Denis Fodor asked "Whither Salzburg?" - whither indeed! ..... and what a
long way from my first visit at age 20 in 1960. Tickets at 140 schillings
(USD 3), accommodation at $1.50 each in class E (a small private house in
the Gassewerkegasse) and early every evening, in dinner jackets and ready
for the show, we drove out of town, parked in a field and opened up the
back of the car, to cook our meal on a primus stove!
Operas: Rosenkavalier (HvK), Giovanni (HvK), Cosi (Bohm), Don Carlos
(Santi), Figaro (Bohm), Flute (Keilberth).
This Festival (in its beautiful location) "lost" me long ago (they say that
the $10m worth of jewellery in the audience actually makes a noise rattling
during the performance?!). Perhaps not in Elektra though?!
The idea of paying $500 for Berio, Birtwistle (and countless other B***s)
was long ago found to be too appalling to contemplate. But if you are into
nostalgia in a big way the thing that changed the least in Austria, these
last 40 years is, sadly, the food!
(I have been back to the Festival on business - early 90s when someone else
was paying - but it was none the less shocking for that).
Now, what about Aix-en-Provence? The reports this year are of a fast
reviving and interesting festival in a lovely setting - good food, easy
parking, plenty of accommodation.... and, even if you needed one, nobody
will ask you to take your coat off!
John G. Deacon
Home page: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon
Campobello: http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/campobello
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