logo
Control Philly's new water orchestra this fall

Control Philly's new water orchestra this fall

Axios3 days ago
Break out the baton — a new interactive art installation is popping up this fall that puts you in charge of a symphony of spouts.
Why it matters: It's like a Philly-fied version of Mickey's " Sorcerer's Apprentice" — we're calling it our " Phil-tasia."
Driving the news: The "Water Orchestra" installation, which opens Sept. 5 and runs through Oct. 3, turns Dilworth Park's fountain into a musical instrument that dances to the commands of whoever steps into the conductor's podium.
For two minutes, visitors will be allowed to channel their inner Leopold Stokowski.
The intrigue: The installation, conceived by Montréal-based Ottomata and Atomic3, underwent a smaller public test run in Canada before coming here. Check out the video.
It was inspired by Walt Disney's 1940 film "Fantasia," where magical maestro Mickey Mouse dons a sorcerer's cap before animating bucket-carrying brooms while staging a rousing symphony of shooting stars and swirling clouds.
Fun fact: The soundtrack for that scene was performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts
POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts

Newsweek

time4 hours ago

  • Newsweek

POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. For 15 years, Beijing-based POP MART has been leading the blind box craze with its popular array of characters. From the first-party creations, such as the Monsters Series featuring the world-famous LABUBU, to collaborations with major brands, POP MART has its hands in all realms of fandom and collectibles. Those realms also include a major presence at San Diego Comic-Con. "We're thrilled to be back at San Diego Comic-Con for the third year in a row. This year, we created the ultimate Play Stop for fans to fuel up on joy with their favorite POP MART IP. Attendees are getting access to global first releases, first looks at upcoming products, and an opportunity to meet one of our most beloved artists," said Emily Brough, POP MART's head of IP and Licensing, The Americas. More Than Just One Monster While LABUBU has been all the rage recently, POP MART's influence extends far beyond that singular monster. As the brand celebrates its 15th anniversary, POP MART's collection of cute characters has taken over the globe, including DUCKOO, Nyota Love, and more. "The passion of the POP MART collector community is on full display here in San Diego. It's incredible to see the energy around so many of our artists. From Nyota to Duckoo, the community continues to embrace all of these unique characters and the stories they tell," Brandi Hammons, POP MART's head of marketing, The Americas, told Newsweek. POP MART's selection at SDCC 2025 POP MART's selection at SDCC 2025 That roster is apparent in California. For the third consecutive year, POP MART pulled out all the stops at San Diego Comic-Con, offering fans an exclusive look at upcoming collections and introducing a few surprise releases featuring new collaborations with Star Wars and Hot Wheels. Not only were there hot new releases on the floor, but POP MART revealed what's to come with exclusive previews of the upcoming scream-inducing Chucky blind box set. Nyota artist KaKu also made an appearance at the booth to sign the new Nyota collectibles released at San Diego Comic-Con. Amid the LABUBU boom, POP MART offered con attendees the chance to get their hands on the accessory of 2025, despite the fanged friend's scarcity. POP MART's expansion went beyond the SDCC stage. The trendy toy retailer joined forces with the candy store IT'SUGAR for a special POP MART-themed weekend where convention goers could create their own custom candies inspired by POP MART's biggest characters, as well as buy new blind boxes. The brand also teased more to come for POP MART as the love for LABUBU and The Monsters continues to spread far and wide. The fanged friend has been a major driver of POP MART's growth stateside, with the brand expanding across North America through 43 brick-and-mortar locations and 65 Robo Shops.

Savannah Bananas, Lucy Dacus, Nas, Diplo's Run Club, more things to do in Philly this weekend
Savannah Bananas, Lucy Dacus, Nas, Diplo's Run Club, more things to do in Philly this weekend

CBS News

time4 hours ago

  • CBS News

Savannah Bananas, Lucy Dacus, Nas, Diplo's Run Club, more things to do in Philly this weekend

Weather aside, this weekend is going to be a hot one, Philly! The fun begins with Lucy Dacus as she kicks off Make the World Better Concert Weekend in FDR Park. Rap icon Nas is also taking the stage in Philly with the Philadelphia Orchestra Friday night. The fun continues as the iconic Savannah Bananas are coming to town for two Banana Ball games Saturday and Sunday. Plus, it's the final weekend to catch "Life of Pi" at the Academy of Music. Here's what else is going on in the Philadelphia region this weekend. Citizens Bank Park is going bananas this weekend! That's because the one, the only Savannah Bananas are bringing their signature tricks and gimmicks to South Philly for two games of pure Banana Ball against the Texas Tailgaters this weekend. A Savannah Bananas game is not your mother's baseball game. Between the team's circus-like skills, plus the special rules of Banana Ball, guests are in for a truly entertaining and eventful performance. Tickets to see the 2025 Banana Ball World Tour will cost you a bit, however. Tickets to Saturday's 7 p.m. game start at $96, while tickets for Sunday's 3:30 p.m. game start at $120. Considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, Nas, will be in Philadelphia this week for a very special performance. Nasir with The Philadelphia Orchestra will be performing Illmatic: Live at the TD Pavilion at The Mann on Friday, rain or shine. His debut album, Illamtic, was released on April 19, 1994, making the album 31 years old. Aging like fine wine, this album put the Queensbridge, New York, native on the map, eventually becoming platinum. Tickets start at $47. Doors open at 6 p.m. and showtime is expected to start at 8 p.m. The Grammy Award-winning emcee has 17 albums under his belt, with a new collaborative project with DJ Premier expected to be released this year. The star-studded Make the World Better Concert Weekend takes over FDR Park this weekend. On Friday, catch singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus with Hop Along and Jay Som starting at 5:30 p.m. It's sure to be a special night with Dacus, who previously lived in Philly and has said her song "Modigliani" was inspired by art at the Barnes Foundation, one of her favorite museums. Her latest album, "Forever is a Feeling," was released in March. Dacus also performs as part of the band Boy Genius with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. General admission tickets start at $75 online. Remi Wolf will take center stage on Sunday as part of the concert weekend at FDR Park. The "Disco Man" singer will be joined by Annie DiRusso for the show, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Prices to see Remi Wolf and Annie DiRusso on Sunday start at $79. Start your Saturday with some morning miles and music as Diplo joins the fun at FDR Park. The Temple grad is bringing Diplo's Run Club to Philly for the first time. The 5K run starts at 8:30 a.m., and you can celebrate your achievement at the post-race concert. A-Trak performs at 9 a.m., followed by Diplo at 10 a.m. Tickets for the race and concert start at $75 (before fees) online, and spectator-only tickets are $52. You'll have to pick up your race packet on Friday at Union Transfer. Fans of Dave Matthews Band will be crashing into Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey, on Friday and Saturday as the iconic '90s jam band returns to the Philadelphia area. Two-day lawn tickets are available on Ticketmaster. Tickets can also be purchased on third-party sites, such as SeatGeek and StubHub. The shows will be Dave Matthews Band's 49th and 50th time playing Freedom Mortgage Pavilion. Dave Matthews has played the venue solo once in his touring career. The band, active since 1991, has sold over 32 million albums in the U.S. Sam Hunt loves a "House Party," but this Friday, he's calling all country music fans for a night out in Atlantic City. Known for smash hits like "Body Like A Back Road," "Take Your Time," and "Leave the Night On," Sam Hunt is bringing his 2025 summer tour to the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City Friday night. Fellow country musician Austin Williams will kick off the show ahead of Sam Hunt. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets start at $105. The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival is back, illuminating Franklin Square for visitors all summer long. This year's festival celebrates the Year of the Snake and features over 1,000 sculptures placed in nearly 40 brand-new lantern displays. Visitors can also enjoy authentic Chinese food, immerse themselves in cultural performances and watch the magic continue with the Franklin Square Fountain Show! The Chinese Lantern Festival is open from 6-11 p.m. every night. Guests can purchase their tickets online. Theater fans looking for a motivational performance showcasing a story of perseverance, hope and stunning visuals – look no further than the Academy of Music's latest feature in their Broadway Series. Based on the best-selling novel and Oscar Award-winning movie, "Life of Pi," the play is now at the Academy of Music on South Broad Street through Sunday. "Told with jaw-dropping visuals, world-class puppetry, and exquisite stagecraft, Life of Pi creates a breathtaking journey that will leave you filled with awe and joy," a description of the performance read in part on Ensemble Arts Philly's website. Tickets are available online for Friday night's show, Saturday's matinee and night performance, as well as Sunday's matinee performance. The Delaware State Fair is going out with a bang this weekend, as it closes out its 10-day event extravaganza. The annual celebration is the longest-running and largest fair in Delmarva, beginning back in 1919, according to the fair's website. The final weekend of this family-friendly festival will surely not disappoint. Rapper T.I. and country duo Big & Rich are both scheduled to perform. Additionally, both Friday and Saturday feature a 12-hour lineup of activities for guests to choose from throughout the day. A full lineup of the final weekend's activities is available online. The Delaware State Fair opens at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia
Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

San Francisco Chronicle​

time4 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — One of the most famous organs in the world, which graces one of Philadelphia's favorite public spaces, was at risk of going quiet this spring when Macy's closed up shop in the city's storied Wanamaker Building. But countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, the avant-garde opera star hired last year to run Opera Philadelphia, is leading an effort to let the public again enjoy the Wanamaker Organ, a National Historic Landmark-designated treasure. The organ boasts more than 28,000 wood and metal pipes hidden behind a soaring wall of gold-leaf pipes that frame the building's seven-story marble atrium. Costanzo, with $1 million in philanthropic funding, is organizing a series of public performances this fall — including opera, ballet, theater and drag — before renovations begin next year on the building's conversion to a retail and residential hub. The first event is set for Sunday, Sept. 7. 'John Wanamaker, when he built this Grand Court, said he wanted it to be the intersection of arts and commerce, and that's why he put the world's largest pipe organ into it,' Costanzo told The Associated Press in an onsite interview Thursday evening. 'This space is operatic,' he said. 'So I thought it was a perfect umbrella to bring in every arts organization I could, and all these different collaborators.' The organ was made for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Wanamaker, a successful merchant and civic leader, had it moved to his new emporium next to City Hall in 1909 and then hired a crew of 40 pipe makers to enlarge it so the sound filled the vast space. A decade later, famed conductor Leopold Anthony Stokowski performed there with the Philadelphia Orchestra as 15,000 people crowded into the great hall and mezzanines. With the merchandise now gone, the acoustics rival those of the great cathedrals, Costanzo said. 'The organ for the first time is in perfect cathedral acoustic condition, so it will be the best way to hear this instrument in the history of the space, because there's actually nothing in there,' he said. The building's new owner hopes to continue to incorporate art and culture into their plans, which include retail on the lower floors and office and residential space above. The organ adds unique challenges. 'You've got this organ music going in the grand atrium, but meanwhile you've got other uses on these upper floors looking into that space, so you have to figure out how to make that work for everybody,' said Jon McMillan, a senior vice president of TF Cornerstone, the New York-based development firm. Local civic groups, in an announcement Friday, said they hope to raise funds to bring back one of the city's most beloved annual events, a holiday light show that drew generations of families to the store. Costanzo, who continues to perform around the world, believes he can build enthusiasm for the arts by bringing it to the places where people gather, including the Wanamaker Building. And he hopes that, in turn, will help people find a way to connect with each other. 'This space is so deeply embedded in the emotion of Philadelphia,' Costanzo said. "I want them to come to Wanamaker and discover something they've never seen before.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store