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| Large screen shows crowd down in the official area |
My old neighbor Susan, from #34 Pont Vieux is spending the summer months in Toulouse because the cottage she rents in Carcassonne can make more money for its owners by being a weekly vacation rental in high season. So, she needed to find new living quarters for three months. Jason, the guy who owns #34 also has a place in Toulouse; it was being vacated by the students who rented it during the university year, and he offered it to Susan. A good deal for all parties, I think.
She let me know that there was going to be a concert by the Toulouse Orchestra in a lovely outdoor venue on Monday night, July 9. On the program were works by Bernstein, Brahms, Ducas, and Bizet. She asked if I would like to go--it was free--and I accepted. I wanted to hear this orchestra--they have a good reputation.
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| Everyone is standing |
I took the train, which is certainly easier--and cheaper--for me than driving to Toulouse. Susan met me at the station and we stopped at one of the thousand or more restaurants in the Pink City for lunch. I like to order the chef's special of the day whenever I can (i.e., when it's not fish!) and did so again....what a lovely meal. I had an entree of cool gazpacho, a lovely green cucumber based soup and for my main course I had gigolette de volaille, which was poultry (probably turkey?) that was compressed tightly into rounds sitting atop a piece of crispy polenta and all of that atop a bed of broccoli mousse. Delicious! And filling. Sorry, but I didn't take photos---I really don't like to do that any more.
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| The stage |
We were seated next to a couple from the Netherlands who are currently working in Brussels. They are in town for the convention that is taking place in conjunction with Toulouse being named a City of Science--the first city in France to be so honored. That's what the concert was celebrating as well--and at some point they asked if there were any Cities of Science in Canada (that's where Susan is from)....I had to pipe up and say that the United States currently no longer believes in science, much to my chagrin and embarrassment. The man gently corrected me and said, "The administration of the United States no longer believes in science." He is on the steering committee for Leyden's own recognition festival in 2020 (I think that is the correct upcoming year) and wanted to get an idea of what worked, and what didn't during this convention. I will say that right now, Toulouse is the happening city in France--home to its aerospace industry and much of France\s scientific research.
After lunch we went on to the apartment where we got a little bit caught up, had a little respite from the heat. Then it was off to explore the neighborhood a bit--I managed to find a piece of cheesecake, something I haven't had in years and years. Further meals after that were out of the question for me.
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| Couldn't see, but we could hear perfectly |
At about 7:30 we left for the park, which is right along the Garronne River. I had brought along my folding camp chair--sorry, but my days of sitting on the ground are mostly behind me, I think. There was no seating at this venue--actually there is no seating at most venues. The crowd stands....which is one of the reasons why I don't attend. It's one thing to stand for two hours if you're 20 and you are moving around to rock and roll music. It's quite another to stand for an hour and a half of classical music.
It seems that one is not allowed to take a picnic nor a seat into the venue--nor anything made of glass. Fine--we ended up along the fence line with all the other people who'd brought chairs and/or picnics. I am always amazed to see French people simply sit down in the dirt, the parking lot, on cement, on asphalt and have a picnic....and this evening was no exception. We did get there early enough to get right next to the fence and even though our line of sight was compromised, it had absolutely no effect on the sound. In fact, the sound was quite good. And I am used to going to concerts in halls where the object is not to see, but to hear. So I didn't care one iota about not being down center with those other 2500 people, crammed together in the heat, standing....not my idea of any way to enjoy a classical music concert.
Our seats were far from perfect--but that was the fault of the family behind us, who came to picnic and talk through the entire concert and to allow their bratty awful kids to come up and shake and pull on the fencing--in other words, to completely abdicate any parental responsibility during the evening. I confess to scaring the one little kid--I did it and I did it on purpose. And I did it with that LOOK! But he stopped his annoying behavior. Finally, after being glared at enough by the rest of us, that ignorant family packed their belongings and left. The concert became much more enjoyable after that.
I realize how much I have missed these summer evening concerts...and live classical music. There's not a lot of it here in Carcassonne. I don't thing we have a municipal orchestra---we do have a band, I think. And there are some visiting orchestras that come to the Theater Jean Alary, but that's during the season and it's indoors. I miss that sort of Tanglewood experience. The outdoor amphitheater in the Cite has seating and good acoustics, but during the month of July it's reserved for aging rock and roll acts. Or current acts whose tickets are out of my price range.
The concert program was eclectic to say the least: The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and two Bernstein pieces---the Overture to Candide and the West Side Story Medley. There was a bit of Carmen, by Bizet and Brahms' Hungarian Rhapsody. I was trying to find a link between the programming and science, but failed to do so. Maybe it was just what the guest conductor wanted to present.
I have never heard the Dukas played better. I was impressed with the sound and dynamic range of the orchestra and would like very much to hear them again.
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| Bridge over the Garonne--and concert goers walking home |
The walk home was easy--not being inside the gates meant that there was no crush or wait to get out, and we wended our way across the bridge, stopping for photos. The Capitole square was hopping with customers--it was 11:00 P.M. by now and the bistros, cafes and the ice cream stands were all doing a brisk business. That is a significant difference between 'Toulouse and Carcassonne--the streets here are deserted and quiet after 9 P.M. We remain sleepy little Carcassonne. But isn't it lovely that there are places like "Toulouse close by to visit?
I have included below the link to the concert should anyone be interested.
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