The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra performance last night was entitled – A Century of Idols. It featured music with a Hispanic theme composed by Strauss, Debussy, and Márquez. Chief Conductor Gabriel Feltz led the orchestra, and Boris Brezovac and Daniel Muller-Schott were soloists. Performances by the conductor, soloists, and orchestra were exceptional, and I had a fantastic seat in the center gallery.
Strauss and Debussy are two of my favorite composers. Last night, Márquez’s composition, inspired by the exotic Cuban dance danzón, was my favorite. The orchestra presented the exciting piece with such vigor, it was exhilarating, and Feltz was almost dancing as he conducted.
Strauss’s Don Quixote “brings the adventures of Cervantes’ heroes to life,” with masterful solos by cellist Daniel Müller–Schott and violist Boris Brezovac.
Debussy “celebrates the essence of Spain” in his three-movement orchestral work – Images for Orchestra. Ibéria, the central movement, is the most popular, and it’s often performed alone.
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“Ibéria evokes a dreamy, dancing world drenched in Spanish scents and flavors, infused with the essence of Spanish folk tunes, Moorish-influenced melodies, and Spanish dance rhythms.”
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Márquez’s composition is considered a “staple of contemporary Mexican music literature“. Immediately recognizable, it “expresses and reflects on danzón, the official dance of Cuba“. Danzón is an “important part of the folklore of the Mexican state of Veracruz. It’s said that Márquez’s composition was “inspired by a visit to a Veracruz ballroom“.
Danzón No. 2 is a “tribute to the environment that nourishes the dance genre“. It endeavors to “get as close as possible to the dance and its nostalgic melodies and wild rhythms“.
It was another great evening with the magical Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra!
Košava Winds
Belgrade has been besieged by strong Košava winds for several days. At times, I’ve thought about looking for something solid and stationary to hold onto! The winds come from the Carpathian Mountains and generally blow for about five days. Belgrade locals don’t seem to mind the wind, since it clears the air of pollutants. Heavy gusts wreak havoc with coifs, and I’ve noticed local sun hats usually include a chin strap :o). Košava winds remind me of Cape Town’s wild southeasters, a.k.a. the Cape Doctor.
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“Košava is a cold, very squally southeastern wind found in parts of Eastern Europe and the Balkans. It starts in the Carpathian Mountains and follows the Danube River northwest through the Iron Gate region where it gains a jet effect, and then continues to Belgrade.”
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Foreign Influence Bill Georgia
I’ve been doing research to get a feel for what’s happening in my next stop, Tbilisi Georgia. News reports “peaceful protests” regarding Georgian parliament passage of the Foreign Influence Bill. Passage of the controversial bill “defies widespread unrest in the country and warnings from the EU and US“.
The bill will be sent to President Salome Zourabichvili, who promised to veto it. According to the Georgia constitution, the ruling majority in Parliament can override Zourabichvilis’s veto.
The Russian foreign agent law requires “anyone who receives support from outside Russia or is under influence from outside Russia to register and declare themselves as foreign agents“.
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“Georgia’s Foreign Influence Bill requires media and NGOs to register as pursuing the interests of a foreign power, if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad. The bill is seen by many as influenced by similar Russian legislation, which has been used to clamp down on the Kremlin’s political opponents and dissent.”
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Ciao for now – this will be my last post from Belgrade – more later from Tbilisi.