By Lia Batista
VIENNA, Austria – Oper Rund Um, translated as “Opera Around,” is a theater troupe that brings opera to the public parks of Vienna. The troupe’s shows are free, and they can pop up in just a matter of minutes, with little warning.
Two yellow trucks will pull up into one of Vienna’s many parks, its side coverings will be rolled up, and the stage is set for an abbreviated opera. The players sing and act from one truck while the orchestra plays from the other. Audience members are invited to both watch and participate.
Oper Rund Um is taking the gospel of opera into public spaces, trying to bring opera to those who would otherwise never come in contact with it. It seems to be working. Crowds of adults and children gather around the stage and watch the unexpected entertainment provided by singers and instrumentalists from a variety of backgrounds.
Throughout the show, choir singers dressed as mere members of the crowd begin to sing, surrounding the viewers in song from all directions to create a unique, real-world, operatic experience for those who happen fortunate enough to be in the park at the right time.
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