Curtain call

For other uses, see Curtain call (disambiguation).
Curtain call from Nightwish at the conclusion of a show in Melbourne in 2008
Turandot directed by Roberto De Simone. January 2012, Teatro Comunale Bologna


A curtain call (often known as a walkdown or a final bow) occurs at the end of a performance when one or more performers return to the stage to be recognized by the audience for the performance.[1][2] In musical theatre, the performers typically recognize the orchestra and its conductor at the end of the curtain call. Luciano Pavarotti holds the record for receiving 165 curtain calls, more than any other artist, for his February 24, 1988, performance of Nemorino in Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.[3][4]

  1. ^ Theater Terminology Biography.ms. URL Accessed July 20, 2006.
  2. ^ Glossary of Theatre Terms Archived 2006-06-18 at the Wayback Machine Schoolshows.demon.co.uk. URL Accessed July 20, 2006.
  3. ^ "Most curtain calls". Guinness World Records. 24 February 1988. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  4. ^ Block, Mervin (October 15, 2004). "'60 Minutes' Story About Singer Hits False Note". Poynter Online. Retrieved 2016-11-11.