“Saturday shopping at the Privoz Fish Market in Odessa, Ukraine is said to be an intense, bustling part of everyday life. The Odessa Philharmonic and Odessa Opera Chorus recently tried to elevate the experience for some shoppers by staging an ‘Ode to Joy’ flash mob performance in the middle of the bazaar,” reads a Tuesday (3/25) report at WQXR’s blog. “The ‘Ode to Joy,’ from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, also happens to be the anthem of the European Union. The musicians told a local newspaper that they wanted to make a statement about Ukrainian unity, so they selected this ode to unity and brotherhood. Hobart Earle is the conductor.” To watch the performance, click here. In addition to the Odessa Philharmonic, the city of Odessa has produced violinists Nathan Milstein and David Oistrakh and pianists Sviatoslav Richter, Shura Cherkassky, and Emil Gilels.
Posted March 26, 2014
