The Pops

For my Valentine's Day gift (and Easter, Mother's Day, and Anniversary...), R surprised me with tickets to the Boston Pops. One of those things you just have to do if you live here. He chose "Film Night," where they were honoring Stanley Donen, dancer, choreographer, and director. After working so hard in our move, it was a great reward to go downtown to Symphony Hall and enjoy the evening together (thanks Kathryn, for watching the boys!!).

The concert started out great with pieces from Robin Hood, Jane Eyre, Hook, and E.T. During the Jane Eyre suite, I thought it was funny that people started clapping at the wrong time, and John Williams looked all frustrated and finally put his arm down to wait for them to stop--don't people with enough money to go to the Pops and sit on the main floor (where-they-can-order-food-and-have-the-concert-disrupted-by-servers-going-in-and-out) know better than to clap when the conductor's arms are still up?

They started after intermission with "Hooray for Hollywood" and then brought out Mr. Donen, and he and John bantered back and forth for a while, giving his career history, etc. This man worked with some of the best and most amazing dancers/actors; he talked about Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire like childhood pals. The first piece he talked about was You're All the World to Me, from Royal Wedding, where Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling. Then this triple-wide screen cascaded down behind the orchestra, and they started playing in sync with the movie. It was the one of the most awesome things I've ever experienced. Larger-than-life movie with live orchestra (and an amazing one at that--whole instrument sections that play as if one, with the definition and dimension of many). It was one of those times that you wish would move in slow motion. After the song, Mr. Donen told us the logistics of filming the upside-down-dancing, which is very intriguing.

Mr. Donen shared very interesting details about each piece and then the orchestra played with the clip showing on the screen:
I Like Myself from It's Always Fair Weather,
The Worry Song from Anchors Aweigh, and
Singin' in the Rain from (of course) Singin' in the Rain.

The highlight of the evening for me was the barn-dancing scene of
Bless Your Beautiful Hide from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
I was awestruck, trying to soak it all in. You almost feel like you're IN the show when you watch it that way--which has always been a dream of mine, anyway. So cool.

The final number was the Superman March, and everyone was so excited that I thought the senior citizen group in front of us was going to attempt flight off the balcony. The audience applauded endlessly, begging for more. So John Williams said they'd play a little something for a 700-year-old little man. The Yoda Theme was followed directly by the Star Wars Theme and it was electric. It's just not the same at home--would that the full, live orchestra sound could translate better onto movies. Everyone applauded more and more after that, but John Williams finally begged his leave by putting his head to his hands and imitating sleep--so we would let him go home.

It was such a wonderful night, and I'll remember it for years.

Thanks, sweetie, for such a great gift.




(I've been waiting for R to upload the picture from his phone of us at Symphony Hall, but it's been 2 weeks, and I think I'll stop waiting....)