Day 14 - Back to Beauty

The Abduction from the Seraglio was Mozart's first opera in Vienna.  I may have mentioned that before but it deserves mentioning again.  He was desperately trying to impress the emperor with the quality of his music and the speed at which he was able to compose.  He wrote numerous letters to his father, Leopold, back in Salzburg describing many details about the opera.  In one letter, dated Sept. 28, 1781 Mozart wrote "Now about Bellmont's aria in A major.  "Oh how anxious, oh how passionate!" do you know how I expressed it? - even expressing the loving, throbbing heart? - with two violins playing in octaves. - This is the favorite aria of everyone who has heard it - It's mine too.  - And it was written entirely for Adamberger's voice; one can see the trembling - faltering - one can see his heaving breast - which is expressed by a crescendo - one can hear the whispering and the sighing - which is expressed by the first violins with mutes and one flute playing unisono. - "  As a young man adventuring out on his own Mozart sent numerous letters home looking for guidance, advice, acknowledgement and approval.  Because of this, we have a greater understanding of what Mozart was thinking while composing The Abduction than we do of any of his other compositions. Mozart may have liked Belmonte's aria, but I'm partial to Martern aller Arten  if for no other reason that the vocal dexterity required to sing it.

This morning's class was all about Act II of this wonderful opera.  I strongly encourage viewing the Royal Opera Covent Garden production from 1988.  I haven't seen many productions at this point, but this one is pure entertainment from beginning to end.  It's available through www.kultur.com  and can be borrowed from Netflix.

Following class we went to the Austrian National Library. The library started construction in 1723 and was finished in 1726. It was designed byJohann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and completed after his death by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach. The frescoes in the dome were painted by Daniel Gran in 1730.  I took a bunch of pictures and posted them here but I think you get a better idea of the grandeur of this place by looking at the video.  The library is in the process of digitizing the entire contents.  The central section of the library was bequeathed by Prince Eugene of Savoy.  You may remember his name as being the owner of the Belvedere.  When the donation was made the books were estimated at 150,000 Guldens.  At the time the Belvedere was worth only 100,000 Guldens! The library has hidden study rooms.  The doors to these rooms are the bookcases themselves.  In this picture you can see the open bookcase door going into the room.

This is by no means the biggest library I've ever seen, but is the prettiest.  It also has that musty smell of old books.  I love that smell.  The library is part of the Hofburg and is attached to the royal wing.  The emperor had his own private entrance should he desire a little light reading in the middle of the night.  He didn't have to leave his home.

I could have spent a lot more time at the library but unfortunately I was feeling a little under the weather today.  I had to return to my hotel to rest for a while.  Around dinner time I was feeling a lot better and decided to go out.  I joined Kathy and Marilyn for dinner.  They were considering going to the opera tonight, something I too had planned.  We were hoping to sit outside on the platz and watch the production from the outside viewing screen.  Katya Kabanove by Leos Janacek was being performed tonight.  The weather turned cold, rainy and windy so we had a change of plans.  

We ended up at a very nice little restaurant not too far from the hotel.  On the way there we passed a Holocaust memorial.  On a very plain little street corner, with no fanfare or signs is a glass case built into the sidewalk.  Inside the case are all of the keys, labeled with their original owners names, that belonged to the Jews from the community who were driven from their homes during WWII.  It was a very subtle, moving and sobering memorial.  

The bank and I were having a disagreement as to what my PIN number was and I had been locked out of my account. So, thanks to a short loan from Kathy, I was able to enjoy a great meal and some friendly conversation.  The meal started with some liquid refreshment.  I have no idea what was in this glass, but it sure was pretty.  

I decided that since it was a cold blustery night that I would have something simple like soup and salad.  Then I decided to do it the Austrian way!  I had Apfel Suppe and Kartoffelsalat.  That's apple soup and potato salad.  It may not sound like much, but it was superb!

 It's hard to believe that my trip is half over.  I've got a long list of things I still want to do and see.  I've got to get back to the palace and see the rest of it.  I want to polka through the Liechtenstein.  I still haven't gone to Mozart's Todhaus or to the cemetery where all the musicians are buried.  I would like to go to the Arnold Schoenberg Institute.  We are still planning, as a class, to go to the musical instrument museum and we have a cocktail mixer scheduled at the American Embassy with some Viennese teachers.  I'm hoping to catch another performance of the Requiem Mass that is going to be performed on authentic period instruments.  Somewhere in here I'll still have to take another day for laundry, but I'll take pictures next time so that the MRS. doesn't poke fun at me.  So much to do and so little time.