World Premiere of the Polar Express featuring Will LeBow narrating at Company Christmas.
On
Wednesday, December 17, 2008, Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart
led the 25th annual “A Company Christmas at Pops,” reaching
a milestone year for what is considered one of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra's (BSO) most important annual fundraising events. This
year's holiday fundraiser has raised more than $1.2 million
to benefit the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras, and represents
support from more than 100 New England-based companies. “A
Company Christmas at Pops” is part of the Holiday Pops season,
which takes place December 11-December 31, at Symphony Hall.
The program for “A Company Christmas at Pops” featured the
Boston Pops, under the baton of Mr. Lockhart, performing holiday favorites
such as “Joy to the World,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” their
holiday signature “Sleigh Ride,” and a new arrangement
of “The Polar Express,” narrated by theater veteran Will
LeBow and premiering this Holiday Pops season. Grammy award-winner
Michael Bolton headlined a list of special guests that included award-winning
columnist and frequent national talk show personality Mike Barnicle
serving as narrator of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” This
festive evening also featured the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets performing
two special fanfares and the screening of two commemorative films produced
by Susan Dangel to celebrate the Silver anniversary of “A Company
Christmas at Pops.”
CEOs, presidents, and executives from more than 100 New England-based
companies took part in this year's gala event, which included
a pre-concert reception and gourmet boxed dinners. Since its
inception in 1984, “A Company Christmas at Pops,” an
annual holiday tradition for area business leaders and their guests,
has raised nearly $17 million for the Boston Symphony and Boston
Pops orchestras. This year's lead sponsors include: Dick
and Ann Marie Connolly, the Connors Family Office, Liberty Mutual
Group, and Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. Bank of America is
this year's Children's Program Lead Sponsor.
Building on a beloved 25-year tradition, 200 youngsters from children's
service organizations throughout greater Boston were invited as special
guests to this year's event. The “A Company Christmas
at Pops” Children's Program, named “Cleary's
Kids” for 2008 as a tribute to Jim and Barbara Cleary, took
place at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston. Children enjoyed
dinner, visits from Santa and costumed characters, and goodie bags
provided by a variety of in-kind donors. Silver Fox Motorcoaches
provided buses to transport the children from the Fairmont Copley
Plaza to Symphony Hall.
Silver Anniversary event co-chairs were Dick Connolly, SVP, Morgan
Stanley; Jack Connors, chairman emeritus, Hill, Holiday; and Ted Kelly,
chairman, president, and CEO, Liberty Mutual Group. James F. Cleary,
advisory director of UBS, returns as honorary chairman.
