Undoubtedly, the meeting of the greatest Latvian opera divas on the stage of one of the world’s opera houses is always a special event. That’s why we went to Berlin in mid-October to enjoy the performance of Latvian opera divas Elīna Garančas and Marina Rebeka in the new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Aida”. There was also time to explore the city, although two days seemed a little too short.
100th bus or 20 thousand steps?
Berlin’s most notable objects can be seen both on foot and by bus route 100 – starting from Alexanderplatz (Aleksanderplatz) all the way to the Reichstag. However, the argument of fellow travelers “Do you really want to climb out every 200 meters, look at the object and then drive on again?” makes you decide in favor of a walk. And there is really no shortage of things to see in Berlin! We look at both the TV tower and the Brandenburg Gate, which this time, as if by a miracle, the climate activists have not caught with orange paint, as well as the Reichstag and “Chekpoint Charlie”, the Opera House, the Berlin Dom, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and other sights worthy objects. We have seen a lot, and at the end of the day the phone shows that we have walked almost 20 thousand steps… And despite what we read that “Berlin has changed beyond recognition”, the city leaves a very pleasant impression. Of course, there are a noticeable number of police cars, and here and there young people gather in groups, but nothing so extreme – for example, mass demonstrations as elsewhere in Europe – is not seen in the center of Berlin in mid-October.
Latvian Aida and Amneris on the same stage
Of course, the main purpose of the trip is the production of “Aida” at the Berlin State Opera “Staatsoper Unter den Linden”, where two of the most internationally brilliant Latvian opera stars – mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča and soprano Marina Rebeka, for whom this was her fortieth role, met on stage in the roles of the pharaoh’s daughter Amenris and the slave Aida in her career and debut as Aida. It is interesting that their performance in the Verdi opera staged by director Calixto Bieto was appreciated by at least several dozen (if not even hundreds) opera music lovers from Latvia during these two weeks, even earning the designation “Latvian battalion”.
Already looking at the photos of the new production, it was clear that it will not be the classic production of “Aida” that we are used to seeing at the LNO, Vienna State Opera or Verona’s “Arena di Verona”. The prominent Catalan director Calicto Bieto, who earned a reputation as a provocateur, had a completely different vision; one could even say – quite extreme and sometimes even contradictory, making one question what the director wanted to say with all this. It is clear that it is a story about us and today and very relevant in the context of world events; a story about choices and the cost of what you have chosen. However, thanks to Verdi’s wonderful music and brilliant soloists, the three and a half hours fly by at the speed of the wind. And it was the audience’s ovation dedicated to our two opera divas at the end of the performance that made us write on the social network “X” (ex “Twitter”): “We are really proud that the voices of Latvian opera divas sound everywhere in the world, earning the audience’s excitement!”
Prolonged Oktoberfest and discos
Of course, what would a city visit be without entertainment? Therefore, if you want to enjoy something truly German in Berlin, it is worth stopping by “Hofbräu Wirtshaus Berlin” – a huge beer pub in the very center of Berlin. Here you can not only taste German beer and eat properly, but also experience how Germans have fun on Friday evening. I must say that I haven’t seen such disco dances – both in the small square near the stage and on the tables – and I couldn’t even imagine anything like that in our “Lido”… Moreover, the most stormy dances were not to German hits, but to the good old disco songs – for example, the group “ABBA » songs «Dancing Queen» or «Rednex» «Cotton Eye Joe», etc. – which are played by a group of musicians consisting of three people at the most recognizable level. In the middle of the dances, the countless waiters, without feeling disturbed, serve the several thousand gathered customers, and serious-looking security guards walk around the hall from time to time, giving the feeling that the situation is under control. Everything is within normal limits, and it’s really nice to see how people know how to enjoy life during the weekend, celebrating the somewhat prolonged “Oktoberfest”… And if we didn’t have to get up early the next day to go back home through Poland – today, we would have partied to the victorious end!
2023-11-16 17:41:50
#Trip #Scenes #Berlin #Aida #dancing #tables #German #pub
