In Wednesday’s (5/19) Boston Globe, Jeremy Eichler writes, “The Fourth of July came early this year, at least in Symphony Hall. Last night the Boston Pops triple underlined the nickname it earned during its heyday, ‘America’s orchestra.’ It was a night of music as patriotism with a greatest-generation tint, delivered in part by Hollywood stars. Judging by the crowd’s abundant enthusiasm, the night hit its mark for those present. Ovations came early and often. … But the main event of the evening was the premiere of ‘The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,’ commissioned by the Pops and composed by Peter Boyer. The title might be somewhat misleading, since this piece mostly steers clear of individualized portraiture and instead provides a musical frame for uplifting excerpts taken mostly from famous speeches given by John, Robert, and Edward, recited last night by Robert De Niro, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman, respectively. The lyricist Lynn Ahrens helped select the texts and wrote two paragraphs that lead in and out of the piece, delivered by Cherry Jones. … Boyer’s work accomplishes the goals he described in preconcert interviews of amplifying the texts by these three American icons.”
Posted May 20, 2010
