Artists, Entertainers Bring Hope, Laughter

On Easter Sunday, Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli will perform from Milan's empty Duomo cathedral. He will be accompanied only by the cathedral's organist, Emanuele Vianelli.

The concert can be seen live on Bocelli's YouTube channel at 1700 UTC. The famous singer said, "I believe in the Christian¹ Easter, a universal symbol of rebirth that everyone – whether they are believers or not – truly needs right now."

Bocelli's concert is one example of a worldwide movement. Artists and entertainers are finding² ways to bring happiness to people during the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.

Music concerts

Another example is Dubioza Kolektiv, Bosnia's most popular band. It invites its audience to "stay connected" during a weekly "Quarantine Show" online.

Each Monday, tens of thousands of people watch the rock group perform from their homes in Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia.

Brano Jakupovic is Dubioza Kolektiv's keyboardist. "The internet has remained the only way for us to communicate and play music," he told Reuters. Jakupovic added, "It is important that people enjoy the concert but also that they communicate via chats, write to each other and feel for the moment the same way as they felt before corona³."

In Hungary, the MAV Symphony⁴ Orchestra⁵ is taking its music to the streets of Budapest.

The orchestra, founded by Hungarian railway company MAV, is 75 years old this year. It is one of the country's leading classical groups.

After World War II ended, the MAV Symphony Orchestra would travel around the country by train and perform.

Unable to hold concerts now because of the nationwide lockdown, musicians from the orchestra drive around in cars and play past performances over loudspeakers⁷.

Gyorgy Lendvai is the leader of the orchestra. "The situation is not as bad (as after World War II) but people are in lockdown and we don't know for how long ... so we need to cheer them up," Lendvai said.

"This is great, we love it ... the music is excellent," said Gyorgy Antaloczy, waiving⁸ from the balcony of his house. He is over 70 and stays at home with his wife.

Laughter

In Berlin, a group of clowns has taken to performing outside homes for older people. The clowns, at a safe distance from each other, perform while people watch from windows or balconies.

"We don't want to leave them alone," said Tanja Selmer, also known as Tiffy the Clown. Selmer added, "We'll go in front of the balcony ... they can see us and we can bring them closer despite the distance."

Back in Milan, Mayor⁹ Giuseppe Sala said, "This year, Easter will be very different for all of us..." He said Bocelli's voice will be the hug that warms "the heart of Milan, Italy and the world."

Words in This Story

accompany -- v. to play music with (someone who is singing or playing the main tune) : to perform an accompaniment for (someone)

organist – n. a person who plays an organ

outbreak -- n. a sudden start or increase of fighting or disease¹⁰

keyboardist -- n. a person who plays the keyboard

loudspeaker⁶ – n. a device that is used to make sound (such as music or a person's voice) louder and to send it out so that m

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

3 corona   

n.日冕

参考例句：

• The corona gains and loses energy continuously.日冕总是不断地获得能量和损失能量。
• The corona is a brilliant,pearly white,filmy light,about as bright as the full moon.光环带是一种灿烂的珠白色朦胧光，几乎像满月一样明亮。

4 symphony   

n.交响乐（曲），（色彩等的）和谐

参考例句：

• The Ninth Symphony of Beethoven is a famous one.贝多芬的第九交响乐非常有名。
• They play over the whole symphony.他们把整个交响乐重新演奏了一遍。

5 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

6 loudspeaker   

n.扬声器，扩音器

参考例句：

• The loudspeaker's stopped working.扩音器不响了。
• There is a loudspeaker in a radio.收音机里有个喇叭。

7 loudspeakers   

n.扩音器，扬声器，喇叭( loudspeaker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The loudspeakers blared the speech repeatedly. 扬声器里反复大声地播送那篇演讲。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The vibrations are amplified electrically and can be heard through loudspeakers in the operating room. 这种震动通过电流放大后，就可以从手术室的扩音器中收听到。 来自辞典例句

8 waiving   

v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• Other steps suggested included waiving late payment charges, making quicker loan decisions and easing loan terms. 其他测试还包括免去滞纳金，尽快做出贷款决定和放宽贷款条件。 来自互联网
• Stuyvesant Town offers the same perk on some apartments, along waiving the broker's fee. StuyvesantTown对于他们出租的某些房子也提供同样的好处，顺带还省略了中介费。 来自互联网

9 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

10 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。