Free Performing Arts This Summer

Boston’s calendar is crammed with events year-round, but summer brings a relaxed, informal atmosphere to the city’s art scene.  These options are all free productions, and if you are in Boston for only a short time, the only problem is choosing which to see!

In celebration of its 125th anniversary  year, the Boston Pops will be performing  a series of free, outdoor concerts at Boston Parks. The Boston Pops Brass Quintet will play  jazz standards and more at  Jamaica Pond’s Pinebank at 6PM on June 27 and June 11 and at Olmsted Park (Map)on August 8. On July 21 at 7 PM,  City Hall Plaza(Map)will be the setting for a Pops Dance Party featuring the Boston Pops Swing Orchestra, and on September 26 at 3 PM Keith Lockhart will conduct the entire  Boston Pops orchestra in a concert on the Boston Common (Map).

One of Boston’s cultural gems, The Boston’s Landmark Festival Orchestra is dedicated to presenting free classical concerts  to all. This summer’s concerts will run on Wednesday’s from July 14-September 1 at 7 PM at the Hatch Shell (Map) along the Boston Esplanade. This season, one  of Beethoven’s symphonies will be featured each week along with other classic orchestral works.

Did you suffer through a forced march through Shakespeare’s work in high school? Grab a blanket and a picnic basket and head to the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common (Map) July 28 – August 18  to see Shakespeare as you have never seen him before. Every summer, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents an exciting, invigorating production of one of  the Bard’s plays. This year’s show is the tragic tale Othello set in Italy of the 1950′s. Performances Tuesday-Saturday are at 8 PM, Sundays at 7 PM and Sunday August 8 at 2 PM.

Image Credit: Boston Landmarks Orchestra