We actually have internet at the hotel! We just arrived back from the concert, and it is currently 11:50 pm here. The concert began at 7:00, aka 19:00, and was indeed located at a brewery! Everyone played, sang, and acted really well -- Christian and I sat in the audience for the first half, since we were both on the second. Dori (whom I would be accompanying later) had two operatic/acting numbers in the first half. It was a real treat to watch all the singers act while they sang; their comedic timing was great! The Prima Donna aria was hilarious, as was the later duet from Dreimaederlhaus. I felt a little bad for the tenor, because the soprano was upset that he was flirting with other women and she was throwing him around the stage. It was classic...
The concert opened with, I believe, the youngest two members of the festival: a double violin sonata by Jean-Marie Leclair. Both violinists (9 and 12) did an excellent job. Then another young student, 13, played the Chopin 3rd Ballade, and I should probably say he has much stronger technique than I did when I performed the same piece! (Though, I'd like to think I caught up to him by now ;-). There were other neat pieces throughout the concert, but perhaps I will talk about them later, haha. It's a bit late so I will tell about the rest later.
Dori and I were right before Christian's Doppler duet, so the pianist for Christian's group turned pages for me, and I turned pages for her. Dori sang beautifully, of course! It's a Polish folk song called "Mother Dear." (If I already said that, blame the post-performance memory blank.) She is a dramatic coloratura, which is actually a pretty rare voice type. Did I mention she is also wonderful to work with? Truly a nice, honest, sincere person. I think she will be a friend when we part ways at the end of the festival.
The concerts here run pretty long by American standards, with also long intermissions. Last week one intermission was 30 minutes; today it was supposedly 20 -- but I know it was more like 25. Since the concert was held in a brewery and beer garden, many of the guests were served beer at intermission. It was so interesting, because the entire concert just seemed more like a big social and community affair than the concerts back home generally are. (At home, the concerts can indeed also be a big social and community affair, but more often the main people to attend are the classmates of the students.) After the concert, the owner of the brewery fed us this amazing, amazing soup and gave us a free drink. I had a beer with dinner and it was so good -- it was actually a bit reminiscent of green apples.
They don't rush meals here, so I have learned to eat even more slowly. It has really encouraged plenty of good conversation with my fellow musicians and colleagues, so that is a very positive thing, even if I am still the slowest eater around.
I know I have not necessarily been the most organized writer since traveling over to Saarburg, but blame it on the extremely limited time on a computer plus the very very long days. See, I even forgot to mention that Korinne and I had a coaching with Jennifer on the Schubert Duo. It was wonderful!
Air conditioning in the rooms of the hotel are not existent really, but in the evenings it is so cool that you can simply open your window and it becomes a very cool temperature.
Christian and his trio played Doppler SO WELL !!! They were always spot on together, from my page-turning vantage point, and it was so musical. I am so proud.
The cello quartet ended the concert, with an arrangement of the first movement of Handel's C major concerto (it was spectacular), followed by an Astor Piazzolla piece. They actually ended up getting an encoure by the end.
I have noticed they have blue berry like plants here but they seem to be more like holly bushes. Perhaps they are blue hollys? I tasted one and it was decidedly un-blueberry like, besides the fact that the berries were blue and oval shaped.
Alright, that is entirely enough randomness for one day. Goodnight -- until next time, my friends.
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