Flashmob: The Opera

Let's keep the musical theme going this week, shall we? Because I saw the COOLEST thing on TV this morning.

Flashmob: The Opera

The first flashmob opera (the one I saw on TV today) took place on October 6, 2004 ... so I'm jumping on the train rather late here, but lordy it looked SOOOOO frickin' awesome! Basically, the BBC 3 staged a short contemporary opera in Paddington Station in London. Actually in the station. There was no stage. The actors walked around the station amongst all the commuters, wearing subtle headsets to pick up their voices. There was a live orchestra for the music and the occassional camera operator running around, capturing the action and ... well, it's just so difficult to describe, but it kicked major ass! Some of the audience members who were standing around were there because they were members of the flash mob, so they'd had an inkling of what to expect. But, of course, most of the people there were taken totally by surprise. Towards the end, everyone was urged to join in as the tenor sang "Nessun Dorma". See, people, this is the kind of stuff that makes the UK so great. This and Bakewell tarts.


The original flashmob opera was so successful that they did another one ... in Sheffield! My dear hubby's ol' stomping grounds! It was performed at the Meadowhall shopping center ... more commonly known as MeadowHell by the locals. How appropriate, then, that they performed a modern take on Faustus? Brilliant!

You can watch out-takes of the Sheffield opera by going here and clicking on "Launch the console". Sorry the quality isn't so great, but it's still worth a look-see.