About this time last year, we learned that my choir had been asked to perform as part of the Luzern International Chorale Festival, to be held in July of this year in Luzern, Switzerland. I had already begun campaigning Troy to return to Europe on vacation (who knew, right?), so this opportunity seemed perfect.
Fast-forward a year. Although I had elected not to sing with the ensemble, I decided to travel down to Switzerland to attend the concert. After investigating different transport options, I ultimately decided to fly to Geneva, and spend the day exploring the city with a friend before catching a train to Luzern the next day. (That's a funny story actually. My city council representative in Denver moved to Brussels last October. Through a mutual friend, we connected here and got to be friends before she and her husband moved to Geneva. Small world, huh?)
Fast-forward a year. Although I had elected not to sing with the ensemble, I decided to travel down to Switzerland to attend the concert. After investigating different transport options, I ultimately decided to fly to Geneva, and spend the day exploring the city with a friend before catching a train to Luzern the next day. (That's a funny story actually. My city council representative in Denver moved to Brussels last October. Through a mutual friend, we connected here and got to be friends before she and her husband moved to Geneva. Small world, huh?)
Geneva's flower clock designed as a football (soccer ball) for Euro 2008 -- Switzerland was a co-host of this year's tournament
The weather was a little bleak in Geneva, but if there's one thing about living in Brussels, it prepares to you go out in the rain!
After a full-day with my great tour guide Kathleen and an early wake-up call the next morning, I was happy to have the train ride on which to catch-up on my sleep. I caught the InterCity train to Luzern, located about 3 hours northeast of Geneva. The concert was held that evening in the Kultur-und-Kongresszentrum Luzern, or KKL, Luzern's incredible performing arts venue. It is reputed to have among the best acoustics of any concert hall in the world. After attending a performance there, I totally believe it.
The KKL at night
The Cherry Creek Chorale was just one group performing as part of a mass choir composed of 320(!) singers representing nearly a dozen ensembles and universities. They sang alongside Luzern's Orchestra Santa Maria, and the program was diverse and well-done, including one of my all-time favorite choral works, Samuel Barber's Agnus Dei (Adagio for Strings). They also did Leonard Berstein's Chichester Psalms, a work I have not performed, and in fact have only sung through once, thoroughly hating it. But, after seeing it executed so well in such a setting and under the graceful baton of Dr. William Skoog, well, now I'm a convert.
I got to hang out with the chorale at the party after the show, and it was really fun catching up with everyone. Everybody seemed genuinely pleased that I came to the show, and it made me even more glad I had made the effort to attend. Not that going to Switzerland is exactly a sacrifice...
CCC left on the rest of their tour the following morning, while I set off under blue skies and beautiful sunshine to explore the area. Luzern is such a great city! Charming medieval town, sited at the junction of the unbelievably clear, fast-flowing River Reuss and the unbelievably blue Lake Luzern, within sight of Mts. Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps. Unlike in Colorado, where the foothills front the big peaks, in Luzern (and much of Switzerland I gather) the mountains just go straight up.
River Reuss with view of the Chapel Bridge
I took a boat cruise on Lake Luzern (gorgeous, and did I mention sunny?!?), rode a steep steep steep cog railway to the top of Mt. Pilatus, hiked around, listened to the sound check for the Swiss-German hard rock band that was performing up there that evening, and then took the gondola down the other side. Good thing I am not afraid of heights because this gondola was not for the faint of heart. Leaving the roundhouse was more like hang-gliding off a cliff that your typical chairlift experience.
Note the gondola cable at left and the sheer drop below it!
View from inside the gondola!
I explored the town, did some window shopping (even on semi-annual sale, too expensive), toured two beautiful, ornate, and immaculately-maintained churches, and even rode the private funicular up to the chi-chi art deco Hotel Montana. More importantly, given that this was my first big-time traveling-alone experience, I met some really nice people along the way too.
I have a ton of beautiful and dramatic pictures from this trip, but have not yet had time to put together an album, and now we're off for our Italian holiday. So, when we get back in a couple of weeks, I will post Swiss pictures plus Italia!
The weather was a little bleak in Geneva, but if there's one thing about living in Brussels, it prepares to you go out in the rain!
After a full-day with my great tour guide Kathleen and an early wake-up call the next morning, I was happy to have the train ride on which to catch-up on my sleep. I caught the InterCity train to Luzern, located about 3 hours northeast of Geneva. The concert was held that evening in the Kultur-und-Kongresszentrum Luzern, or KKL, Luzern's incredible performing arts venue. It is reputed to have among the best acoustics of any concert hall in the world. After attending a performance there, I totally believe it.
The KKL at night
The Cherry Creek Chorale was just one group performing as part of a mass choir composed of 320(!) singers representing nearly a dozen ensembles and universities. They sang alongside Luzern's Orchestra Santa Maria, and the program was diverse and well-done, including one of my all-time favorite choral works, Samuel Barber's Agnus Dei (Adagio for Strings). They also did Leonard Berstein's Chichester Psalms, a work I have not performed, and in fact have only sung through once, thoroughly hating it. But, after seeing it executed so well in such a setting and under the graceful baton of Dr. William Skoog, well, now I'm a convert.
I got to hang out with the chorale at the party after the show, and it was really fun catching up with everyone. Everybody seemed genuinely pleased that I came to the show, and it made me even more glad I had made the effort to attend. Not that going to Switzerland is exactly a sacrifice...
CCC left on the rest of their tour the following morning, while I set off under blue skies and beautiful sunshine to explore the area. Luzern is such a great city! Charming medieval town, sited at the junction of the unbelievably clear, fast-flowing River Reuss and the unbelievably blue Lake Luzern, within sight of Mts. Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps. Unlike in Colorado, where the foothills front the big peaks, in Luzern (and much of Switzerland I gather) the mountains just go straight up.
River Reuss with view of the Chapel Bridge
I took a boat cruise on Lake Luzern (gorgeous, and did I mention sunny?!?), rode a steep steep steep cog railway to the top of Mt. Pilatus, hiked around, listened to the sound check for the Swiss-German hard rock band that was performing up there that evening, and then took the gondola down the other side. Good thing I am not afraid of heights because this gondola was not for the faint of heart. Leaving the roundhouse was more like hang-gliding off a cliff that your typical chairlift experience.
Note the gondola cable at left and the sheer drop below it!
View from inside the gondola!
I explored the town, did some window shopping (even on semi-annual sale, too expensive), toured two beautiful, ornate, and immaculately-maintained churches, and even rode the private funicular up to the chi-chi art deco Hotel Montana. More importantly, given that this was my first big-time traveling-alone experience, I met some really nice people along the way too.
I have a ton of beautiful and dramatic pictures from this trip, but have not yet had time to put together an album, and now we're off for our Italian holiday. So, when we get back in a couple of weeks, I will post Swiss pictures plus Italia!
Posts
what a great little adventure for you! The pictures you took are absolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSo great you got to see old friends.