#sommernachtskonzert

The ups, downs, and randomnesses of this year’s Summer Night’s Concert:

The setup was different this year, with only two entrances and I got stuck in the masses way before I even got there. Guy behind me “Well, I’d strike here. #Bombenstimmung”.

The stage was set up in front of the palace instead of the Neptune Fountain, which apparently lead to better accoustics. I can’t really compare it to previous years though, I haven’t been this in-the-middle-of it for a long while, but the new setup also meant I couldn’t go up to the Gloriette without some major detours, so I actually stayed put.

Visually though I prefer looking the other way.

For whatever reason my brain decided that “harpist” sounded wrong and wanted to go with “harpoonist”.

I really wasn’t impressed with most of this year’s song choices.

Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Waltz was the first one I liked and the first one people started walzing to.

When Hedwig’s Theme started playing people actually squeed and then went “shh!”. (A problem I always have with Summer Night’s Concert is that people will talk all the way through it, it’s free, it’s open air, so apparently that makes it okay.) Pretty much everyone had their mobile out for this one and it got the second loudest applause of the evening.

As expected I liked the encores, and Wiener Blut got the most applause (and had the most people walzing).

On a related note, that is when I thought “I’d strike now”. Macabre poetics, but Wiener Blut translates to Viennese Blood, so ...

I was disappointed with the lack of fireworks in addition to the (from my height) not too stunning visuals.

While I didn’t mind myself and a lot of people used their mobiles as flashlights, the paths to the exit where a tiny bit almost pitch black at times.

It was smooth sailing almost all the way to the exit when suddenly the path seemed blocked. Getting closer I saw people were holding signs saying “Congestion at the exit - Please be patient” and beyond them ... traffic lights. I though that was well handled because my oncoming sigh & eye-roll combo in light of being stuck again turned into all smiles.

Sommernachtskonzert

Georges Bizet Farandole aus L`Arlésienne, Suite Nr. 2

Hector Berlioz Rákóczy Marsch aus „La Damnation de Faust“, op. 24

Francis Poulenc Konzert für zwei Klaviere in d-Moll, d-Moll, FP 61

Camille Saint-Saëns Finale aus „Karneval der Tiere“ [encore]

Maurice Ravel Daphnis und Chloé, Suite Nr. 2 Boléro, Ballett für Orchester

Jacques Offenbach Can Can aus „Orpheus in der Unterwelt“

Johann Strauss Jr. Wiener Blut, Walzer op. 354

Semyon Bychkov Dirigent Wiener Philharmoniker Katia Labèque, Marielle Labèque Klavier