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There wasn't the slightest hint of carelessness, even though the audience consisted of trees.Concert for the BioceneThe event was elaborately staged, as if welcoming real guests. The organizers even arranged a red carpet from the outside to the inside of the theater to celebrate this "one-of-a-kind" event.
This event took place on the first day after the end of Spain's state of emergency, and was streamed live on the theater's website. The UceLi Quartet performed the piece.Crisantemi(The Chrysanthemum) by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. At the end, the organizers used wind blowing through the trees to create a rustling sound, instead of applause.
These plants will then be given directly to doctors and nurses. This is an idea by artist Eugenio Ampudia to express gratitude for their efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
Ampudia said he was inspired by nature during the pandemic. “I heard more birds singing. And the trees in my garden, as well as outside, grew faster. And then, without a doubt, I think I can now have a closer connection with both people and nature,” he said before the performance.
He argued that given the opportunity, nature would reclaim the spaces that humans had once taken from it. "Through this event, we want to send a message: it's time for humans to coexist and empathize with the animals in nature. Let's start with art by inviting nature to enjoy it," Ampudia said.
Ampudia also said that he had chosen a particularly fitting piece of music for the occasion. "It's a piece composed by Giacomo Puccini on the anniversary of the death of his friend, Prince Amedeo di Savoia. The piece has very interesting passages, but also a melancholic feeling. And sensing the message that nature sent through the pandemic, I felt the need to converse with the plants specifically, to tell them what we have gone through during this time, through music – a language that plants can hear and feel. It's really almost like a memorial service, a penitential rite."
Victor Garcia de Gomar, director of the Liceu Theatre, said that the concertConcert for the BioceneThis will be the prelude to the 2020-2021 season. According to him, this idea primarily helps families relax while they are still staying home due to social distancing orders. In addition, the organizers also want to send a message: when people cannot attend concerts in person, nature can do it for them.
Liceu is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. Following its plant-based visitors, the theater is expected to officially welcome human visitors this coming September.
