The Boston Pops kicked off its 123d season last night with a truncated tribute to Massachusetts' native son Leonard Bernstein, who would have turned 90 this year, and a guest appearance by singer Natalie Cole, whose lengthy set list required that two-thirds of the Bernstein celebration be canceled at the last minute.
It's a shame, because Bernstein's suite from the 1954 film "On the Waterfront" was glorious — a perfect aesthetic fit for the Pops, and conductor Keith Lockhart led the orchestra through a beautifully tempered read of the composer's haunted score. A montage of movie stills featuring a smoldering Brando and gorgeous Eva Marie Saint made it a feast for the eyes as well. Happily, Pops-goers in the coming weeks will have the chance to hear the overture to "Candide" and watch a new film by "Evening at Pops" producer Susan Dangel, accompanied by a live performance of John Williams's "For Lenny," during the season-long tribute to Bernstein.
Cole's appearance was timed to generate interest in her forthcoming album, "Still Unforgettable" (due in September), the sequel to "Unforgettable," the 1991 standards collection that marked the singer's shift from mainstream R&B-pop to jazzy, prerock material. Looking gorgeous in a full-length salmon gown, Cole performed a clutch of classics from the American songbook, lovingly recycled and unburdened by invention or surprise.
What she lacks in inspiration, Cole makes up in a light, classy touch and impeccable rhythm. Her notes land squarely in the pocket, and her straightforward phrasing is well suited to songs both sweet (Harold Arlen's "It's Only a Paper Moon," Charlie Chaplin's "Smile") and slightly saucy (the Sinatra hits "Nice 'n' Easy" and "Come Rain or Come Shine"). The show's emotional high point came courtesy of the singer's father, Nat "King" Cole, who appeared on the video screen to sing "Unforgettable" with his daughter — a virtual duet familiar to anyone within striking distance of a TV in the '90s.
Inviting comparisons with her velvetvoiced parent cut both ways, though. Cole's delivery of "Somewhere Along the Way," one of Nat Cole's dreamiest ballads, was neither lush nor lovely, but simply solid. And "This Will Be," Cole's own hit from the '70s, wasn't even solid; the tricky pop tune's demanding melody eluded her entirely, and the song was essentially carried by the backup singers.
The Pops supplied appropriately tasteful foundations and occasionally stylish flourishes, and sounded downright sizzling on "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a reliably winning entry on a largely stellar set list with only one serious gaffe: No self-respecting woman should include "Lollipops and Roses," a patronizing slip of a song, in her repertoire.
Joan Anderman can be reached at anderman@globe.com. For more music visit boston.com/ae/music/blog.