A Hundred Years On

The 1876 Centennial Exposition is the setting for a new oratorio composed by Peter Boyer, with a libretto by Mark Campbell, performed in Fairmount Park, the site of the expo 150 years earlier and the home of the Mann Center. The exposition was America’s first world’s fair, where many inventions (including the telephone, the typewriter, and ketchup, as well as the Statue of Liberty’s right arm and torch) made their public debut. Performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the choral ensemble The Crossing, and featured soloists, the research-based piece explores the promise and troubles of a young American democracy and the tensions and inequities that still exist today. Featuring period costumes, video projections, and original scenic design, the narrative work portrays a single day at the 1876 exposition through stories of five fictional characters, inspired by research on the original fair. 

The total grant amount represents project funding plus an additional 20% in unrestricted general operating support.