Friday, July 20, 2012

Singing in Italy in practice for our concert at Chiesa di Santa Maria del Miracoli (Church of the Miracle)

OskardmayLisa sent you a video: "MVI 0326 Lana Walter Magnificat selections Miracoli Church Copy"

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Women's Voices Chorus singing in Chiesa San Polo, Venice, Italy.
Selections from Lana Walter's setting of the Magnificat, performed by Women's Voices Chorus of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli, Venice, July 7, 2012
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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Several of us got frisked for our flight out of Denmark, like this member of the Spouse's Auxillary for WVC

Flying over the alps from Venice to Munich

Sitting in the Vence airport at 5:30 am en route for Munich. It's been a great trip and I'm looking forward to getting home. Ashley is curled up next to me, asleep.

Our farewell dinner with lots of thank yous for all the help people gave on the trip. Andy was a great guide- knowledgeable and friendly and energetic; and appreciated by all of us.

After the show we all went directly outside and many people changed out of their long black outfits. Later we got to go back in to retrieve our belongings we had left in the dark, deep underground of the church that was underneath where we sang.

Roof of the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Miracoli (Church of the Miracle)

Allen talking to us in Church of the Miracles (Chiesa San Polo) near the orphanage we visited earlier. Our performance later that day as part of the American Celebration of Music in Italy consisted of 17 pieces and was well received.

Taking photos

Venice canal. For a very old city so precariously built, one would think, on top of tiny islands; Venice has held up beautifully.

Miracle Street where the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Miracoli (Church of the Miracle) is located where we performed our last concert in Venice

Poster announcing our concert at Chiesa di Santa Maria del Miracoli (Church of the Miracle) in Venice, Italy

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Inside Ospedaletto Church (girls' orphanage). View of the sanctity curtained singing chamber for girls. In the 1500s, residents of this orphanage were trained to sing by master musicians including composer Nicola Porpora, resulting in memorable sounds. While there, WVC and researchers audiotaped some of our group singing Porpora's Magnificat.

Listening to our guides in Venice as they describe items in the music room of the Ospedaletto Church (girls' orphanage)

A statue in the music room at Ospedaletto Church

Statue label

Walking the halls of the centuries old Ospedaletto Church (orphanage for girls) en route to the music room where girls trained musically would sing in an elevated room from behind a chastity screen to patrons below

Ospedaletto Church tour guides describing the Four Season Statues outside this orphanage where composer Porpora and others trained young residents in the art of singing in the 1500s

Finished product. Next he showed us how he makes a vase. The whole process took several minutes

The whole process only took several minutes in the hands of this skilled glass worker. We were told that glass blowing is a dying art as there are very few young people entering trade in Venice, even as the nearby isle of Murano is reknown for this form of art

Creating out of glass

He works the glass

A step in the process

A glass shop we visited on St Marcos performed a demonstration for our small group. The glass worker heats the glass and has 3" to work it until it hardens too much. Frequently the glass has to be regeated several times.

A bridge in Venice and several gondolas

Lunch. Very enjoyable seafood entrees with white wine

Ashley eating fresh fish, Part of a 3 course meal that included spaghetti with seafood, too as well as salad

Lunch in Venice

Column at Doges Palace

Wall design on Doges Palace

Our group in the square

Entrance ro St Marks. These religious paintings are 700+ years old

St Marks Cathedral. Built 1000 years ago, it took 40 years to build and 450 years to cover every interior inch of the interior with marble, glass, and gold. Unfortuately, photography of the interior is prohibited.

Doges Palace, connected with the law

Entrance to Venice column with lion atop. See bird on top of lion.

St Marks Cathedral ( ahead) where we sang mass on St Marco

Greeters in Venice

A Venice isle

On the vaporetto to Venice

On the boat to Venice!