Random Act of Culture: Hallelujah Chorus at Macy's

On Saturday, 30 October , the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ (called the world's largest pipe organ), the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah at 12:00 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers.



This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years. The initiative is designed to transport the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into communities to enrich everyday lives.

For more information about the Random Acts of Culture program and to view more events, please visit:

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation: Random Acts of Culture


This event, by the way, was planned to coincide with the first day of National Opera Week. For more information about the Opera Company of Philadelphia and participating choirs, please visit:

Opera Company of Philadelphia: Random Act of Culture

(Thanks to Fr. Austin Fleming, Holy Family Parish, Concord, MA, for the tip.)