Updates from Italy...
Members of The Rose Ensemble take turns blogging a European tour
- Vol. 14 - Tuesday, June 17
- Vol. 13 - Sunday, June 15
- Vol. 12 - Saturday, June 14
- Vol. 11 - Saturday, June 14
- Vol. 10 - Friday, June 13
- Vol. 9 - Thursday, June 12
- Vol. 8 - Thursday, June 12
- Vol. 7 - Thursday, June 12
- Vol. 6 - Thursday, June 12
- Vol. 5 - Tuesday, June 10
- Vol. 4 - Monday, June 9
- Vol. 3 - Friday, June 6
- Vol. 2 - Thursday, June 5
- Vol. 1 - Wednesday, June 4
Vol. 14 - Tuesday, June 17, 2008
2:10pm - Legnano, Italy
Azzio and the Last Legnano Concert
Ciao everyone –
I'm currently sitting in a cute little café off a main street in the lovely city of Legnano. It's now the time of day when most everything closes and most go home to nap. I'm the only one here, except for the charming old woman who must own this place. She's talked me into a marmalade croissant to go with my latte macchiato (even though I refused twice), and I'm loving every bite. The only thing out of place here is the radio blaring Devo and B52s tunes. The big game is tonight (France vs. Italy) and both need a win to stay in the championship; maybe that's why the streets are eerily quiet (everyone is in church praying for their team)?? As usual, it's raining. People here keep telling me that the rain is so unusual, but considering that I've been here for 14 days now and we've only had one full day without rain, I'm beginning to wonder. No worries, however, the rain is always lovely and Italian umbrellas are soooooo fashionable.
Most of The Rose Ensemble departed for the States this morning (all except me, Linda and Tim) and I understand they left the hotel reasonably on time. My three-day vacation starts today, so this may be the last time you hear from me. However, a lot has happened over the last couple of days, so let me bring you up to date.
On Sunday night, we sang our 11th consecutive show, which was the Slavic/Mediterranean program. I saw on the schedule that it was to take place in a convent chapel, so I got excited about the possibilities of the venue. We definitely were not disappointed. The bus ride was a good 70 minutes, which took us up into the mountains, near the Swiss border. The scenery was spectacular, in spite of the usual rainy weather, and as we went higher and higher we could see the gorgeous outline of the Alps on one side and the lovely little villas and gardens on the other. So many flowers blooming and such lush foliage here.
The group gave a collective sigh as we stopped in the city of Azzio, in front of the old Franciscan convent known as Chiesa del Convento (Viale Vittorio Veneto). Although in obvious need of repair, the chapel and surrounding buildings, with their washed-out facades and crumbling stone paths, were simply lovely. The chapel itself was relatively small, with a main space that could squeeze in about 300 people, and then a generous gated altar area with a lovely tabernacle. In the congregational area, there were several side chapels with beautiful altars (lots of inlaid stone) and various paintings of St. Francis of Assisi and other saints. Behind the front altar was the organ area and - although now completely decrepit – a once-gorgeous choir area with beautifully ornate stalls. The choir area, which was dusty, became our changing area (we really didn't mind the dust – it just made the whole experience more "organic").
The concert went well. Granted, it wasn't our finest artistic achievement (let's face it – we were fairly fatigued by this point), but we gave a passionate and heartfelt performance that the audience clearly appreciated. I became (inwardly) emotional singing "Laudar Vollio," a medieval chant for Saint Francis, in this lovely chapel; it's a memory that I will treasure. The Mayor of the town was present at this packed concert, as was Dario, a wonderful man who was one of the organizers at our concert in Uboldo. (I was so glad to spy Dario in the audience, as I know how much he likes choral music, and we did the Hawaiian/American program in his theatre earlier in the week.) Also present at the concert was a professor of music from the great conservatory in Basel, Switzerland (one of the great schools for early music performance), as well as a member of Italy's greatest family of organ-builders (the convent grounds were actually used for this purpose for many years). Several locals provided us with a lovely reception complete with wine, little sandwiches and even pie! And we were honored that the Mayor joined us for a group photo.
Our 12th concert was actually the final concert for the entire festival, which was given in our "home town" of Legnano. It was presented at the recently built music school, which also serves as the headquarters of the festival. Although all the festival concerts were free of charge, a reservation was required and we heard that this final performance was "sold out" early last week. There was a lot of excitement around this concert, both for us and for the festival organizers. We wanted to give our best performance and we could tell that the festival folks were incredibly proud of all they had accomplished over the last two weeks. The concert was a simple joy to present; we all had so much fun. The audience was warm and enthusiastic and gave huge rounds of applause. We sang two encores, which was very flattering for us, and we actually chose "Laudar Vollio" as our final number. The audience sang along on the chorus, which is something that I will seriously never forget. How incredible to be an American group performing a piece from a 13th-century Italian manuscript and to have a modern Italian audience joining us in song. WOW!
There were so many people to thank afterwards. All the festival organizers and volunteers, and our fabulous young guides, Giacomo and Yixiao. Isacco and Francesco, also, should get medals of honor for putting up with us for these past two weeks. All these people work so hard and rarely get the credit they truly deserve. We made a little reception for ourselves back at the hotel (several us had reserves of wine, cheese and crackers) and we were so glad when all the festival volunteers showed up. But then Francesco and Isacco arrived bearing stacks of pizzas and it became a huge celebration. There was dancing, singing and general merriment that went a tad bit too late (but I wasn't the one who had a plane to catch in the morning).
So, I guess that's the end of my Rose-reporting, at least for this trip. Hard to believe, but we'll be back in Europe in exactly one month! Oh my. I have so much work to do when I get back; I have no business taking a few days off. We have to sing for the AGO national convention immediately upon my return, and then we'll start rehearsals for the French tour next month. Oh yeah, I should also do a little laundry and I'm sure there will be plenty of weeding to do (I'm excited to see how big my broccoli plants are)!
-JordanVol. 13 - Sunday, June 15, 2008
Afternoon - The home stetch & an afternoon in Milan (from alto Kristine Kautzman)
Milan shopping and duomo
After several hot, sunny days we found ourselves digging out our jackets, socks and long pants this morning. The sudden change in the weather coincides with a shift toward thinking about home, and about the work that awaits the group when we return. After lunch we spent a couple of hours rehearsing music for the Orthodox Vespers we're singing as part of the American Guild of Organists' Convention later in the month. The time here has flown by, and it's hard to believe we only have two nights (and two concerts) left! The hotel lobby, where I'm typing, is quiet this afternoon, and I miss the buzz of the 130 singers that shared the hotel these past twelve days. This afternoon we bid farewell to our friends from Oslo, and now we and the Latvian women's choir are the only groups still in town. Things are winding down.
With our departure fast approaching, John Bitterman and I took advantage of Friday's free time to hop the train and subway into the heart of Milan, where we spent a few hours exploring the Duomo (our info says it's the third largest cathedral) and the equally immense & impressive high-fashion shopping district that literally encircles the church. It's a strange combination, but it seems to work here - and definitely provides ample opportunity for people-watching and photography.
Ciao for now,
Kris
Vol. 12 - Saturday, June 14, 2008
11:29pm - Cernusco sul Naviglio, Italy
On the bus back to Legnano
Ciao everyone –
We had cool-ish weather today, which made all us Minnesotans happy and the Italians putting on extra layers. Most of us ate lunch outside and several of the locals pointed and stared with the greatest curiosity. The fish today was swordfish and had lots of capers and black olives.
I have been planning a surprise birthday party for Kathy Lee for the last few days (she turned 42 today) and it's taken a little effort to get everything organized and to keep it an actual secret. I told the group that we were having a "business meeting" at the music school (where the festival has its headquarters), and while everyone was in on the plan, Kathy was asking various people why I would schedule such a meeting on her birthday. The music school is also a good 30-minute walk from the hotel, so Kathy was rather inquisitive on the way there: "Now why are we having this meeting?" "What does the festival want to talk to us about?" "Why is it at the music school?" Luckily, I answered all her questions in a businesslike way and I really don't think she caught on until we started singing "Happy Birthday" to her.
Francesco helped me order a gorgeous cake from a fine local bakery and we personalized it by having them write (on a sheet of yummy marzipan) in Italian "Happy Birthday, Steel Trap." You see, Kathy Lee's "superpower" (every Rose member has one) is "Steel Trap" because she tends to remember just about everything and forgets scarily little. She loved the whole thing, of course, and the group had a nice little time together trying out the various instruments in the rehearsal rooms.
After that, we sauntered over to the Dolce & Gabbana outlet store, which was a total Italian fashion experience. I found a few things I liked but I couldn't afford to even consider buying anything. I pined for a pair of cool sunglasses, but only until I looked at the price tag: 109 Euros. Yikes. I wonder what they cost in a "real" store…
A fine, if unsuccessful, attempt at busking
Later in the afternoon, Mark, Linda, Kathy and I decided to do a little busking (street singing). We tried our hand at this sport in Tolosa last fall and people loved it, so we thought the people of Legnano would as well. It didn't go so well, I must say. We sang in three different locations for a total of about 45 minutes and only made 9.60 Euros (I think we made something like 82 Euros in an hour in Tolosa). The people here stared at us like we were crazy, which really surprised me. Normally, people stare at you (or at least look directly at you), but this was a different kind of stare - like they had never before seen street musicians. I tried charming a few ladies with Linda's great arrangement of "You Go to My Head" but it was useless. I suppose women here are already so used to ignoring the shameless, flirtatious advances of Italian men that some dorky American singing crooner tunes was hardly going to faze them. There was this one group of teenagers that started heckling us and throwing pennies at us (NOT in our hat, I might add), but I threw a penny right back at them and then took their picture (which they immediately posed for). Ah, Italian youth…
We had a wonderful concert this evening in a nice hall, but rather than me going on and on about it, I thought I'd ask Mark to say a few words…
Greetings, comrades. Mark here. Jordan asked me to say a few words about the concert this evening. Cernusco sul Naviglio was the name of the town. The show was a blast, and everyone was very sweet. We weren't sure about the theatre when we got there. Not bad, but far from thrilling. But when we came out to do the show, suddenly everything felt great. I don't know what happened. Maybe the hall was better with people in it. Maybe adrenaline did its thing, and it just seemed better. Whatever the reason, we didn't feel like we were working. We had fun, the energy level was high, and the audience was very happy. Two encores tonight- "Rock Island Line" and Sergei's piece, which is rapidly becoming our international calling card. Funny how things work out.
Anyhow, the world is proving to be as small as ever. One little gray-haired Italian man came up to tell us how, many years ago, he spent a few weeks in Rochester, and he was so happy to meet people from Minnesota.
We're starting to feel now like the trip is winding up. Not a lot of time left to get things done. The Norwegians are leaving in the morning, so we're hoping to meet them for drinks tonight. It's been wonderful meeting them, and we will miss all of our new friends. Of course, we also miss our loved ones (and pets), and getting home will be good, too. It has already been a wonderful trip for us.
-Mark & Jordan
Vol. 11 - Saturday, June 14, 2008
A note from alto Lisa Drew - Lake Como
No, not Lake Como in St. Paul, but an extremely picturesque lake in the north of Italy. I decided to take an adventure on Friday and set out on my own apart from the group. It was our last day to do something outside of Legnano since we had no rehearsals and our bus was scheduled to leave at 7pm for the concert that evening.
My initial thought was to head over to Lake Maggiore. About half the Ensemble ventured there on Tuesday and when I saw the photos, I was immediately drawn to the place and had wished I tagged along instead of hanging back and rehearsing my "Te Deum" score.
Lobby party!
After the show on Thursday evening, there was quite a party at the Hotel Elitis that involved almost every group in the Festival. Rose arrived home early enough from our gig that night, a contemporary church in nearby Parabiago, so we decided to have some wine, cheese and crackers in the lobby. As the other groups filtered in from their concerts, more joined us downstairs. It was Hakon's birthday (the Oslo Chamber Choir director) and before you knew it everyone was singing for each other a mix of native country folk songs.
The German group Singer Pur stopped by our hotel to say goodbye before they left the Festival on Friday morning. Manuel, their baritone, borrowed David's guitar and started playing Beatles tunes to a remarkable degree. I heard that he and his wife have a jazz duo in Germany. When I left the party, it was close to 3am and still going strong. If I was to do any traveling on Friday, I had to go to bed and SOON.
Friday morning I made it to the train station only to find out that the next train to Stressa at Lake Maggiore wasn't until 1pm, so decided to take a trip to Milan. I at least figured I could walk around the fashion conscious and try to see the Duomo. I boarded the train, not exactly sure if I was heading in the right direction. The train stopped in a suburb of Milan and we were ushered out. It was here that you would try to catch the subway or bus into the city, from what I understand. Really unsure of what to do, I decided at the last moment to try to catch the train to Lake Como. My broken Italian bought me a round trip ticket and gave me an hour to walk around the station and have a coffee.
Lisa Drew at Lake Como
The trip to Como lasts about an hour. It's the typical train ride through small towns and industrial areas of the country until you get about and half hour out of the city. Then the scenery started to become lush and green. In the distance I could see part of the Italian Alps with their snow-capped peaks and was in awe of the countryside I was traveling through. I only wish my husband was there with me. I stopped in Como and wandered into the town. No map, no guide, not much Italian language skills, but I managed to find my way to the Lake. What a sight.
The water of the lake is surprisingly dark, if not a deep navy blue, probably because of it's overall depth - over 650 ft below sea level making it the deepest lake in Italy. Homes dot the mountainsides with spectacular views. It's no wonder why George Clooney has a home here. Lake Como one of three glacial lakes in the region boasting both Mediterranean vegetation as well as temperate. Como has been the site of motion pictures (James Bond Casino Royale, Ocean's Twelve and Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones), and wandering though the town I found it to be welcomingly touristy, something Legnano is not. Lots of shops, cafes and restaurants, tourist kiosks and people milling about. Of course, I arrived during siesta so all I was able to do was window shop - no purchases were made on this leg of the tour.
I noticed that around each of the churches, and there are quite a few, each church has their own piazza or plaza with shops or open markets. The piazza by the cathedral had a fruit and vegetable market with some yummy eatables that started making me think of looking for lunch. I found a small place on the street where you could get some pizza and a coke for 3 euros. Sounded within the budget and I hadn't had pizza yet in Italy, so it was perfect. I was given a healthy slice that was cut into four squares - half now, half for dinner. Gave me the energy I needed to wander more narrow streets and see what was around the next bend.
I only wish one particular shop was opened when I passed by - it was all hand blown Italian art glass. Unfortunately there was too much glare on the shop glass to get a good picture of what was inside. A quick 3 hours passed and I found a nice couple on the pier of the Lake to indulge them to take a photo of me - they were on their honeymoon from Ventura California. We traded cameras and took pictures of each other and bid each other a fun and safe trip in Italy and I headed back to find the train station. Made it back safely to Legnano by 5:15 in the afternoon with some time to rest a little before our concert that evening. An amazing day and an adventure in Italy on my own. Pretty cool.
Ciao!
-Lisa
Vol. 10 - Friday, June 13, 2008
11:59am - Lissone, Italy
On the bus back to Legnano
Ciao everyone –
I probably seem like a broken record; I feel like I tell the same story every day. That said, several of you said that I should keep writing as much as I can, so until someone tells me to stop I'll keep the updates coming.
Today was a fairly typical day. The weather was typically gorgeous during most of the morning and afternoon, and then it started pouring as we headed for the venue. It's been raining for about 5 hours now and there's no sign of it stopping. Today's storm, however, was not nearly as severe as yesterday's. We were presented this evening in the Auditorium di Palazzo Terragni, which is a little theatre that seats about 300 people. The crowd was rather small, due to the fact that Italy played in the European Cup (they played against Romania and tied 1-1), but the audience was very enthusiastic. We actually sang two encores and sold a good amount of CDs. The theatre threw us a lovely reception (prosecco with huge chunks of yummy Reggiano parmesan) and we showed our gratitude by singing yet another song for the attendees.
I was particularly happy at dinner at the cafeteria this evening, as I was able to get some green vegetables in me (Brussels sprouts). There was also a yummy puree of fava bean soup. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves at mealtimes; there are plenty of choices. I should also mention that Mark and Tim and I have discovered a couple of decent bottles of wine at the local supermarket (only 1.98 Euros each) and we've been having late-night samplings back at the hotel with the various cheeses we've found around town. Several members of the group have also taken a liking to various cafes around Legnano, and it seems that we all have mastered how to order in Italian any number of coffee drinks. On a side note, I have realized that it's very "un-Italian" to order after 12:00pm anything but a straight espresso (that means no milk, and certainly not a brewed cup), so if my blue eyes don't give me away, my lust for an afternoon latte macchiato, senza schiuma (café latte - without foam) certainly will.
I am scheduled to fly home on June 20 (the rest of the group leaves on the 17th) and I am currently debating going home with the group. I've also thought about flying to Berlin or Prague or Paris to see friends. I'm torn. That said, the fee to change my plane ticket is pretty steep. I've got a couple more days to decide…
Tonight was the Hawaiian/American show we'll do it tomorrow night as well. Then on Sunday it's the Slavic/Mediterranean show where I understand we're being put in a convent church (we've got our fingers crossed for a good acoustic; we've definitely done our penance).
Ciao to all – Jordan
Vol. 9 - Thursday, June 12, 2008
From Tenor Dustin Wirth
After a couple of days of little rain and lots of sunshine we paid our dues as we traveled to our concert this evening in Parabiago. We loaded ourselves and all of our gear onto the bus in a downpour and then began the journey to Parabiago through rain hail and flash flooding.
We arrived in time for a brief soundcheck in a church designed in the brutalist style of architecture, which is not exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of Italian churches! The concert went well and our audience was once again warm and grateful and wonderful to talk to...or at least attempt conversation with.
Our new friends from the German group Singer Pur will be leaving tomorrow morning and so we are hoping to spend a final evening together as soon as they return from their concert. As I write the lobby is being flooded with Norwegians, Latvians and Italians. Our time here has been wonderful as we get to know people from all around Europe. This is what music does and it is unbelievable to be a part of it.
I hope all of you are doing well, and that weather back at home begins to straighten out for all of you.
Best wishes from Italia!
Dustin
Vol. 8 - Thursday, June 12, 2008
11:45pm - Parabiago, Italy, on the bus back to Legnano
Ciao everyone –
Jamming with Isacco
Today was a day filled with interesting events for many of us. One of the highlights was a post-lunch jam session with Isacco, one of the festival employees. He's a "floater" guide/translator, meaning that he's not assigned to a particular choir, but rather spends his time with a different choir each evening. We get to see him often, however, as he seems to be helping us out whenever and wherever we need him. Isacco is an amazing person and is seriously one of the happiest people I've ever met (he smiles all the time). He bikes everywhere, and also plays the shawm (kind of like an early oboe), bagpipes (historical) and fife and drum.
The jam session was attended by several Rose members, and the event was even "crashed" by some of the Germans. There was medieval tune-swapping, dancing, singing and lots of laughing. I really hope we can do this again before we leave (many of us are hoping it will take place on the street or piazza next time).
The road to Parabiago is paved with hail
Just before we left for our concert this evening, we got hit with a massive thunderstorm and hail storm that would rival anything Minnesota could produce. As a matter of fact, it became downright scary at one point. Sheets of rain just poured down, the wind was fierce (the kind that makes your umbrella go backwards) and the hail prolific. As we drove toward our concert city, the sights to behold were truly unreal. The tiny Italian cars were barely able to make it through the street, as the water from the fierce rain had accumulated so quickly. And the hail was so dense in places that everything was white. It looked like winter in some places, but the hail was also mixed with the green slush that formed from all the damaged leaves.
We arrived late at the venue because an underpass became flooded and traffic was diverted. No worries, however, as we were used to starting late. We were presented in a modern church that was probably built sometime in the 60's. Tough room, I must say, but we did the best we could with the acoustics and sang a good show. The audience (this time it was actually about 300) was incredibly appreciative and there were many shouts for an encore (which we of course gave them). The church became incredibly hot by the end of the show and several of us were just soaked, but that's showbiz…
The evening ended in the most beautiful way, with a completely impromptu "reception" in the hotel lobby. We knew the Germans were scheduled to leave in the morning, so several of us bought wine and cheese and prepared a little reception in the hotel lobby for them. But little did we know that the Norwegians and Latvians would end up joining us as well. Then Isacco came with his bagpipes! It ended up being a wonderful sharing of folk songs, dancing and laughter in the sweltering little hotel lobby. What a great memory…
Love to all –
Jordan
Vol. 7 - Thursday, June 12, 2008
Lake Maggiore (and laundry)
Ciao to everyone,
What day is this? Thursday? That must mean that yesterday was laundry, and the day before that was Lake Maggiore. Both memorable in their own way. We successfully navigated an Italian laundromat. Luckily most of the instructions were in pictures, and we eventually got everything figured out. Lucky for my colleagues, since most of my performing garb had lost that spring freshness.
Tuesday we got up and hopped a couple of trains up to Stresa, on Lake Maggiore at the foot of the Alps. It was stunning- by far the most beautiful day we've had here. Lake Maggiore is a long, wandering lake with a number of small islands that are easily accessible by ferry. Isola Bella was our first stop. The island is fairly tiny, but that didn't stop someone from putting an enormous palace on it, complete with some seriously statuesque gardens. From there, it was on to Isola dei pescatori (no idea if any of that is spelled correctly), an even smaller, and (if possible) more picturesque place. It was very much a village atmosphere. Narrow streets, old buildings, lots of interesting shops and nice people. There are also hotels on both of these islands, which is enough to get the vacation gears turning. There were nine of us on the trip, Yixiao (our new friend and guide), David, John, Kris, Linda, Ginna and Ian, and me and my wife Jennifer. I think everyone agreed that it was one of the most beautiful places we've ever seen.
Last night we got back at around 1:00. I think our bus driver got a little bit lost. An 18-point turn in a full-sized bus is a pretty impressive maneuver. More later.
Mark
Vol. 6 - Thursday, June 12, 2008
12:05am - Abbiategrasso, Italy
on the bus back to Legnano
Ciao to everyone,
I am sweating as I write this, even though the air conditioning is on. Just finished a wonderful concert in the lovely Basilica di Santa Maria Nuova, a gorgeous 15th-18th century church in the middle of the charming town of Abbiategrasso (referred to by the locals as "Abbiate"). We again were not given the opportunity to see the town before the concert, but since the bus driver decided to park considerably far from the church, we got to walk through at least a section of this little town. All these little Italian villages are so charming, with their tiny, locally owned specialty shops, sidewalk cafes, inviting Piazzas, narrow streets and towering churches. The jasmine is blooming in full force now and its sweet smell seems to be everywhere.
Church of San Magno
The concert this evening was our first of the Slavic choral / Mediterranean spiritual songs program, and we were definitely ready for a change, as we had done the Hawaiian/American program three nights in a row. Earlier in the week, Mark had discovered in Legnano the gorgeous church of San Magno and asked Francesco if he could organize a rehearsal for us there. (In typical "Francesco style," he immediately obliged and secured the space for us.) So we rehearsed there this morning at 10am (the group wasn't thrilled about this at first, but once we arrived all were dumbstruck by the church's beauty). I was slightly concerned, as we rehearsed hard and tonight's program is incredibly demanding, but as usual, my colleagues performed a solid and energetic show – one that the audience (although small) clearly enjoyed. Highlights this evening were the Zielenski Magnificat (a 12-part Polish Renaissance motet that we are now doing with 11 voices), Decet Huius Cunctis Horis (a 14th-century Czech chant) and Laudar Vollio (a 13th-century spiritual song for St. Francis of Assisi). And, of course, they loved Sergey Khvoshchinskiy's Bogoroditse Devo.
I don't think I have fully described just how enthusiastic our audiences have been. These people CLAP. And for a LONG time. If they really like a piece, they will clap for a considerable amount of time, even after we've already taken 3-4 bows! It's really amazing, but it adds a lot of time on the clock, I must say. Add that to the concerts starting late (tonight's started 25 minutes late) and it makes for some long evenings. But these audiences are so enthusiastic and warm that it just makes a guy want to sing well. This evening we actually got a standing ovation, which is incredibly rare in Europe (I don't recall the last one we got, actually), and the audience stayed a long time to talk with us. We were treated to a little reception in the sacristy afterwards (yummy little squares of pizza and various sweets), which I particularly loved, since there was a gorgeous old painting of San Francesco d'Assisi keeping watch over us all. What a nice memory.
Tim and Francesco
Francesco (our organizer, not the saint), arranged for several of us to eat at a sushi place this afternoon, which we sincerely appreciated. Francesco is a wonderful and kind person and he works so hard to make comfortable all the festival participants. This was damn good sushi, I must say, and it was a welcome break from the cafeteria. I have developed a pretty severe sore throat over the last couple of days, so I actually went back to the hotel after lunch and took a nap. (Those who know me will attest that I never take naps.) I was out cold for a good hour, which I think helped. I started taking some zinc tablets this morning, so I'm hoping I don't get sick.
We interrupt this blog post to report that the bus driver is most definitely lost. I mean LOST. We are now on a dirt road and have just hit a dead end. Now he has to figure out how to turn this beast-of-a-bus around…
I forgot to tell you about last night's concert. That was in another theatre and this time in the city of Uboldo. The managers of the Cine-Teatro de San Pio were all business, and in spite of a slight miscommunication about a programmatic matter, things went really well. The place was packed and the audience went crazy for the show (Hawaiian/American). There happened to be a carnival in the piazza next to the theatre, so at several times during the show, the sound of our own singing was obliterated by the massive outdoor sound system being used to describe the intense action of some sort of brick-stacking game. At the time, it wasn't so funny, but I honestly think we noticed it more than our audience. The organizers threw a lovely reception for us in the little hall next door. They served prosecco, sangria, and all sorts of little savory and sweet pastries. We sang two more songs for the crowd, which went completely wild at one point. In spite of the theatre's difficult acoustics (boy, we are getting used to that by now…) we sang very well.
Tristan and Anne Lise (the friends of Francesco) have now gone back to France, and Barney and Louise of Voces8 have departed for the UK. I miss them all. Tristan, especially, really made me laugh a lot and, in spite of his kidding around, I found him to be a wise soul. We've been emailing over the last couple of days and I hope we can stay in touch. As for the others, Barney and I are also emailing and planning for the now-real possibly of Voces8 coming to the States. And Anne Lise just emailed this morning to report that she has officially been assigned to The Rose Ensemble while we are in Vaison (Provence) July 28-August 2! It's fantastic news and I can't wait to see her again!
Well that's it for me for now. I've asked others in the Ensemble to make some blog entries. There has been a lot of sight-seeing during the day for several members of the group and I hope that they'll take a few minutes to write about all they've been up to.
Ciao –
Jordan
Vol. 5 - Tuesday, June 10, 2008
2:45pm - Legnano, Italy
Photo by Lisa Drew
Ciao, everyone!
Yesterday afternoon's weather turned out to be absolutely glorious. After lunch, several of us sat in a little garden café and soaked in the beautiful Italian sun. (I should also mention that 5 coffee drinks cost only 5.60 Euros, which is the way it should be.) Everyone was rejoicing that the sun finally came out and the Italians were all smiling, which is always a beautiful sight to behold.
But by about 4:00pm, as has been the case every day since we arrived, storm clouds formed and Legnano got soaked. But this time it was like a typical Minnesota thunder/hail storm. It rained hard for hours and some people actually lost power. For us, of course, it was no big deal, but everyone here is talking about the weather and how unusual it is. It's much hotter today and the sun is really strong, but I already see the clouds moving in. Perhaps we'll have our seventh straight day of rain…
Last night's show was in a town called Meda, which is about 30 minutes from Legnano. The bus left typically late, but this time so late that we really didn't have a chance to rehearse in the space. Even though we passed numerous gorgeous churches along the way (imagine all of us looking longingly out the bus windows), we were presented in a small theater with only about 100 seats. But the acoustics were surprisingly good and we sang a killer show. It was slightly disappointing, however, as Italy was playing in a major soccer game, and we had only about 50 people show up (we heard from the other choirs that it was just as bad for them).
After the concert, the Mayor of the city presented me with a lovely collection of books showcasing the history and significant buildings of Meda. The chapel of San Vittorio, in particular, looks amazing and is locally known as "the little Sistine Chapel." It's too bad that we haven't been able to talk the bus drivers into bringing us to these towns a little earlier, so that we can explore them a little. We'll keep trying…
I'll try to write again tomorrow.
Ciao –
Jordan
Vol. 4 - Monday, June 9, 2008
3:30pm - Legnano, Italy
Ciao to all –
I haven't written since Friday and I sincerely apologize. I should have reminded someone in the Ensemble to write but the last few days have been pretty hectic. All is well and we're settling in quite nicely. Our second concert (the "folk" theme) was held on Friday night in a big cinema. The acoustics were awful and the stage had a strange decline to it but we managed quite well. The audience seemed rather surprised (but pleasantly so) by the Hawaiian music, and the Southern Harmony piece (Jordan's Shore) and a Sephardic tune (Porke Yorash) were also big hits.
The last of the three "expo" concerts was on Saturday night and the theme was themed "contemporary sacred." The church was one of the most fantastic acoustical spaces we've ever sung in. And while the sound did change considerably once the hundreds of audience members were crammed in (some even sitting on the floor and steps), it was still spectacular. As it has rained every day since we arrived (yes, every day and sometimes severely, which is very uncommon here for this time of the year), the humidity level is currently high. As such, the church became unbearably hot and stuffy. We sang fourth on the program, which was at approximately 11:00pm, and I swear there was not a molecule of oxygen left in the building. When I took my first breath, I actually thought I was going to pass out. We sang well, however, and after we finished our last piece (Sergey Khvoshchinskiy's Bogoroditse Devo Raduysia), we were rewarded with what several people called the most thunderous applause of the evening. In fact, we were called out on stage for a second bow! We also performed alto Linda Kachelmeier's new piece Motet de la Vergine (commissioned by board member Tom Crann & Andrew Martin), and Linda was given an enthusiastic and much-deserved response from the crowd. And, as usual, Mark hit it out of the park with Minnesota cmposer J David Moore's arrangement of the American spiritual, I Been in de Storm.
Last night's concert was the first of nine consecutive full-length concerts that we'll perform up until the last day of the festival. It was held in a little cinema (probably built in the 1960's) about 15 minutes outside of Legnano. In spite of the acoustics (bad), we sang a great program. I put together a program of 35 minutes of Hawaiian music and 35 minutes of early American music and the audience loved it. In fact, we sang two encores and they were still yelling for more. It was a nice feeling and I was really proud of our performance. I required the Ensemble to memorize this entire program, and since this was the first official performance in this new format (which makes a HUGE difference), nerves were running high. They did admirably, however, and everybody seemed to have a great time on stage. Bass John Bitterman read three Hawaiian proverbs in Italian and got cheers after each one (it was hilarious) and John also made his 'ukulele debut on this program! Also debuting was our new arrangement of Alfred Brumley's Rank Stranger. It's an early bluegrass style tune from the 1930s and I sing lead (so much fun). I think we should sing this piece on the concert we're giving in St. Paul on July 13; someone should remind me of this…
Over the last few days, the group has been able to make some new friends here, which is really great. The German group Singer Pur, a six-voice ensemble (killer group, seriously) is one of our favorites and we hang out with them quite a bit at meal times. Mark and others have been spending time with the Norwegians (in spite of the fact that most of them now don't even show up for breakfast [see my previous blog entry for details]), and I have been spending what little free time I have with two French friends of [festival organizer] Francesco's. They are Annelise and Tristan and they are about as crazy and boisterous as any people I've ever known. In fact, they come off as slightly rude to some people (okay, really rude) but I just love being with them. They've come to all our performances thus far and they have also been a very bad influence on me (let's just say I have been staying out a little later than normal).
I should also mention that Barney Smith from Voces8 (a UK-based ensemble we met in Tolosa) came to visit this past weekend and we've enjoyed spending time with him and his girlfriend, Louise. Barney and I have been busy "talking shop" and are seriously considering a collaboration. Turns out they may be in the US for the American Choral Directors Association conference in March 2009 and would be willing to come to Minnesota in late February (hmmm, that's just in time for the Candlelight concerts). Wouldn't that be cool?!
Kathy Lee arrived safely on Saturday and we feel whole again. Bless her heart for staying up all day for rehearsals and still singing so well that evening. Such a pro…
Ciao –
Jordan
Vol. 3 - Friday, June 6, 2008
10:00am - Legnano, Italy
Ciao everyone!
Photo by Lisa Drew
I'm finally finding some time to write, and I must apologize for taking a day off from being in touch with you. Everything is going well here so far. The performance last night was a sort of showcase of all the groups that are here for the festival, and the "theme" was early sacred music. We were told to stick to this theme and that we had only 20 minutes to perform, so we spent our morning double-checking the performance length and trimming as needed. However, we soon learned not only that nothing here starts on time, but that rules are hardly enforced. It was fine, though, since we were tired and really did pack a punch in our 22½ minute show (it was over 20 minutes because the audience went coo-coo crazy with applause after a couple of numbers, especially "Laudar Vollio," which is a piece from the 13th-century Cortona Manuscript about St. Francis of Assisi).
We did 6 songs in 5 languages and I think we sang well. We were a slight bit nervous, perhaps, as it was all too similar to Tolosa (even though this is not a competition), and I think we just wanted to sing/play well. Tonight's concert is themed "folk music" and we'll be doing Hawaiian chant, early American (Shaker and Southern Harmony), Sephardic and early Spanish. I'll let you know how it goes.
Since all our performances are within the same region, we are able to stay in the same hotel. In fact, we've been able to walk pretty much everywhere so far. That won't be the case on Sund ay, when our 9-day tour of full-length concerts begins, but I'm sure there will be plenty of time for getting to know various little towns; it's something that really makes these tours wonderful for us.
The people here (especially the festival organizers) have been incredibly gracious and accommodating to us, and I would like to think we are one of the more low-maintenance groups here. I mentioned earlier that starting/showing up on time doesn't seem to matter here, but the one exception is meal time. The hotel is packed with festival performers, so our breakfasts here are run on a strict schedule. Today we were assigned to sit with the Norwegians at breakfast and we of course joked that we felt very much at home with them. They, on the other hand, lamented the utter lack of dairy products (anyone who has seen a Scandinavian breakfast will know exactly what I mean) and several vowed never to return to the hotel breakfast. I had to laugh this afternoon when I was at the supermarket buying yogurt and muesli, and ran into several of the Norwegians. I think we'll all pool our resources, buy lots of cheese, yogurt and fresh fruit, and take over the breakfast room!
Our lunches and dinners are given to us in a cute little cafeteria-style place about 4 blocks from the hotel. It has an outdoor café attached to it with a lovely garden and what could be seen as a biergarten. I use that word specifically, since there are Beck's beer signs plastered on the walls. The performers have a special menu here that allows us one carb (always two pasta choices and a simple but yummy risotto), one meat (usually fish, chicken , beef or pork) and a hot vegetable or cold salad. We also get a bottle of water, but everything else is extra. Wine is available here by the generous glass (only 1.5 Euros) or bottle (about 7 Euros) and it's not bad.
Kathy Lee arrives tomorrow morning and we're all looking forward to seeing her (and singing with her, of course). The women sound just fine without her, of course, but after all these years, I have grown accustomed her voice in the mix. The poor thing will be exhausted (as we all were) and she's got a show that same night (very demanding repertoire), but she's a good sleeper so she'll be fine. I'll write more later.
Ciao to all –
Jordan
Vol. 2 - Thursday, June 5, 2008
Photo by Lisa Drew
It is day two here in Legnano. Or day one, if you're only counting time not spent delirious with jet lag. We're settling in pretty well. Today we got to sing in the church where we will perform tonight. It's lovely, and suits us pretty well. We also got to hear two of the other groups that are here, which was a nice change from Tolosa, where it was very hard to interact with the other choirs. Speaking of Tolosa, I have to say that a festival is very relaxing compared with a competition. There's no particular pressure, and the choirs don't have to eye you suspiciously. You know, for Minnesotans, I think we're downright social; it's no fun when people don't want to say hello.
The food is good and plentiful. Our guides, Giacomo and Ychiau, are very nice, and while the hotel guys seem like they're not entirely sure what we're up to, everyone has been very kind. We're fumbling through our attempts to speak Italian, but we're trying our best.
The coffee is great, and the Barbera is inexplicably bubbly. Still good, though, and darn cheap. We're looking forward to learning a little more about the town. That's all for now. I hope all are well on the home front. I miss my dogs.
Mark
Vol. 1 - Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Legnano, Italia
Legnano
Dear everyone -
Ginna Watson and David Burk in Milan
Just a quick note to let you know that we arrived safely in Milan/Legnano this morning. The group was in a state of shock about this trip, as it was by far the most hassle-free of all our European voyages thus far: no lost luggage, no delayed flights, and we were picked up promptly at the airport. Very nice!
The festival (La Fabbrica del Canto) has provided us with Giacomo and Ychiau, two accommodating young men from Legnano, who are serving as volunteer translators (they also help us with day-to-day arrangements of rehearsals, transportation, meals, etc.). The main organizers are a small team of three: the President of the festival (Mr. Leonardi), his son, Francesco, and their press agent. It's amazing how much these three guys do. And while Legnano is a town of only 60,000, it's clear that this really is an international festival, with groups from all over the world performing and whose concerts people from all over the country come to see.
When we arrived at the hotel this morning, Francesco asked if I would be willing to attend a press conference for the festival, which I of course agreed to. Little did I know, however, that I would be the main attraction! Reporters and photographers from three different newspapers were present, and I was interviewed for quite some time. It's clear that the organizers and sponsors are particularly proud to be presenting The Rose Ensemble (we are the first U.S. group to perform here in over 10 years), and they seem to have a keen interest in the diversity of our repertoire. I'm going to assume that there will be photos in tomorrow's paper, so I'll try to send those along as I'm able.
Our first concert is tomorrow night at 9:00pm, but it's only a short showcase for all the groups being presented here at the festival, which includes: The Oslo Chamber Choir (Norway), The University of Riga (Latvia) Women's Choir, The Monteverdi Choir (Hungary) and Singer Pur (Germany). Since there is internet access at the hotel, I should be able to keep you updated on all our concertizing and other adventures at least every other day, if not more often.
Ciao to all -
Jordan