This has been an excellent first week in Germany. Well…aside from taking close to four days to recover from jetlag!
Due to some recent and unpredictable events, I’ve had to take on nearly twice as much music to learn and perform during these next weeks. Although it is a somewhat stressful way to kickstart this lieder program, I’m happy to take on the challenge and I am welcoming the opportunity to learn the extra music.
Our first performance is already upon us: an afternoon all-Brahms Lieder concert this Wednesday at the Wörlitzer Park in Leipzig (about 80 km northwest of Freiberg). The program will feature lieder mostly for soprano and piano, including some of my favorites: “Von ewiger Liebe,” “Ach wende diesen blick,” and “Meerfahrt.” Until then, I am busily coaching and rehearsing with some very talented singers!
Lastly, I have to mention how beautiful Freiberg is. Over 800 years old, this town was once a major center for Saxony’s mining industry. Unlike the larger cities nearby (Dresden, Chemnitz, and Leipzig), most of Freiberg remained intact after WWII, so the beautiful streets and buildings here are authentic and very old. Most of my working days are spent in the Mittelsächsisches Theater, the oldest municipal theater in Europe, which has been open since 1791. I love the atmosphere here, the welcoming environment, beautiful structures, and a community that believes so strongly in the importance of art.
More updates to come soon!
Liz