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Brazilian Orchestra Continues to Play Flawlessly in the Dark During a Power Outage

By Regina Sienra on October 22, 2023

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Una publicación compartida por Orquestra Sinfônica Piracicaba (@sinfonicapiracicaba)

Orchestra musicians are supremely talented performers. They can push through many obstacles to deliver beautiful music, including a blackout. A now-viral video shows a Brazilian symphony orchestra being plunged into darkness halfway through a concert due to a power outage. Although they couldn't see their conductor nor the sheet music, the orchestra kept playing flawlessly, much to the delight of their audience.

Back in August, the Piracicaba Symphony Orchestra was giving a concert to celebrate the 256th anniversary of the founding of the city of Piracicaba, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Suddenly, during the orchestra's performance of “Farandole” from Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite, a hailstorm caused a city-wide blackout.

Without missing a beat, the orchestra kept the music going, playing by memory and ear as they awaited for the lights to come back on. For a moment, the light seems to return before engulfing the theatre in darkness again, just as the climax of the piece was approaching. “Musicians and conductor continued on stage in full harmony, until the emergency power generators were activated,” the orchestra said. Finally, the light came back by the end of the piece, resulting in a round of applause from the bewildered concert-goers. Who said a symphony orchestra couldn't play in the dark?

To stay up to date with this group of brilliant musicians, you can follow the Piracicaba Symphony Orchestra on Instagram.