Salzburg Easter Festival: Van Beethoven & Mahler Concert

The very last evening of classic music. Consisting of two different composers, Gustav Mahler and Ludwig van Beethoven, there could have been no better ending for my first festival in Salzburg. Beethoven's concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 B-Dur op. 19 (blindly copying this) was beautiful, easy and lovely to understand and hear whereas "Das Lied von der Erde" by Gustav Mahler was much harder to listen to. I even got a little nervous to the end because I couldn't stand this rather dark, depressive mood any longer but that must have been due to my little knowledge about this kind of music. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it to the maximum. Again, both concerts were conducted by Sir Simon Rattle who gained my sympathies from day to day more. After the concerts, we went to another spectacular restaurant, the M32, with amazing interior and outstanding good service - something I can't really confirm for Hotel Sacher's restaurant (yeah, surprising but true)... . 

Overall, I can tell that this festival was one of the rarest but meanwhile most effective experiences I was able to do. I'm thankful that I have generous, educated and caring parents who never stop engaging me to new topics and things this world offers. I got to know so many interesting people, a completely new way of music and a part of cultural education that surely not everyone is able to enjoy. I hope that this is just the beginning of a long lasting relationship to another world.

Above all of this, I met someone at a private lunch. This person inspired me for a longer period of time already and I just couldn't believe talking to her the past days. A separate blogpost will surely follow. Keep watching. 

Dress: Topshop (lastly worn here)

Bracelet: Collier de Chien, Hermès 

Shoes: Office

In front of the Festspielhaus

The end of Mahler's concert

The M32

Salzburg Easter Festival: Robert Schumann Concert

The most touching concert I was ever able to experience. I can't even tell exactly why but there were these deeply emotional moments I just felt goose humps all over my arms. Conducted by Sir Simon Rattle (just like Carmen), Nachtlied op. 108 was composed by German pianist Robert Schumann. 

Schumann is one of the greatest representatives of the Romantic era and this clearly reflects in his works. 

Time literally flew by. I couldn't believe when everything was over after two hours of beautiful music. 

Today is the very last day and I will attend a concert by van Beethoven, again conducted by Rattle. I'm definitely looking forward (and already know what I'm going to wear - something, which freaked me out the last days ;)). 

For Schumann's concert, I chose my very first more elegant dress. I received it when I was 15 and can still remember the disaster in one of Selfridges' cabins. I wanted this dress so badly and I was just too small for it. No problem for Daddy Cool, who remembered the possibility to shorten it (wow something I didn't even think of at all at that moment) and from that on it was mine. I love it with all my heart since I wore it for so many special occasions... and it seems as if it is as timeless as a dress could be. Very young but still understatement. This time, I didn't go for my signature red lips but for a slightly warmer tone. This berry colour builds a completely new contrast to my skin and the black outfit. The earrings are secretly my mum's and were just exceptionally given to me for this event (Mum, they're still alive, I didn't loose them & you can relax now). 

Dress: Armani

Earrings: Cartier 

Shoes: Christian Louboutin 

Salzburg Easter Festival: Anton Bruckner Concert

Another evening full of beautiful music and a completely different Sunday night program than usual:

A concert by Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 C-Moll conducted by Zubin Mehta, an impressive personality and by far the most beautiful concert I've ever been to. I'm not lying - this is real music. Not something I'd preferably hear at a club but something that deeply touched me. Together with the best grannies this world has seen, I've been able to sit in the second row again, therefore had a perfect view on the artists. The whole concert just lasted for one hour and a half, which I find a good time to sit and listen - other than this I would have gone a little nervous most probably. That's actually something I experienced in these past two days. It seems as everything is so fast, changing and constantly moving - nothing is really existing for a longer period and there's no real time to deeply enjoy something. Not that I'd complain about it but it's a little surprising how quickly I could get nervous just from silently sitting in a hall and listening to something for a longer period than some song of Avicii could last. 

As the concert ended, I couldn't stop feeling excited - the pride and meanwhile the passion Mehta turned to the audience was not to overlook. An impressive evening. 

I finally went for the full outfit consisting of the coat I've been already wearing and the matching dress. The mixture of the tweed-like material and the lace are once again building a classy but meanwhile catchy contrast. I couldn't resist but to take my beloved earrings again... and please note that I'm proudly presenting you the 20th time I'm trying some curls (and can actually show it to the rest of the world). 

Dress: D&G by Dolce & Gabbana

Coat: D&G by Dolce & Gabbana

Earrings: Mytho

Bag: Chanel

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Salzburg Easter Festival: Carmen Premiere

Being in Salzburg always gives me a homely feeling. Not least because a part of my family is living here. This time is absolutely different to all the other moments I spent over here: I'm able to attend the Salzburg Easter Festival, an annual festival of opera and classical music. Founded in 1967 by Herbert von Karajan, the festival is an expansion of the summer event and attracts people from all over the world. 

As this was my very first time to see and opera, I was quite excited not knowing what I shall expect and what will happen. But the moment, I entered the building, the Großes Festspielhaus, I was already in the ban of another sphere I just rarely enter. A wild mixture of people mingling together all waiting for the opera to begin were standing around. From breathtakingly beautiful to more questionable ball gowns (why do some people think that wearing a very short dress would be appropriate for an opera premiere!? style is something you just can't buy) - I saw them all. My awareness and knowledge of bad plastic surgery extended to a completely new level and so did my cultural education. 

Carmen, composed by Georges Bizet, was perfectly put in scene. Although I don't have any similar comparison to what I was able to see and hear yesterday, I just can't say anything else than share my pure fascination of it. When the first of four acts began, I felt goose humps and the way women were slowly but surely emancipating and emerging out of the slow shift to realism was amazingly brought to life. Strong, bold and with pure self-confidence Carmen was having her debut at the Easter Festivals. As I was reading some background of Bizet's opera, I was slightly surprised of how Carmen's character was presenting a fake redheaded women with a certain power, a strong voice but meanwhile no real sexiness. Maybe I was just thinking about something utopian but I associated a stereotypical Spanish full woman with wild, dark hair and nothing to hide. More passion, more temper - someone like Anna Netrebko would have perfectly fit to this role. I wonder why they didn't choose her. With a little more tackiness, Netrebko would have been the first person could think of when searching for a substitute of Madgdalena Kozena. However, Kozena, who's also the wife of Art Director Sir Simon Rattle (who did an amazing job!) played quite fair and had an unmistakably beautiful voice. So, nothing seriously to complain about. 

After three hours of sitting in the second row, we were moving from Carmen to some late night dinner at Hotel Sacher, located on the other side of the Salzach river. 

Being famous for its Austrian cuisine, I enjoyed some of my favourite dishes and had some interesting, enriching talks. Some of the rare moments, when I stop thinking about everything else happening around me and simply reflect. 

For this occasion, I chose something elegant. This dress is an alltime-stunner, which is never wrong and will surely accompany me for a long time. Once possessed by my mum, it was passed on to me and as I don't have any siblings, I still need to get that feeling of second-hand within the family ;). The earrings build some contrast and together with one of my favourite bracelets, make a statement to the rather low keyed and clearly cut dress. The shoes are plain, classic and high enough to make a small girl see a little more than usual. They just see the streets and floors for special events as I don't have the patience to watch after them for some party nights.

Dress: Gucci

Earrings: Mytho

Bracelet: Lua 

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

End of Carmen

Hotel Sacher