I went to Prague with a friend recently. It’s fortunately in the timeframe of Prague Autumn Music Festival, a newer event comparing to the well known Prague Spring Music Festival. Although the later is a much bigger one and has been running for long time, Prague Autumn Music Festival has begun to draw more attentions in recent years, and also began to have many International presents.
I’ve attended a performance by Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. I booked the ticket months ago online. My friend decided to join the trip later, but the ticket were sold out after we arrived at Prague, which is rare, since there are so many cencerts going on each night in all concert halls and churches. VRSO has been recognized as one of the most versatile orchestras in Austria. It performed symphonic fantasia From Italy, op. 16 of 1887 by Richard Strauss that night. This piece is new to me, and I liked it for its variations in passionate outburst and quiet beautiful story telling. There is man vocal soloist singing in this piece as well. It’s performed by Wolfgang Holzmair. He is new to me, and relevant new to the field as well, who has a full and beautiful voice. I should say his voice combines high quality and rich emotion, which is quite enjoyable and touching. He plays in recital around world since 2003. The performance was in Rudolfinum concert hall, as illustrated in following pictures.
There are about 90 people in the orchestra that night, where I recognized 9 oriental female players, mostly in strings, no oriental male recognized though.
We’ve also attended an opera performance in State Opera, i.e. German Opera. It is the most beautiful opera house in Prague, as illustrated in the following pictures. The 1st two pictures are downloaded from Internet. What performed that night was Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi. Although the major pieces singing by the leading male and female characters are very familiar (singed frequently by Pavarotti and Sutherland), this is the 1st time for me to hear this whole opera, and realize where these songs were coming from. This opera has been performed in Venice, Italy about one hundred and fourty years before staged around the world in recent years. It’s performed by Prague State Opera that night, and I’m very impressed by the performance. Especially, both of the leading male and female characters have outstanding voice, which are not comparable to the opera performed here. I guess the reason may be that music and opera are part of peoples’ life in Prague, they live and breathe them, so to be the perfectionists on them.
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The following picture was taken in front the Theatre of the Estates, one of the three opera houses in Prague. I didn’t get chance to attend a performance in National Theater (another opera house) this time, though I’d love to.
As suggested by other folks, we went to Black Light Theater to see the authentic local form of art. The Black Light Theater spreads out in many locations across Prague/>/>, usually have an entrance on street, not too fancy like opera houses or concert halls. We saw the show named Fause, which is a combination of musical, dance, comedy, high tech light effects, and old stories. It uses the contrast of dark and light creating visual effects for the most characteristic elements in the performance. Following is one of its photos downloaded from Internet.
回复箫笛的评论:
箫笛, what I meant was "outstanding", maybe I picked wrong word. I changed it to avoid confusion. Thanks.
箫笛 发表评论于
感谢美文介绍，但我有点没理解下面这段：
Especially, the leading male and female characters have inequitable voice, which are not comparable to the opera performed here. I guess the reason may be that music and opera are part of peoples’ life in Prague, they live and breathe them, so to be the perfectionists on them.
既然那的百姓离不开音乐就象空气对他们一样，那么男女主角不对等的音质(或 音量 亦或 音色)对这些完美主义者(是听众吧？如果我没理解错)一定影响很大。但你的猜测似乎没说明问题(到底这些听众对男女主角有还是没有意见？)。
Flamenco_Girl 发表评论于
回复melly的评论:
Yah, it seems like so in this picture, but in real scene, most time you will feel funny and a little silly as well.
melly 发表评论于
回复Flamenco_Girl的评论:
The last picture is very impressive. I like the colors and the atmosphere of mystery. It reminds me of ancient Egypt, the tombs and ghost-like figures. :-) Ha, too much imagination.
Flamenco_Girl 发表评论于
Yes Melly, it's a great trip, except physically challenged for how long we were on our feet. I planed the date so to get extra for Prague visit, though it's enjoyable enough even without Autumn Music Festival. Yes, I like opera. Actually, I like almost all forms of performing art and art in general. For architecture, you should go to Prague and Paris. I'll post more pictures toke from this Prague trip.
melly 发表评论于
Wow! What a wonderful trip! I really admire you.
Sounds like you enjoyed opera very much. Was it one of reasons for you to visit there?
The opera houses you posted here were very impressive. I love architectures in Europe. 外表庄严，内饰富丽堂皇。I wish I could tour Europe some day in the future.
You look fabulous. I am expecting more about your trip.
I went to Prague with a friend recently. It’s fortunately in the timeframe of Prague Autumn Music Festival, a newer event comparing to the well known Prague Spring Music Festival. Although the later is a much bigger one and has been running for long time, Prague Autumn Music Festival has begun to draw more attentions in recent years, and also began to have many International presents.
I’ve attended a performance by Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. I booked the ticket months ago online. My friend decided to join the trip later, but the ticket were sold out after we arrived at Prague, which is rare, since there are so many cencerts going on each night in all concert halls and churches. VRSO has been recognized as one of the most versatile orchestras in Austria. It performed symphonic fantasia From Italy, op. 16 of 1887 by Richard Strauss that night. This piece is new to me, and I liked it for its variations in passionate outburst and quiet beautiful story telling. There is man vocal soloist singing in this piece as well. It’s performed by Wolfgang Holzmair. He is new to me, and relevant new to the field as well, who has a full and beautiful voice. I should say his voice combines high quality and rich emotion, which is quite enjoyable and touching. He plays in recital around world since 2003. The performance was in Rudolfinum concert hall, as illustrated in following pictures.
There are about 90 people in the orchestra that night, where I recognized 9 oriental female players, mostly in strings, no oriental male recognized though.
We’ve also attended an opera performance in State Opera, i.e. German Opera. It is the most beautiful opera house in Prague, as illustrated in the following pictures. The 1st two pictures are downloaded from Internet. What performed that night was Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi. Although the major pieces singing by the leading male and female characters are very familiar (singed frequently by Pavarotti and Sutherland), this is the 1st time for me to hear this whole opera, and realize where these songs were coming from. This opera has been performed in Venice, Italy about one hundred and fourty years before staged around the world in recent years. It’s performed by Prague State Opera that night, and I’m very impressed by the performance. Especially, both of the leading male and female characters have outstanding voice, which are not comparable to the opera performed here. I guess the reason may be that music and opera are part of peoples’ life in Prague, they live and breathe them, so to be the perfectionists on them.
/>
The following picture was taken in front the Theatre of the Estates, one of the three opera houses in Prague. I didn’t get chance to attend a performance in National Theater (another opera house) this time, though I’d love to.
As suggested by other folks, we went to Black Light Theater to see the authentic local form of art. The Black Light Theater spreads out in many locations across Prague/>/>, usually have an entrance on street, not too fancy like opera houses or concert halls. We saw the show named Fause, which is a combination of musical, dance, comedy, high tech light effects, and old stories. It uses the contrast of dark and light creating visual effects for the most characteristic elements in the performance. Following is one of its photos downloaded from Internet.
