Picture a classical music orchestra. Now picture it with a military band playing behind them and a choir playing further behind. Add an enthusiastic showman conductor. That all sounds pretty normal.
Add in a harp, baby grand piano and a giant organ at the back. Plus two opera singers, a pianist and a ballet dancer. Okay, starting to get a little crazy, but still within the classical realm.
Now add a laser light show, soldiers firing muskets and cannons, indoor fireworks, and falling balloons and streamers. Sounds cheesy right?
Now picture all this in the magnificent Royal Albert Hall. Talk about a contrast! Yet somehow it all makes for an over-the-top, thoroughly entertaining evening. All with the popular classical pieces, you know, the ones we all heard with Bugs Bunny as we were growing up.
The music sounded amazing and the venue was packed. This would be a great way to introduce children to classical music.
But not only was it a good classical concert, but it was also a surprising cultural experience. During the song Pomp and Circumstance, everyone in the audience got out their paper British flags and started waving them in time with the music. Then when the choir started singing, the audience sang along as well! (Keep in mind, these are Brits who are normally very reserved.)
The conductor getting the audience to sing along.
Projections of British flags flying all around the hall!
Even the choir is waving their flags!
Later on in the concert, they played another flag-waving song - Rule Britannia, which is a very colonialist song.
"Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never never never will be slaves!"
The opera singers sang along dressed in British flag capes. And who said the Brits don't like to show their patriotism like the Americans.
At the end of the concert, red, white and blue balloons dropped from the ceiling. It was like being in an American political convention!
Add in a harp, baby grand piano and a giant organ at the back. Plus two opera singers, a pianist and a ballet dancer. Okay, starting to get a little crazy, but still within the classical realm.
Now add a laser light show, soldiers firing muskets and cannons, indoor fireworks, and falling balloons and streamers. Sounds cheesy right?
Now picture all this in the magnificent Royal Albert Hall. Talk about a contrast! Yet somehow it all makes for an over-the-top, thoroughly entertaining evening. All with the popular classical pieces, you know, the ones we all heard with Bugs Bunny as we were growing up.
The music sounded amazing and the venue was packed. This would be a great way to introduce children to classical music.
But not only was it a good classical concert, but it was also a surprising cultural experience. During the song Pomp and Circumstance, everyone in the audience got out their paper British flags and started waving them in time with the music. Then when the choir started singing, the audience sang along as well! (Keep in mind, these are Brits who are normally very reserved.)
The conductor getting the audience to sing along.
Projections of British flags flying all around the hall!
Even the choir is waving their flags!
Later on in the concert, they played another flag-waving song - Rule Britannia, which is a very colonialist song.
"Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never never never will be slaves!"
The opera singers sang along dressed in British flag capes. And who said the Brits don't like to show their patriotism like the Americans.
At the end of the concert, red, white and blue balloons dropped from the ceiling. It was like being in an American political convention!
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