The audience that leaps to its feet

The audience that leaps to its feet

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norman lebrecht

September 18, 2011

The tour reporter on the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra website reports:

‘I have never seen a cheering audience jump to its feet quicker than the audience at the Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam.’

I donlt want to dampen his enthusiasm, but that’s the Dutch for you. They build concert halls with very little legroom for seated spectators and then breed children who are quarter of a metre taller than the rest of us.

At the end of a concert – especially in the Concertgebouw – the audience leaps to its feet to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

I’ve seen it many times. Does this happen anywhere else?

 

Comments

  • I am sure this is going to happen a lot in the new Helsinki Music Center. I was surprised how tightly they packed the audience! It seemed to take an eternity for the audience to exit the hall along the narrow aisles and stairways…

  • Thiemo Wind says:

    Since the recent refurbishment of the Doelen, this Rotterdam concerthall has more legroom than any other hall in the world. The Rotterdam audience is famous for its enthusiasm…

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