No humans in attendance
Images adapted from: Liceu Opera Barcelona
While we waited for parks in Thailand to reopen in July with safety measures, nature ignored social-distancing rules and crowded public places while we were away.
On 22nd June, the El Liceu opera house in Spain hosted its first post-lockdown concert to an audience of 2,292 plants.
The plants gave a standing ovation
Image credit: Liceu Opera Barcelona
The El Liceu Opera House in Barcelona, Spain hosted its first concert post-lockdown to an audience of 2,292 potted plants as part of a video-art piece by artist Eugenio Ampudia.
The well-watered audience were asked to turn off mobile phones, refrain from photography and disruptive noises.
A string quartet then came on stage and performed Puccini’s “Crisantemi” for the grounded crowd. The performance was reportedly also livestreamed for both human and plant audiences. The plants applauded the quartet by rustling their leaves.
The artist wanted to remind people of nature
Image credit: Liceu Opera Barcelona
El Liceu’s artistic director, Eugenio Ampudia, said the performance was a desire to see the opera house filled with life when people could not attend, reported AFP.
Image credit: Liceu Opera Barcelona
Ampudia wanted the concert to remind people about the relationship between humans and nature. Despite lockdown stopping human activities worldwide, nature has continued to grow and took up our places.
The plants came from nurseries and were later donated in tribute to frontline workers at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, according to El Liceu.
Barcelona recently reopened its borders on 21st June after Spain went into a nationwide lockdown back in mid-March.
So far, Spain has almost 294,000 COVID-19 cases.
Life around us
During the lockdown, there were reports of overgrown parks and animals roaming freely in areas that people usually crowded. Even so, there were also reports of poaching and increase in plastic wastes during this time.
We need to remember to take care of nature so that it continues to give back to us.
You can watch the performance here.
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