Boston Pops to feature Cynthia Erivo, Orville Peck, and more this spring
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Orville Peck performs during the Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams State Park.
Ben Stas for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe
Musical institutions tend to celebrate the anniversaries of 'people who we focus on the rest of the time anyway,' he said. In line with that, he said he doesn't have any special projects in mind for his 30th anniversary with the Pops. 'There's all sorts of things I want to do. They're just not because of the number of years I've been here. I don't want to sound falsely modest here, but it's not about me. It's about the work of the Pops, and what we do, and how we survive in this weirdly changing entertainment landscape, and it's about the music. And I hope it stays that way.'
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Lockhart, who has had his current job for almost half of his life, readily admitted he's 'looking at the back half' of his time with the orchestra. He described a recent experience during the December Holiday Pops season as 'wonderful' and 'horrifying': 'I have people come up backstage with their small children who want to meet me. Then they whip out a picture of them with
their
parents meeting me – you know, 25 years ago. But on the other hand, it's really cool to be in a position to have had influence over that period of time.'
Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart at Symphony Hall in May 2024.
Robert Torres
And he isn't sharing any concrete plans to pass the baton yet. 'I can tell you definitely, I'm not going to try for Fiedler's record,' he said – referring to the half-century tenure of Arthur Fiedler. 'He died during his 50th season on the podium. I can't imagine that would be good either for the institution or for me – I don't mean the dying part, I mean the being there another 20 years!'
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With the time he has left, Lockhart said he intends to 'stand for and fight for' the power of live performances. When he took the job in 1995, he had neither an email address nor a cell phone. 'You just didn't need those things,' he reminisced wryly. 'It's a very different entertainment landscape than it was.'
The pandemic shutdown in particular 'brought a lot of people you know, more into themselves and less out into the community, the world,' he continued. 'I think [these next few years] are going to be critical to how we engage with the arts as a population.'
The season's hottest ticket is almost certain to be opening night with Erivo, who received the third Academy Award nomination of her life for her performance as Elphaba in the 2024 film adaptation of 'Wicked.' The 38-year-old British actress and singer's career has been on a meteoric rise in the past decade; she won a 2016 Tony Award for her performance as Celie in Broadway's 'The Color Purple' before breaking into film in the late 2010s with roles including Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic 'Harriet,' for which she netted her first two Oscar nominations.
Erivo was booked with the Pops prior to the release of 'Wicked,' and 'now, everybody knows who she is!' Lockhart said. 'We're really excited. That was a case of right place, right time; making that deal before she became a household name. It's a great way to open.'
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Following that, the season incorporates plenty of Pops traditions. The music of laureate conductor John Williams is amply represented; the orchestra plays the live soundtrack along with a screening of 'Jaws' (May 9 & 10), the 'Star Wars: The Story in Music' narrated concert returns with actor Jeremiah Kissel (May 15), and there's also a program titled simply 'John Williams' Playlist' (May 29 & 31). In addition, the orchestra will provide a live soundtrack to screenings of Disney's 'Frozen' (May 24 & 31), and conductor Charles Floyd will unite the orchestra, soloists David and Tamela Mann, and the Boston Pops Gospel Choir for the annual Gospel Night (June 7).
Peck, who is billed as a 'special guest' for Pride Night (June 5), will presumably be taking a night off of his recently announced four-month engagement as the Emcee in Broadway's ongoing revival of 'Cabaret' to make his Pops debut. Another first-time guest is singer/songwriter/composer Cody Fry, who has been performing with a handful of American orchestras on the heels of his viral hit 'I Hear a Symphony' and his Grammy-nominated, strings-forward arrangement of the Beatles' 'Eleanor Rigby' (May 28).
That's not to say Lockhart is totally ignoring the trappings of his 30th anniversary; after all, his last concert of the season is a celebration of his three decades on the podium, featuring Broadway talents Mandy Gonzalez and Jason Danieley, and Great American Songbook advocate singer/pianist Michael Feinstein. But Lockhart doesn't have much information beyond that.
'It's being planned by my staff,' he said. 'I don't know what's on it!'
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Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87
LONDON — Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring 'Billy Budd,' for which he earned an Oscar nomination. Stamp's six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994's 'The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.' Stamp also was widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama 'The Limey.' But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978's 'Superman' and its sequel 'Superman II' two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker and charming — more human — element to the franchise, one that's been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. Stamp started out his film career in the early 1960s as part of the 'angry young men' movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking. That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles' creepy debut novel 'The Collector,' where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar's Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at 1965's Cannes Film Festival. While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier. 'I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962's 'Term of Trial),' Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. 'And he said to me, 'You should always study your voice.'' Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, ''Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.'' Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children. Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look. He generally sought to keep his standards high, but up to a point. 'I don't do crappy movies, unless I haven't got the rent,' he said.
14 minutes ago
Terence Stamp, who played General Zod in Superman films, dies at 87
LONDON -- Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring 'Billy Budd,' for which he earned an Oscar nomination. Stamp's six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994's 'The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." Stamp also was widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama 'The Limey.' But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978's 'Superman' and its sequel 'Superman II' two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker and charming — more human — element to the franchise, one that's been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. Stamp started out his film career in the early 1960s as part of the 'angry young men' movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking. That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles' creepy debut novel 'The Collector,' where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar's Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at 1965's Cannes Film Festival. While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier. 'I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962's 'Term of Trial),' Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. 'And he said to me, 'You should always study your voice.'' Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, ''Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.'' Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children. Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look. He generally sought to keep his standards high, but up to a point. 'I don't do crappy movies, unless I haven't got the rent,' he said.
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Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, has died at the age of 87
LONDON -- Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, has died at the age of 87.
