Boston Pops Brawl

Posted by Sarah Canice Funke May 12, 2007

Opening night for the Boston Pops has perhaps never been quite so eventful.

Attending a concert may have been risky back in the days when the gallery gods pelted unsatisfactory performers with rotten foodstuffs. But in today's modern times, one usually thinks of the symphony hall as a staid place where guests sit in quiet enjoyment of the music. However, a brawl in Boston Symphony Hall on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 proved otherwise. With special guest singer-songwriter Ben Folds to appear later in the night, the Boston Pops continued normally enough for about 20 minutes. But when the orchestra reached a medley from the film Gigi, a loud scream in the balcony section distracted audience members. The conductor Keith Lockhart attempted to continue the performance, but more screams and the sounds of chairs being knocked down brought the music to a halt. Security officials escorted two men out of the concert hall and the performance resumed. A standing ovation celebrated the conclusion.

Apparently one guest's request of another guest for quiet sparked the skirmish, resulting in a torn shirt but no injuries. Charges were not brought against the men involved in the brawl.