{"id":404,"date":"2023-09-25T11:18:09","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T16:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rowx\/?p=404"},"modified":"2023-09-25T11:18:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T16:18:13","slug":"rush-seats-mary-rice-on-the-pure-enjoyment-of-classical-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/rowx\/2023\/09\/25\/rush-seats-mary-rice-on-the-pure-enjoyment-of-classical-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Rush Seats: Mary Rice on the pure enjoyment of classical music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Happy Monday, everyone. Rush Seats is my occasional series of shorter posts sharing a quick observation, a resource, a timely topic or in-process idea. Check out the first post here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here’s a TikTok video from opera singer Mary Rice<\/a>* about a concert in a canyon<\/a> at the Moab Music Festival<\/a>. It is definitely on the all-in experience end of the spectrum – the concert itself was about 90 minutes (with the best acoustics Mary says she’s ever heard), but the whole experience was six hours end to end, with a shuttle, boat ride, and reception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what jumped out to me to share with you: she said, “On the boat ride back, I was just honestly reminded that this is how classical music should be: inventive and fun, lots of different things all at once, not taking itself too seriously, and dedicated not to sophistication but to delight and enjoyment and ultimately a good way to spend your valuable time<\/strong>.” This is in the vein of several arts organizations offering a higher number of informal arts experiences to reconnect audiences to the enjoyment of the arts. The most prominent of which might be Lincoln Center Summer in the City<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this time when there is a lot of debate going on about what arts organizations should be doing, this is a good reminder that there are infinite ways that the arts can be offered out to audiences, and a range of ways that audiences enjoy experiencing the arts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s Mary Rice on the Moab Music Festival Bach in the Grotto experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

@coloratura_runs<\/a>

<\/p> \u266c original sound – Mary Rice | mezzo-soprano<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>