Love is in the air in Boston in June.  We all breathe a collective sigh of contentment as the cold air floats away to make room for balmier breezes.  The flowers melt into a glorious rainbow, reminding us that the winter is behind us, and we can look forward to a few magnificent months of summer sunshine.  The surest sign that happier times are upon us is the splendid celebration of self-expression that is known all over the world as ‘Pride’ and one of the most anticipated elements of this glorious week-long fête is the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus’ Pride concert.  Gone is the sweetness of the holiday concert, and the serious and touching tone of the spring concert, BGMC’s Pride concert was full to the brim with the very essence of the summer season- color, excitement, laughter, and lots and lots of sequins.

This year’s concert, Divas, was a tribute to all the great female performers that have touched our lives- ranging from the Broadway legends of yesteryear, to the celebrated pop artisits of today.  Two truly phenomenal guest stars joined the chorus in this sparkling display; the hauntingly beautiful Claire Philippe, and the incomparable Leigh Barrett.  In the true style of BGMC, each section of the delightful event was so full of soul that it was hard to decide if you should laugh out loud or cry at their heartfelt candor.  I did both.

During the “Diva Drive-By,” the chorus led us on a dizzying jag through the music of twelve of the most beloved singers in the world.  From Dolly Pardon to k.d. lang, no genre was left untouched.  The chorus was absolutely inspired in their rendition of two short Karen Carpenter numbers, “Close to You” and “Goodbye to Love”.  A huge fan of Carpenter myself, I was extremely touched by the loving tribute given by Bill Spera.  Later, the stage exploded in a bawdy celebration of Lady Gaga as the chorus sang “Bad Romance” as a backdrop to BGMC’s nod to one of the most iconic dance numbers since “Thriller”.   In the “Soul Sisters” portion of the night, we were treated to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “And I am Telling You” (Philippe did this with every bit of passion and sophistication you might expect of a Broadway superstar), and a show stopping treatment of “Proud Mary” that literally brought down the curtain.  What a fantastic dance routine!

After intermission, Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, Cher and Madonna were all given their due.  I especially appreciated the Glo-Stick rave that accompanied Madonna’s “Ray of Light.”  It put a huge smile on my face and completely made up for the“ping-pong-paddle” debacle that I so hated from the last concert- THIS is the way to use a hand prop, boys!  As the chorus presented “Diva of the Stage,” I was delighted to hear Barrett perform “Losing My Mind” from Follies.  It was so beautiful that it was hard to believe anything could top it, but as they prove again and again, the BGMC boys had a few more surprises up their sleeves.  Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” had a particularly witty bite, and I could not be more impressed with the stellar dance moves of trio, Izzy Berdan, Evan Crothers, and Kaveh Riahi.  The night was topped off by everyone’s favorite diva, the woman who defined diva, Judy Garland, and the chorus gave us everything we could have ever wanted to hear; “Get Happy”, “You Made Me Love You”, and ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow”.  There were eyes tearing up all over the Cutler Majestic.  Of course, never ones to end on a sad note, the chorus’ encore piece revved us up again as we all danced the “Last Dance” by Donna Summer.

There was so much to love about this concert.  The dancers were, as always, phenomenal in both spirit and execution, and the staging and choreography this time around was light-hearted and very well implemented.  The skilled hands of Music Director Reuben Reynolds, let the chorus with his legendary candor and humor.  I also want to take a moment to mention how much I adore Chad Weirick, the Assistant Music Director and Accompanist.  Did anyone else take a moment to watch this man play the piano?  He is captivating to watch and an unsung hero as a performer. His presence is a boon to the whole BGMC organization.

It has been a truly wonderful season for the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus.  I am continuously delighted by the quality and the passion that this group of performers bring to Boston and the greater community, and I am ever touched by the compassion and thoughtfulness put into each show.  I am looking forward to seeing what is in store for us next season!

Disco lights in action!  Photo by Tony Scarpetta