GMC in Europe 2008

Salzburg really is a beautiful city. And, there is plenty to see.

But, it seems to have a “complex” of some kind in relationship to Vienna. Our tour guide on Tuesday morning, a lovely Viennese native who has lived in Salzburg for years, said:

Vienna styles itself as the center of Austria; after all, it is the national capital, and it has many inhabitants. But, the citizens of Salzburg secretly think that Vienna thinks too much of itself, and that in fact Salzburg is the better city.

Well, I’m not sure if they’re correct about that. The shops were certainly competing to see who could be the best vendor of “Mozart Balls,” the strange chocolates wrapped in likenesses of W. Amadeus himself. The funicular ride to the famous Festung Hohensalzburg (the town’s imposing fortress/castle) was clean and efficient and quick (although because it was efficient, it also took a while for it to start because they insisted on filling the car to its capacity of 40 riders before starting the one-minute journey!).

Still, there was something like a chip on Salzburg’s shoulder. I don’t quite know what it was, but there is an edge to the city, like it wants to be Vienna, perhaps, and knows it never can.

No matter: the food was good, the cathedral (with its five organs!) breathtakingly beautiful, and the company of choristers and friends has been delightful!

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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