Thanksgiving has come and gone, kick-starting the holidays, and there is no better way to get into the spirit of the season than by listening to "America's Band" - the Boston Pops. The Pops, conducted by Keith Lockhart and accompanied by the amazingly talented soprano Indra Thomas, as well as the Furman Singers, paid a visit to Constitution Hall on Nov. 30, bringing down the house with their lively performance of some of the season's best music.
The night began modestly with selections from various classical composers, with the standouts being the "Prelude to Hansel and Gretel" by Humperdinck as well as Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," overlaid with a reading of the Gospel according to St. Luke by Thomas. The first set continued along this vein, with stirring performances of traditional Christmas songs such as Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" and "What Child is This?"
The first set also featured what was, surprisingly, the only segment of Chanukah themed music: a reading of thoughts on Chanukah by Rabbi Avi Weiss, followed by the "Candle Lighting Blessing" sung by the Furman Singers and a spirited rendition of "Drei Dredeleh" that featured the talents of the first violin as well as the Furman Singers. This led into a strong finish for the set, featuring Bizet's "Farandole" and a goosebump-inducing medley of "O Holy Night" and "Go Tell It On The Mountain."
This final piece allowed Thomas to demonstrate her incredible versatility. Throughout her performance, she melded operatic and gospel styling, creating an uplifting and gorgeous sound that filled the venue and thrilled the audience.
Energy and fun were the themes of the second set, as Lockhart bounded onto the stage without his jacket and showed off his seasonally appropriate red socks. The Pops then launched into one of their signature pieces, "Sleigh Ride," giving everyone a laugh as the Furman Singers donned Santa hats and several bassists put on light-up antlers. Highlights here included an exuberant performance of "Children Go Where I Send Thee" that had Thomas and the Furman Singers playing off one another, as well as a jazzy medley of Santa-themed songs.
This preceded a visit by the jolly old elf himself, who came onto the stage and engaged in playful (if cheesy) banter with Lockhart for the benefit of the children in the audience.
The last piece of the evening gave Lockhart a chance to demonstrate both his energy and his singing voice in an arrangement entitled "A Merry Little Sing-Along." He called upon the audience to join in and jumped off the stage, entering the crowd with a microphone to highlight some of the audience's performances as well. Most of the crowd joined in, although some made "I hope he doesn't come over here and pick me" faces.
Despite the unseasonably warm weather, Lockhart and the Boston Pops were 100 percent successful ushering in the season with energy, charm and a hint of holiday magic.
