November 7, 2010 1:49 PM
Random Acts of Culture: "Hallelujah" at Philadeplphia Macy's
Opera Company of Philadelphia "Hallelujah!" Random Act of Culture
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 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" at 12 noon, 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. To learn more about this program and view more events, visit randomactsofculture.org. The Opera Company thanks Macy's and the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ (wanamakerorgan.com) for their partnership, as well as Organ Music Director Peter Conte and Fred Haas, accompanists; OCP Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, conductor; and Sound Engineer James R. Stemke. For a complete list of participating choirs and more information, visit operaphila.org/RAC. This event was planned to coincide with the first day of National Opera Week.
Comments
Barbara, that was awesome, gave me goose bumps galore. How fun was that? I could feel the electricity of the moment. Wish I could have experienced it. Wow. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Diane Ramirez | November 7, 2010 3:32 PM
Thank you for this. I literally wept as I watched. Oh, that those people may truly know what they are singing.
Posted by: MamaHen | November 7, 2010 4:11 PM
Maybe it's because I'm pregnant, but I was in tears by the end of that video, what a beautiful gift those shoppers received!
Posted by: Courageous Grace | November 7, 2010 10:21 PM
My daughter's boyfriend sings with the Opera Company of Philadelphia,one of the groups that sang there, as was she. The organist was Peter Richard Conte, a rather big name in oraganists :). He and 688 singers gave up their Saturday morning and battled Obama traffic (gridlock) to present this surprise offering, just for the joy it would bring. Some have commented on the shopping aspect for Macy's, but I know that they did this just to share the gifts they have AND it didn't hurt that they were proclaiming "and He shall reign forever and ever" and King of Kings and Lord of Lords" in a very secular setting. Loved it. ♥
Posted by: Kelly | November 8, 2010 6:41 AM
That was stunning. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: April | November 8, 2010 9:07 AM
Barbara, my kids and I loved this! Especially the cut to the two teen boys--very unexpected. Do you remember the one maybe last year at Union Station? Am I remembering that correctly? If you have it, can you repost it? It was excellent, too. Thanks so much!
Posted by: Molly Smith | November 8, 2010 9:50 AM
the only thing missing is watching some offended liberal's head exploding after it was over. I am sure there was at least one in attendance.
Posted by: jthayer | December 18, 2010 11:25 PM
