Inauguration Day’s Lessons In Streaming

It isn’t as though this Inauguration Day isn’t filled with enough significance, but there’s an something special for performing arts orgs in the form of the several live-stream broadcasts that need to operate inside pandemic health and safety guidelines.

The inauguration schedule is available at official event website, and was kicked off by an event last night that according to the website, operated as a Donate To Watch event. At the time this article was written it was unclear what sort of paywall access was in place or if it would be made available free of charge in any format. If it does end up being a paywall event, I’ll try to see what platform they are using.

Free events begin tonight with a MLK Day celebration and on Tuesday, there’s a COVID-19 memorial.

Things really take off on Wednesday with the official inauguration ceremonies. Typically, all the performing arts elements are done live and outdoors, albeit often with musical artists performing to recorded versions due to how cold Washington D.C. is in January.

Considering heightened security, none of the day’s events have details but it does appear the evening’s entertainment will be broadcast in traditional studio conditions.

But the really interesting parts happen during the ceremony. What we know so far is there will be performances by singers Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, an invocation by Rev. Leo O’Donovan, a poetry reading from Amanda Gorman, and a benediction by Rev. Silvester Beaman.

Traditionally, additional musical performances are scattered throughout the afternoon and I’m particularly interested in seeing if they are rolled out from remote locations.

If nothing else, it will be fascinating to see how the inauguration handles the myriad of challenges performing arts orgs are wrestling with.