Watch: Boston Mayor plays Rhapsody in Blue
OrchestrasThe Boston Pops soloist this weekend was the city mayor, Michelle Wu.
Yuja’s got some way to go.
Wu 吳弭 said: It’s why I love this city:
I had a wonderful time performing “Rhapsody in Blue” with the Boston Pops at the @bostonsymphony’s Concert for the City, alongside many incredibly talented musicians like the @bostonchildrenschorus, the @bforchestra, @veronicaroblesmariachi and more!
Events like this are what make Boston so special—seeing so much of the incredible talent and artistry that exists in our city, all in one place and entirely free.
I want to thank the BSO for opening their doors to our communities every year, and creating this opportunity for all of us to share in the magic of music’s company together.
Congratulations to all of the musicians on their incredible performances! Honored to share the stage with you and our Boston Pops!
As a former Bostonian, this gave me joy. To see a mayor, a major public figure, not only embrace the arts, but actually walk the walk and perform by memory and with confidence…. Great stuff. (However, I’m glad the late mayor Menino never appeared with the Pops to sing his favorite Italian arias, assuming he had any. Diction wasn’t his forte.))
Once in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s at a free (for-the-people) BSO performance of LvB’s 9th at the Commons, poor Menino introduced the (BSO Tanglewood) chorus as the Boston Tabernacle. Not a joke and a deeply embarrassing moment.
Steve Rotherham, Mayor of Liverpool, is a very fine bricklayer… Does that count?!
As a mason, the Mayor of Liverpool has something in common with Hadyn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Perhaps, he can compose and perform An Ode to a Trowel?
It very well could! All of that, being mayor and supporting arts AND pregnant with 2 kids at home. Chapeau to my home city.
Super cool. There’s a lot of people with considerable musical talent out in the world, and it’s great to see one of them in in a major leadership position. I trust she won’t quit the day job, though.
Good stuff.
Bravissima!
Well, she’s not going to displace the legendary Earl Wild/Arthur Fiedler recording with the Boston Pops, but she’s a hell of a lot better than any of the “pianists” in the Miss American and other pageants! Too bad neither of our leading contenders for president can do something like this…I don’t even think they like good music. Prime Minister Heath was another who presented a whole other view of himself by playing piano.
Nice idea, but sadly she is not very good. Keith is struggling to keep things together.
You really don’t get it.
6 months pregnant, no less.
Cultured people holding high Civic office. A few years ago the Lord Mayor of London was the soloist in Saint-Saëns’s organ symphony at St Paul’s Cathedral, and Elgar nearly became Mayor of Hereford
Very good, wrong notes nonewithstanding.
Edward Heath was pretty special this way. His auto-bio “Music – A Joy for Life” shows not only a solid professional background but a seasoned musical thinker.
If the Pied Piper PM Starmer were to toot his flute, I wouldn’t give a hoot. I await to see what he does to improve the lot of classical musicians in the UK, and kids’ access to instrumental tuition in schools before I believe his professed love of the genre.
Last summer at the Hollywood Bowl, Japanese jazz pianist Makoto Ozone played the Rhapsody in a 40-minute jazz version that nobody had heard before and it was riotously fun both for the soloist and for the orchestra. Tbh I have always found the standard version rather boring.
Pretty ashtonishing! Seen the whole Rhapsodie on YouTube.
Apart from some minor mishits, and a complete short offgoiing in the middle solo section, very well done!
Would she follow in the footsteps of her Polish predescessor, former prime minister of Poland, composer/pianist Ignace Paderewski, beginning of the 20th century?
And not to mention, former German Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt. He played the Mozart three pianoconcert with Chhristoph Eschenbach and Justus Franz…
Most of us were expecting to have a very competent cellist, Thangam Debbonaire, as Culture Secretary in the Starmer government. She had, after all, carried out the shadow role in opposition with credit. But she was ousted by a slightly surprising surge for the Green Party in her Bristol constituency.
The Greens may add to the liveliness of this Parliament—but such a shame to lose Thangam.
Well, at least the Feds haven’t shown up at her home. She’s been too busy practicing to get into trouble.