Emmy Award-winner Alec Baldwin gave life to the words of John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy, when he joined conductor Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for a performance of The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA today, Sunday July 18.
Celebrating the legacies of these three influential and inspiring Massachusetts native sons, The Dream Lives On-composed by Peter Boyer with Tony Award-winning lyricist Lynn Ahrens-was commissioned by Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops. This new multi-media work combines quotes from speeches by the Kennedy brothers with original text and video, accompanied by a dramatic orchestral and choral score. The choral score is presented by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this summer.
The Dream Lives On pays tribute to the towering achievements and singular spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers-the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America’s future. The title of the work was taken from the closing lines of Ted Kennedy’s speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The Dream Lives On had its world premiere on May 18 as part of the 125th Anniversary celebration with Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, and Cherry Jones as narrators, and will also be performed on August 1 in Hyannis, MA with Academy Award-winner Chris Cooper.
The premiere performances with Ms. Jones, Mr. DeNiro, Mr. Harris and Mr. Freeman is now available on CD or download at BostonPops.org or on iTunes.com.
Photo by Hilary Scott
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