It was so good to spend the day in Riga, a city of considerable elegant distinction and populated by the extremely handsome Latvians. The definition of handsome I have is: "having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking" - and they really do live up to that, men and women alike, young and old. And the city is the same. So it is an invigorating place to be.
I was first here in 2005. And on that visit I came across the birthplace (right) of Isaiah Berlin. And they are making a huge thing of him this year as it is the 100th anniversary of his birth. Just over the street from my hotel, in the Public Library, there is a significant exhibition devoted to him. He is important to me for many reasons - but not least because he was instrumental in getting me into this opera business. Thanks to Isaiah I got a foot in the door - God bless him. A very great man. And they are naturally hugely proud of him here.
My auditions were at the Opera House at 1pm. There was a reasonable turn out - but given that it was a splendid Latvian singer, Marina Rebekah, who was the first prize winner last year and has subsequently gone on to great things, including Salzburg this year, I had expected a bigger crop. Oh well, there is more to life than singing competitions! Isn't that true?
And now I am in Vilnius where I hear a dozen more tomorrow. Lithuania is a country of amazing history. Its location is of course the ultimate difficult one. It is sandwiched where is is - one of the immensely important Baltic states which those brutish politicians just love to control. So it has been tossed this way and that for hundreds of years. But it is now a member of the EU - maybe it has a chance. I do hope that some of you go to these links that I lovingly provide! They are full of fascinating information. I try to provide education as well as gossip here!
I am actually spending two consecutive nights in the same bed - so I am somewhat calm after the frenetic activity of the last six days. And I can get laundry done too - there is actually time to get it back before I dash off to the next place, in this case Warsaw on Wednesday. I am looking forward to seeing a bit more of Vilnius than usual. Stay tuned and you may see something interesting or gruesome - who knows?!
You enterprising travelers, if you are there - do follow my advice and go to the Bergs Hotel in Riga, and the Narutis Hotel here in Vilnius, if you make it to the Baltic states. I have nothing to say about Tallin in Estonia - haven't done that. But these two establishments are as comfortable as you wil find anywhere. Just a tip!
Time for sleep. Tomorrow will be a full day.
Fun to read about your travels in Riga and Vilnius, two of "my" opera cities. I love the Nauritus hotel as well....have spent many comfortable nights there, as well as enjoyed lovely meals in the crepe restaurant just down the street!
Posted by: Mary Dibbern | July 02, 2009 at 12:59 AM