Due to the pandemic, all concerts, plays, and other events have moved online. But Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona streamed quite an unusual concert last week. On 22 June, UceLi Quartet played a concert for a hall full of plants. Yes, you read that well. 2,292 of plants filled the seats and quietly listened to the performance, and we bring you some fantastic photos that captured this extraordinary event.

The performance is a collaboration of Gran Teatre del Liceu with Madrid-based artist Eugenio Ampudia and the Max Estrella gallery. UceLi Quartet performed Crisantemi by Puccini for the plant audience, but it was also streamed online for humans (and their house plants).

Eugenio Ampudia said in an interview that the idea came to him during the lockdown. Over those weeks, the usual sounds of busy urban living couldn’t be heard. Instead, he could hear the birds sing, and he noticed that even the plants around his house grew more vigorously. So, the idea of the concert was to have people reflect on the concept of sustainability and their relationship with nature. “I thought why don’t we go into the Liceu like weeds, take it over and let nature start growing everywhere and turn it into something alive even when there are no people,” Ampudia said.

After the performance, the plants were delivered to 2,292 health professionals, specifically from the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, along with a certificate from the artist. It’s a small sign of gratitude for all the heroic work they’ve done during the coronavirus pandemic.

Being surrounded by plants is good for us, and I’ve heard that playing music to plants helps them grow. So I guess this concert was good for both the musicians and for its green audience. Still, I wonder how the musicians felt playing in front of the plants. It must have been strange not to hear applause, but on the other hand, plants behave much better than many people I’ve seen in concerts. Either way, I’m sure it was a memorable experience.

[via Colossal; images used with permission]