Luna Park
01/06/08 21:04 Filed in: Argentina | Buenos Aires
I didn't look to closely at my ticket and as a result left home 30 minutes later than I should have. My taxi driver asked where I came from and whether I could speak spanish. Despite my answering "very little" he launched into a rant about how bad it was in Argentina under la reina Cristina.
He got me to Luna Park a few minutes before show time. The Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Daniel Barenboim started bang on time. Being German they would wouldn't they. Myself and quite a few others had to be seated after the concert had started.
Luna Park is a big shed normally used for sporting events and rock concerts. It is not particularly suitable for classical concerts but with the Colón theatre being closed I suppose there was no other option. Background noise from the sound system was very noticeable during quieter passages.
At the interval I picked up a program. They are free here. The concert was a tribute to the currently closed Colon Theatre which normally hosts classical concerts and was organised by Mozarteum Argentino. Their website is worth a visit if only to read the names of some committee members.
The program included works by Wagner and Mahler. I enjoyed it as did the enthusiastic audience. This is third concert I have attended in Buenos Aires and on each occasion the audience has been vocal and very enthusiastic in their support of the artists. It certainly makes for a livelier evening. I have been told that Buenos Aires is unique in this respect.
Daniel Barenboim was born in Argentina and received repeated standing ovations along with the orchestra when the concert finished. He then said that normally he preferred to let his music speak but on this special occasion he had something to say. It was in Spanish so I didn't understand it all. He spoke about the centenary of the Colon theatre and it's importance to the arts in Argentina and was repeatedly interrupted by load applause.
At the end the audience, accompanied by Staatskapelle Berlin, sang what I presume was the Argentine national anthem.
He got me to Luna Park a few minutes before show time. The Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Daniel Barenboim started bang on time. Being German they would wouldn't they. Myself and quite a few others had to be seated after the concert had started.
Luna Park is a big shed normally used for sporting events and rock concerts. It is not particularly suitable for classical concerts but with the Colón theatre being closed I suppose there was no other option. Background noise from the sound system was very noticeable during quieter passages.
At the interval I picked up a program. They are free here. The concert was a tribute to the currently closed Colon Theatre which normally hosts classical concerts and was organised by Mozarteum Argentino. Their website is worth a visit if only to read the names of some committee members.
The program included works by Wagner and Mahler. I enjoyed it as did the enthusiastic audience. This is third concert I have attended in Buenos Aires and on each occasion the audience has been vocal and very enthusiastic in their support of the artists. It certainly makes for a livelier evening. I have been told that Buenos Aires is unique in this respect.
Daniel Barenboim was born in Argentina and received repeated standing ovations along with the orchestra when the concert finished. He then said that normally he preferred to let his music speak but on this special occasion he had something to say. It was in Spanish so I didn't understand it all. He spoke about the centenary of the Colon theatre and it's importance to the arts in Argentina and was repeatedly interrupted by load applause.
At the end the audience, accompanied by Staatskapelle Berlin, sang what I presume was the Argentine national anthem.