Location Boston, Massachusetts Seating type open Capacity 10,000 | Type Outdoor amphitheater Opened 4 July 1940 Phone +1 617-626-1250 | |
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Former names Edward A. Hatch Memorial Shell Address 47 David G Mugar Way, Boston, MA 02108, USA Owner Department of Conservation and Recreation Similar Charles River Esplanade, Longfellow Bridge, Public Garden, Boston Common, Prudential Tower | ||
Boston pops orchestra bohemian rhapsody edward a hatch memorial shell
The Edward A. Hatch Memorial Shell (commonly referred to as the "Hatch Shell") is an outdoor concert venue on the Charles River Esplanade in the Back Bay section of Boston, Massachusetts.
Contents
- Boston pops orchestra bohemian rhapsody edward a hatch memorial shell
- Shs tuesday jazz band at the hatch memorial shell
- History
- References
The Hatch Shell is best known for hosting the Boston Pops Orchestra annually for the Boston Fourth of July celebration, but is also used for free concerts most weekends and many weeknights during the summer months. The grass pavilion in front of the stage has no permanent seating. There is a memorial nearby to Arthur Fiedler, first permanent conductor of the Pops.
Shs tuesday jazz band at the hatch memorial shell
History
The original, wooden shell was built in 1928 as a temporary venue for the Pops with expectations of construction of a permanent structure in the near future. It was first used for a concert on July 4, 1929, with Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops Orchestra. A second, temporary shell, made of metal, was built in 1934, but owing to sparse funding throughout the Great Depression, construction of a permanent Hatch Shell was delayed until 1939-1940. Today's permanent shell was designed by architect Richard J. Shaw, given by Maria Hatch in memory of her brother, and dedicated on July 2, 1940. In preparation for its 50th anniversary in 1991, it underwent significant renovation and repair along with modernization of its acoustics by Boston architecture firm Finegold Alexander. Bostonian Howard Brickman, a master craftsman specializing in wood floors, re-created the intricate interior paneling of the shell by hand.
An 8-foot bronze statue of George S. Patton, by James Earle Fraser, commemorates the general's June 7, 1945 address at the site before a crowd of 20,000 persons.
Uses of the Hatch Shell include concerts, movie showings and speeches, and as a meeting place for large events, such as AIDS Walk Boston and the Larry Kessler 5K Run. The grass pavilion is used for picnics, casual sports and sunbathing, in a manner typical of urban parks.