TR: Holidays with the Pops

Holidays with the Pops

On Saturday night, Mom and I went to the Pops annual holiday concert. Mr. Kunzel, their director is an absolute showman and loved to put on high energy performances. This one was no different with the cast including the Pops Orchestra, the May Festival Chorus, a youth chorus, cloggers, hand bell ringers, a visit from Santa, Rudolph and Frosty, and a wide range of music from both the secular and religious sectors. The concert started with a Hanukkah song tog et things started, and then highlights lincluded a stirring gospel version of Go Tell it on the Mountain, Mel Torme’s Christmas Song, a number with the cloggers finishing up in a chorus line eant to evoke images of the Rocketetts, clogging Santas, an audience sing along, another stirring rendition of White Christmas, a traditional piece of comedy they like to do based on the 12 Days of Christmas, except that th gifts are parts of the orchestra. Nestled into the first act, and a break from all the holiday fare was a Suite from the Lion King complete with a theatrical dance company. When you go to see the Cincinnati Pops, you usally get much more than just a concert, you get pageantry, you get high energy extras, all led by a great showman Of special interest was when an address was made to the audience about a program change later on this season. It seems that the May 2006 concerts have been changed to a Tribute to New Orleans theme, complete with very notable guest stars: The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.