Leipzig

Hey all! I'm happy to report that Brenda's first performance of Ariadne auf Naxos on Sunday was a hit. Obviously I'm biased, but I really loved everything about it. The cast is great, the staging is interesting, and the whole thing is over in about two and a half hours. It doesn't get much better than that. A couple of video clips, which were recorded during a rehearsal, have popped up on youtube. If you're interested, you can find one here and the other here.

Last Friday Brenda had the day off so we decided to take a trip to Leipzig. We had never been there before, and since we were in the neighborhood (Leipzig is about seventy five minutes away from Berlin by train), we thought it would be a good destination. Plus, a good friend of mine from college lives there, and he was kind enough to show us a few of the sights. We quickly discovered that Leipzig is a really beautiful city.

We were rushed getting out the door on Friday morning, which meant we had to pick up our breakfast at the train station. It can be dangerous to go to a German bakery on an empty stomach...

Giant cheese covered pretzel? Yes, please.

 The Old City Hall in Leipzig.

 Bach spent a major part of his career working in Leipzig at the St. Thomas Church (pictured in the background).

 Coincidentally, we went to Leipzig on the first day of the annual Bach festival. It was a beautiful day to sit outside and enjoy some baroque music.

Since we were in a new town we decided to try one of the local beers. We ended up trying Gose, which was unlike any beer I've ever had before. I wasn't immediately convinced, but maybe it's an acquired taste.

Brenda has her second performance tomorrow, and she will have finished her fourth performance by next blog day. We're looking forward to seeing some friends who are coming into town this week and to exploring more of Berlin. I hope you all have a nice week, and we'll talk to you next Tuesday!