The wedding was held in St. Rumbolds Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in Mechelen, a small town located about 30 minutes northeast of Brussels. The choir was placed high above the entrance, in the organ loft, next to a beautiful, massive pipe organ. I had a seat right next to the railing, which meant I was in prime viewing position for the entire ceremony. The Mass was conducted in German, French, and Dutch, and there were even a few words in English, owing, one presumes, to the fact that the bride was educated in England.
Music was a large part of the service, and we sang selections by Mozart and Schubert, along with Gregorian-esque chant pieces from the traditional Catholic Mass. We were joined by a soprano soloist with a lovely voice who, among other things, sang a gorgeous Ave Maria, the particular arrangement of which I had not heard before but immediately loved. To close the ceremony, we sang the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah accompanied by the organ. The soaring spaces and high stone walls created wonderful acoustics, and the whole experience was really pretty amazing.
I must admit that, as an American, it was both completely fascinating and a bit off-putting to be part of an occasion marked by such pomp and circumstance. Queen Fabiola (sister-in-law to King Albert of Belgium) was in attendance, along with her nephew and heir-apparent to the Belgian throne, Prince Philippe, and her niece Princess Astrid. The entire royal family of Luxembourg was there, as were a whole host of other nobles from throughout Europe. It was easy to get momentarily caught up in the swirl of royals and titles and dynasties and glitz. And hats -- lots of fabulous hats graced the heads of the society ladies. It felt very...exotic and foreign.
And yet, even with the fascination, it was also kind of uncomfortable to see the rows of "commoners" lined up behind the velvet ropes, straining to get a glimpse of the aristocracy. If you think about it, the whole concept of hereditary titles, dynastic monarchy, and nobility runs counter to the very founding of the United States. Admittedly, that's kind of a deep philosophical tangent for what was in reality a just a lovely day. But still, I'm just saying.
All theoretical nuances aside, it was an honor to be asked to sing at a Royal function, and it was a fun experience, one that I will not soon forget.
Here are some pictures of the wedding:
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment