[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2400-2401]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 43--HONORING THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATION 
  OF THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ON ITS 150TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Casey) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 43

       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 Gentlemen 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
       Resolved, 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.

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