As I wrote when I started this blog, after my years in the countryside of Virginia and after the first year-plus of Covid isolation and limitations, I’m focused on spending my time with good friends and on cultural events and experiences. To my friends in NYC, this list may be a yawn – more like two months’ worth of events rather than a full year. But to me, all these performances have been a real thrill. I’m hungry for more opera and theater but oh so happy with what I’ve gotten to so far, in my new retiree life.
There were a lot of highlights for me. First trip to Vienna since seeing it when 10 years old, and there, first time to hear Vittorio Grigolo on stage. First trip to Budapest, and wonderful performances, including an exquisite and moving staging and performance of the Easter Hymn in Cavalleria Rusticana, and the most beautiful rendition of Erbarme dich in St Matthew Passion. Thoroughly impressed with Budapest’s music scene and standards!
I also visited Turkiye for the first time, and happened to be there over their opera festival, where a dear friend was in the orchestra. Loved Istanbul and all the rest that I visited. And speaking of friends’ performances, it was quite a treat to go to an intimate recital evening in a private home outside Cancun.
In New York, was very moved by Leopoldstadt; couldn’t pass up a Tom Stoppard work, as I think I caught everything of his on stage when I lived in the city. In London, I went to my first Proms concert, at beautiful Royal Albert Hall. In between, I was impressed by the Concert de rentrée in Montpellier, where I actually enjoyed a couple of very modern works, as they were so well performed!

Los Olivos private residence, Alfredo Bonfil, QR
Schubert lieder recital
Christian Pappas, baritone
Ricardo Corona, piano
Fri 25 November





Music Mondays
Advent Lutheran Church, B’way/93rd
Claremont Trio
Emily Bruskin, Julia Bruskin, Sophiko Simsive
Program: Gershwin, Greenstein, Bernstein, Brahms
Mon 19 September 19h30

Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier
Concert de rentrée
Sat September 10 19h
Conductor: Chloé Dufresne
Program: Ho, Martinů, Brahms

BBC Proms
Royal Albert Hall
Solomon
19 August 19h
The English Concert, conducted by Sofi Jeannin, with the BBC Singers
With: Iestyn Davies, Anna Dennis, Benjamin Hulett, Ashley Riches, Wallis Giunta



13th Istanbul Opera Festival
Haliç Kongre Merkezi
Carmen
Wed 27 July 21h
Tosca
Wed 20 July 21h
Seven Tenors
Sat 16 July 21h

Gerlev Idrætshøjskole
Gospel concert
July 6
My friend Arne took me to a place he is understandably passionate about, Gerlev højskole, to hear a gospel concert put on by the teaching staff: people he has studied and sung with. In my post about visiting Denmark this past July, I have a little video from that evening.

Opéra Comédie, Montpellier
Jules César [Giulio Cesare in Egitto]
Thu 9 June 19h
Conductor: Philippe Jaroussky
With: Gaëlle Arquez, Lucile Richardot, Franco Fagioli, Emőke Baráth

Les amis de l’orgue, Temple Saint-Martial, Avignon
Bach et ses amis
Michael Stoddart, organ
Fri 3 June 12h30

Opéra Grand Avignon
Dame de Pique
Fri 27 May 20h30
Attended with Kristian and Margaret, and were very disappointed with the opera house: guard rails right at eye level put most of the show out of sight. K & M got glimpses of some very talented dance work that I saw for only some seconds, standing.


Magyar Állami Operaház, Budapest
Parsifal
Sun 17 April 2022 at 17h
Easter with Mascagni: Messa di Gloria / Cavalleria Rusticana
Sat 16 April 19h


Pat, I think you may have made up for the culture free life in Deltaville now!
I have lost track of where you are now.
Lovely photo of you in gorgeous dress at the beginning of this post.
Lots of love xx