Today’s blog post is a list. It’s one I’ll be sending every week until we’re back at work and have less time to enjoy the feast of FREE concerts, films, museums and even zoos and aquariums it offers.
This first edition comes via my friend Dr. Sandy Scotnicki and its treasures all come from beyond our borders. Please feel free to send your favourite FREE production or performance and I’ll include it in next week’s list.
PERFORMING ARTS
- Berlin Philharmonic (Berlin) – offers free philharmonic orchestra concerts and films.
- Brooklyn Academy of Music (NY) – Love From BAM is screening new films, beginning with the Brazilian sci-fi survival thriller Bacurau.
- Carnegie Hall (NY) – Carnegie Hall Live brings you access to classical music performances from leading symphony orchestras, while Musical Explorers offers free music resources to NY teachers and connects students aged 5+ to music from around the world.
- The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC) – the Digital Stage offers a range of classical, pop and rock concerts, as well as content for children, such as Lunchtime Doodles with children’s author and artist Mo Willems.
- Lincoln Center(NY) – Lincoln Center at Home includes a daily pop-up classroom, a chamber music weekly playlist, children’s concerts, evening theatre and musical performances.
- Metropolitan Opera (NY) – Nightly Met Opera Streams offer a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series, with each performance available for 23 hours.
- The New York Philharmonic – NY Phil Plays On streams footage from classical music performances.
- Opera National de Paris – Replay offers classical opera performances.
- San Francisco Symphony – Music Connects offers documentaries, concert films, broadcasts, recordings and podcasts.
- Shakespeare’s Globe (London) – has Shakespeare plays available to watch online, including the Globe to Globe festival with productions in 39 languages, plus a new blog with a variety of educational materials.
MUSEUMS
- The American Museum of Natural History (NY) – offers virtual tours, plus resources for families and students, as well as educators.
- Ology is the museum’s science-focused website for children.
- The British Museum (London) – take a virtual tour of exhibits throughout the museum.
- Deutsches Film Museum (Frankfurt) – discover online exhibitions and film blogs.
- The Egyptian Museum (Cairo) – take a virtual tour through the museum with the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.
- The Frick Collection (NY) – offers virtual tours of Old Master paintings plus European sculpture and decorative art.
- Museo del Prado (Madrid) – has an interactive section with tours, games and more.
- The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) (NY) – digital publication Magazine offers perspectives on art, artists and culture, while online courses and art classes are offered.
- National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC) – offers virtual learning resources and programs for audiences of all ages.
- New York Historical Society – History @Home offers free online social studies program series for parents, teachers and students.
- Science Museum (London) – discover games, activities and experiences you can try at home.
- Sydney Opera House – offers contemporary and classical performances and talks.
- Tokyo National Museum – offers collections from Japan’s four national museums, as well as calligraphy, archeology and decorative art displays.
- The Whitney Museum(NY) – offers audio guides and YouTube footage of work created by American artists during the 20th and 21st centuries.
AQUARIUMS AND ZOOS
- The Florida Aquarium (Tampa) – learn about underwater life through music, drawing lessons, and fun facts in daily videos.
- Zoological Society of London (ZSL) (London) – check out the latest from ZSL on its video channel. Contribute to conservations efforts by identifying animals on ZSL’s Instant Wild. The London IP team provided pro bono advice on the development of this tool, see here.
- Oakland Zoo (California) – observe zoo animals through live webcams.
LANDMARKS
- The Great Pyramid – view this ancient wonder.
- Great Wall of China – take a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China.
- Chidorigafuchi Park (Tokyo) – see the beautiful Cherry Blossoms.
- Burj Khalifa (Dubai) – take a 360° view from the world’s tallest building.
14 thoughts on “The Plague-Ground – How to play in the Plague-Ground.”
Why, it is just like being there! What a broad and inclusive list.
Is there enough time to wander through all these cultural highlights and listen to all the extraordinary music. It’s almost overwhelming: like trying to to do all of the Met or the Louvre in one day (If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium). Can’t wait to flop, exhausted after a day of virtual visual highlights and concerts.
And for jazz lovers, tonight broadcasting (streaming) live courtesy of Jazz at Lincoln Centre is an international star-studded concert -https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/paul-simon-wynton-marsalis-2020-jazz-at-lincoln-center-gala-lineup-982573/amp/
Thanks very much, Bob. Given that cannabis stores have been declared an essential service in Canada, is anyone posting videos of the concerts from the Filmores
East and West?
Thanks, Ken. Let me check it out. Then again. Florida has deemed Professional Wrestling to be an essential service!
Thank you thank you Bob – these are a treasure trove!! I’m passing them on.
This is a lot of work and I really appreciate it.
Thanks for the tip, Louise. Jazz at Lincoln Center goes on the list!
Great list. Thanks for posting Bob. And thanks to Sandy too. All the best.
Great idea!
Helpful for parents with kids at home too!
Thanks Bob!
I am looking forward to checking out your list as I did not realize that all of these wonderful institutions are taking care of our hunger for great art to sooth our souls. The only one I have heard about is National Theatre London Thursday nights 7pm free streaming a different play each week. This week is “Treasure Island”. So, you can add this to your fantastic list. Best to you and Jean!
Theresa — We will add to our list for sure. thanks for connecting. Cheers. Bob
Thanks Bob, this is a treasure trove of ideas to while away our time.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has also launched a YouTube channel where they are streaming videos of one of his stage musicals each weekend for 48 hours.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag/featured
Ah….good to know. I will add this to our next list. I trust you are both high and dry. Cheers. Bob
Thank you, Bob. Great list!
Would you mind if I passed it along to others?
By all means, please do, Meg. And I trust you are high and dry? Cheers. Bob
Hi Bob,
Toronto’s own Koerner Hall has an abundance of wonderful concerts: Live from Koerner Hall: https://www.rcmusic.com/performance/live-from-koerner-hall-concert-livestream
as well as watch parties on Facebook every Wednesday. Hoping you can add this to your robust list!
Diane