By Kam Molloy
December 19, 2024
Santa Claus visits the Pops.
The Boston Pops, accompanied by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, is in the midst of performing their annual concerts at Symphony Hall in Boston. I was fortunate to have attended this show of incredible spectacle, beautiful instrumental and vocal music, dazzling lighting, and even a visit from Santa Claus himself.
"The Holiday Pops" show opened with “A Christmas Prelude: Angels from the Realms of Glory,” which is a truly lovely piece. As the music shifts, the lights follow, displaying bright golds, gentle blues, and a bright white, all illuminating the old organ pipes that line the back wall of Symphony Hall. They played a wide collection of traditional Christmas (and Hanukkah) music before intermission. A few of my personal favorites were “Pat-a-Pan,” an incredible piece that focused on an almost aggressive back and forth between the brass and string sections; “The Adoration of the Magi,” which featured a hand-picked collection of paintings of the nativity scene; and of course “Let There Be Peace on Earth” during which the audience was encouraged to participate in a sing along with the chorus. After that number, there is a brief intermission where the audience was promised another opportunity to participate would be coming.
The show started up again with a classic number from Home Alone Two; “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas!” Beautifully sung by the chorus, the song immediately immersed the audience back into joyful festivities of the night. The conductor, who, at Saturday night’s show was James Burton, noted that sometimes classical music can be a little boring. So, to bring in some silliness, the next song was a not-so-classical rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” This was by far my favorite piece of the night, while keeping the original lyrics intact, the group performed a mashup of songs from all kinds of genres. Some that I could pick out were “Swan Lake Op. 20,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” one of Beethoven’s symphonies, and many more. It was very clear that the chorus was having a lot of fun with it, many of them obviously giggling and doing over-the-top motions with their props. By far the most entertaining number, the hall filled with laughter from the audience throughout this piece.
The rest of the show featured more Christmas classics, such as “Home for the Holidays,” “Sleigh Ride” (during which the audience played the role of the slapstick), and “All I want for Christmas is You.” Just as the night was wrapping up, there were gasps throughout the audience, and the jolly man himself walked his way up to the stage. Santa Claus had come to see the show! He cracked some jokes with the conductor, reminded the audience to be good, and even sang his own number! It was a very funny duet between Santa and Burton about what it means to be Santa Claus and a very lighthearted way to end the night that was followed by a Christmas sing along! The audience was encouraged to sing fan favorites such as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and many more.
The Holiday Pops show was a beautiful performance with the perfect balance of classical music and holiday cheer. The Pops once again proved why they are world renowned, and the Festival Chorus added just the right touch to keep the night festive and fun.
Kam Molloy, Class of 2025 is a staff writer for the Dedham Mirror. In their freetime they like to listen to music and collect CDs.