Eine kleine Nachtmusik... well, sort of

I had a pleasant surprise today. As I was walking through the Altmarkt, I noticed they were setting up for an outdoor concert. After a little investigating I discovered it was to take place tonight-- a free, open-air concert! And how could I pass that up? So I got there around 6 to save myself a spot, as I figured it would get crowded quickly, which it did. The program was made up of orchestral and choral music (sung by five local choirs) including pieces by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Mussorgsky and Shostakovitch. The most delightful surprise was when the choirs started singing the Volkslieder, the people in the audience joined in. This is the stuff they were raised on! But just so you don't think it was all highbrow, the concert ended with an apparently famous Russian DJ, Vladamir Kaminer, who did an all night disco jam and also served as the hilarious - based on the reactions around me - MC. What is even funnier about this is a little old lady accosted me on the way out begging me for my program so she could get this Russian DJ's autograph. Do German grannies get down with Russian disco?? Apparently so!

Pillnitz, or fairy land...

In my effort to see more of the area, I decided to try nearby Pillnitz, which I heard was lovely. And it did not disappoint! Not only was the weather perfection today (sunny, 65), but after just a 20 minute tram ride, I arrived on the water's edge, a ferry ride away from Pillnitz. On my first excursion to this side of the river, I noted that there are loads of cute houses, cyclists, small Biergartens, as well as a grassy riverbank to tempt you to while away the hours... I crossed the ferry into Pillnitz, which was just as green and lovely. First on my itinerary was the Carl Maria von Weber museum (those not in the know, opera composer of the early 19th c). His house is tucked up on a hill among other lovely homes, stone streets, and just gorgeousness! The home has a small garden and is a sunny yellow, which sort of contrasts with some of the dark themes of Weber's music (Der Freischutz isn't exactly a bedtime story). I was greeted by a lovely German woman who spoke no English. 3€ was my entry fee and she took me upstairs where she showed me Weber's piano! Then she took me into a study that had all sorts of his letters, bits of scores (did anyone know they had to write out staffs? I don't know why I hadn't realized this previously. I thought writing the notes themselves were tedious enough...), and pictures of him and his family. She also showed me a notebook that someone (herself?) had painstakingly transcribed every letter of his. This must have been a difficult process as the letters were not at all decipherable from my point of view, even putting my lack of German knowledge aside. I was, however, able to communicate with her and understood a little less than half of what she explained to me. Then she asked if I would like her to play some Weber while I perused the library? Why, of course! After leaving me to my own devices for a while, she took me back downstairs and showed me where they have mini concerts! I couldn't resist the beautiful grand piano and the ironically posted portraits of Weber and Wagner (who, if I remembered correctly, hated each other) so I asked whether she'd mind if I sang something... so off I went! Much to her delight apparently, and if I understood, I think she wants me to invite her if I end up performing anywhere in the area... but it was certainly a nice moment to pay homage, if you will, to a very important composer.
Next, I meandered my way on down to the castle. Tons of people were milling about or riding bikes. This atmosphere would be a vacation to most Americans. Let me enlighten you--this is their weekend wind down! We could learn a thing or two...
Anyway, I decided not to go into the castle today, because the weather was so fine. Instead, I wandered around the grounds, admiring flowers, ate an ice cream, sat by the water... and then wandered my way along the banks of the Elbe back to the Ferry.
Then I had a cheap beer at a Biergarten that sits on the Elbe before making my way back to my apartment...
What a great afternoon!

Meissen

I took my first trip out of Dresden today, to the nearby city of Meissen! This well-preserved medieval city is only 30 minutes from Dresden by train, 11€ round trip. This city also lies on the Elbe, which like Dresden, separates the Altstadt (old town) from the Neustadt (new town). Unlike Dresden, the Altstadt was never bombed, although a large part of the castle here seems to have been recently reconstructed. I guess I'll have to look up the history to be sure. Another indication that this city was probably untouched during the war is the bridge that links the two sides of the city which has a crest on it marked 1933-1934, which I would assume would have been destroyed in WWII if the city had been attacked... Anyway, this lovely town is full of winding streets, steep hills, tiny gardens, and quaint restaurants and shops. The old feel of the town makes you believe you are in a fairy tale. The castle and Dom (an important church, headed by a bishop, from what I can tell) sit side by side on a huge hill. Construction was going on in and beside the castle, but the visit inside is well worth the 5€ (or 2,50€ as a student). The church is beautiful and large, with many naves and medieval passageways. The inside is well-preserved, with the same glowing colors of the Frauenkirche, which helps me imagine what the original Frauenkirche looked like. Inside the castle, the main room is the Great Hall, covered with beautiful wooden floors. In order to protect the floors, everyone is required to put on Hausschue (slippers) over their regular shoes. I didn't understand at first what was going on, but then saw the large chest and everyone getting on these soft slippers to protect the wood. It's typical to don these slippers in someone's home (usually taking off your own shoes in replacement), but this was definitely the first time I was asked to do something like this at a public monument. So, slippers on (school kids were enjoying the slickness of the floor in these rather large Hausschue), I enjoyed the medieval art all around me. The experience felt very German to me and I was trying to place where I picked up what this sensibility felt like; it seemed earthy and yet rich. The Council Room was filled with antler chandeliers and strong wooden chairs, which enhanced this old German feeling... Anyway, after my visit, I descended the hill and had a Kaffee und Keuchen for 2,22€, which is super cheap for a lovely apple torte and coffee. The sky was overcast and as it has been warm the past few days, I wasn't entirely dressed for any inclement weather. So I decided to head back to Dresden, with the intention of coming back to Meissen sometime this summer and checking out their Stadt Museum.

Dresden comes alive!

Spring is starting to happen here in Dresden and what a transformation! People are everywhere and all sorts of fun things are happening. The cafes have opened up their sidewalks, and like in Paris, you can enjoy your coffee outside under an umbrella or under the sun. As crepes are ubiquitous in Paris, so are sausages here in Dresden. You can find a sausage stand on almost every corner now, as well as ice cream carts. The Germans love their ice cream, by the way. Even when it was super cold outside, you would still find people chowing down on a cold cone. So for as little as 2 euros you can enjoy a sausage and an ice cream cone for dessert! And I think the ice cream here is awesome! It's probably taken from an Italian gelato recipe, as it is super creamy. Another thing one finds everywhere here is the bicycle. Germans love their bicycles and they certainly do here in Dresden! It makes me long for my own; even though Dresden is a very walkable city (about a half an hour to 45 minutes to most destinations), it really is the kingdom of the bicycle. There are paths everywhere and cars do not intimidate you on the road; what a concept! The Elbe is also a favorite hangout, as there are wide grassy knolls and fortress-like walls to walk by on the river. There are also riverboats that I hope to take advantage of one of these days. Yet to open are the Biergartens. I have a feeling that once they do the party will really start! For now, it's a matter of embracing the warmer weather, the sunshine, and all the fun things to see and do!

Food, glorious food!

One great thing about traveling is experiencing the food! What is important to note when eating the food in a foreign country is to ask and discover if a specialty offered is a specialty of that particular region or something that is ubiquitous. Sometimes you can just put all you eat into the category of that particular country, but this is usually too narrow a view. I learned, for instance, that Camembert cheese, though accessible all over Europe, is the specialty of the Normandy region in which I lived in France. It is important to note this to not only acknowledge the cultural significance, but to note that it will be best in the region the product is from.

Now to the good stuff! What have I found that is particular to Saxony? Well, the Saechsisch Bratwurst, of course! This sausage is lovely in all of its aspects. It has a lovely pop when you bite into it (sorry if that sounds offensive to some; this is what the Germans tell me determines a good sausage) and it is a golden brown color. Most sausages are either served with a slice of American like sandwich bread, or "broetchen" (e after a vowel signifies an umlaut; diction folks know what I'm talking about....) or what we Americans would call a dinner roll. Now, these bread selections are rather small, so your sausage will stick out about three inches on either side, and your skilled sausage seller will carefully squirt a line of Senf (mustard) or ketchup on it. It looks odd and makes the bread a bit awkward to eat, but it's delicious!

Though I have yet to scratch the surface of the cheeses here, what I've had so far has made me a very happy person. I found a Butterkaese or butter cheese. That's right folks - a cheese made with butter. Can someone give the inventor of this treat a medal?

Now, let's talk desserts! I must say, I have not yet learned the name of most of these, so bear with me; there is a lot of ground yet for me to cover... First, I want to note that Germans LOVE ice cream. It doesn't matter that it's freezing out and it's snowing! Oh, no, bring it on! Even outside with hat and gloves, you will find Germans lining up in front of the ice cream cart! I can't IMAGINE the lines once summer hits! In the Beckereis, you will find not only lovely fresh breads, rolls, and pretzels, but donuts (the original, I think...) and lovely pastries. The standard pastries are usually nutty and covered in dark chocolate and cooked with tons of butter, like their French counterparts. It is important to note the content of nuts, as if you have a nut allergy, I recommend staying away from the pastry case here! My favorite is a sort of caramel, nutty triangle dipped in dark chocolate. Oh, yeah! The chocolate here is out of this world! Even the milk chocolate and I'm usually not a fan. I've also had some kind of "Hoern" pastry, also covered in nuts, but sadly not chocolate...

Nutella fans, beware! I have found a rival! It's called Nudossi and it is AWESOME!!! It's much more chocolaty than Nutella, and I don't think it has any hazelnut base. It's just a fantastic chocolate spread!

I could go on about the beer, but everyone knows the beer is awesome in Germany. It's also much cheaper than in other parts of Europe I have been in. I've yet to have wine here, because the beer is too distracting on the menu!

Well, I hope I've whetted your appetite for some German delights! This post has probably made you hungry, so go ahead, raid the fridge!

Guten Apetit!

Semperoper Kammerabend

I was wandering aimlessly today and then stumbled upon the Semperoper box office. I decided to take a look and see what was going on tonight and what was coming up... Well, it just so happened that tonight was a Kammerabend (Chamber evening), all tickets 10€! And since I hadn't even seen the inside of the opera house, I decided to go for it. They had a sample program there; I was chagrined to realize I didn't recognize hardly any of the Baroque composers listed. I think the only one that sort of rang a bell was Biber; but this only made me more intrigued. Hmm, music I may never have heard before!

So, conveniently the tram line in front of my apartment is only 5 minutes from Semperoper, so it was very easy to get to (oh, I could get used to this!). When you approach the opera house for the performance, it appears to be not quite open. This is the mystery I face every time I walk by it. When, if ever, can you go in and take a tour or something? But upon closer inspection, you see the side doors have red curtains gently pulled back, and two ushers waiting to open the door for you. What service! European opera houses are much smaller than their American counterparts. I think they are much more musician friendly and have very cozy if opulent walkways; the Semperoper is no different. A series of vaulted ceilings with green, gilt, and fresco like paintings sort of create a tree canopy effect as you walk through to the auditorium...

This beautiful theater (completely rebuilt in 1985) has all the typical opulence of the Romantic era: cherubs, gods, and of course, the famous German and Austrian composers who look down on you from the ceiling and the proscenium curtain. With the curtain down, the orchestra pit is covered, thus creating an intimate space for the performers.

A charming Roman numeral clock above the stage ticks the minutes away until showtime... The musicians took an awful long time to tune and set up; as a singer, this always cracks me up. What would the audience do if singers came out before performances and warmed up in front of the audience?! Anyway, they used genuine Baroque instruments... the most unique one was what appeared to be a lute with an extended neck (Theorbe, auf Deutsch). I feel like I should know what this instrument is, but I had never seen one before. It didn't keep in tune very well either. When he tuned it for the second piece, you could hear that it was very flat. Overall the sound of these Baroque instruments were a bit softer than their modern counterparts. This is another marvel of the smaller theater house; how wonderful that you can have an intimate chamber concert in the same hall you put on opera theater!

Anyway, the overall sound of the ensemble was warm, though the violinist's tone became a bit strident in some of her quicker runs. The violinist was not pleased with her performance and showed her displeasure at the curtain call; I was a little surprised, being an American performer that always smiles when she bows, no matter if she knows she has screwed up.

The second half was much livlier with several pieces with "Clarini" or miniature -no, not clarinets-- but piccolo trumpets. Oh, and by the way, the program is a mish-mash of European languages; makes for interesting reading. The trumpets are referred to elsewhere as Trumpeten, which obviously makes more sense. But the composer, who was German, wrote the piece for Clarini, which is Italian... go figure.

The trumpet players made excellent use of the acoustics of the theater. The full ensemble was seven players. In a piece for five, they put the extra two in the low balconies that hang above the proscenium for extra support of the sound. There was also a call and response that, from what I can figure, they did from outside the back of the hall.

There was also a timpani duet written by the French composer Philidor. I could not figure for the life of me where it was meant to fit in among the "Prelude des divertissments" or "Prelude to fun"... what kind of fun could the French Court be preparing for with a drum duet? Interesting...

This leads me to an amusing thought I had in the middle of the concert. All the music presented tonight was either written to be a dance, for during presentations at Court or a party, or even--dare I say it?-- background music at Baroque parties. Now, we the highbrow public, patiently watch and listen, meanwhile the composer had wanted to motivate his audience to dance or at least divert attention to whomever was the main attraction of the day...

On my way out, I got an inch thick "Spielzeit" or program for the upcoming events of the theater (for free). And the coolest part of it was that it contains a cut out mask complete with elastic string for your personal amusement. :)

Overall, a great first impression of the local opera house. Once again, how can you beat Europe? Ten euros and a feast for the eyes and ears? Can't lose!

First impressions

Dresden is a city that embodies the symbolism of the phoenix; it has emerged out of the ashes to become a vibrant, cultural, and beautiful city. In case you don't remember your history, Dresden was heavily bombed in WWII, as it was a Nazi stronghold and at the time, it made strategic sense for the Allies to do so. All of the Altstadt (Old Town) was destroyed and most of the surrounding areas, including the Neustadt (New Town, which is only 600 years new, by the way). It's hard to reconcile Dresden's history to its present, having met so many nice people; it's difficult not to feel sad about the lost physical history here despite knowing that it was probably necessary to bomb it during WWII. I may never make sense of it all, but I will continue to learn and study this fascinating city.

I have visited a few museums and have talked to a few of the locals about Dresden's history. What impresses me most is the individual efforts of so many to rebuild Dresden as it was once upon a time. The greatest of these feats is the Frauenkirche, which was lovingly rebuilt by the people of Dresden and other countries around the world. I was moved to tears when I went through a special exhibition about the Frauenkirche and I saw everything from people carefully removing any preserved stone from the rubble to grandmothers putting in their pension pay to help rebuild this amazing church. They are also still rebuilding parts of the Altstadt, even today.

As for everyday life here, the cost of living is low, the food is excellent, and I'm told this is the best city in the world to be in during the spring and summer. There are Biergartens aplenty and many opportunities to bask in the sun on the banks of the Elbe or make use of the many bike trails. There are 42 museums in and around Dresden to see -- plenty to occupy my time and money. Most of them are about 2-3€, with the greatest exception being the Grunes Gewolbe at 10€, which I have yet to see... will post more about it once I have.

After having lived and struggled in Paris, it's nice to live in a European city that I can afford! I can have a Bratwurst mit broetchen for 1-2€ (sausage with a little bread), delightful pastries for less than 2€, and fresh bread that lasts me 3-4 days for less than 3€. The monthly tram is 38€, compared to the whopping 115€ I paid in Paris (I also traveled much beyond the city center there...). Oh, and we mustn't forget the beer! For about 2,50€, I can enjoy some of the best beer in the world! (And I had always considered myself a wine girl...)

I am appreciating the rich culture and history of Dresden, as well as enjoying a low cost of living. I am learning German a little every day and am looking forward to what else the city holds in store for me!