Yahoo Movies Lizzo Plays James Madison's Crystal Flute at Concert in Washington
American singer Lizzo “made history,” she said, as she played US President James Madison’s 1813 crystal flute in Washington, DC, on September 27.
Video recorded by Christopher Chern shows the singer-songwriter telling the crowd: “I am the first person to ever play it. Now we’re about to hear what it sounds like for the first time.”
Lizzo is then seen holding the instrument anxiously. She says to the crowd: “It’s like playing out of a wineglass, so please be patient.”
A loud cheer erupts from the audience as Lizzo plays a few notes into the mic, before holding the flute above her head, visibly in shock. The artist hurries to return the antique to representatives of the Library of Congress, then picks up the microphone and says: “I just played President James Madison’s crystal flute from the 1800s! We just made history tonight!” and thanked the Library of Congress for preserving American history, and making it “freaking cool.”
The singer, who is a classically trained flutist, was jokingly invited to play the antique by a representative of the library on September 23, and she took them up on the offer.
The Library of Congress thanked Lizzo for her performance and confirmed that the flute was “safe and sound back at the library.”
Storyful was not able to confirm that Lizzo was the first person to ever play the flute. Credit: Christopher Chern via Storyful
Video Transcript
LIZZO: And the only two things that we're saving is a portrait of George Washington and this crystal flute right here.
[CHEERING]
I am the first person to ever play [INAUDIBLE] I'm about to hear what it sounds like for the first time. It's crystal. It's like playing out of a wine [MUTED] [INAUDIBLE].
[CHEERING]
[HOLDING FLUTE NOTE]
[FLUTTER NOISE]
- [INAUDIBLE] to play James Madison's crystal flute [INAUDIBLE]
[CHEERING]
We just made history tonight! Thank you to the Library of Congress for preserving our history and making history freaking cool. History is freaking cool, you guys.
[CHEERING]
