The Boston Pops will tape five new shows for TV's "Evening at Pops" this season. Keith Lockhart will conduct four of them, John Williams the fifth.
The broadcast series, which will run on PBS Monday evenings from June 23 to Aug. 25, will include four "encore" programs repeated from past seasons.Lockhart's first show, to be telecast June 23, is "The American Spirit," hosted by Charles Osgood. It features soprano Dawn Upshaw singing Rodgers & Hart and members of the Boston Ballet, who will dance the Hoedown from Copland's "Rodeo." "Rhythm Is Our Business," July 7, features the Flying Karamazov Brothers, dancers from "Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk," and percussionist Airto Moreira in Patrick Hollenback's "For the Rain Forest."
A show featuring k.d. lang airs July 21, featuring music from her new album "Drag." Also appearing on that show will be Celtic fiddler Eileen Ivers from "Riverdance" and Joanie Madden from Cherish the Ladies.
Musical theater star Elaine Paige, who performs opening night at the Pops, appears on the July 28 telecast. The Mark Morris Dance Group will also appear on the program, dancing to Ibert's "Divertissement."
John Williams' show, which airs Aug. 11, is called " `Star Wars' and the Hollywood Sound." Hosted by Gene Shalit, the program celebrates the 20th anniversary of "Star Wars"; saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. will perform music from Franz Waxman's score to "A Place in the Sun."
Fidelity Investments and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism are the corporate sponsors of the series.