Kanye West Leads Opera in Miami & Visits Rich Wilkerson's Church

40 Kanye West is taking his religious-inspired work to a new level. On Sunday night, the Grammy-winner, 42, presented his nativity-themed Opera “Mary,” on a barge at outdoor Miami Marine Stadium to close out Art Basel — a huge art fair in Florida. West’s performance, starring his “Sunday Service Collective,” was directed by Vanessa Beecroft. The show kicked off an hour late, likely due of logistics because the stadium could only be reached by boat.

For their performance, the choir was dressed in silver robes and silver face paint. Performers acted out 12 biblical scenes during the show and the audience was given programs to help them follow along. The programs included sketches, titles and some lyrics from the acts which progressed from Gabriel visiting Mary to Mary’s pregnancy to the birth of Jesus and the prophecy. West’s hits including “Can&apost Tell Me Nothing” and “Love Lockdown” were sung by the choir some scenes while religious hymns like “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” and “Gabriel’s Aria” were performed in others.

“Kanye narrated the whole thing, then came out in full face paint and the silver robe,” Sam Baum, owner of the new disco club Minnie’s in Wynwood, Florida,—— tells PEOPLE. After his performance, West and his crew stopped by his friend Rich Wilkerson’s VOUS church in Wynwood. Wilkerson officiated Kim Kardashian and West’s wedding in 2014. At the church, West and his choir performed more songs including Ye’s latest, “Jesus Walks.

” This time, the singers were dressed in navy blue and black outfits and their silver makeup had been removed. West kept it simple, wearing sunglasses throughout. Afterwards, Wilkerson stepped on stage and gave his famous friend a big hug — the audience of hundreds went wild. When West debuted his Nebuchadnezza opera in Los Angeles last month, some weren’t impressed.

But this time around, the presentation received very positive responses. “It was entertaining and moving, an incredible collection of interesting people,” Baum says. “[It was] a beautiful, natural environment juxtaposed with hyper-modern silver costumes and well acted and beautifully composed music. People were really patient and into the performance.