Opera + FAO Schwarz Piano = ‘L’Opéra Piano’ for TFO
Posted in: UncategorizedTo bring opera to the people, Lowe Roche put a new spin on the FAO Schwarz-style giant piano (as made famous in this scene from Big) for TFO, the only public television station in Ontario featuring opera as part of their weekly program.
Set during the Festival d’Opéra de Québec, Lowe Roche assembled twelve opera singers to correspond with the twelve notes of the instrument. When these notes were played they lit up and the corresponding opera singer bellowed out his or her note. (Tom Hanks was conspicuously absent from the performance, unfortunately.) Everyone from children to seniors to dogs can be seen having a blast playing with the piano, while the opera singers concentrate on their every move to make sure they don’t miss their cue. Unfortunately, no one organized a group of twelve people to jump on the twelve keys at the same time to create a large atonal blast of opera awesomeness.
Lowe Roche and TFO found a unique way to engage their audience, while accomplishing the near-impossible task of making opera seem fun to young people. I’d venture a guess that more than a handful of children dragged along to the festival spent the entire time playing or watching TFO’s ‘L’Opéra Piano.’ To those youngsters saved from boredom, Lowe Roche and TFO are heroes. Credits after the jump. continued…
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