If you had asked me a few days ago what kinds of things I never thought I would see, “a classical orchestra playing a beautiful piece of music while chowing down on some of the hottest chili peppers on the planet” would have been somewhere near the top of the list. Not anymore, though, thanks to this video. It depicts the Danish National Chamber Orchestra eating a variety of chili peppers before playing the Jacob Gade piece “Tango Jalousie.” And yes, it is both impressive and hilarious. Highbrow art has never met lowbrow comedy in such an unexpected way before.
Danish chili pepper enthusiast Claus Pilgaard, who also goes by the name Chili Klaus, organized the whole thing. That's his schtick, you see: Arranging the spiciest of stunts and catching them all on film. Remember that video that made the rounds over the summer featuring 1,000 people eating 1,000 ghost chilis? That was one of Pilgaard’s creations. Goodness knows how he managed to convince the Danish National Chamber Orchestra into performing after eating ghost chilis, Carolina Reapers, and Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Blends — but bless them for their sense of adventure, because they did just that. They’re all wonderful musicians, so I’m sure their performances are worth it even without the chili peppers; but with them? It’s truly something to behold.
Scroll down to see the whole video, and catch the short version here in 10 pictures.
It's business as usual at the start:
But then… the fun begins:
Down the hatch, ladies and gents. Go on, chew it all up… There you go. And now…
Let’s do this thing:
That guy in the middle is my favorite. His facial expressions are magnificent.
This woman? She’s having some trouble:
Go on, play through the pain:
And through the tears:
The tears! They burn!
You’ve got this, bro:
Take advantage of your rests:
Go for the big finish, everyone:
Now that’s leadership. And for the curious, yes, groans of agony echoed through the hall in the performance’s aftermath:
You guys get a zillion gold stars. Seriously. Because that? Is amazing.
Check out the whole video here and prepare to wince in sympathy:
Images: Sharon Drummond/Flickr; Chili Klaus/YouTube (10)
