'Gilded Age's' Kelli O'Hara Joins Boston Pops for 4th of July Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce this year's musical program for its annual 4th of July Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. Marking 50 years since fireworks were added to the free musical celebration of Independence Day, a beloved Boston tradition that began almost a century ago under conductor Arthur Fiedler, the event returns to the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade on Thursday, July 4, 8-11 p.m., with Keith Lockhart conducting the Boston Pops alongside an exciting lineup of guest performers headlined by Tony Award-winning actress Kelli O'Hara.

The event also features performances by The Mavericks, Darlene Love, and the Singing Sergeants from the United States Air Force Band. The 2024 Fireworks Spectacular will include the Pops playing patriotic favorites, closing with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, followed by a fireworks display over the Charles River, beginning at 10:30 p.m.

The performance will be broadcast live on Bloomberg TV and Radio and SiriusXM channel 119, as well as locally on WHDH-TV Channel 7 and online at Bloomberg.com. (Click here for additional tune-in details including how to live-stream the concert on Bloomberg online.)

"When philanthropist David Mugar introduced fireworks and cannons to the Pops annual July Fourth concert in 1974, he created an iconic tradition that would unite millions in music and celebration over the years and would showcase Boston as the birthplace of our democracy," says Keith Lockhart, the conductor of the Boston Pops. "I am grateful to be able to carry forward that legacy in this year's Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this extraordinary event, our orchestra's gift to the great city of Boston. I also look forward to celebrating several other milestones at the Fireworks Spectacular over the next couple years: my 30th anniversary as conductor of the Boston Pops in 2025 and the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence in 2026."

Lockhart was joined by Chad Smith, the BSO President and CEO, who recalled the Fiedler legacy. "Since our beloved former Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler first began leading a free July 4 performance on the Esplanade back in 1929, the concert has become a signature Boston event, the unofficial start to summer. The Boston Symphony is again proud to host this year's celebration featuring Tony Award-winning, Broadway leading lady Kelli O'Hara, who just received her eighth Tony nomination as best actress in a musical. We are so grateful to Governor Healey and the Commonwealth, Commissioner Arrigo and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Mayor Wu and the City of Boston for their continued support. We also thank our presenting sponsor The Herb Chambers Companies, our media partner Bloomberg, Meet Boston, and Thomas and Winifred Faust for supporting this year's event."

Guest Artists Performing with the Boston Pops

The 2024 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, directed by Keith Lockhart, includes an exciting lineup of guest artists showcasing the best of American music across genres: Kelli O'Hara (headliner), The Mavericks, Darlene Love, and the Singing Sergeants.

Kelli O'Hara

Kelli O'Hara has established herself as one of Broadway's greatest leading ladies. The Tony Award winner, Emmy and Grammy-nominated actress has appeared in eleven Broadway shows for which she has garnered eight Tony Award nominations, including in 2024 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical in Days of Wine and Roses. She won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, along with Grammy, Drama League and Outer Critics nominations for her portrayal of Anna Leonowens in The King and I. O'Hara's other Broadway credits include "Kiss Me Kate," "The Bridges of Madison County," "Nice Work if You Can Get It," "South Pacific," "The Pajama Game," "The Light in the Piazza," "Sweet Smell of Success," "Follies," "Dracula," and "Jekyll & Hyde." O'Hara received an Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Katie Bonner in Topic's hit web series "The Accidental Wolf," and can currently be seen on HBO's "The Gilded Age."

The Mavericks

For decades, The Mavericks have created the kind of multicultural Americana that reaches far beyond America itself, blending their favorite stateside sounds – including rock & roll, country, and R&B – with Tex-Mex twang, Cuban rhythms, Jamaican ska, and other Latin influences. Band members Raul Malo (vocals and guitar), Eddie Perez (lead guitar), Jerry Dale McFadden (keyboard), and Paul Deakin (drums) have won a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Group with Vocal (1996), multiple awards from the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association, and the Trailblazer Award at the 2021 Americana Music Honors & Awards. Their latest album, "Moon & Stars," continues to push the envelope, exploring the outer orbits of an organic, otherworldly sound that remains entirely their own.

Darlene Love

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Darlene Love continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her warm, gracious stage presence and superb performances. Her film "Twenty Feet from Stardom" won both an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature (2014) and a Grammy Award for Best Music Film (2015). Her Billboard hits include: "He's a Rebel," "The Boy I'm Gonna Marry," "Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home," "He's Sure the Boy I Love," and the legendary number one holiday classic "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)".

The Singing Sergeants

Stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., the Singing Sergeants is one of six musical ensembles from The United States Air Force Band. The Singing Sergeant's 24 active-duty musicians support ceremonial and diplomatic functions, education outreach events, and perform concerts throughout Washington, D.C., and the United States, using music to bridge language and cultural differences and to help advance positive diplomatic relations through song. The chorus is regularly featured at national music education conferences, including the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, and Chorus America.