On Saturday, January 8 performers from the Opera Company of Philadelphia surprised shoppers at Reading Terminal Market with a performance of the Toreador song from Carmen. The event featured 30 choristers, three soloists and hundreds of fans.
Photo courtesy of Vince Barone.
Why Does Knight Foundation Fund Random Acts of Culture™? Knight Foundation, like its founders Jack and Jim Knight, focuses on promoting informed and engaged communities. To that end, we strongly believe in the potential of the arts to engage residents, and bring a community together. Hearing Handel, or seeing the tango in an unexpected place provides a deeply felt reminder of how the classics can enrich our lives. As you’ll see in our videos, the performances make people smile, dance, grab their cameras – even cry with joy. For those brief moments, people going along in their everyday lives are part of a shared, communal experience that makes their community a more vibrant place to live. In these days of shrinking audiences, we also hope that these random acts will encourage people to attend traditional performances. We can’t promise it. But it’s hard to watch what unfolds during a Random Act of Culture®, and not be inspired to see and hear more
This is a fantastic idea to bring the arts to the masses, as many of us have had to scale back spending & when you are scrambling to keep to a budget, it’s awful hard to scrap up enough funding for tickets to a show. I can only hope that in my mundane travels to the market, I get to see & hear these wonderful musicians & singers. Bravo! Bravissimo!!!
I absolutely LOVE these Random Acts of Culture!! Everyone I have seen here makes me cry with excitement! What a wonderful thing to do, bringing such joy into the crazy moments of our otherwise boring day! Keep up the wonderful work!!
Wonderfull, I like it.
“Random acts of culture”? Didn’t hear it yet, but a very good idea.
Absolutely wonderful! I hope someday I’m lucky enough to see one of these Random Acts of Culture in person.
Someone sent me a link to the November RAC at Macy’s. It was so wonderful it brought me to tears. From that link I found this site.
One cannot watch and listen to this without smiling.
Being a participant must be thrilling.
If I am ever lucky enough to experience one of these Random Acts of Culture I will be absolutely BURSTING WITH JOY.
(I’m in the Capital Region of NY—hint hint)
Kudos to all involved.
what a great thing you are doing brings tears of joy to me each time i see the clips blessings to all
The human race has begun to evolve acts of culture instead of acts of war!Sing on angels and heal this world.Go from random to legions of angels illuminating the world.Chase the darkness from this planet.heal on people heal on God is watching us.+
How fabulous! What a joy to bring the music back to the people rather than keeping it for the few who can afford to see it on a regular basis!
What a wonderful gift for Philadelphia. I watched the random acts at Macy’s and Reading terminal and both times it brought tears of joy to my eyes. Thnak you for the gift of music!