The Passion of Opera

I've arrived in London! The next couple of days will probably be a lot of getting settled and learning my way around but I hope to be seeing some music quite soon!!

As my departure date for London on September 24th rapidly approaches I had the thought that I would like to blog so family and friends can read about my travels, as I did when I was in Vienna. I will post all my musical related reviews, etc. here while I travel, but also copy them to that blog. With this blog's recent incredible  success, skyrocketing first through 3,000, then 4,000, and now over 5,000 views per month and on its way to 30,000 lifetime views, I thought it would be a good time to introduce the second blog again. Once I am no longer studying abroad in London I plan to transform the second blog into a permanent travel blog. The title of the blog has changed from A Sojourn in Vienna  to To Float on a Wayward Wind , reflecting its new, broader character. Check it out at floatonawaywardwind.blogspot.com and see what I'm up to in London and beyond!

Seeing the entire Ring Cycle in two weeks, performed under Christian Thielemann with the Wiener Philharmoniker in the pit, was definitely a highlight of my time in Vienna. I am no Wagnerian, by which I mean that while I appreciate the music it is not an area with which I have a great deal of experience. Still, it was quite the experience. I commented then that there were ups and downs in the singing but that the conducting and orchestra were superb. The staging was non-traditional, which also had its high and low points. I had no idea  that it was being recorded while I was there, however. It's very gratifying to see the edition, read people's thoughts about it, and say, "oh yes, that substitution of one singer for another? I witnessed that!" I will not make any further comment on the comparative quality of this recording than to say it definitely has its merits even if many will find it lackluster in singing compared to earlier "golden ages," and may d...