2018 PLU Music Centers of the World: Fun in Salzburg!

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Fun in Salzburg!

I went on a hike with Paige and Carl to a viewpoint near the top of a small mountain/large hill. We eventually came to a place with a clear view of the alps, and were at one point higher up than the Hohensalzburg Castle. It was fun because it was so peaceful to be away from the business of the city center for a while. I also saw some cute birds flying around a very active birdhouse. The view was great where there were no trees in the way, and we got some good pictures. At one point, we saw a helicopter flying near the summit of one of the mountains in the Alps. We didn’t know for sure, but we guessed that someone was heli-skiing. I’ve never been downhill skiing before, but it must be an incredible experience to do that in the Alps.

We visited Hohensalzburg Castle, and the view was breathtaking! Although I have visited the castle a few years ago, it was still a very new experience for me, in that I got to visit areas that I had never seen before. It was also very helpful to be on a guided tour through the castle because I was able to better understand the various aspects of the artifacts and architectural features after knowing their historical significance and cultural importance. I also enjoyed learning about the various modifications made to the fortress over the span of multiple reigns of prince-archbishops. It’s really amazing that all of those modifications were made by moving materials up to the fortress without the use of modern technology.

We also attended a performance of Abduction from the Seraglio, which presented a very interesting modern interpretation. At times I was confused, especially with the black-and-white film that was shown at the beginning of the performance. I didn’t realize what part it played in the plot of the opera until it was repeated near the end along with Bassa Selim’s commentary on his backstory. However, other elements of the modern interpretation helped emphasize what the characters were feeling, particularly the scene in which a live video feed was projected onto the back wall of the set. For me, the addition of that modern technology made it easier to understand the characters’ fear and surprise at getting caught as they attempted to escape the palace. In addition, I really enjoyed how the orchestra played a larger role in the opera, particularly through the use of humor. There were a few times where one of the vocalists on stage interacted with the musicians in the orchestra, by providing reactions to what the orchestra played. For example, when Osmin was tied to a chair, the orchestra played music from The Barber of Seville. He then reacted negatively to that music, as a way of adding humor to an otherwise serious scene.