The Boston Pops Present Six Multimedia Concerts At Symphony Hall This Fall

Following the close of the BSO's summer season at Tanglewood, Symphony Hall roars back to life with two exciting film programs featuring Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops performing iconic scores by John Williams: 

• September 5 & 6, 7:30 p.m.: Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert*. Lockhart and the Pops present the 2015 film with a live performance of John Williams' beloved score. This will be the first time the film (Episode VII of the Star Wars series) has been screened in concert at Symphony Hall. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the film earned five Academy Award nominations including for Best Original Score and Best Visual Effects. 

• September 7, 7:30 p.m. & September 8, 2:00 p.m.: A Grand Suite from Harry Potter recounts the story of “the boy who lived” through a vivid narration by well-known Boston actress Paula Plum, set to a sampling of Williams' most magical music from the beloved franchise performed by Lockhart and the Pops. This will be the first presentation of this program at Symphony Hall. The program will also feature other well-known favorites from Williams' staggering body of work. 

Next, as part of the trio of Opening Weekend events celebrating the start of the BSO's 2024–25 season, Lockhart and the Pops are joined by members of the internationally acclaimed Cirque de la Symphonie in a thrilling spectacle to delight all ages: 

• September 20, 7:30 p.m.: Back by popular demand for the first time since 2017, Cirque Goes to the Cinema combines the peerless artistry of Cirque de la Symphonie's troupe of world-class circus performers with that of the Pops conducted by Lockhart. Aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen tumble and fly as the orchestra plays timeless music from the Silver Screen. The fusion of these two great art forms offers a multi-dimensional entertainment extravaganza. 

Finally, this fall's Symphony Hall schedule includes three programs presented by the Pops that celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead (El Día de Muertos): 

• October 30, 7:30, 7:30 p.m.: Nosferatu: Symphony of Horror. Organist Brett Miller provides live solo accompaniment to F.W. Murnau's 1922 genre-defining horror classic: the silent film Nosferatu, with a story inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula. The celebrated film stars Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire who preys upon the wife of his estate agent, bringing a plague to their town. Please note: This program does not include an orchestra. 

• October 31 & November 2, 7:30 p.m.: Lockhart and the Pops present Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert*, which follows the earnest-but-misguided adventures of Jack Skellington, Halloween Town's beloved Pumpkin King.  The 1993 stop-motion animated film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.  

• November 1, 7:30 p.m.: In Celebrating El Día de Muertos – The Day of the Dead, Lockhart and the Pops honor the Mexican holiday. Rooted in the indigenous tradition, El Día de Muertos intertwines life and death in a beautiful tapestry of remembrance and reverence. With traditional Latin American music, food, and festive decorations, the program will be a feast for the senses and a celebration of Latino culture. 

Quote from Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart: "I'm excited to bring so many Pops offerings to our audience this fall!  In particular, I'm thrilled to conduct two brand-new concerts featuring the amazing music of our own John Williams. All of these offerings, from "The Force Awakens" to our first-ever El Día de Muertos concert, will feature multimedia elements that guarantee an exciting experience for Pops fans of all ages. Come join us!"

*Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert and Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert: Presentations licensed by Disney Concerts. (c) All rights reserved. 

How to Purchase Tickets

Both subscriptions and single tickets to the 2024–25 BSO season including these Pops concerts are available to purchase by calling 888-266-1200 or visiting bso.org 

Please note that seating for the Pops concerts on Sept. 5-8, Oct. 30 and 31, and Nov. 1 and 2 will be “symphony style.” The Cirque Goes to Cinema concert on Sept. 20 will have “Pops seating” with café tables on the orchestra (floor) level, and audience members may purchase food to enjoy in their seats during the performance.

About The Boston Pops

For more than 135 years, the Boston Pops has entertained audiences in Boston and beyond, with Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart leading the orchestra since 1995. It all began in 1885, thanks to the vision of Civil War veteran Henry Lee Higginson. Four years earlier, in 1881, he founded the Boston Symphony Orchestra, calling its establishment "the dream of my life." From the start he intended to present, in the warmer months, concerts of light classics and the popular music of the day. From a practical perspective, Higginson realized that these "lighter" performances would provide year-round employment for his musicians. The "Promenade Concerts," as they were originally called, were soon informally known as "Popular Concerts," which eventually became shortened to "Pops," the name officially adopted in 1900. The following year the orchestra performed for the first time in its new home, Symphony Hall.  

In 1930 Arthur Fiedler became the first American-born musician to lead the orchestra. In Fiedler's nearly 50-year tenure as Pops Conductor (1930–1979), he established the Boston Pops as a national icon and began the tradition of offering free Fourth of July concerts on the Esplanade. When John Williams (1980–1993) succeeded Arthur Fiedler, he was the most highly acclaimed composer in Hollywood, and today, with 54 Academy Award nominations he is the most-nominated living person in Academy history.  

Keith Lockhart was named conductor in 1995 and has since led over 2,100 concerts with the Pops. He has created programs that reach out to a broader and younger audience by presenting artists—both established performers and rising stars—from virtually every corner of the entertainment world, all the while maintaining the Pops' core appeal. He has made 81 television shows, led 45 national and five overseas tours with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, led the Pops at several high-profile sports events, and recorded twelve albums. Lockhart's tenure has been marked by a dramatic increase in touring, the orchestra's first Grammy nominations, the first major network national broadcast of the July 4 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular from the Esplanade, and the release of the Boston Pops' first self-produced and self-distributed recordings. Last fall, Lockhart led a Pops tour in Japan and conducted 34 Holiday Pops programs in December. 

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