III 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 43 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 25, 2007 Mr. Specter (for himself and Mr. Casey) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Honoring the important contributions to the Nation of the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on its 150th Anniversary.

Whereas the Academy of Music opened in 1857 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and quickly became the most prestigious opera house in the United States; Whereas the Academy of Music is the oldest grand opera house in the United States that is still used for its original purpose; Whereas, in 1963, the Academy of Music was designated a National Historic Landmark; Whereas, over the years, the Academy of Music served not only as a venue for the performing arts community, but has also hosted many graduation ceremonies, along with several Presidential conventions and other important public events; Whereas the Academy of Music served as the Philadelphia Orchestra's main concert hall for more than a century, and the Orchestra purchased the Academy in 1957 and performs each year for the Academy's anniversary; Whereas the Academy of Music has had a host of legendary artists grace its stage, from the disciplines of classical to popular music, dance, and drama, including Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Marian Anderson, Frank Sinatra, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Anna Pavlova, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, and Margot Fonteyn; Whereas the Academy of Music has also hosted several sporting events, was turned into an indoor skating rink in 1866, had a wooden floor installed over the parquet level in 1889 to create space for an indoor football game between the University of Pennsylvania and the Riverton Club of Princeton, and had a wooden floor installed again in 1892 for the University of Pennsylvania for a track meet; and Whereas the Academy of Music has also been a part of other historical and cultural events, such as a demonstration of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1877, the first ever concert in stereophonic sound in 1933 performed by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the filming of One Hundred Men and a Girl in 1937, and the recording of the soundtrack of the Disney classic Fantasia by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1939: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)congratulates the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on its 150th anniversary; (2)honors the important contributions of the Academy of Music to the Nation; and (3)directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy of this resolution to the Academy of Music.