The song that (almost) never ends: 28 hours of music in Bellas Artes
SANTIAGO — Beginning on Oct. 20 at 3 p.m., Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Santiago held a 28-hour, uninterrupted piano concert in the central hall of the museum. The concert marked the first time the piece Vexations, by French composer Erik Satie, had been played for a public audience in Chile. Thirty-one Chilean pianists took turns over the 28 hours, playing the few, slow and harmonic notes of the piece while audience members filed in and out – some even slept over in the museum.
The central hall of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is filled with audience members at approximately 6 p.m. on Oct. 20.
Audience members whisper during the concert at approximately 6 p.m. on Oct. 20.
Audience members relax during the concert on the floor of the central hall of the museum at approximately 7 p.m. on Oct. 20.
One of the 31 Chilean pianists plays "Vexations" at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Audience members enter the museum at approximately 10 p.m. on Oct. 20.
The late night audience listens to "Vexations" in the dramatic stage lighting of the central hall at approximately 11 p.m. on Oct. 20.
One of the 31 Chilean pianists plays "Vexations" at approximately 10:30 p.m.
The front steps of the museum are littered with cigarette butts 17 hours into the concert at approximately 7 a.m. on Oct. 21.
Audience members brought blankets and sleeping bags to spend the night on the floor of the central hall. Still dozing at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 21.
Technicians begin to take down lighting equipment at approximately 7:15 a.m. on Oct. 21.
Another one of the 31 Chilean pianists plays "Vexations" at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 21.
Museo Bellas Artes as seen from Av. Jose Miguel de la Barra at sunrise on Oct. 21.
Julia Dose is an adventurous person with a passion for documentary story telling. Originally from the Chicago area, she received her degree in photojournalism at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She is enjoying absorbing Chilean culture by interning at I Love Chile.
