By David Devan, Opera Philadelphia

On Saturday, September 28, nearly 4,000 attendees filled the lawn in front of Independence Mall to see the HD broadcast of our season opening production of Verdi’s Nabucco, the result of record-breaking registration and attendance numbers that confirmed the increasing public demand for our civic offering.

Our guests for the evening ranged from opera loving Philadelphians who registered online a month advance to tourists whose curiosity drew them to investigate the giant video screen. We were delighted to bring such a diverse gathering of people together to witness an epic tale of struggle for freedom displayed against the iconic backdrop of Independence Mall.  The entire block was filled with families and friends enjoying picnic dinners, excited children twirling glowsticks, and attendees posting tweets and Instagram photos which made #onthemall one of the top trending tags in Philadelphia that night. They were all treated to a remarkable performance that concluded with the stunning a capella performance of the opera’s signature chorus, “Va, pensiero,” under the stars.

As I looked out on the crowd that evening, humbled by the enthusiastic participation of so many, I recalled your vision of  filling the entire length of the Mall  with thousands enjoying this shared civic and cultural experience.  With the current growth rate we will get there!

I am extremely grateful for the Knight Foundation’s catalytic support of Opera on the Mall, and are proud to be expanding  the event’s capacity into the second block for next year’s broadcast of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.

Click here to see additional photos from the event.