Here are a couple of final photos that were taken yesterday. They show the students in the foyer and staircase of the hotel, and also in front of the hotel.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Epilogue: Friday, June 3
That's it! We're done! Unbelievable that the program is over. Several students took off at the crack of dawn (that's 4:00 am here!). My family is heading to Salzburg for the weekend and as we walked to the subway to go to the train station to catch our train, we ran into Anthony, Catt, Bobby and Brittany as they caught their taxi to the airport. We said our goodbyes and that was it. I am looking forward to receiving emails from all the students when each of them returns home safely.
Here are a couple of final photos that were taken yesterday. They show the students in the foyer and staircase of the hotel, and also in front of the hotel.
Auf wiedersehen aus Wien!
Here are a couple of final photos that were taken yesterday. They show the students in the foyer and staircase of the hotel, and also in front of the hotel.
Thursday, June 2
I cannot believe it is the final day of the program. We have been planning for this for almost two years, and now it is almost finished! I must say that the group of students that came on this Study Abroad program have been nothing short of wonderful. No trouble, no complaints, no problems. I couldn't have asked for a better group of students for my first Study Abroad directorship.
So what did we do on our last day? Something very appropriate. We have been learning about the great composers who called Vienna their home, we have been visiting their lodgings, we have been walking the streets where they walked, and we have been hearing their music in extremely high quality performances. So today we visited their final resting place, the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery).
First we had a short session for both classes, wrapping things up and taking the final exams. Afterwards we got on the Straßenbahn and headed to the cemetery. I think the photos speak for themselves.
So what do do our last evening? What could we possibly do to top off this program and send us all home smiling? Amazingly, almost as if Vienna planned to give us an incredible send-off, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra gave a free performance on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, for which they performed one of the great orchestral showpieces ever written, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, in the arrangement by Maurice Ravel. We went early in order to get seats because we knew there would be a huge crowd. We got there about 5:00, but the concert didn't start until darkness fell at 9:00, because of the light show planned for the concert.
Here are some photos of us before the concert.
Here is what the stage looked like when we arrived at 5:00.
And here is what it looked like during the curtain calls.
The conductor of the concert was the famous Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, currently Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Here he is taking his bow. You can see the massive Neptune Fountain behind the see-through, plastic-sheeting that served as a stage cover.
Although this last photo is a bit blurry, it does give a sense of the pageantry and also the lighting that was displayed throughout the concert.
After the concert, as the crowds of people made their way out of the palace grounds and onto the subway, I said goodbye to the students as all of us are traveling somewhere tomorrow. Some are heading home, some are staying in Vienna, and some are traveling elsewhere in Europe. Several are leaving very early tomorrow. As we said goodbye, we all agreed that this concert was the very best way we could have ended our program.
So what did we do on our last day? Something very appropriate. We have been learning about the great composers who called Vienna their home, we have been visiting their lodgings, we have been walking the streets where they walked, and we have been hearing their music in extremely high quality performances. So today we visited their final resting place, the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery).
First we had a short session for both classes, wrapping things up and taking the final exams. Afterwards we got on the Straßenbahn and headed to the cemetery. I think the photos speak for themselves.
So what do do our last evening? What could we possibly do to top off this program and send us all home smiling? Amazingly, almost as if Vienna planned to give us an incredible send-off, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra gave a free performance on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, for which they performed one of the great orchestral showpieces ever written, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, in the arrangement by Maurice Ravel. We went early in order to get seats because we knew there would be a huge crowd. We got there about 5:00, but the concert didn't start until darkness fell at 9:00, because of the light show planned for the concert.
Here are some photos of us before the concert.
Here is what the stage looked like when we arrived at 5:00.
And here is what it looked like during the curtain calls.
The conductor of the concert was the famous Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, currently Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Here he is taking his bow. You can see the massive Neptune Fountain behind the see-through, plastic-sheeting that served as a stage cover.
Although this last photo is a bit blurry, it does give a sense of the pageantry and also the lighting that was displayed throughout the concert.
After the concert, as the crowds of people made their way out of the palace grounds and onto the subway, I said goodbye to the students as all of us are traveling somewhere tomorrow. Some are heading home, some are staying in Vienna, and some are traveling elsewhere in Europe. Several are leaving very early tomorrow. As we said goodbye, we all agreed that this concert was the very best way we could have ended our program.
Wednesday, June 1
Yesterday we discussed the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) movement in Vienna, and today we visit the Belvedere Palace, which is home to the most important paintings of Gustav Klimt, the leader of the movement.
The Belvedere Palace has an interesting history. It was built by Prince Eugene of Savoy, Austria's most successful military leader. It is because of Prince Eugene's military victories that the Ottoman Turks were turned away from Europe and forced back into present-day Turkey back in the 17th century. Because of this the Austrian Hapsburg rulers showered the Prince with honors and also much wealth. It is with this money that he built the Belvedere Palace.
Our group on the front steps.
We could not film or take photographs inside the palace, but we did take a tour with a guide who showed us the highlights of the collection, including Klimt's most famous work, The Kiss. Afterwards the students walked through the palace grounds and formal gardens. The Belvedere has beautiful gardens, not quite as extensive as Schönbrunn, but still impressive.
In the evening there was a special performance of Verdi's opera Rigoletto at the Theater an der Wien (Theater on the Vienna River), sponsored by the Wiener Festwochen (Vienna Festival), which has been going on during our visit. The Theater an der Wien is an especially important theater in Vienna. It was built by Emanuel Schikaneder, who talked Mozart into writing The Magic Flute for his suburban company. He also wrote the libretto for The Magic Flute and was the very first Papageno (a major character in the opera). He built the Theater an der Wien with the money he made from producing The Magic Flute. It was built in 1801. Here is Drew in his box seat.
A view of the stage.
The performance was outstanding, and the production was a joint effort between the Theater an der Wien and New York's Metropolitan Opera. Here is the final curtain call.
Another great day. Another great performance!
The Belvedere Palace has an interesting history. It was built by Prince Eugene of Savoy, Austria's most successful military leader. It is because of Prince Eugene's military victories that the Ottoman Turks were turned away from Europe and forced back into present-day Turkey back in the 17th century. Because of this the Austrian Hapsburg rulers showered the Prince with honors and also much wealth. It is with this money that he built the Belvedere Palace.
Our group on the front steps.
We could not film or take photographs inside the palace, but we did take a tour with a guide who showed us the highlights of the collection, including Klimt's most famous work, The Kiss. Afterwards the students walked through the palace grounds and formal gardens. The Belvedere has beautiful gardens, not quite as extensive as Schönbrunn, but still impressive.
In the evening there was a special performance of Verdi's opera Rigoletto at the Theater an der Wien (Theater on the Vienna River), sponsored by the Wiener Festwochen (Vienna Festival), which has been going on during our visit. The Theater an der Wien is an especially important theater in Vienna. It was built by Emanuel Schikaneder, who talked Mozart into writing The Magic Flute for his suburban company. He also wrote the libretto for The Magic Flute and was the very first Papageno (a major character in the opera). He built the Theater an der Wien with the money he made from producing The Magic Flute. It was built in 1801. Here is Drew in his box seat.
A view of the stage.
The performance was outstanding, and the production was a joint effort between the Theater an der Wien and New York's Metropolitan Opera. Here is the final curtain call.
Another great day. Another great performance!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 31
Today in the Vienna Class we talked about the turn of the 20th century in Vienna, the artistic movement known here as Jugendstil (elsewhere as Art Nouveau), and the composers Anton Bruckner, Hugo Wolf, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton Webern. In the Opera Class we covered in depth the style of light opera called the Operetta, which had a huge flowering here in Vienna in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Two of the greatest operettas were composed here: Die Fledermaus ("The Bat") by Johann Strauss II (which many of us saw this past weekend); and The Merry Widow, by Franz Lehar.
In the afternoon we visited the house Joseph Haydn bought with the money he made from his first concertizing trip to London in 1791-92. Later he added a second story after his second trip to London in 1794-95. It was here where he wrote his two great oratorios The Creation and The Seasons. It is also the house in which he died.
Michael with Haydn's piano.
We're all taking photos!
Haydn evidently had a collection of musical canons which he had displayed on his wall. Here's Natalia with the canon collection and a Haydn piano.
Haydn especially loved his garden, which has been recently restored to look like it did during Haydn's last years.
In the afternoon we visited the house Joseph Haydn bought with the money he made from his first concertizing trip to London in 1791-92. Later he added a second story after his second trip to London in 1794-95. It was here where he wrote his two great oratorios The Creation and The Seasons. It is also the house in which he died.
Michael with Haydn's piano.
We're all taking photos!
Haydn evidently had a collection of musical canons which he had displayed on his wall. Here's Natalia with the canon collection and a Haydn piano.
Haydn especially loved his garden, which has been recently restored to look like it did during Haydn's last years.
Monday, May 30
Today we begin our final week here in Vienna. It seems as if it has gone by so fast. This Friday is the end of the program and everyone will be leaving. Some of us will go home on Friday, while others plan to spend a few extra days in Europe. Several of us plan to spend the weekend in Salzburg, my family included, others plan to travel in Germany, and one student is flying to Paris to spend a week with a friend.
Today's class was held in one of the most impressive palaces in all of Europe, Schönbrunn. Meaning "beautiful fountain," Schönbrunn was a conscious attempt by the ruling Hapsburg family of Austria to duplicate Versaille, the summer home of the French kings outside of Paris. It is a massive structure with over 1000 rooms. It was also the summer home of the Austrian rulers, and when it was built it was several miles outside the city walls. But now the city has grown up around it. Still, the footprint of the palace and surrounding grounds is immense. Here is the UTB group in the front of the palace.
We had arrived a little early for our tour, so several students relaxed on a flight of stairs inside the entrance.
Unfortunately, the staff of the palace does not allow photographs of any kind inside. But of all the ornately decorated rooms the one that made the most impact on our students was the room in which the six-year-old Mozart performed his very first concert in Vienna (only his second concert ever) for the Empress Maria Theresa. This is the famous visit during which Maria Theresa's daughter Marie Antoinette helped Mozart after he slipped on the polished floors, and he promptly announced that he would marry her some day!
After the palace tour the students were free to explore the grounds, and although not quite as extensive as Versailles (the Hapsburgs ran out of money before they could duplicate the French model), they are still very impressive. This is the view of the "backyard" with a temporary stage, lights and sound equipment being readied for a free concert of the Vienna Philharmonic on the palace grounds Thursday evening (of course, we plan to attend!).
On the grounds of the palace are a public swimming pool, the best zoo in Europe (many students have been and have compared it favorably to the San Diego Zoo), several mazes, a playground, several large fountains and pools, many formal gardens, nature walks through wooded areas, and a massive structure on the hill behind the palace called the Gloriette.
Here is Drew lost in the maze.
And here is the view of the palace, and Vienna beyond, from the Gloriette.
After the walk through the palace grounds, many of us decided to go to a famous old "keller" (cellar) in the center of Vienna, the Twelve Apostles Keller. They serve classic Viennese dishes such as sausages, Wienerschnitzel and others. The atmosphere inside the keller is unbeatable.
The local musicians serenaded the students with "The Eyes of Texas!" I've got video to prove it!
An enjoyable evening to a tiring day!
Today's class was held in one of the most impressive palaces in all of Europe, Schönbrunn. Meaning "beautiful fountain," Schönbrunn was a conscious attempt by the ruling Hapsburg family of Austria to duplicate Versaille, the summer home of the French kings outside of Paris. It is a massive structure with over 1000 rooms. It was also the summer home of the Austrian rulers, and when it was built it was several miles outside the city walls. But now the city has grown up around it. Still, the footprint of the palace and surrounding grounds is immense. Here is the UTB group in the front of the palace.
We had arrived a little early for our tour, so several students relaxed on a flight of stairs inside the entrance.
Unfortunately, the staff of the palace does not allow photographs of any kind inside. But of all the ornately decorated rooms the one that made the most impact on our students was the room in which the six-year-old Mozart performed his very first concert in Vienna (only his second concert ever) for the Empress Maria Theresa. This is the famous visit during which Maria Theresa's daughter Marie Antoinette helped Mozart after he slipped on the polished floors, and he promptly announced that he would marry her some day!
After the palace tour the students were free to explore the grounds, and although not quite as extensive as Versailles (the Hapsburgs ran out of money before they could duplicate the French model), they are still very impressive. This is the view of the "backyard" with a temporary stage, lights and sound equipment being readied for a free concert of the Vienna Philharmonic on the palace grounds Thursday evening (of course, we plan to attend!).
On the grounds of the palace are a public swimming pool, the best zoo in Europe (many students have been and have compared it favorably to the San Diego Zoo), several mazes, a playground, several large fountains and pools, many formal gardens, nature walks through wooded areas, and a massive structure on the hill behind the palace called the Gloriette.
Here is Drew lost in the maze.
And here is the view of the palace, and Vienna beyond, from the Gloriette.
After the walk through the palace grounds, many of us decided to go to a famous old "keller" (cellar) in the center of Vienna, the Twelve Apostles Keller. They serve classic Viennese dishes such as sausages, Wienerschnitzel and others. The atmosphere inside the keller is unbeatable.
The local musicians serenaded the students with "The Eyes of Texas!" I've got video to prove it!
An enjoyable evening to a tiring day!
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