A small group of peaceful protesters got up from their seats after intermission, and started singing the civil rights song "Which Side Are You On?" to mourn the death of Michael Brown. Some of the song's lyrics were changed to include a reference to Brown. The 18-year-old was shot and killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in August, sparking weeks of mass protests throughout the city.
Initially, two members of the audience started singing; they were soon followed by others, who also unfolded three hand-painted banners, one of which depicted Brown's face and listed his birth and death date, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The group sang for nearly five minutes, while other audience members and the orchestra listened in silence. Their performance was met by applause by some in the audience, as well as members of the chorus and orchestra.
At the end of the song, the protesters, who were all reportedly ticketed attendees, left voluntarily while chanting "Black Lives Matter" and scattering red paper hearts over the edge of the balcony. The hearts read: "Requiem for Mike Brown, May 20, 1996 - August 9, 2014."
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