Sons of Orpheus

July, 2004 saw Orpheus on the road again. On the strength of a successful tour of the UK in the summer of 2002, we built the Italian tour in 2004. Next summer’s tour will be in debt to its predecessors. Much experience has been gained, much knowledge acquired. The successes we achieved in 2000, 2002 and 2004 were all the more outstanding for everything having been arranged and coordinated without the help of a tour operator! Those were ambitious itineraries.

Many choirs, at one time or another, dream of a performance tour of Europe. If you count Mexico, this would be our fifth major international Orpheus choir tour!

It is possible to organize everything ourselves. However, we discovered along the way that the amount of intricate long distance organization involved is enormous and that the savings are probably minimal since our buying power is smaller in comparison to that of a tour operator.

What makes traveling with Orpheus so different? Well, for one thing, we’re not just “observer tourists,” observing another culture, we participate with that culture.

When you travel with Orpheus you meet people, the local inhabitants, you learn about the challenges they face, you learn about their traditions, their hopes, their goals. Parties and dinners with other choirs and their families open doors of friendship and create memories that stay with you long after your return home. These are unique experiences unparalleled by the “observer tourist.”

Your “intrepid travel trio,” working behind the scenes for more than a year, has strived to make this the best, least expensive trip possible for you.

There’s nothing quite like traveling with a small army of choristers and those who support them. On the road with the men of Orpheus there’s time for meals together, sightseeing and exploring, making new friends—all together a healthy mix for a hard-working choir. (Real friendships are forged over endless beers and pointless conversations, you know.) Your biggest challenge will be choosing from among the endless cultural attractions. No rushed meals. No cities running together. There will be time to soak up the local atmosphere. And, by the way, this is not a simple vacation; it will be an unforgettable concert tour. Singing is part of this memorable package as well!

Once we arrive, we’ll jump our chartered motorcoach and set off for Leipzig, the city of Johann Sebastian Bach. Here the great man spent the last 27 years of his life as cantor, organist and choirmaster of the Thomaskirche, and three other churches! By the way, the contract Bach signed when he took on all these responsibilities is on view in the City Museum in the Old Town on Market Square in one of the finest Renaissance town halls in Europe.

Bach was all but forgotten after his death. Even the site of his grave was lost over time. In 1894, an oaken casket, presumably containing the remains of Johann Sebastian Bach, was dug up and reburied in a simple stone sarcophagus and placed in a tomb under the alter of the Johanneskirche. The church and surrounding parts of the cemetery were destroyed by Allied bombs in WWII. However, the tomb survived intact! In 1949, his by-then-identified remains(?) were unceremoniously transported to the Thomaskirche. The story goes that a workman with a wheelbarrow showed up unannounced at the church one day and told a startled pastor, “Here’s old Bach, what do you want me to do with him?” In 1950, the 200th anniversary year of Bach’s death, the sarcophagus was transferred to the main altar in the nave of the Thomaskirche and re-interred with great ceremony. Are they, in fact, his bones, his mortal remains? Do we really know? I don’t think it’s important. The important thing is that we have received from Johann Sebastian the truth and beauty of his music, an everlasting legacy that outshines any feeble attempts at providing shrines for tourists. I can get sidetracked talking about the great man.

Leipzig will be yours to explore. Welcome to the city of Goethe’s Faust and Schiller’s Ode to Joy. Welcome to the city of the “Peaceful Revolution” where the East German regime first began to topple in 1989. Enjoy a favorite beverage in Auerbach’s Keller, where Goethe set his Faust. Leipzig boasts that it is “The City of Music,” no small claim in a country where great musicians abound and are considered national heroes. Richard Wagner was born here. Halle, a stone’s throw away, is the birthplace of Georg Frederich Händel. Robert and Clara Schumann lived here. Visit the house where Mendelssohn lived and died. It’s open every day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Concerts are held there in his famous music salon Sunday mornings at eleven. In 1835, the 26 year old Mendelssohn moved to Leipzig to become chief conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra. On April 4, 1844, he conducted a performance of the St. Matthew Passion in the Thomaskirche, the first time Bach’s mighty work had been heard in almost 100 years. A monument to Felix Mendelssohn in front of the Leipzig Conservatory was destroyed by the Nazis in 1936. A new statue was unveiled before the Neue Gewandhaus in 1993.

Before we leave Leipzig, we absolutely must arrange time for a fantastic photo opportunity—Orpheus grouped around the great bronze statue of Johann Sebastian Bach which stands in front of the Thomaskirche. There he is, the great man, with his coat pockets hanging inside out—a humanizing touch meant to convey the fact that Bach, the father of twelve children, was almost always broke!

From Leipzig we will travel east to Prague, located in the heart of Mitteleurope. By the way, we would be following hard on the heels of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus.

Prague is universally declared one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Prague has seen it all: occupation by the Nazis, ‘liberation” by the Soviet Army, and the Velvet Revolution. The city boasts three world famous opera houses and several first-class concert halls. You can check (sorry) dates and repertoire online. Ticket prices are very reasonably priced. The best seats at the Prague State Theater are less than $15 USD! Try that in New York.

Prague boasts a spectacularly vibrant music scene. . There’s a Dvorák Museum, a Smetana Museum and a Mozart Museum. One of the most beautiful theaters in Europe, the Estates Theater, is also among the most historic. It was here on October 29, 1787 that Mozart conducted the premiere of his Don Giovanni.

Prague was the only major European city not seriously bombed during World War II. Hitler had ordered that Prague would serve as a museum of an extinct race. Instead, this incredibly old, beautiful city, some parts dating back to the Middle Ages, survived intact, and is the home of a brave, friendly, freedom-loving people.

Wander the narrow tree-lined cobblestone streets. Walk across the famous Charles Bridge spanning the Vltava River to Old Town with the famous Square dominated by the Old Town Hall and the Astronomical Clock. Observe the hourly procession of the Twelve Apostles.

Founded in 1478, the Old Jewish Cemetery with 12,000 tombstones, is Europe’s oldest surviving Jewish Cemetery. People had to be buried on top of each other because of lack of space. Walking through it can be a powerful experience.
Let Prague, a city that lives up to its hype, work its magic on you. An evening walk across the Charles Bridge can be a quiet witness of medieval times. Beautiful Prague is overflowing with centuries-old architecture, Gothic spires and Baroque façades, as well as restaurants, cafés, shops, museums and galleries. There will be time to review your experiences, perhaps over an incomparable Pilsner beer. By the way, there are more pubs in Prague than churches! And there are a lot of churches.

The name Salzburg comes from the salz or salt that was mined nearby. Processed and exported from Salzburg, salt was a main source of wealth for the Archbishops.

One can easily walk around Salzburg in a day. Most of the popular sights are close together. Ride the Festungsbahn Funicular up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress which dominates the Salzburg skyline. There’s also a lift that takes you up another side of the mountain to Salzburg’s new art gallery. From there you can walk the mountain meadows for miles, surveying the stunning scene before and below you. And, yes, let’s face it, the hills are alive with the Sound of Music. Thousands of fans trek around Salzburg visiting the sights seen in the film.

Cross the bridge over the Salzach River into the old town with its narrow, winding streets dominated by elegant Hapsburg homes and old-fashioned store fronts. Absorb the architecture of one of central Europe’s most beautiful towns. There will be time to explore, time to sample the goulash with dumplings, the bratwurst, the Wiener schnitzel, perhaps topped off with a fine Riesling wine. Then there’s apple strudel! Salzburg’s local beer is Stiegl. The best place to sink a few of those is in one of the authentic Biergartens. Recommendation: do not miss a visit to the Augustiner Bräu and Bräustübl Tavern in the Mülln Monastery in central Salzburg. It’s been in existence since 1621! Do you think it’s possible Mozart lifted a few at the Augustiner?

Oh yes, I almost forgot, Salzburg is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You can visit his Geburtshaus (birthplace) where Mozart and his family lived until he was 17 (that is, when he wasn’t touring the music capitals of Europe). Wander through the ornate Mirabell Gardens to the Mozart Wohnhaus (his residence) at Markartplatz 8. A combination ticket for both museums costs 10 euros. With your ticket comes an audio-guide with information and commentary keyed to the exhibits.

The Festspielhaus is the summer home of the Vienna Philharmonic. The world famous Salzburg Festival is held here during July and August.

In the Bastions garden bordering the Mirabell Gardens on the grounds of the Mozarteum stands Das Zauberflötenhäuschen (The Magic Flute House), a small wooden structure where Mozart is said to have composed portions of his Die Zauberflöte. His librettist, the actor-theater manager and first Papageno, Emanuel Schikaneder, is said to have locked Mozart in the house (feeding him white wine and smoked oysters all the while) to ensure that he completed the opera on time for its first performance. Mozart is also supposed to have met with his singers here and to have rehearsed parts of his new opera. Variously described as a hut or a gazebo, this structure, which originally stood near the Theater auf der Wieden, a suburban theater in Vienna where The Magic Flute received its premiere, was donated to the International Mozart Foundation and moved to Salzburg in 1873.

Tailoring our repertoire to fit the various tour venues has occupied me this entire summer. But the Chorus of the Priests from Die Zauberflöte seems like a slam-dunk for Orpheus in Salzburg.

One of Deutschland’s most popular destinations is the capital of Bavaria. Germany's third largest city, an international metropolis of art and culture, is looking forward to an event that will resonate far beyond its city limits: the 850th birthday of Munich will be celebrated during the summer of 2008!

Munich boasts one remarkable sightseeing attraction after another: stroll along the banks of the Isar, visit the Nymphenburg Palace, the glorious Baroque churches, the English Gardens, the 200-year old world famous open air Viktualien Market, and see the biggest cuckoo clock in the world, the Glockenspiel at the Marienplatz, to name but a few. Need to catch your breath? Take a Kaffe und Kuchen break at one of Munich’s numerous sidewalk cafes.

Munich’s Summer Opera Festival has been attracting large audiences since it first began in 1876. Each summer “Opera for All” presents free live transmissions from inside the national Theater to the Max-Joseph-Platz outside. On the docket for next July during our projected visit: Arabella, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Elektra by Richard Strauss, as well as Werther by Jules Massenet.

Connoisseurs of fine beer can enjoy Munich’s many beer gardens, the most famous of which is the Hoffbrauhaus, home of the giant one-liters! But there’s more to Munich than just beer. No matter where you turn in the city, there’s something wonderful to see. The Alte Pinakothek houses a world-famous collection of works by Goya, Raphael, DaVinci, Botticelli, El Greco, Dürer, Rubens, Rembrandt and other Dutch, French and Italian masters. Works by Courbet, Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh are on view at the State Gallery of Modern Art, Neue Pinakothek.

The last day of an Orpheus choir tour can be bittersweet. So it’s good to wind down with a social evening, a final night’s farewell dinner. Most Orpheans, their wives, “roadies” and fellow travelers will no doubt return home the next day, bringing with them many fabulous memories and stories to share with family and friends for years to come. There may be some of you who are plotting ways to stay in Europe longer.

Okay, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. I’m certain all of you view the amount of money required for this choir tour as the most important criterion in your decision-making process. Let’s face it, travel broadens the mind. But it can also flatten the finances. So, if you’re wavering, try to look at the tour as a positive, wise and educational investment in family well-being and personal happiness. I would hope that all of you could step outside the normal lines of your life for a couple of weeks next summer and experience the trip. The trip of a lifetime? Or sheer madness? Or sheer fun? Perhaps it would be madness not to go for it!

I need my singers. Orpheus needs you all. Your colleagues need you. We now have a committed core of singers who have agreed to travel and have paid their deposits, but we need you, too. We have let the genie out of the bottle, and there is no turning back!

Gentlemen, I encourage you to raise your travel dreams to their upright and locked positions.

Thank you.

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visitors since February 10, 2007

Grayson’s 2008 Summer Concert Tour Homily