Random Acts of Culture

[Bob]

Subject: A Happy Video to jump start your Holiday season......

 

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia (OCP) brought together 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's"Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia.

 

Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus, and throngs of singers from the community, infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" to the delight of surprised shoppers.

 

This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years.

 

The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives. This event was planned to coincide with the first day of National Opera Week.

 

Click on the following

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[Diverdan]

Thanks for sharing... it is a wonderful video.

DD

[leigh.bess.toad]

OMFG - I'm now officially in love with the Knight Foundation. They have always been a great group but this is brilliant idea. What a great gift to the shoppers and the city as a whole.

 

But my guess is that there were also shoppers there who were also singing along. If I had been there even if I were not among the 650 I would have dove right in. I've been singing the Messiah for 40+ years and need no score for the entire piece. It would have been a thrill. And I don't know who got more joy from being there. The shoppers and workers or the singers. It was probably even.

 

Thank you so much for posting this. And thank you so much Knight Foundation. What a great start to the soon to begin holiday season. Just as a thought -- Christmas is 6 weeks from today.

[instudiocity]

OMFG - I'm now officially in love with the Knight Foundation. They have always been a great group but this is brilliant idea. What a great gift to the shoppers and the city as a whole.

 

But my guess is that there were also shoppers there who were also singing along. If I had been there even if I were not among the 650 I would have dove right in. I've been singing the Messiah for 40+ years and need no score for the entire piece. It would have been a thrill. And I don't know who got more joy from being there. The shoppers and workers or the singers. It was probably even.

 

Thank you so much for posting this. And thank you so much Knight Foundation. What a great start to the soon to begin holiday season. Just as a thought -- Christmas is 6 weeks from today.

 

Lee, It's always more fun to sing with 650 professionals than it is to just stand there and listen. I'm at 45 years of singing the Messiah. Hallelujah Chorus just lights my fire, even it the wood is wet.

[foxy]

Years ago I went to the Handel's Messiah sing along at Lincoln Center. We sang the "Hallelujah Chorus" three times and finally the conductor had to call it quits and get on with the rest of the performance. It was pretty wonderful to sing with hundreds of people and very moving.

[+ honcho]

Inspired by the various Messiah sing alongs around the country, the SF Lesbian/Gay freedom band has been staging a

Dance-Along Nutcracker for the past decade or so . . .