perform on ‘Tis the Night’ Photo courtesy of Meredith Nierman/WGBH 

Handel and Haydn’s Society took on three memorable choruses from Handel’s Messiah, which was a lighthearted take from the classic version.  It was refreshing to hear, though I prefer the classic interpretation.  However, the Handel and Haydn Society’s uplifting, angelic harmony was no less impressive, ending on a triumphant note.

Ben Folds took a break from hosting to join NYC choreographer Caleb Teicher for a catchy version of Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth.  They were accompanied by New England Conservatory student guitarist Andres Orco-Zerpa and student bassist Tyler Wagner.  Affectionately calling Caleb’s tapping “drumming for your feet,” Ben Folds drummed while singing a duet with Caleb, whose freestyle tapping got more remarkable as the beat escalated.

Harvard Radcliffe Collegium Musicum performs in Tis the Night (Sam Brewer - WGBH) (1)

Harvard Radcliffe Collegium Musicum performs in ‘Tis the Night’ Photo courtesy of Sam Brewer/WGBH 2

Conducted by Music Director Andrew Clark, The Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum was a particular highlight.  Their peaceful, silvery vocals enriched their first number, In the Bleak Midwinter as picturesque scenes were shown of new fallen snow topped on trees and covered in fields. Sung entirely acapella, that captivating number was followed by a few more impressive classic Christmas carols.

New England Conservatory student jazz vocalist Darynn Dean, decked out in a shimmering dress and accompanied by student pianist Matthew Thompson, delivered a jazz-infused, airy version of Jingle Bells. Darynn’s agile vocals scat and soared while Matthew’s lighthearted piano solo created an exhilarating medley.

vocalist Darynn Dean and pianist Matthew Thomson perform Jingle Bells on Tis the Night (Sam Brewer - WGBH)2

Vocalist Darynn Dean and pianist Matthew Thomson perform Jingle Bells on ‘Tis the Night’ Photo courtesy of Sam Brewer/WGBH 

Under an illuminated starlit sky, New England Conservatory student soprano Saori Erickson accompanied by student pianist Bethany Pietroniro performed a gorgeous, emotionally-rich version of Ave Maria.

soprano Saori Erickson and pianist Bethany Pietroniro performing Ave Maria (Sam Brewer - WGBH)

Soprano Saori Erickson and pianist Bethany Pietroniro performing ‘Ave Maria’ Photo courtesy of Sam Brewer/WGBH

Ending on a bright, inviting note with Ben Folds, the Boston Children’s Chorus, and Caleb Teicher collaborating on We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Tis the Night offered a few great reasons why the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year.

REVIEW: Reagle Music Theatre’s 35th anniversary of ‘ChristmasTime’ is most wonderful

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Brimming with holiday cheer while celebrating two milestone anniversaries, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston is offering a season more spectacular than ever before.  Not only is Reagle celebrating its 50th anniversary, their beloved annual holiday music revue, ChristmasTime is marking 35 magnificent years.  These special ChristmasTime anniversary performances are dedicated to Reagle’s Christmas Angel, Natalie L. Durkin.  ChristmasTime continues through Sunday, December 10.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Christmas Time Photo 4

Raggedy Ann Photo courtesy of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston

Just walking into Robinson Theatre before the performance, attendees are greeted by iconic holiday characters and Victorian carolers as the Robinson halls are decked out onstage and off with brightly lit snowflakes, richly designed Christmas trees, gold embossed wreaths, and the stage festively framed with wooden embroidered angels.  Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston annually features the memorable performances that transformed ChristmasTime into a holiday tradition as well as additional scenes that keep the show fresh each year.

Christmas Time Photo 2

ChristmasTime stage Courtesy of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston

From touching, candlelit hymns to joyous rollicking Christmas carols for the entire family including a sing-along, Reagle Music Theatre’s production of ChristmasTime never loses steam even in its quietest of moments.  During the holiday season, spend the afternoon witnessing a unique musical revue seeped in a variety of iconic Christmas scenes expertly narrated with the warm, inviting vocals of R. Glen Mitchell and a live orchestra led by Jeffrey P Leonard and Paul S. Katz.  Featuring an enormous, impressive cast of all ages with some performances offered with special permission from Radio City Music Hall, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston travels to distant lands and different time periods from the North Pole to New York City in landscapes painted with picturesque flair by Robert Moody of Santa’s Workshop, Rockefeller Center, Boston’s duck statues, a candlelit church with sunburst stained glass windows, and the stunning, sprawling city of Jerusalem.

Christmas Time Photo 7 - Fred Van Ness Soloist

Renowned Tenor Fred C. VanNess Jr in The Living Nativity

The afternoon also featured an array of special, surprise guests with the returning, suburb talent of renowned tenor, Fred C. VanNess Jr and Mara Bonde’s gorgeous vocals.  Famous scenes of the season include a lively version of The Nutcracker, appearances from Reagle’s Rockettes, a humorous scene from Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, and the suburb The Living Nativity highlighted by popular carols like Little Saint Nick, Jingle Bells, Twelve Days of Christmas, and Christmas medleys capture the Christmas spirit in an unforgettable way.  Scenes are also peppered in performances from toys to trees coming to life dancing to rock, gospel, and much more.  ChristmasTime, through its delightful, stunning vignettes of the season, exhibits a captivating depiction of the meaning of Christmas.

Teddy Bears Ballet Photo courtesy of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston
Carolers Photo courtesy of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston
Photo courtesy of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston

As part of Reagle’s 50th anniversary celebration, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston is holding a limited raffle to win a new Honda Civic.  Click here for further details.

This annual, interactive celebration, which is appropriate for all ages, has a strong following so purchase tickets now.  Each show is held at Reagle Music Theatre, 617 Lexington Street in Waltham, Massachusetts through December 10.  Call 781-891-5600 or Click here for tickets and for more information and upcoming events in 2018 such as Night Fever:  An Evening With the Bee Gees and A Little Bit of Ireland. Tickets are also available at the theatre box office.