GMC in Europe 2008

Tuesday, April 14

A small contingent of GMC singers rendered “Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal” on stage at the Great Festival Hall.  Unfortunately, there were no occupants in the 2177 audience seats.  We stood in front of the shimmering golden “iron” safety curtain before going backstage to see the mechanisms for staging operas & plays.  Prior to our “performance” we toured two other theatres under the same roof–the Small Festival Hall which seats 1324 and the Felsenreitschule which dates back to 1606.  Built against the side of a mountain, this theatre has arched spectator galleries–what a setting for operas–excellent acoustics & a retractable roof. 

As the group discussed our transit from Vienna to Salzburg, we realized that we would be passing through Linz, less than five miles away from the village of Mauthausen and its Nazi-era concentration camp. About 40 of us requested the opportunity to deviate from the planned program and visit the camp. (I should add that those who chose to go on to Salzburg had either visited a camp previously, or had other good reasons not to go.)

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