Vikings halftime offers MN Orchestra its largest live audience

MN Orchestra
Osmo Vanska will conduct the Minnesota Orchestra at the Vikings halftime show this weekend. Here, he leads the orchestra in Havana, Cuba in May 2015.
Yamil Lage | AFP-Getty Images file

The Minnesota Orchestra will play before its largest live audience ever when it takes the field at U.S. Bank Stadium Sunday for the halftime show at the Vikings-Packers game.

Led by conductor Osmo Vanska, 70 musicians will play for eight minutes as part of a celebration of Minnesota. Orchestra President Kevin Smith said this is a first for the organization.

If the performance goes well, Smith said, the orchestra might more such events in the future. "We are just trying new things and we're just really excited to have this opportunity," he said.

The repertoire for Sunday's performance is being kept secret so it will be a surprise for fans at the game, which is the team's home opener. The orchestra performance will not be part of the game broadcast.

"The challenge we have now is to figure how we get there, where we need to be, and to get off, because we have two minutes to set up, and two minutes to clear the field so the teams can prepare for the second half," Smith said.

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