6 days ago
Control Philly's new water orchestra this fall
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.
