EVENING AT POPS: 20TH ANNIVERSARY GALA (TV)
Summary
One in this series of music programs featuring the Boston Pops Orchestra. This program, filmed at Symphony Hall in Boston, celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the series. John Williams introduces host and singer Roberta Peters, and then conducts the orchestra's performance of the opening scene of Act III of "Swan Lake" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Peters then introduces baritone Robert Merrill, who takes the stage and performs "Largo al factotum" from "The Barber of Seville" by Gioachino Rossini, then briefly discussing his longtime association with and love for the Pops. Peters performs "The Merry Widow Waltz" by Franz Lehar, and then introduces humorist Art Buchwald and pianists Joseph and Anthony Paratore, who present Camille Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals," a thirty-minute piece comprising of fourteen movements, all referring to different groups of animals. Peters then provides background on the history of the Pops, and sings "The Song is You" from Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's "Music in the Air" with Merrill. After a brief speech, Williams conducts the orchestra in a rendition of "Happy Birthday," and an enormous cake is brought onstage, containing within it comedian Victor Borge. He jokes with the audience and then conducts the orchestra in "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa, while all the special guests enjoy a slice of birthday cake. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: June 23, 1989 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:16305
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music; Specials
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1970-2005
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Digital equipment corporation
CREDITS
- William N. Cosel … Executive Producer
- Susan Dangel … Coordinating Producer
- John McClure … Audio Producer
- David Atwood … Director
- The Boston Pops … Symphony Orchestra
- Roberta Peters … Host
- John Williams … Conductor
- Robert Merrill … Performer
- Art Buchwald … Performer
- Joseph Paratore … Performer
- Anthony Paratore … Performer
- Victor Borge … Guest
- Oscar Hammerstein II
- Jerome Kern
- Franz Lehar
- Gioachino Rossini
- Camille Saint-Saens
- John Philip Sousa
- Pyotr Tchaikovsky