Just got back from Bratislava (Slovak Republic), where amongst the touristy things we did, we went to the opera! Third ever Slovakian performance of Peter Grimes, with seats in the stalls for 260SKK (about £5.20) each; compare this to 2.50 Euros for standing places at Die Walkure in at the Vienna State Opera a couple of years ago.

Opera house in Bratislava was lovely. Quite small, very beautiful building, good acoustic, comfortable seats. Performance was sung in English, slightly marred by a few strong East European accents, although what they made of my Slovakian is anybody's guess!

Anybody else had any experiences of going to concerts or operas whilst on holiday that they'd like to share?

Peter Grimes, we did that as a practice (well some of it) in music lessons! The bit in the court case with the pompous judge!

Yeah anyway, I went to a concert/musical thingy when I was in France once. I'm not sure what it was, but they did it every year aparently. Something to do with swiss and French relations (it was near the border with switzerland) so it must have had that in the story!

Anyway, it was all in french, and the music was done by some Jazz band which was good. But I didn't understand any of it except "The trees are green, the sky is blue and the thunder is ......."! lol Haven't a clue what it was about, but it was nice coz it was open air and everyone was really friendly!

Have also been to a french wedding and tried to sing hymns in french which was quite interesting.

I went to see/hear "La Traviata" whilst on a class trip to Rome last year! It was in the Anglican church right in the centre of town and the performance was lovely!

"The Marriage of Figaro" was on at the Staatsoper in Berlin when we were there about a year ago - which was convenient as I was studying it as part of my ATCL. So I persuaded hubby (who'd never been to an opera before) that it was worth the tickets.

It was sung in Italian with German surtitles - I spent most of the evening translating for him!

But it was an absolutely fantastic performance. A real treat. And he enjoyed it too.

Cheers

Katyjay

Nearly every year we always go to this small town in Devon, and even then, last year I managed to find a concert to go to! It was a German chamber orchestra, and they were really good Not quite the opera but still!

I usually plan my holidays around musical events.

Will be off to Vienna at the weekend for 2 concerts at the Musikverein (both the same!!! but when its Vengerov playing Beethoven, once is not enough ), and in August I have a week away in the wilds of rural North Yorks with a group of friends, in a remote farmhouse, and we spend the whole week playing chamber music together. This will be the fourth year we've done this.

One thing that I recall (but don't actually really remember ), was going to the New York Met to see Gounod's Faust, but being so jet lagged I slept through most of it....what a waste

I remember going to London one year and spending a lot of time at the Music for Youth at the Southbank. The cream of youth music from England and Wales. (Scotland was on hoilday then )

I also remember seeing a concert band in Malcesine last year on Lake Garda, in the castle. Nice place for a concert, but cold. Afew years before there was a brass band in the square on the lake front.

This year I am going to the Salzburg Festival. Can't wait.

Sat outside a Cafe in interlaken last year while a school band played in the square.
Had to leave after a short while as every piece they played was in the same style and tempo..... not a very well thought out programme
(A bit like listening to and Einaudi CD really)....

Yes you should be

GOTCHA!!!

Wow that was scary!!!

Um, do you need any clarinettists? It sounds idyllic!

How was your trip to Vienna? It's on my to-do list to visit; I'd love to go and see one of the recreations of the concert in which Beethoven premiered Symphonies 5 and 6 and Piano Concerto 4.


Whereabouts, if you don't mind me asking? I live (when I'm not in Glasgow) half a mile from the Lancashire-North Yorkshire border, so I know the area quite well. Incidentally, the canal in my profile photo is the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

Vienna was fantastic.

The Vienna Phil at the Musikverein playing Beethoven, you think life can't get much better.....and with Maxim playing, actually I don't think it does. Very very special. Bit scary though when he nearly lost his bow at one point. The conductor (Zubin Mehta) somehow got it entangled on his little finger in a moment of exhuberant conducting, but Maxim managed to catch it before it went flying off into the orchestra...phew!!

The quartet week is in Romaldkirk near Castle Barnard. I think milk yield goes down the week we are playing to the cows!!

We go to Paris a lot and like going into the various churches to listen to organists practising - or vespers at Sacre Coeur is very beautiful....

I've been to Paris Opera - not for the music as I never have enough money left - but just to view the Chagall ceiling... !

Hve just go t back from Budapest, and though I couldn't get my friend into any of the concerts gpin on, there was music on every street corner. In addition, we were there for the Chain Bridge Carnival, and there were musicians and dancers from all over the weorld. It was great.

Going down the street one day there was an old gentleman with a well-loved and well played violin. He was great. Could have listened to him for hours. He had quite a crowd around him, and was so brown from playing in the sun. Half an hour later when we came back, he was slumped down in the bench asleep with his violin in one hand and bow in the other. Would have made such a great picture!