Monday, September 21, 2009

The Longest Standing Ovation

I saw a BMW commercial that had weird flashy graphics like "the longest standing ovation on record was 80 minutes". So naturally, I wanted to know who exactly earned that kind of applause. This may just be something that BMW made up to sell cars, but they really should make up more stuff that actually relates to cars. Instead of thinking about automobiles I'm off looking up the longest standing ovation, or wondering if I need wrinkle cream to age as well as the people in the commercial.

I couldn't get a clear answer to this one, only found the same answer on chacha and wikianswers and they probably stole it from each other. Myth has it that on June 30, 1991 in Vienna Placido Domingo sang Otello and got 101 curtain calls in a 80 minute ovation. Seriously? Why 101? That's a dedicated crowd, I doubt I could even stand up that long.

23 comments:

Kaleigh said...

Interesting post!! 80 minutes is insane, that is quite the passionate audience and quite the talented singer [I would assume].

Unknown said...

I saw the same commercial minutes ago, and my curiosity brought me to your site.

My question is, when did they start counting the curtain calls?

Anonymous said...

cant stand up more then an hour and twenty minutes?

101 isnt the most curtain calls... check wikipedia: curtain call

Jaime said...

Same as Derrick...just saw the commercial a couple minutes ago. If you Google it it also shows that Bill Clinton received the longest standing ovation. Have to agree with Kaleigh's comment too...Saw Placido a month ago in Cartagena, Colombia and he was GREAT!!!

Anonymous said...

So funny...that's why I'm here too...I had to know:)

Anonymous said...

I did the exact same thing. Interesting facts always spark my interest.

Anonymous said...

i just saw the same add and was wondering the same thing....has to be a myth

Anonymous said...

Wow! BMW has quite a commercial then, prompting so many to go on a quest for the answer!! I am here for the same reason!

Anonymous said...

Yea, BMW did a great job of making us all ignore the rest of the commercial that is about the car and run to our computers, not to look up BMW, but to find this answer! Great job marketing job guys! Too funny!

Anonymous said...

Yes but we do remember its a BMW ad. How many comments mention the word BMW?

Great ad
- we already know what bmw's are
- how many commercials do you remember, but don't know the brand.

Anonymous said...

Comical, I thought I was the only wack!

Anonymous said...

The 80 minute standing ovation was for Placido Domingo when he sang the opera Othello...there were 101 curtain calls.

Anonymous said...

The original poster and all subsequent posters who either say they also saw the commercial or take their word for it are mistaken. It is a Lexus commercial.

Anonymous said...

I am actually an opera singer, not that that really means anything important, but I had heard about this while I was in school. It may not have been exactly 80 minutes or 101 curtain calls, but it was something insane. Apparently Domingo was brilliant, as always.

It still amazes me that people are that dedicated and passionate about how they feel about opera. Of course, it was nearly 20 years ago, and it was in Europe.

Anonymous said...

I, too, landed here because I was curious. But even as I searched for the answer, I was thinking to myself, "Now which car company was it that ran that ad?" Poor ad if we don't remember the car!

Anonymous said...

lol, I'm here because of that commercial too. Apparently they're doing a good job with their commercials

Anonymous said...

so every single person write the same thing...im ALSO here because of the commercial! obviously you are...thank you

Anonymous said...

oh wow i thought for sure i wouldnt find this, i too got my curiosity peaked when i saw this commercial.. so anyway i found the same answer and im thinking it has to be combined.. like 10 minute standing ovation here 20 minuties there over and over cuz im sorry i just cant wrap my brain around this

Anonymous said...

I agree with the person above. I saw the commercial and said that has to be exaggerated and my husband said" well why don't u google it?" and so I'm here.. Lol. Thanks

Glen said...

I do not believe it.....80 minutes....an hour and a 20 minutes.....!!! No way.

Glen

Anonymous said...

cant believe how many of us had to look this up. I saw the commercial several times. Looked at my wife and said ' no way anyone claps for 80 straight minutes'. she said, 'look it up'. and here I land.

Anonymous said...

Placido Domingo in Otello.

Anonymous said...

im wondering as well because of the bmw commercial lol