tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-177416972024-02-28T06:22:07.530-08:00Classictic.com - Tickets for classical concertsclassictichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14331891639844040794noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-45477071959020324762013-05-18T12:11:00.000-07:002013-05-18T12:11:16.263-07:00Small Tips for Big Enjoyment!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCsFYVSfyQgwWfmjKdnHv-_iOLGxQnF73KwX495lYfD8WfSw5Z4Elsj9vpUjbppTX9AM1khbJQG5TFku15LJvj8gMZKaw_upY0r6B4bjYCUnunQ8tCh0Vr6bPklwltp3sXtIr2Q/s400/etiquette.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Seven <span style="font-size: large;">e</span>asy <span style="font-size: large;">t</span>ips for enjoying a concert.</span><span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span> </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Wondering what to wear?</strong> Don't worry. Just go to listen.
OK, shirts and shoes are indeed required, and short pants are not
normally seen on men in Europe, with the exception of tennis courts and
soccer fields, but assuming you have these basics covered, pretty much
anything goes. If you are most comfortable in casual clothing, this
would be the right choice for you. Have a great evening gown you would
like to put on? 'Chic' is always welcome. There are some events that
request a special, or festively dressed audience; balls, galas and
premiers, for example, but you will always be informed of these special
cases in advance. Otherwise, you will most likely see all possible
manner of clothing being worn. Keep in mind that you should simply
choose the attire that will allow you to most enjoy the event. <br />Is it
a good idea to leave your extra-tall Elvis-wig at home for the night?
Yes, the people seated behind will be appreciative of your sacrifice.<br /><br /><strong>Are you hungry? What to do in the Intermission:</strong>
You'll have about 20 minutes to stand up and stretch, enjoy the
architecture of the performance venue, take care of any restroom needs,
and get a snack if desired. Seems like a tall order, so a bit of
strategy may be called for; one member of your group can hold a place in
line for snacks while another goes to the restroom. Even better: at
many concert halls and opera houses you can pre-order a table with
beverages and snacks for your party – it will then be waiting with your
name on it at the intermission. Speak to the people selling refreshments
before the beginning of the performance to see if this is possible. <br /><br /><strong>What's my plan?</strong>
The inability to relax will often keep people from enjoying the
performance they are listening to. Turn off your phone, don't receive
text messages and do not 'check-in' at the office during the
performance. <br />Arrive early enough, and get your parking spot easily.
You might also consider to plan a dinner or snack in the area before the
event. Arriving after the begin of a performance will usually mean that
you will be brought to your seats at the first break in the music, or
intermission. The venue ushers will assist you. <br />Many parking houses
for concert venues offer a special pre-pay rate for the night – this
makes post-concert departures quicker and controls the parking costs.
Give your coat, bag, umbrella to the coat check and free yourself of
these burdens. If you are unsure about tipping the coat check, which
varies with locale, just observe what others are doing, and follow suit.<br /><br /><strong>Should I know anything in advance?</strong>
You would not go to the movies without knowing what film was showing.
Try to learn a bit about what you will hear, and you will enjoy it more.
Never heard of the composer? Google.com most likely has. The program
book for the performance will also offer notes on the performers,
composers, the venue, and the compositions themselves. <br /><br /><strong>When do I clap?</strong>
Back in Mozart's day, he expected people to talk, eat, clap, or play
cards, whenever the mood hit them - at any time during his music. This
tradition has changed, however. Now we acknowledge that a composer's
work functions as a complete story, some having more chapters, or
'movements'. Today we are asked to clap when the complete work is
finished – after all movements are played - and not between the
movements. In doing this, you allow the musicians to 'tell' the entire
story, and you hear the work as a whole, not in sections. The program
book will tell you how many movements are in each composition. Are there
exceptions to this rule, of course – it is never dull in the theatre!
Occasionally a spectacular soloist will be greeted with a spontaneous
wave of applause in the middle of a work, but at the end of a movement
or aria. This is more common in the opera house. Additionally, it is
customary in orchestral and opera performances to applaud with the
entrance of the orchestra conductor, just before the performance begins.
After the last note, give the music a moment of silence to resonate
before clapping, and then feel free to scream out a “Bravo” if you were
wild about it, and/or hug your neighbor. (Let's hope you are really,
really certain that the piece is completely over before doing this.) <br /><br /><strong>So what's NOT allowed, or desirable?</strong>
As welcoming as concert halls are today, there are a few 'Verboten'
Items and also some generally frowned upon activities: Taking photos or
videos during a performance is not allowed. Eating and drinking must be
done in the intermission. Better to let baby sleep at home tonight and
bring Grandma to the concert instead as Grandma is less likely to cry in
the quiet sections. There are many programs specifically oriented
and/or welcoming to children. Leave Fido at home, no animals allowed. It
is distracting for others seated in the area, if you or your child are
playing with a phone, or any other device during the performance. There
will be plenty of action on the stage to watch – check that bassoonist!<br /><br /><strong>And how long is the concert!?!</strong>
Hungarian/American composer Gabriel von Wayditch and is credited with
having written the world's longest opera, coming in at over eight hours
for his Eretnekek (Heretics), which took him 20 years to compose. As
that particular opera was never performed, you can be certain that your
chosen performance will be of a more manageable length. A standard
orchestral concert will last about two hours, with a 20 minute break in
approximately the middle of the program. Most opera performances will be
longer, from 3 to 5 hours or more, depending on the opera program you
have chosen, in which case there will be more intermissions planned in
the evening – and your snack strategy will be more important! Consider a
few of the above hints, and you will lose all track of time. <br /><br /><strong>Here's hoping you enjoy a great classical performance soon!</strong> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-90074526344529719532013-01-31T03:14:00.000-08:002013-01-31T03:21:27.161-08:00High Culture in Lower Manhattan<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CqtponHAbTCQ5AD3GOq3qQvaisValbJc4Ew8hUzpVFUZM_HodcaEHshIT5LCRyuA1-hj5hlHTMkjGVkjLRPNzUGvzbirNN3gejR1MqESxI5Necs_yIkBkOAn4x0yE-wIFsZsxw/s1600/Eliogabalo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CqtponHAbTCQ5AD3GOq3qQvaisValbJc4Ew8hUzpVFUZM_HodcaEHshIT5LCRyuA1-hj5hlHTMkjGVkjLRPNzUGvzbirNN3gejR1MqESxI5Necs_yIkBkOAn4x0yE-wIFsZsxw/s320/Eliogabalo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eliogabolo, Gotham Chamber Opera, © Photo: Corey Tatarczuk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
New York City: it is sophisticated metropolitan high life, and it is grimy, shrill street culture. It is martinis and heels, beer in a paper bag. Staid institutions and underground hot spots.<br />
<br />
How do you capture, honor, serve the many facets and contrasts of the city?<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.classictic.com/GCO" target="_blank">The Gotham Chamber Opera</a></span></span> has achieved this goal without setting out to do so. Founder Neal Goren started the company in 2001 primarily as a vehicle to gain more experience on the conductor's podium. He managed to assemble a group of viable investors and began with the premise he has stuck to: Produce lesser-known works intended for more intimate spaces, and find a venue that is tailor-fit to the production.<br />
<br />
Over the years, that has turned out to be just the right formula for the company, which has become an established fixture in the local music scene. The New York Times calls it the "pre-eminent small opera company in New York", and New York Magazine notes that the Gotham Opera Company "sets a sexy example for the city's scene."<br />
<br />
"Sexy" is one of the first words that springs to mind when opera fans see the teaser for the company's upcoming production of Francesco Cavalli's "<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/cavalli_s_eliogabalo__gotham_chamber_opera/23178/163928/" target="_blank">Eliogabalo</a></span>". The three act opera, composed in 1668, invites the audience into the exclusive burlesque theater, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/new_york/the_box/1101/" target="_blank">The Box</a></span>, on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The dinner theater and a handful of its alluring performers will transport the audience to the court and banquet hall of the decadent Roman emperor, Heliogabalus, whose lascivious ways are at the center of this tale.<br />
<br />
For native New Yorkers, this performance is a chance to finally get a look at the inside of the The Box. For visitors to the Big Apple, it is a perfect event to combine the elegance of a night at the opera with the edginess and color of this fascinating city of contrasts.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-9476292678848637842012-02-17T01:59:00.019-08:002012-02-17T05:40:19.672-08:00Opera on the Roller Coaster of History: Latvia National Opera<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr14yQpslRKiFDNGTTffH8h315VKBVnT0dTt4ghJz33xsV7oHrQX3wqtMl65emMTbVUalq23rEoqBb4l0sRHIMfZA30zS77fDmwhBKvvNXCuVMCCgt_HOB0jTd96ypSpKek1fdoA/s1600/special_main_6891_1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 474px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr14yQpslRKiFDNGTTffH8h315VKBVnT0dTt4ghJz33xsV7oHrQX3wqtMl65emMTbVUalq23rEoqBb4l0sRHIMfZA30zS77fDmwhBKvvNXCuVMCCgt_HOB0jTd96ypSpKek1fdoA/s400/special_main_6891_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710054578139113954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The time to get to know Riga and its opera company as an insider is now. Riga has been chosen, together with the Swedish city of Umea, to be the <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N4amofzntU">European Cultural Capital</a> in 2014. The city will undoubtedly put on a fabulous program for the wave of tourists expected during that year. A visit to the city this season offers the chance to get to know the city before the excitement begins. And those who have experienced this attractive and culturally rich Baltic capital once will surely want to return for the festivities in 2014.<br /><br />Latvia is a relatively small country with a dramatic history. All the more remarkable that its National Opera in the capital city of Riga has such a strong and established tradition. The history of opera in Latvia is considerably older than the nation itself, with opera companies performing in Riga already in the 18th century. Despite the many obstacles posed by this Baltic nation's rocky history, dedicated musicians and opera lovers assured the position of opera in the cultural landscape.<br /><br />The beginnings of the current <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Latvian_National_Opera_Ballet">Latvian National Opera</a> in 1912 were quickly halted by the start of World War I. The performers went into exile in Russia, returning only in 1918. Under Jāzeps Vītols, the company made a new start, and the first production in 1919 was Wagner's Flying Dutchman. During the period of Russian occupation and Soviet annexation, beginning in 1944, the opera continued to exist under the name Latvian S.S.R. State Opera and Ballet Theater. With the fall of the Iron Curtain, the company was once again the Latvian National Opera, and the theater underwent renovation until reopening in 1995 with a performance of Latvian composer Jānis Mediņš’ Uguns un nakts (Fire and Night).<br /><br />Today, the Latvian National Opera is a remarkably daring institution. The traditional repertoire has a secure place in the programming, but the company constantly strives to present opera in an innovative way. Beside the favorite Classical and Romantic works, the Latvian National Opera also offers contemporary Latvian compositions, Baroque opera, and children's performances. The <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/riga_opera" com="" en="" special="">Riga Opera House</a> is also home to the Latvian National Ballet, which is driven by a similar artistic philosophy.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/">Classictic</a> is very pleased to welcome the Latvian National Opera to our online portal!AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-77577625071450092282011-08-17T04:12:00.000-07:002011-08-17T06:06:59.863-07:00Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and China's Herbert von Karajan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_liFeU9MOHfo319LnB38t5D6L8HZa8BHtJiCN9fCshfPDoHMPCUdfjnjj0izV7caDmFaRCitbP3n9r1wDcKGat55wqFV7ZOt6AWPR14MEAncpj1iJmUkXB3ILqpQ3PNRiB5I3bQ/s1600/special_main_6609_1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_liFeU9MOHfo319LnB38t5D6L8HZa8BHtJiCN9fCshfPDoHMPCUdfjnjj0izV7caDmFaRCitbP3n9r1wDcKGat55wqFV7ZOt6AWPR14MEAncpj1iJmUkXB3ILqpQ3PNRiB5I3bQ/s400/special_main_6609_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641808888186349682" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Did you know that China had it’s own Herbert von Karajan? According to the<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/arts/music/10long.html?pagewanted=all">New York Times</a>, it does. His name is Long Yu, and he is at the head of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
<br />
<br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Shanghai_Concerts">Concerts of the SSO</a> have just gone online at Classictic.com, and we are thrilled to welcome our first ensemble in Asia. The orchestra has a long tradition of performing the European classical music repertoire, as well as a dedication to the work of contemporary Chinese composers. Their performances take place primarily in the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Shanghai/Shanghai-Oriental-Art-Center">Shanghai Oriental Art Center</a>, a billowing glass construction by French architect Paul Andreu, which opened in 2004.
<br />
<br />Mr. Yu has gained an international reputation for his musicianship and his drive towards perfection. His composer grandfather, Ding Shande, inspired him to shift his focus as a teenager from piano lessons to conducting. After studies at the Shanghai Conservatory, Mr. Yu continued at Berlin’s prestigious Hochschule der Künste (now Universität der Künste). Since his return to China in the mid-90’s, he has established himself as the leading force behind the modernization of the country’s orchestras.
<br />
<br />At <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en">Classictic</a>, we are looking forward to playing a role in bringing local and international audiences into the concert hall to hear the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. And perhaps down the road, rising star conductors will be celebrated as “the Long Yu” of their respective countries.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-69548139318954759612011-06-10T00:54:00.000-07:002011-06-15T00:52:01.901-07:00The Day the Singing Stops on the Grand Canal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO0agUNcMzmu-6ojps6aU2VMtYeLXrZJKz5wHz00hCJYmZEiYOcRM8YgYlhVag6eQT_tjUH9CIXhnLQt275gbqdA9PZJVFtMh8dnEzuK1Z2iP12u2qmfkL8ki6D-7Um1yp0f-og/s1600/Venice.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO0agUNcMzmu-6ojps6aU2VMtYeLXrZJKz5wHz00hCJYmZEiYOcRM8YgYlhVag6eQT_tjUH9CIXhnLQt275gbqdA9PZJVFtMh8dnEzuK1Z2iP12u2qmfkL8ki6D-7Um1yp0f-og/s400/Venice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616508561690643762" border="0" /></a><br />When is a Venetian gondolier too busy to sing “O Sole Mio”?<br />When he is rounding the paleto (turning post) at the Regata Storica.<br /><br />Venice is generally associated with a romantically slow and easy pace, strolling across the Bridge of Sighs, or gliding along the Grand Canal. But for one day each year, Venice is all about speed.<br /><br />The Regata Storica is a tradition that goes back to the early Middle Ages, if not further. The first documentation of the event dates to the 13th century, a time when the boat races were connected to religious festivities. Since then, the spectacle of the regatta has been captured by countless artists throughout the centuries. Among the most famous renditions are owed to Canaletto.<br /><br />Several different events make up the Regata Storica, but it is the race of the gondoliers that truly gets local and tourist blood flowing. There is no serenading to be heard here over the shouting of the crowd as the boats are propelled through St Mark’s Bay.<br /><br />For those who have come to Italy to slow down, the pageantry of the Water Parade might be a better choice. Here, historical ships can be admired, complete with costumed gondoliers and local officials.<br /><br />Venice is truly a city where past and present are intertwined, where tradition and architecture keep history alive. When the excitement on the water has subsided, visitors can choose from a wide variety of <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Venice-Concerts">musical events in Venice</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>that highlight this fascinating aspect of the city. Whether it's Baroque music in a period church or opera arias in an elegant Palazzo on the Grand Canal.<br /><br />And when the racing is over, you'll be sure to hear talented goldoliers singing familiar melodies as they guide their boats through the city.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This year's <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.regatastoricavenezia.it/?lang=en&pg=1&page=1">Regata Storica</a> takes place on Sunday, September 4.<br />Through July 31st, 2011, Classictic offers </span><span style="font-style: italic;">10% off </span><span style="font-style: italic;">tickets purchased </span><span style="font-style: italic;">with the promotional code "Venetian".<br /></span>AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-31581132918785957842011-05-24T02:57:00.000-07:002011-05-24T04:19:29.070-07:00Salzburg Dreams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BUv35tKwDDSvxwMtIxWBLgbk7lA1_CIFhKxaWsFgBJP-V6ItnelyNHrY1BX_HYJkLhROhuIEHHp7O22fzgu-k63BJwS6DEsAXJUmQg4PylAOd2-CwUpq4QOjVi-3P4cImyotSw/s1600/salzburg.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BUv35tKwDDSvxwMtIxWBLgbk7lA1_CIFhKxaWsFgBJP-V6ItnelyNHrY1BX_HYJkLhROhuIEHHp7O22fzgu-k63BJwS6DEsAXJUmQg4PylAOd2-CwUpq4QOjVi-3P4cImyotSw/s400/salzburg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610240700926231730" border="0" /></a><br />Salzburg – city of music and gateway to the Alps. Classical music aficionados come from around the world to see Mozart’s hometown and to visit the extraordinary <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Salzburg_Festival">music festivals</a>. For classical musicians of all ages, performing in Salzburg is often the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.<br /><br />This summer, a group of instrumentalists from the United States will join their dream to the dreams of wheelchair-bound Salzburgers. The San Jose Youth Symphony will perform in the elegant Great Hall of the Mozarteum, and the proceeds of the concert will help the “WheelChairDancers” of Salzburg to obtain the special wheelchairs necessary to participate in international wheelchair dance competitions.<br /><br />The WheelChairDancers are a highly motivated team that trains regularly. Members of the group have traveled to competitions worldwide. As an organization, the WheelChairDancers aim to gain more publicity for wheelchair dancing as a sport, hoping to spread the joy of dancing to as many disabled people as possible.<br /><br />We at Classictic are pleased to support the ticket sales for the <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Charity-Concert-at-Mozarteum-Salzburg/17442/118929">benefit concert in Salzburg</a>, and we wish both the performers and the beneficiaries much success!<br /><br />July 2nd 2011. 19:30<br />Mozarteum, Salzburg<br />San Jose Youth Symphony Philharmonic Orchestra<br />Yair Samet, Conductor<br />Hannah Pauline Tarley, Violin<br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Charity-Concert-at-Mozarteum-Salzburg/17442/118929">Benefit Concert Tickets</a>AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-51693475598807116222011-03-13T05:31:00.000-07:002011-03-13T07:21:59.585-07:00European Opera Forum: The Opera ExperienceLast weekend's European Opera Forum in London was an inspiring experience. The focus of this year's <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.opera-europa.org/">Opera Europa</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>spring conference was "The Opera Experience". Participants were invited to look at opera from a variety of perspectives, with an emphasis on the vital importance of communication among the many different people and departments that make opera happen. Artistic directors met in dialogue with architects and technical directors, education departments shared their work with marketing experts, and so on.<br /><br />Of particular interest was the extraordinary work that is being done to help attract new audiences to the opera houses. We heard about the Finnish National Opera transforming the house into a dance club atmosphere, where young Finns were invited to experience various performances by members of the ballet company, and then to dance with them until the early hours, animated by top DJ's. Productions that include and engage disadvantaged youth were described by representatives of the Paris Opera, the Scottish Opera, La Monnaie in Brussels, and others. In these large-scale undertakings, the goal goes beyond audience development. Here, art becomes a means of supporting young people in their development as citizens in the truest sense.<br /><br />It was an honor to be a party to these discussions. We at <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com">Classictic</a> learned a great deal about what is important to the opera world today, and we hope that we can actively contribute to the development of this unique genre in Europe and worldwide.<br /><br />We look forward to getting a similar look at the opera scene across the ocean this May in Boston, when <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.operaamerica.org/">Opera America</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>holds it's yearly conference.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-8347177098377019462011-02-28T04:53:00.000-08:002011-03-01T02:18:16.256-08:00Welcome to the Erwanna Fan Club<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOPrYXsfHJkhhWeLFR_2uEJKR57ZUjgA9AROCzlDLaec7GcXzJ46VSNWuBnrXxbY4z9oXDMTaxFMukzlKyaEkgWSOsjR_kxlk2-u1NQxdlUyzQyfPJ8yq9JBKZbZmYJe848oTfA/s1600/Salle-Pleyel-Anna-Netrebko_2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOPrYXsfHJkhhWeLFR_2uEJKR57ZUjgA9AROCzlDLaec7GcXzJ46VSNWuBnrXxbY4z9oXDMTaxFMukzlKyaEkgWSOsjR_kxlk2-u1NQxdlUyzQyfPJ8yq9JBKZbZmYJe848oTfA/s400/Salle-Pleyel-Anna-Netrebko_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578718451103859458" border="0" /></a>Hollywood fans have fondly melded star couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie into Brangelina. Opera enthusiasts now have a dream team to follow as well: the stunning and talented Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott. Or shall we say, Erwanna?<br />The New York Observer called the Russian diva "Audrey Hepburn with a voice", and the San Francisco Chronicle praised "a singer who has it all: imagination, insight, and wit". The bass from Uruguay is admired for his "combination of blazingly charismatic presence and imposing, wide-ranging, multicoloured sound."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTqdO37b2wqAR8hur43v4dJbV0BOc3brdBHgoz1PI7iGNVJKB6Y_tkpcPazu1wTeMil64rtKSuikiNnb-amOujMbUMUeAGF6Nb-CvJbPd_dFHm-0Qu-e0c5U5j1u_-tsSHMPRYw/s1600/Budapest-Festival-Romantic-Aria-Recital-by-Erwin-Schrott_1.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 99px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTqdO37b2wqAR8hur43v4dJbV0BOc3brdBHgoz1PI7iGNVJKB6Y_tkpcPazu1wTeMil64rtKSuikiNnb-amOujMbUMUeAGF6Nb-CvJbPd_dFHm-0Qu-e0c5U5j1u_-tsSHMPRYw/s400/Budapest-Festival-Romantic-Aria-Recital-by-Erwin-Schrott_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578718880497062306" border="0" /></a>The opera stars are considerably less harried by the paparazzi than their Hollywood counterparts. But their lifestyle is no less burdened by travel and heavy schedules. Of course, fans are the beneficiaries of their hard-working ethos. <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Anna-Netrebko/16989/114619">Anna Netrebko performs music of Pergolesi</a> at Geneva's Victoria Hall in April, and Erwin Schrott can be seen and heard as <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Le-Nozze-di-Figaro/14839/93359">Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro</a> at Paris' Opéra de la Bastille in May, and as <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Carmen-Georges-Bizet/15046/96449">Escamillo in Carmen</a> at Barcelona's Gran Theatre del Liceu in July.<br /><br />And your interest in the stars goes beyond just wanting to see them on stage, try visiting annanetrebko.com, where you can ask the diva questions about anything from how to become a successful musician to what cosmetic products she recommends.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-81120399657988153412011-02-21T01:41:00.000-08:002011-02-21T07:06:17.021-08:00Dreams of Spain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccFEDdDNjpzCCQXS2N7AxlRgiScFCVEnTg-hNdk8NshnuWTdT_IURVsWWnCI8sdNNtERoQ9PmmxI-cBb9I37kSVT2eZFFnROkE4noT9aiIB0tXGhSssWykxkDBrghQh4DvJ5mxg/s1600/spain+special.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccFEDdDNjpzCCQXS2N7AxlRgiScFCVEnTg-hNdk8NshnuWTdT_IURVsWWnCI8sdNNtERoQ9PmmxI-cBb9I37kSVT2eZFFnROkE4noT9aiIB0tXGhSssWykxkDBrghQh4DvJ5mxg/s400/spain+special.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576101747031104466" border="0" /></a>February is the shortest month in the year. And yet, in many northern regions, it can feel like longest. Early spring flowers poke up through the soil, only to find that the sky is just as grey and the air just as chilly as they have been since November. A few birds twitter optimistically in the morning, but they soon think better of it and wonder why they didn't stay in their southern holidays a little longer.<br /><br />Here in Berlin, we are warming ourselves with dreams of Spain. Mid-February in Madrid and Barcelona calls for a light jacket, and it's t-shirt weather on the Canary Islands. With a 10% discount on all Spain concerts, Classictic invites you to escape to warmer climes, or to think ahead to your spring or summer travels in the sun.<br /><br />Once you have spent the day stolling in the sun or walking the halls of the Prado or Reina Sofia museums in Madrid, treat yourself to a world-class performance at one of <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Madrid_Concerts"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Madrid's concert halls</span></a>. Or, wander among the extraordinary architectural creations of Antoni Gaudi, then don your evening attire and visit a <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/concerts-in-barcelona">concert in Barcelona</a>.<br /><br />If the mainland is not enough of an escape for you, <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Las_Palmas_Concerts">Gran Canaria</a> and <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Mallorca_Concerts">Mallorca</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>offer the extraordinary combination of island getaway and top classical music and opera performances.<br /><br />Choose from the many Spain concerts on Classictic.com, then enter the Promotional Code CLASSIC-SPAIN in the payment window. Your 10% discount will be reflected in the sum.<br /><br />Classictic wishes you sunny thoughts and a wonderful concert experience in Spain!AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-56078010316242723742010-11-15T03:56:00.000-08:002011-02-09T08:03:56.930-08:00Off the Beaten Path in New York City<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcthCX7FJOcYXf6pFasWNaIlTNoxCl4Zz2Ycdh-JhjzKAVau4uUz6X_ypvOkrIuKU2_Ki0nvo2pYd_4mHDheIChxELhNw1BkPfop9WkxvJ6lPvWstbbdmmFesh5b5-ueCkU-UQzQ/s1600/nyc.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcthCX7FJOcYXf6pFasWNaIlTNoxCl4Zz2Ycdh-JhjzKAVau4uUz6X_ypvOkrIuKU2_Ki0nvo2pYd_4mHDheIChxELhNw1BkPfop9WkxvJ6lPvWstbbdmmFesh5b5-ueCkU-UQzQ/s400/nyc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540862378944404322" border="0" /></a>It’s the city that never sleeps. It does eat, though, and it goes out a lot. New York keeps visitors and locals very busy. There is a great deal to do and see, hear and taste.<br /><br />If you’re a “Highlights” kind of person, you might be absolutely satisfied to hit the ultra-famous spots in New York City. If you have the time, though, a small step off the beaten path will often afford you a closer look or an insider’s perspective on the Big Apple. There is no denying the thrill of the view from Lady Liberty’s crown. But once you’ve seen the Statue of Liberty, you can follow the American immigrant story one step further with a visit to the groundbreaking <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.tenement.org/">Tenement Museum</a> on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The museum tells the stories of 19th and 20th century immigrants’ experience through tours of the tenement apartments and the surrounding neighborhood.<br /><br />The beaten path will take classical music enthusiasts to Lincoln Center’s Philharmonic Hall or Metropolitan Opera, two extraordinary performance houses. But visitors in the know will check out the program just down the street at lesser-known Merkin Concert Hall, an ideal space for chamber music and smaller ensembles. The 450-seat hall is nestled in the Kaufman Center, one block north of Lincoln Center. <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/New-York/Merkin-Concert-Hall">Merkin Concert Hall </a>was twice awarded the ASCAP/Chamber Music America prize for Adventurous Programming. The Tuesday Matinee series here features up-and-coming young musicians and ensembles from around the world. This mid-week, midday gems offer a perfect opportunity to rest your feet and nourish your soul.<br /><br />You can nourish the rest of you before or after the Merkin Concert Hall performance, at one of the many New York foody institutions on the Upper West Side. <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.zabars.com/our-store-on-broadway/OUR_STORE_ON_BROADWAY,default,pg.html">Zabar’s</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>is the ultimate “food emporium”. New Yorkers take a number at the fish counter, then elbow one another just for the sport of it as they wait to buy their quarter pound of Nova Lox or a few precious ounces of Sterling Caviar. The Zabar’s Café offers a bagel and lox, knish, soup, fabulous coffee, and enough baked goods to merit a walk back for dessert after the performance at Merkin Concert Hall.<br /><br />The concerts at Saint Thomas Church <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>in Midtown Manhattan are a bit less frequent, but no less extraordinary. If you are in New York around Christmas or Easter, don’t miss the performances of the Saint Thomas Church Choir of Men and Boys. <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/New-York/Saint-Thomas-Church">Saint Thomas Church</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>has the only church-affiliated boarding choir school in the United States. The talented young choristers are among the most experienced and gifted the country has to offer. The boys’ voices are complemented by professional adult singers in the lower registers. The Saint Thomas Church Choir performances receive rave reviews from the New York Times. The church itself is a stunning example of American neo-Gothic architecture, and it also happens to be located just down the street from the Museum of Modern Art. After you have taken in the many treasures at the recently renovated temple to Modern Art, grab a bite to eat and prepare your eyes for the transition from sleek lines to soaring ornamental splendor.<br /><br />Another New York insiders’ secret is the concert series of the Amor Artis Chamber Choir and Orchestra. The <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/index.php?location=concerts&lang=en&cid=16252&eve_id=104435&preview=1">New Year’s Eve concert</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>at St. Jean Baptiste Church is a festive and unpretentious annual event, with excellent musicians and an uplifting all-Bach program. Amor Artis’ charismatic founder and conductor, Johannes Somary, is entering his 50th year as music director. The years have in no way diminished his exuberance, which spreads through the ensemble and the audience at every performance.<br /><br />You might notice a few of the singers hurrying off in sports gear after the New Year’s Eve concert. If you are looking for a truly unusual way to spend the rest of the big night, join them for fun in Central Park, as a participant or a spectator at the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.nyrr.org/races/2010/r1231x00.asp">Emerald Nuts Midnight Run</a>. Urban athletic folks brave the weather, often in flamboyant costumes, for a four-mile run, ending with champagne (this is the USA, so it will be alcohol-free or in a paper bag!) at the finish line.<br /><br />Prices in Manhattan have squeezed many sworn Manhattanites off the tiny island, and although tourists rarely find their way to the other boroughs, there are more and more reasons to do so. A Manhattanite will tell you that the best reason to leave Manhattan is to get a better view of Manhattan. Well, that is certainly part of the thrill at the Bargemusic concerts<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>in Brooklyn. In 1977, founder Olga Bloom transformed a coffee barge, built in 1899, into a floating chamber music hall. Anchored below the Brooklyn Bridge in the New York’s East River, <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/New-York/Bargemusic">Bargemusic</a> offers excellent acoustics and fabulous views of the bridge and the lower Manhattan skyline. Local and visiting artists perform a variety of programs in about 220 concerts each year. In addition to standard classical chamber music repertoire, the “Here and Now Series” features contemporary American compositions, while “There and Then” concerts focus on Early Music. Bargemusic is easy to reach with public transportation, but if the weather allows, put on your walking shoes and cross the historic Brooklyn Bridge by foot. There is a separate raised walkway along the center of the bridge. Built in 1883, this connection between the island of Manhattan and the borough of Brooklyn was once travelled by horse-drawn traffic, trolley cars, and the elevated train. It continues to provide a vital connection for commuters and visitors today.<br /><br />As spontaneous as New Yorkers can be, it is often a good idea to plan and book <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/new-york-concerts">New York concert tickets</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>ahead. Even the best kept secrets can draw a crowd in this something-for-everyone town. Whether you go the "Highlights" route or choose the road less travelled, there will always be something left to look forward to on your next trip to New York City.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-82155742069173031692010-10-04T07:51:00.000-07:002010-11-02T09:31:55.775-07:00Rome Concerts Connecting Old and New<a style="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO1vz0D6Z6fyacuRvsJhzRvNo4EQMmgPdV7AIA-3ip-mKOvm7BPTp_GdUpWrHcBGhS5wjFMgZV3MCVr_tEfYqAeeigsWIXD6BtHa3dIngRP2kkjQk86_Y0NKBiifC1spSWzx1oA/s1600/rome.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 481px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO1vz0D6Z6fyacuRvsJhzRvNo4EQMmgPdV7AIA-3ip-mKOvm7BPTp_GdUpWrHcBGhS5wjFMgZV3MCVr_tEfYqAeeigsWIXD6BtHa3dIngRP2kkjQk86_Y0NKBiifC1spSWzx1oA/s400/rome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527123931782064690" border="0" /></a>Rome is a city alive with history. So, it is hardly surprising that the most active musical institution of this modern European capitol is among the oldest organizations of its kind. The <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Accademia_di_Santa_Cecilia">Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia</a> has its origins in a papal bull issued by Sixtus V in 1585. Begun as the “Congregation of Musicians under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin, Saint Gregory and Saint Cecilia” (Congregazione dei Musici sotto l'invocazione della Beata Vergine e dei Santi Gregorio e Cecilia), it was first seated in the Church of Santa Maria ad Martires, now better known as the Pantheon.<br /><br />One prominent theme that runs through the long and fascinating history of the Accademia is the search for a home. In its first 100 years of existence, the association moved within Rome several times. The first true home was established in 1685 at San Carlo ai Catinari, and practically every subsequent chapter in the history of Rome saw the Accademia moving to a new location.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNVg_pLenHY8d1Gfr-WkachUbdziKFC6louVS2HUt8mHG3cS9sDIhl4fTCrdcapLMU_zL-3lgU-f0QfUjaXMbd5SZLhtVfIVitfAbmchc3zVXjHl36XOj5tVLI6ds3fqAuAcXGw/s1600/AuditoriumParcodellaMusica_1.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNVg_pLenHY8d1Gfr-WkachUbdziKFC6louVS2HUt8mHG3cS9sDIhl4fTCrdcapLMU_zL-3lgU-f0QfUjaXMbd5SZLhtVfIVitfAbmchc3zVXjHl36XOj5tVLI6ds3fqAuAcXGw/s200/AuditoriumParcodellaMusica_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527120763497789026" border="0" /></a>Today, it seems that over 400 years of sojourning has ended in a tremendous architectural complex planned by Renzo Piano (*1937). The <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Auditorium_Parco_Della_Musica">Auditorium Parco della Musica</a> is comprised of three large, scarab-shaped concert buildings, plus an outdoor amphitheater. In keeping with the historical sense of the city, the complex, which was built on the grounds of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games, incorporates ancient archaeological finds that emerged during construction.<br /><br />Visitors to the Auditorium Parco della Musica this season can hear the orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia performing with such legendary pianists as <a href="http://www.classictic.com/index.php?location=concerts&lang=en&cid=16068&eve_id=101521&preview=1">Maurizio Pollini</a> and <a href="http://www.classictic.com/index.php?location=concerts&lang=en&cid=16058&eve_id=101484&preview=1">Lang Lang</a> or under the baton of visiting conductors <a href="http://www.classictic.com/index.php?location=concerts&lang=en&cid=16064&eve_id=101514&preview=1">Valery Gergiev</a> and <a href="http://www.classictic.com/index.php?location=concerts&lang=en&cid=16059&eve_id=101487&preview=1">Kirill Petrenko</a>.<br /><br />A classical concert in the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/auditorium_roma">Auditorium of Rome</a> seemlessly connects yesterday with tomorrow: Classictic welcomes Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia!AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-22143867080080929332010-06-16T05:49:00.000-07:002010-06-16T05:58:24.562-07:00The Classic Sweepstakes<a href="http://www.classictic.com/Contest"><img src="http://www.classictic.com/images/Gewinnspiel-Salzburg.jpg" border="0" height="206" width="664" /></a><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.classictic.com">CLASSICTIC</a> is happy to join with <a target="_blank" class="external" href="http://www.hotel.info/home.aspx?cpn=634&utm_source=classictic_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Sheraton_Salzburg">hotel.info</a> in presenting a special opportunity to combine the dynamic culture of Salzburg with the natural beauty of the region. Win a dream trip in the land of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A two-night stay for two people at the beautiful Sheraton Fuschlsee-Salzburg Hotel Jagdhof, and a 200 Euro CLASSICTIC Gift Certificate await the winner of this <a href="http://www.classictic.com/Contest">Classical Competition</a>.</span>AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-23237562433621317852010-05-19T04:19:00.000-07:002010-05-25T02:54:48.856-07:00On Eye Contact and other Tango Stunts<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">It is fascinating, riveting, almost super-human. Tango requires passion, rhythm, coordination, strength, spontaneity. I see mere mortals dancing the Tango, and I ask myself, “Could I?” In a careful first approach to the dance, I looked up some of the basic terminology. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Abrazo</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — The embrace; a hug; or dance position. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Adorno</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — Adornment; embellishment. </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">[Not a literary theorist?]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Apilado Style</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — Piled on: As used in tango, the reference is to the way a jockey is "piled on" his horse, when racing—hugging the neck.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Arrepentida</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — Repentant; To change one’s mind: A family of steps which allow a couple to back away from a collision or traffic jam in a minimal amount of space and on short notice. </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">[Repentant backtracking. Lots of practice here.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Cabeceo</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — (from </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">cabeza</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">; head): Traditional technique for selecting dance partners from a distance at the milongas in Buenos Aires by using eye contact and head movements.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> [A challenge to the New York City upbringing. There, eye contact with strangers is, well, not recommended.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Caricias </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">— Caresses: A gentle stroking with the leg or shoe against some part of the partner's body. They can be subtle or extravagant.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> [Um, let’s stick with subtle.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Castigada </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">— (from </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">castigar</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> - to punish) a punishment: A lofting of the lady's working leg followed by flexing at the knee and caressing the working foot down the outside of the supporting leg. </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">[</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Whew.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Entregarme</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — Surrender: To give oneself up to the leader’s lead.</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Freno</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — To stop and hold; brake. </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">[Ah, emergency brake. Excellent. Is there an eject button, too?]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Milonga</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — May refer to the music, written in 2/4 time, or to the dance which preceded the tango, or to the dance salon where people go to dance tango, or to a tango dance and party.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Mordida</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — From </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">morder</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">: to bite; the little bite: One partner’s foot is sandwiched or trapped between the other partner’s feet. [In soccer, we call that a foul.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Parejas</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — Couple: The two partners in a tango.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Planchadoras</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — The women who sit all night at the </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">milongas</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> without being asked to dance. The main reason for that, is because they don't know how to dance well enough. Yes, it may seem cruel but one of the many tango lyrics actually says something like, "let them learn as a consequence of sitting all night." </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">[At least it sounds much sexier than “wallflowers”.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Sentada</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — From </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">sentar</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> - to sit. A sitting action: A family of figures in which the lady creates the illusion of sitting in, or actually mounts, the man’s leg. Frequently used as a dramatic flourish at the end of a dance. [Whew.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Suave</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — Smooth, steady and gentle, soft, stylish. A major objective in tango.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Tanguero</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> — (feminine; </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Tanguera</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">) Refers to anyone who is deeply and seriously passionate about any part of tango, such as its history, music, lyrics, etc. In Argentina most </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">tangueros</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> are scholars of lunfardo, music, orchestrations, Gardel, etc.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Vareador </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">— From horse racing; a man who walks the horses but is never allowed to mount them: In tango, it refers to a man who dances and flirts with all the ladies but never gets involved with anyone. May also refer to a man who is a clumsy or inconsiderate lead who “might just as well be walking a horse.”</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;">Right, well, I might need a few years of practice before hitting the dancefloor. Meanwhile, I'll settle for sitting on the sidelines, a hopeful </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;">planchadora</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;">. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic;">CLASSICTIC.com welcomes<span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"> </span></span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-style: italic;" href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Tango_Show_Argentina">La Ventana</a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="font-style: italic;">, a fabulous Tango venue in the heart of San Telma, the beautifully preserved historical neighbourhood of Buenos Aires.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;" ></span><!--EndFragment-->AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-79968333657916462572010-03-24T02:27:00.000-07:002010-03-31T05:29:35.881-07:00The Demons of BarcelonaVisit the “Culture” rubric of the first five cities that spring to mind. You will generally find topics like “Museums”, “Concerts”, “Theatre”, or “Nightlife”. Go a little deeper into the site, and the city’s personality may emerge a bit. But on the whole, the categories don’t differ much between London and Paris, New York and Berlin. So, I was rather surprised to find the following listings on the official web site of Barcelona, Spain:<br /><ul><li>Bestiary and demon groups</li><li>Folk Music</li><li>‘Casteller’ groups (human tower builders)</li><li>Giants</li><li>Choral singing</li><li>Travelling Liveliness</li><li>Dance</li></ul>Hmm. We New Yorkers are accustomed to claiming that New York has it all. I admit, I’ve never searched the Yellow Pages back home for demon groups, but I would venture to guess that the listings are limited, at best. In Barcelona, if you’re not particular about which neighbourhood the bestiary and demon group should hail from, you can choose from 159 registered organisations. Who knew?<br /><br />It turns out that the primary leisure activity of the demon groups is to beat drums and run through the streets with fireworks held aloft on long forks. In a ritual called “correfoc”, or “fire runs”, the costumed demons take to the streets and raise a row, allowing sparks from the fireworks to spray about among passers by. The ultimate correfoc season is in August and September. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Festa Major de Gràcia</span> in August is a weeklong celebration beginning on or around the Catholic feast of the Assumption of Mary (August 15). The <span style="font-style: italic;">Festes de la Mercè</span> in late September is a citywide celebration of Barcelona’s patron saint, the Virgin Mary (<span style="font-style: italic;">Mercè</span> refers to the the Virgin of <span style="font-style: italic;">Mercy</span>). If you are anxious to find out what is behind cultural categories like Giants and Human Tower Builders, consider a visit to Barcelona during these festivals.<br /><br />If you prefer to take in local colour without risking setting your hair on fire, consult the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/concerts-in-barcelona">concert and opera listings</a> for the rest of the year in Barcelona. Discover the restrained passion of the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Masters-of-the-Spanish-Guitar-Xavier-Coll/13049/93340">Spanish guitar</a>, or take in a <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Dona-Francisquita/13617/79669"><span style="font-style: italic;">zarzuela</span></a>, the Spanish comic opera form, by 20th century Catalonian composer, Amadeu Vives. Try a fiery <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Opera-Flamenco/10060/92376">Flamenco event</a>, or slip into the 19th century home of local pianist and composer Luis de Arquer for an <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Solo-Piano/14436/90164">intimate recital</a>. Of course, daring music lovers can have the best of both worlds and simply plan to dodge the flaming demons on the way to the concert hall.<br /><br />On the other hand, streetlife on the famous Rambla promenade is enough of a spectacle for most travelers, and Antoni Gaudí's jubilant architecture, found throughout Barcelona, is as extravagant as any firework display. And it's a whole lot safer.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-63607272235534435462010-01-20T04:56:00.000-08:002010-01-21T00:57:52.454-08:00Claustrophobia and other excellent reasons to go to a concert in ParisThe thing about visiting old friends in a new city is that sometimes you get so caught up in catching up, that you forget to get out and see the sights. Suddenly another precious day has gone by, and you are still stretched out on the sofa, finally exchanging all of the vital information that hasn’t fit into emails and Facebook. Staying with friends is less expensive and more personal, but it can mean taking your homebody ways with you.<br /><br />In Paris, however, unless your old buddy is heiress to some great fortune, you are in no danger of not getting out of the house. Because, when you get out of bed in a Paris apartment, chances are, you are already halfway out the door. In order to live affordably in the center of the City of Lights, perfectly normal and full-sized adults move into homes that would barely qualify as a walk-in closet in other European capitals.<br /><br />If you have not yet experienced this phenomenon, I can only offer this advice: When your friend says she lives in a really small place, she doesn’t mean upright piano instead of mini-grand. She means that if your suitcase doesn’t fit in the overhead compartment or beneath the seat in front of you, it will be living in the bathtub for the duration of your stay in Paris. So, pack light, bring earplugs, and plan to go out a lot.<br /><br />When the trek to the top of the Eiffel Tower has worn you out, drop into the Champ de Mars/Tour Eiffel metro station, and re-emerge at St Michel/Notre Dame. With a bit of advanced planning, you can grab a bite to eat and then plunge into the magical atmosphere of <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Paris/Cathedrale-Notre-Dame-de-Paris">Notre Dame Cathedral</a>, where Tuesday evenings are often filled with sacred music. Let the hectic thoughts of the day (many of which probably begin with “I can’t believe how much I just spent on that…”) melt away, while the powerful organ or a vocal ensemble offers a sense of the Cathedral atmosphere beyond the elbowing tourists. Notre Dame is one of the most popular tourist sites in the world, so try to <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Notre_Dame_Paris">reserve your concert seats</a> beforehand.<br /><br />If your visit doesn’t allow for a concert at Notre-Dame, never fear. <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Paris/La-Sainte-Chapelle">Sainte-Chapelle</a> Church is much more manageable in size, and its stained glass windows are breathtakingly beautiful. Here, your visit is almost certain to coincide with a concert, if you travel between mid-March and November. The musicians are excellent and the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Concerts-in-La-Sainte-Chapelle">concert</a> programs feature many of the “greatest hits” of the classical repertoire. For a more relaxed experience, be sure <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Concerts-in-La-Sainte-Chapelle">book the tickets</a> in advance.<br /><br />If your friend’s digs are leaving you feeling less than regal, plan a visit to the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Paris/Palais-Garnier">Palais Garnier</a>. It’s the perfect opportunity to put on the fabulous dress that you probably just bought for an insane amount of money in a boutique in the Marais. (In fact, you should probably just put the dress on in the store’s changing room. Chances are, it’s bigger than your host’s flat.) Take the métro to Opéra, and enter the dazzling 19th century interpretation of Baroque, known to many simply as the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Opera-in-Palais-Garnier">Paris Opéra</a>. The program here includes opera, chamber music, and recitals. Many events sell out, so it is worth doing a bit of advanced planning here as well.<br /><br />As your Paris holiday is coming to an end and you are tackling the acrobatic task of getting all of your new purchases into your suitcase without taking it out the bathtub, you might want to leave a space-appropriate thank you gift. (e.g. If you haven't noticed a clear surface in the flat, avoid bringing flowers.) Give your expatriate pal a reason to leave the house, too: You can’t go wrong with a couple of tickets to the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Salle_Pleyel">Salle Pleyel</a> concert hall, or even a <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/GiftCard">Classictic Gift Card</a>, which lets your friend to decide when and where to go, when the walls start closing in.<span style=""><o:p></o:p></span> <!--EndFragment-->AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-37648285801061118412009-12-08T06:40:00.000-08:002009-12-08T07:38:05.273-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFptOSwflVbGT7ZCK52fQH3tijpPlw7Hqh8Rt1iA0KAAUfwOWJ6Gzez7uHngeirNFg_stMrwUHNzJF_-NcTKnlrhr7hqQPtktlN7hY6L7CUnhfvVSgZTAjQbTc5TRO4Mc8vV0axQ/s1600-h/Christmas-Card-2009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 365px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFptOSwflVbGT7ZCK52fQH3tijpPlw7Hqh8Rt1iA0KAAUfwOWJ6Gzez7uHngeirNFg_stMrwUHNzJF_-NcTKnlrhr7hqQPtktlN7hY6L7CUnhfvVSgZTAjQbTc5TRO4Mc8vV0axQ/s400/Christmas-Card-2009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412889955540953666" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-1917316872307924562009-12-07T00:16:00.000-08:002009-12-07T01:06:09.486-08:00Should the witch really get thrown in the oven each Christmas?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYU_BJ2aGMEz1XsHduGy2DSJfubhQx4PNyWQguyD5nFwsPzJa0EzrQrmTM_Nm6I1BdSaD6IwlKV7Oq5PssweWHDjIZE06Ws_zyR-7h1naThxmaKIx4zdXn71h5ZkBmVWmRVapWww/s1600-h/hansel+und+gretel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYU_BJ2aGMEz1XsHduGy2DSJfubhQx4PNyWQguyD5nFwsPzJa0EzrQrmTM_Nm6I1BdSaD6IwlKV7Oq5PssweWHDjIZE06Ws_zyR-7h1naThxmaKIx4zdXn71h5ZkBmVWmRVapWww/s200/hansel+und+gretel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412416474967301842" border="0" /></a><br />Or is it finally Hansel’s turn?<br />Tell the truth. How many of you are secretly fans of the witch?<br />Those singing children, nibbling on her house each year - I would be annoyed too. Wouldn’t you? As with so many operas - ‘<a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Romeo-Juliet/14004/81724">Romeo</a>, she’s only asleep!, <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Rigoletto_Opera">Rigoletto</a>, it’s your daughter!, Siegmund, don’t kiss her – it’s your sister! Witch, don’t peer into the oven - it’s a plot!’- our favorite characters never seem to hear us and are doomed each performance to suffer the same fate. Although there is much to say for reliability – especially in today’s turbulent world - I will go and cheer for the witch this year, glaring at any little kids in the audience who dare to challenge me. <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Volksoper-Vienna-Haensel-und-Gretel/10127/79016">Hansel und Gretel</a> at the Vienna Volksoper this December - Go Witch!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-90054406696976388072009-10-19T02:10:00.000-07:002010-06-24T02:04:31.964-07:00Learning to like ViennaI think it is time to just come out with the truth: I don’t like Vienna. I am considering forming a self-help group on the subject. Surely there are others out there, and I am beginning to think that we are not incurable.<br /><br />Vienna is, after all, the city of Sigmund Freud. So, I have decided to delve into the deeper, subconscious roots of my aversion to a city that I should, objectively speaking, adore. Vienna does offer two of the delights most central to my being: music and pastries. Admittedly, I am not tempted by the great Viennese institution of schnitzel, but that only means that I have more room for dessert.<br /><br />So, consulting my knowledge of Sigmund’s theories, the subject of envy springs to mind. I mean, his idea that I might be spending my life in constant envy of men for their anatomical “advantage” doesn’t ring true with me. However, there is no doubt that I feel a visceral envy of anyone capable of sweeping across a dance floor in three-four time. The Viennese can gracefully spin through a room as though waltzing on air. New Yorkers can wiggle their bottoms and step side to side.<br /><br />Could it be that I am suffering from sophistication-envy? A certain feeling of resentment towards people who have sachertorte with their coffee instead of glazed donuts?<br /><br />On this theory, I am thinking that maybe I should try again. After all, maybe I can’t learn to waltz overnight, but I definitely know how to eat cake, and even if I wasn’t born in the city where the great works were written, I can still enjoy them with gusto.<br /><br />So, I think I’ve found the ideal way to start my therapeutic initiation. The programme of the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Vienna/Theater-an-der-Wien">Theater an der Wien</a><a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Vienna/Theater-an-der-Wien"> </a>is full of productions that I am dying to see. And, it is located on the Naschmarkt, a garden of earthy delights for the snack-seeking opera goer. I am working on a couple of mantras to repeat to myself in case the illustrious history of the <a href="http://www.vienna-concerts.com/en/theater_an_der_wien">Theater an der Wien</a> should start to awaken the green monster in me. The mere fact that Beethoven himself lived and composed in the building shouldn’t hinder my enjoyment of the evening. After all, I’m sure Beethoven would have like Manhattan, too, if he’d had the chance.<br /><br />If that all goes well, I will dare to indulge in a concert and museum visit at the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Vienna/Liechtenstein-Museum">Liechtenstein Museum</a>. Admittedly, this is getting into some very classy territory, but I think that I am up to the challenge. Even if the Metropolitan Museum doesn’t house a princely collection in a former palace, it did prepare me well for the world of European art. And the Liechtenstein Museum even has <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Art-Music-and-Culinary-Delights/12471/72597">combination offers</a> with music, art, and Viennese culinary specialties.<br /><br />So, I am indulging on a self-help journey to <a href="http://www.vienna-concerts.com/">Vienna, the City of Music</a> (and strudel) and will enjoy some<a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Vienna-Concerts"> concerts of classical music in Vienna</a>. I think that Freud would be proud.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-51073840788397480972009-09-22T09:55:00.000-07:002009-09-23T03:56:59.138-07:00All dressed up with someplace to go...<span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscljYlR5irN5TzD4u4TElwM7T-QHmZKnjkKELATRjv_o2PQ6CU80M7yMkoGoVbJ2rsdyW1dtZsjv2ID-kaCFrRkUYw-kbjKLZ1fH-_FEA6hqgsCIUJbUmMEvgmplUVSEg6OP3fA/s1600-h/birk4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 74px; height: 66px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscljYlR5irN5TzD4u4TElwM7T-QHmZKnjkKELATRjv_o2PQ6CU80M7yMkoGoVbJ2rsdyW1dtZsjv2ID-kaCFrRkUYw-kbjKLZ1fH-_FEA6hqgsCIUJbUmMEvgmplUVSEg6OP3fA/s200/birk4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384607577457329730" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">If you’ve vacationed in Barcelona, you have certainly experienced the city’s central boulevard, Las Ramblas. I was there</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> the first time in my backpacking years, on a typically American, cram-it-all-in tour that also included </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Amsterdam, Munich, London, and a detour into the Sinai desert. Ah, youth.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">In my backpacking days, an elegant evening out meant washing my hair (I was staying at pay-per-shower hostels) and putting on my darker Birkenstocks. So, if you have been to the Ramblas, you know that I still haven’t recovered from the overwhelming elegance I experienced there. Beginning around 10 pm, the population of Barcelona took to the street, in an exhibit of stylish ease and high-heel acrobatics that I could only assume resulted from years of intensive training. (I imagine here levels such as “crawling with grace”, “diaper-swaying toddler promenade”, etc.)<br /><br />I was young and new to Europe, so people-watching (worshipping might be a better word) was activity enough for my petty budget. Yet, I did wonder in my own New Yorker way, where all these fashionistas were going. Did they really just get dressed up to walk up and down the street and look good? It did seem possible, and I chalked this up to the wonders of cultural diversity.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Lo, t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2mb_s_uVgFoEuN0zABC3PZ8slhVtqGD2Rqy5VeRJ0nLocYTgBMYVfx-3KVxu4Tb4lA0DCjfkltMlMkz1ajvGRI9gcAnNRcTcGsgd-1LESvBRo5Zmcc_7pMcHZDS88hSS97xUXQ/s1600-h/liceu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 90px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2mb_s_uVgFoEuN0zABC3PZ8slhVtqGD2Rqy5VeRJ0nLocYTgBMYVfx-3KVxu4Tb4lA0DCjfkltMlMkz1ajvGRI9gcAnNRcTcGsgd-1LESvBRo5Zmcc_7pMcHZDS88hSS97xUXQ/s200/liceu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384602217970072402" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">hese many years later, I have discovered a reason to go back to the boardwalk, get dolled up, and join the fray. Right at the halfway point of Las Ramblas, a somewhat austere façade opens into the sumptuous interior of the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Barcelona/Gran-Teatre-del-Liceu">Gran Teatre del Liceu</a>, an opera house with a programme that rivals the most famous theatres of the world. The theatre is dedicated to presentating the core opera repertoire as well as rarely heard compositions, and the innovative productions are as chic as the Barcelona audience itself.<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />In my backpacking days, my idea of planning ahead involved opening the Let’s Go Europe tome before getting off the train in a new city. These days, my vacations are a lot shorter, my budget is a little broader, and I have even been known to throw a pair of medium-high-heels into my suitcase. So, I have checked out the fabulous list of performances at the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/gran-teatre-del-liceu">Gran Teatre del Liceu on Classictic.com</a>, and I am grabbing a no-frills flight to Barcelona.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">I will never achieve the flair of the local Barcelona beauties, who must be born wearing heels and</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhpPQz9DKLUe8PTOMIXI4yqNMVWKZ5OMTk_PvXjfbFxvwE8vPDL7s2JGHug9TMFtNU7mZkk_zUnhnrhTFSSNj871Cv77H0hgr5CDUOoRrdShtclEmKgzAmJpMb4Jc1EY6TMjvtQ/s1600-h/the+shoes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 81px; height: 71px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhpPQz9DKLUe8PTOMIXI4yqNMVWKZ5OMTk_PvXjfbFxvwE8vPDL7s2JGHug9TMFtNU7mZkk_zUnhnrhTFSSNj871Cv77H0hgr5CDUOoRrdShtclEmKgzAmJpMb4Jc1EY6TMjvtQ/s200/the+shoes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384601017354122786" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> sunglasses. But I fully</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> intend to don my flashiest mid-life-crisis-preview dress and sashay down </span><span style="font-size:100%;">the Ramblas with my e-Ticket in hand. After all, as </span><span style="font-size:100%;">much as I appreciate the rambling lifestyle, I</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> find it a lot easier to get dressed up when I’ve got someplace to go. </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-GB" ><o:p></o:p></span> <!--EndFragment-->AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06079917213333756611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-23391059247960141602009-09-03T06:57:00.000-07:002009-09-03T07:07:45.763-07:00classictic has a new championIn a tremendous upset, Stephan Mayer, technical director at <a href="http://www.classictic.com/">Classictic.com</a> beat out title-holder Roberto Maymo, sales manager, to become Classictic Ping Pong Champion 2009.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-82298529943496595902009-08-19T09:38:00.000-07:002009-08-20T01:41:23.588-07:00Nothing too serious...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBwbcAW4BOSjwn0DV_GsRAgfapCPAMuE_rA-5STvoScIZaRFXBT-Oo23A6X2zqUuaGiEPxmXx6BIzVO6ubWjJOPcMBUxs17stJBNFFj3CWx1-qQMYZw01K9lRp1z1RVewKPmfBw/s1600-h/michael+nose.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 76px; height: 76px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBwbcAW4BOSjwn0DV_GsRAgfapCPAMuE_rA-5STvoScIZaRFXBT-Oo23A6X2zqUuaGiEPxmXx6BIzVO6ubWjJOPcMBUxs17stJBNFFj3CWx1-qQMYZw01K9lRp1z1RVewKPmfBw/s200/michael+nose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371962816778745762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2BOMEDtDeiskuF_c21q6ITX5nZUwK87PjsiGzeeUaybfg21AnXwL8FOETkfPmvZDip_uenXxtao1QeQ_KZqSukLJ2XNscpgAB-mKynMDiTtUaj4YBWRzQ5bF_st8ktaXNm0mNA/s1600-h/mozart+nose.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 68px; height: 68px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2BOMEDtDeiskuF_c21q6ITX5nZUwK87PjsiGzeeUaybfg21AnXwL8FOETkfPmvZDip_uenXxtao1QeQ_KZqSukLJ2XNscpgAB-mKynMDiTtUaj4YBWRzQ5bF_st8ktaXNm0mNA/s200/mozart+nose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371962639843464962" border="0" /></a><br />Things have been a bit serious at the Classictic blog of late. Let’s have some fun. Pop star Michael Jackson has recently died. (OK, this is not yet the fun part). Michael has been compared by many to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Equally many are really bothered by these comparisons. I find it funny and will add my observations to the fray. Let’s call them M&M for brevity (Michael & Mozart of course).<br /><br />So, what did they have in common? They both had pushy parents and talented siblings (sibling in Mozart’s case). I am pretty sure, however, that Nannerl never exposed her breast at a football game – so there are differences as well to note. They both had prodigious noses (Michael took care of that problem - not an option in Mozart’s day). They both loved elegant clothing, wore some pretty wild outfits and I suspect they both wore wigs, at least on occasion. Mozart was described by a contemporary as being ‘small, thin and pale’. I hope you will forgive me when I say that this also describes Michael in his later years. M&M also shared in common a certain lack of financial prowess. And, (surprise!) both M&M were dancers; although Mozart might not have been doing the Moonwalk – he started out often on stage as a dancer and was very good at it, apparently. Noting again a final difference between the two let’s look at their funerals; for Mozart a pauper’s grave and a golden casket for Michael (honestly, whose idea was that anyway?).<br /><br />Both Michael Jackson and W.A. Mozart were amazing child prodigies, stunning their worlds with music and theatric innovations. Each broke existing barriers with originality and great talent and both sadly died at a young age. Michael with ‘Thriller’ ushered in the age of MTV and, as a child of the 80’s, I will be forever grateful to him for that alone. Mozart was/is just plain thrilling. Michael was archetypal of 80’s pop-rock as Mozart is the archetypal example of the classical music era. Composers have been studying his scores since Beethoven and Mozart has endured for over 200 years as one of our best-loved composers. We will have to wait and see what Michael’s legacy will be, but certainly he will have a place in music history. At Classictic we do not have any concerts of Michael Jackson on offer – he is yet to be made ‘Classic’ - but check out these great <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/mozart-tickets">Mozart programs</a> and try to imagine ‘Wolfie’ doing the Moonwalk.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-38319297480744561912009-07-13T14:40:00.000-07:002009-07-13T15:02:26.486-07:00Opera America Conference, April 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vjpGBtkv6Z5vvR6PFDQUGI8suFd87JJV0K9d44NYmHShkn4F-kaCfGDVizuHSZMBuzJSqQVnsjvyUQlSWQB2mUCCAGu_q2mag6_S70R8_3aV5NpYuFg4XpgzmTQIvdlZREQ04g/s1600-h/CIMG3198.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vjpGBtkv6Z5vvR6PFDQUGI8suFd87JJV0K9d44NYmHShkn4F-kaCfGDVizuHSZMBuzJSqQVnsjvyUQlSWQB2mUCCAGu_q2mag6_S70R8_3aV5NpYuFg4XpgzmTQIvdlZREQ04g/s200/CIMG3198.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358063692786209266" border="0" /></a><br />Somewhat late in posting about this great week in Houston but perhaps the time to reflect will improve my post… Houston as a city presented some challenges for this Berliner. The conference was held in the very nice Hyatt Regency, my room overlooking the famed (infamous) Enron buildings. However, the urban decay of downtown Houston was not hidden even by these massive glass towers. On my few excursions from the hotel and into the downtown area I was constantly approached by beggars of all sorts. It was not pleasant, really rather disconcerting regarding the actual economic state of affairs of the capital of Texas. There were also some unfortunate coincidences and acts of nature while there- fate, I suppose. The city experienced flooding during that week, with one news report commenting on alligators in the streets in some parts of town. To add to the fun, we had the Swine Flu outbreak- which had Houston firmly in its grips- as I was shaking hands all day with fellow delegates. I believe we all remained Swine-Flu-free and I did not actually experience any alligators on the streets myself, (just the panhandlers) but the news reports were enough to keep me happily in the hotel and the conference itself kept me quite busy. <br />I very much enjoyed experiencing the <a href="http://www.houstongrandopera.org/">Houston Grand Opera</a>. It is a wonderful house, big in the way that one would expect of a Texan opera house, really generous in space and feeling, excellent acoustics as well. Conference attendees were offered the opportunity to attend the premiere of the <a href="http://www.houstongrandopera.org/briefencounter">Andre Previn opera, Brief Encounter</a>, beautifully composed and performed, a definite highlight. <br />The southern reputation for gracious hospitality was not tarnished by this week of ‘meet and greet’, quite the contrary, my (high) expectations there were exceeded. The very charming and classical music savvy mayor of <a href="http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/index.html">Houston, Bill White</a>, greeted the delegation at the opening session with an excellent address which was both humorous and interesting. One thing that did bother me in his remarks was a repeated reference to the European classical music world, inferring some sort of competition between it and the American classical music colleagues. I do not feel this at all, and did not receive this impression from other, American, delegates. Perhaps we should invite Mayor White for a visit to Berlin. <a href="http://www.therestisnoise.com/">Alex Ross</a>, author of The Rest is Noise, made the opening keynote address which was fascinating and sent me running for more books by him- really an excellent mind there; a leading thinker on the classical music scene today, worldwide. And Opera America’s ebullient President and CEO, <a href="http://www.operaamerica.org/Content/Archive/PressReleases/2009/06012009.aspx">Marc A. Scorca</a>, well known for his wit, energy and dedication to all things opera, got things going on an upbeat… (a terrible pun for musicians, forgive me!)… note. The long week-end was filled with fascinating seminars on the various aspects of keeping an opera company alive and well in today’s tough economic climate as well as artistic inspirations and a super exchange of ideas between professionals from around the world, opera companies small and large. The theme of ‘Making Opera Matter’, or the relevance of opera in today’s world, was widely explored. A special applause to the team (staff) of Opera America; those guys were so great- , helpful and a ton of fun. They organized a super convention and I am looking forward to the next one in LA. <br /><a href="http://www.classictic.com/en">Classictic</a> attended the Opera American Convention as both delegate and sponsor and is happy to support the arts in America in this way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-68026684038656311882009-07-09T13:34:00.000-07:002009-07-09T13:40:31.766-07:00What they are saying-I don’t often have time to check the travel blogs, which are as interesting as they are numerous – but when I do manage to check in I very much enjoy finding these nice comments about Classictic from people all over the world. <br />This from <a href="http://www.ricksteves.com/books/feedback/answers.cfm/rurl/topicid/5/pid/51/">Rick Steves, Italy 2009, Favorite Discoveries or Tips:</a><br />"Classicatic.com...We booked a dinner and an Opera event in Florence. Enjoyed a delicious five course Italian dinner with wine at a traditional restaurant near Ponte Vecchio then walked about a block to the theater where we enjoyed a four act presentation of LaBoheme. What a magical evening. The meal was terrific in both taste and presentation and the music was very powerful. Because we booked early our reserve seat for the opera was front row center less than ten feet from the actors. This was the finest live show that I have ever experienced. I had never seen or heard anything like it in the past and don't expect to witness anything like it again!! I was totally WOWed!! Wonderful, talented actors!!!<br />Furnacefighter in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/20/2009"<br /><br />Very curious to know what a Furnace Fighter actually does and glad that he is also an opera fan! I highly recommend the Rick Steves website and guidebooks, informative, practical and upbeat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-66209595603814990112009-06-23T00:55:00.000-07:002009-06-23T01:09:56.365-07:00Opera Europe Conference. Barcelona, April 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml_PPr6_M-iBLWrmIRCwNS-V_1PcHzlHmJbnEu32TDm82VPz58lvHMzCUX9VnQ8ICwafzu7bWvvHgjFBE24vLrunTN_XLO7IEHSh8BoTjWfjjIw0teJ_W6zcJtdn_KfeCM3zX-Q/s1600-h/Classictic+Barcelona+200904+067.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml_PPr6_M-iBLWrmIRCwNS-V_1PcHzlHmJbnEu32TDm82VPz58lvHMzCUX9VnQ8ICwafzu7bWvvHgjFBE24vLrunTN_XLO7IEHSh8BoTjWfjjIw0teJ_W6zcJtdn_KfeCM3zX-Q/s200/Classictic+Barcelona+200904+067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350429680679205970" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBm1U9qwNAelSRTTlHpbiPF-9umWiM2uyVMnyc_uHiUQWxzsg2QKViJacyqs8X21JzNiFndmhj347N6pFkg6eocWJXp49O9S_cP29y9tBIdqw3P3jTEZpPTFzuKRTR4CpzMVxuQ/s1600-h/classictic-barcelona-E.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 96px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBm1U9qwNAelSRTTlHpbiPF-9umWiM2uyVMnyc_uHiUQWxzsg2QKViJacyqs8X21JzNiFndmhj347N6pFkg6eocWJXp49O9S_cP29y9tBIdqw3P3jTEZpPTFzuKRTR4CpzMVxuQ/s200/classictic-barcelona-E.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350429520614207618" border="0" /></a><br />Gran Teatro del Liceu, in the charming city of Barcelona, was host last April to the <a href="http://www.opera-europa.org/view.asp?id=57">Opera Europa</a> Conference. <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en">Classictic</a> was there, not just as delegate but also as sponsor and speaker. I take a minute now- in the cool, April-like weather of the Berlin interpretation of summer, to reflect.<br /><br />The week presented a great opportunity for an exchange of ideas and thoughts with the super busy leaders of opera houses throughout Europe. Theme for this gathering was Creativity and Innovation, with a consistent focus on strategies to promote success/survival for and in the future. In these challenging economic times, where arts are often considered a luxury and quickly cut from the budget of a sponsor or patron, these sessions were lively, well attended and all very interesting. I would like to commend the members of Opera Europa for their open-eyed yet optimistic approach to keeping their opera houses alive in the face of the harsh economic realities we are faced with in today’s global market. It is not a bad thing to take a moment and reassess - as one is required to do in such a crisis. The opera houses appeared ready to me, ready to open themselves to new ideas and technologies without sacrificing their strong traditions, keen to maintain their audience bases and to grow with younger generations.<br /><br />Speaking of young: an additional and wonderful focus in the Convention, also looking to the future, was placed on the talented group of Young Participants. I was completely taken by the depths of creativity and long-term plans, coupled with knowledge of the extensive history of opera and great talent which I found within this group of eloquent young people. They are working very hard and plan to keep opera alive and vibrant for many generations to come.<br /><br />Classictic was asked to speak and present information to the delegates in a Panel Presentation on Internet Marketing for the Performing Arts which was very well attended and received. Continuing with the theme of opening themselves to new technologies, the possibility of marketing their performances to a world-wide audience on the multi-lingual Classictic website was of great interest to many. The concept of ‘Opera Tourism’ was to some delegates a ‘new’ concept. This group of travelling music lovers is one of the many client groups that Classictic is happy to service. There are, at any given time, hundreds of operas to choose from throughout Europe and as far away as Bangkok on the Classictic portal. Soon to come: North American Opera houses.<br /><br />Classictic is looking forward to meeting our opera colleagues at the Opera Europa Convention in Budapest next fall.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17741697.post-13673557711720123792009-03-27T02:36:00.000-07:002009-03-27T03:09:45.400-07:00What they are sayingIt is always a pleasure to read of a great time had by <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en">Classictic</a> customers at events found and purchased on the portal. The <a href="http://www.ricksteves.com/home.htm">Rick Steves' Europe: Guidebook</a> - offers lots of fun stories and optimistic tips for travelers. A recent contributor to the section: <a href="http://www.ricksteves.com/books/feedback/answers.cfm/rurl/topicid/5/pid/51/">Italy 2009, Favorite Discoveries or Tips</a> recalled a fantastic dinner and opera event enjoyed while in Florence and found through Classictic. To find your own special evening in Florence check the <a href="http://www.classictic.com/en/Special/Florence-Opera">Classictic Special</a> on Florentine Operas and enjoy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0