I feel as if I am really settled in here in Saarbrücken. I could be happy staying here longer than the end of this month, when I'll go home. It's incredible that I will be going home that soon! Where has the time gone?
Yesterday we had the Vereinigung Wiener Staatsopernballett to more or less close the performance season of the festival. They did a selection of several short (10-minute) pieces, alternating between solo, duo, and corps du ballet, with crowd favorites and more daring works in between. I actually didn't care for the first two numbers; but thereafter I thought everything was spectacular. They danced to Strauss's An der schönen blauen Donau at the end - everyone came out clad in a tux or evening gown; but instead of waltz dancing, the troupe performed a beautifully choreographed ballet number. And then for the bows and applause at the end, everyone clapped in unison to the Radetzky-Marsch - it was like being at the New Year's Concert in Vienna! (except we were in Saarbrücken watching a ballet with piped-in music)
Our actual last performance an Austrian Jazz musician in a few weeks who will be performing in a radio studio. I am really looking forward to that! We had a cellist coming in between now and then, but he hurt his shoulder - it was my job to call everybody who bought tickets to share the bad news. I feel as if I am either the bringer of good news (reduced tickets) or very bad news (concerts canceled or changed to a new program). It's definitely a good workout to handle the often extreme reactions of outspoken Germans on the phone.
Today I went over to the house of some folks who help out with the Musikfestspiele. They are older and have a daughter who was an exchange student in the US back in the 1990s. She is coming next weekend, though we talked on the phone after I ate a delicious dinner of risotto, veal picatta, salad, and this delicious cherry-mango cake. These people are really great - they invited me to go with them to their hometown in Rheinland-Pfalz this week, in order for me to experience Germany outside of Saarbrücken. I have actually been in Rheinland-Pfalz in the past; I think it is one of the most beautiful regions in Germany, particularly the vineyards that tower over the Rhein. Hopefully I'll have some beautiful pictures to share with all of you.
Alex,
ReplyDeleteBill and I are in awe of the fact that you were charged to telephone all of the ticket holders and inform them of the bad news ... Auf Deutsch. Quite an exercise in German, indeed! We can't wait to hear more about these stories when you return to campus in the Fall.
-Kelly
Haha, Thanks, Kelly! It was kind of weird - after a couple of those calls, I was more or less on autopilot. I also probably answered between 50 and 100 calls last week about the Spanische Hofreitschule - my favorite variation on the name had to be "Die Wiener Reithofschule." It gets dangerous, though, because I feel as if I get experienced performing a certain activity in German, and then with other tasks outside the office, I still have more difficulty. I am looking forward to sharing with MIISP folks next year, though!
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