Italy is the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe, with over 13,800 new cases in the past week and 188 deaths in the last 24 hours. The country is on lockdown, but Italian citizens are fighting solitude by participating in a “sound flashmob.” Below, watch viral video capturing the people of Siena singing together across barren city streets.
The communal performance took place on Friday night, which lends a spooky, almost mystical aura to the video. A single voice raises up “E Mentre Siena Dorme” (“And While Siena Sleeps”), a popular folk song in the town. On the next line several more voices join in, and by the time the third line comes around the choir has arranged itself into haunting harmonies. Check out “E Mentre Siene Dorme” from the quarantined citizens of Siena below.
Elsewhere in the world, artists and entertainers of all stripes are fighting for joy in the face of uncertainty. Tom Hanks did it by quoting A League of Their Own, while Stephen Colbert got drunk and delivered a masterful opening monologue without a studio audience.
You can stay up to date on the latest coronavirus postponements, cancellations, and closures here.
A Siena, città alla quale sono molto legato, si sta in casa ma si canta insieme come se si fosse per la strada. Mi sono commosso pic.twitter.com/IDPqNEj3h3
— David Allegranti (@davidallegranti) March 12, 2020
I contradaioli dell'Oca a Siena intonano dalle loro case il Canto della Verbena. Per esorcizzare la paura, per sentirsi meno soli.
Città che nella difficoltà si riscoprono comunità. Questo virus passerà, noi ce la faremo, e saremo più uniti e più forti di prima.#iorestoacasa pic.twitter.com/jgXCL8aGfo— Nicola Danti (@DantiNicola) March 13, 2020
