Boston Pops to Honor John Williams in 2017

Photo by Stu Rosner

The Boston Pops have announced their spring 2017 lineup, which will feature the orchestra’s first ever season-long tribute. Their inaugural choice? None other than the great John Williams. Williams conducted the Pops from 1980 to 1993 between writing some of the most iconic film scores in Hollywood history, and the Pops’ 2017 tribute will include 10 shows highlighting everything from his earliest, most obscure work to his almost universally familiar themes for Jaws and the Star Wars saga. There will even be opportunities to watch his movies with live orchestra accompaniment, including E.T. on May 12 and 13, and Jaws on May 25 and 26.

This year marks the Pops’ 132nd season, and the company’s decades of superlative musicianship and accessible style have earned it the nickname “America’s Orchestra.” Now in his 23rd season as the Pops conductor, Williams’ successor Keith Lockhart will lead the orchestra in collaborative performances this spring with artists as diverse in their musical stylings as Ben Folds (May 17 and 18), Cirque de la Symphonie (June 2 and 3), Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. (June 6 and 7), and Queen Latifah, who will kick off the spring season in her Pops debut May 10.  The Pops will also perform the acclaimed musical revue Sondheim on Sondheim June 15 and 16.

Boston Pops 2017 Calendar:

Opening Night with Queen Latifah
May 10, 8:00 p.m.
May 11, 8:00 p.m.

E.T. in Concert
May 12, 8 p.m.
May 13, 3 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.

Mamma Mia! Mother’s Day with the Music of ABBA with special guests Arrival from Sweden
May 14, 3 p.m.
May 15, 8 p.m.

Lights! Camera! Music! The Magic of John Williams
May 16, 8 p.m.
May 24, 8 p.m.

Ben Folds
May 17, 8 p.m.
May 18, 8 p.m.

Arthur Fiedler Night
May 23, 8 p.m.

JAWS in Concert
May 25, 8 p.m.
May 26, 8 p.m.

John Williams’ Film Night with conductor John Williams
May 31 8 p.m.
June 1, 8 p.m.

Cirque de la Symphonie
June 2, 8 p.m.
June 3, 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Leslie Odom, Jr.
June 6, 8 p.m.
June 7, 8 p.m.

The Beatles & Beyond with conductor Steve Hackman and host Larry “Cha-Chi” Loprete
June 8, 8 p.m.
June 10, 8 p.m.
June 11, 8 p.m.

Party with the B-52s and the Boston Pops
June 13, 8 p.m.
June 14, 8 p.m.

Sondheim on Sondheim with director Sarna Lapine, music director David Loud, and Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows
June 15, 8 p.m.
June 16, 8 p.m.

25th Annual Gospel Night with conductor Charles Floyd and special guest to be announced
June 17, 8 p.m.

Happy Birthday, John Williams (Special Pre-Season Event)
April 7, 8 p.m.
April 8, 8 p.m.

Boston Pops Concert on July 4
Detail TBA

Tickets for the Boston Pops’ 2017 season go on sale Monday, February 13. For more, visit bso.org.