Weston Town Center was the stage for the annual Outdoor Pops Concert, presented by the City of Weston and the Weston Music Society in partnership with the Arts Council of Greater Weston.
WMS Vice President of Events, Toby Feuer, said, “This was one of the best concerts ever. The wonderful South Florida Symphony, under the baton of Maestra Huifang Chen, outdid themselves. The audience of approximately 1,000 attendees happily applauded the entire evening”.
The opening number, the William Tell Overture, by Gioachino Rossini, energized the crowd. Maestra Chen brought it in at a galloping pace, which had many of us thinking “Hi ho Silver, away,” as we recognized it as the Lone Ranger theme song. Three members of the brass section had a great time – and so did we – with Leroy Anderson’s “Buglers Holiday”.
The soloists were at the top of their game. Anneliese Wolfganger brought “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked” to new heights and brought the audience to their feet. Chris Santiago dedicated “The Impossible Dream” to his Cuban grandparents, who were in the audience, and again they rose to their feet in appreciation both of his rendition and on behalf of his family’s journey to America.
The program ended with a tribute marking the 60th anniversary of The Sound of Music, and the crowd left knowing “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things”.
Lou Marett, WMS President, noted, “It was such a beautiful evening, with the lake in the background and the sun setting. We were delighted with the turnout at this special location. We appreciate all the City of Weston did to facilitate this presentation.”
Annalisa Walker, Special Events Manager for Art for the City of Weston, was equally pleased. “When we are able to work together with dedicated volunteers, we get truly special events. We thank them for their time and effort. We thank the community for their growing support of this spring concert.”
