To Float on the Wayward Wind

My review of the Wiener Staatsoper's production of Beethoven's  Fidelio  has been posted at:  http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/2011/10/wiener-staatsoper-review-beethovens-one.html Reviews and other information regarding opera regularly at:   http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/

My review of the Wiener Staatsoper's production of R. Strauss'  Salome  has been posted at:  http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/2011/10/wiener-staatsoper-insanity-of-all.html Reviews and other information regarding opera regularly at:   http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/

My review of the Wiener Staatsoper's production of Verdi's  La Traviata  has been posted at:  http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/2011/10/wiener-staatsoper-natalie-dessay-in.html Reviews and other information regarding opera regularly at:   http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/

My review of the Wiener Staatsoper's production of Mozart's  Die Zauberflöte  has been posted at:  http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/2011/10/wiener-staatsopers-outstanding-die.html Reviews and other information regarding opera regularly at:   http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/

The topic of this post is two trips I made for my House of Habsburg class, first to the Imperial Treasury housed in the Hofburg complex in Vienna and second to Klosterneuburg about forty-five minutes outside Vienna. Both were interesting experiences, though it wasn't as clear as I might have hoped how the two sites related to our class material. Imperial Treasury I have no photos for the Imperial Treasury. I am pretty sure photography was forbidden, flash unquestionably was. In some locations where flash is forbidden it is possible to take a photo without flash, here, however, the rooms were kept so dark, with only indirect light or exhibit lighting on the pieces, that I think it would have been impossible to get shots that weren't very dark or blurry. The Imperial Treasury was one of the most gaudily impressive things I have seen since embarking on my study abroad experience. Various Baroque cathedrals have of course, stunned me as well as the various residences and other...

My review of the Wiener Staatsoper's production of Puccini's  Madame Buttefly  has been posted at:  http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/2011/10/wiener-staatsoper-review-madame.html Reviews and other information regarding opera regularly at:   http://passionofopera.blogspot.com/

Murano The canals of Murano My final day in Venice I planned to visit the island of Murano and see what I could see there. I travelled from Mestre to Santa Lucia once again on the train before struggling to figure out which train would take me to Murano. I finally figured it out and made my way. After about thirty minutes, I arrived. The great thing about going to these lesser known islands is that there are fewer tourists, and the ones who are there tend to be what I might call educated tourists, ones who are there to see the sights, but who can cultivate a real intellectual and emotional appreciation for them, rather than just gawking and loudly exclaiming at them. Murano as an island, likewise, is a slightly more open, and more accessible Venice. The waterways that intersect it are, for the most part, much broader, more like avenues than streets or alleyways. Further inland are homes, but lining the avenues almost exclusively are shops selling glassware, interspersed, of ...

From the water taxi My second day in Venice had a somewhat later start than it might have because I waited until 11 again so I could switch into another room, since that was the only option available when I made my reservation. The main goal of the day was to visit all of the principle attractions around San Marco, which I reached by taking the water taxi, a fun and interesting experience. A furtively captured photo of the great room of the Doge's Palace The Golden Staircase I looked at going into the Basilica first, but the line was quite long. Because of this I went to the Doge’s Palace and found that, for the price of a ticket, the line was considerably shorter. The Doge’s Palace was frankly mind-blowing. I will confess I have not yet visited the Hofburg or Schonnbrun in Vienna, and I should compare the trappings of those locations to the opulence of the Doge’s Palace. Still, I was amazed at how much gold, gilt, and carving there was in this one building. F...