Esk Community Choir - What's New?: ‘CANTIAMO’ – LET’S SING

The Grand Hotel Cadenabbia

Ondra

Ciao amici!!...It could it have been that 19 hours of plane travel with a few hours ‘in transit’ en routeto Milan had taken its toll but the sight of our friend and tour guide extraordinaire, Ondra Strejcek’s cherubic face on the other side of the customs gauntlet was definitely a sight for sore eyes when the travel-weary members of ‘Cantiamo’, the Esk Touring Choir, arrived in Italy. We were 31 in number. I know that because it is what we did multiple times daily in order to keep our flock from straying – count off! Just call me No. 25. And so it was that with our tour bus at the ready and waiting… and waiting…and waiting…two precious iPads left behind on the plane, the results of an anxious exit …we were finally heading off to our first postcard perfect picturesque place on the shores of Lake Como, Cadenabbia.

Narrow Streets of Como

This small community in Italy’s Lombardy region is documented as having been a favoured destination of the British since the 19^th century, a fact wholeheartedly supported by 31 Antipodeans as we travelled through vistas of snow-capped alps and enchanting landscapes, a journey so visually impressive it was easy to forget about the destination.

It is said that ‘courage is fear that has said its prayers’ and as our courageous bus driver, Arturo, approached our destination, threading our transporter in and around impossibly narrow cliff-side lanes and roads, we knew his prayers would have been many that morning.

Italian lesson No. 1: Drivers, a keen sense of spatial awareness is vital for your survival.

The path to Vill Melzi, Bellagio

Franz Liszt who in 1837 spent 4 months living in this majestic place with his mistress would no doubt have been inspired to compose in the surrounds of such edifying beauty on the shores of the most beautiful of the Italian Lakes.

Following our rehearsal at Rev. Roger Williams’ nearby Anglican Church of the Ascension, we knew we too were in for a special treat, Rev. Roger, an Australian from Melbourne, becoming a little dewy-eyed on hearing many of our Australian songs. Though our ever- adaptable accompanist No.20 had to contend with a piano with a mind of its own, our first performance in this uplifting old church built in 1891, the first Anglican Church in Italy, was indeed full of some wonderful moments, as was our stay in charming Cadenabbia.

The Anglican Church of the Ascension in Cadenabbia. Thanks to Rev Roger Williams for hosting us.

Elizabeth, Sue, Alexis, Tom, David and Heather -compulsory activity!

A boat trip across the lake to bella Bellagio for copious amounts of eating, shopping and walking the labyrinth of lanes; strolling through the enchanting gardens and lakeside terraces of that haven of tranquillity, Villa Melzi and our sumptuous accommodations at the Grand Hotel ensured we could trade calories for cocktails prior to our two restorative nights’ sleep as we girded our loins for the journey to Cattolica and the Queen of the Adriatic Sea Choral Festival.

The view from our hotel - snow capped mountains beyond Lake Como and Bellagio

The Brunate Funicular

Now if there is one thing the Italians do well, it’s mountains. Following an early departure on day 3, travelling in our big ‘Beta Viaggi’ bus with the colourful and ever capable new driver, Luigi, we saw lots of them...snow-capped and awe-inspiring…particularly the view from atop one of them overlooking the town of Como. Our group did manage to survive the terrifying (for some) Funicular ride up the almost vertical ascent to the charming little town of Bruante with our guide Laura, who regaled us with the many attributes of the area. Having had our fill of this town’s cobblestone quaintness, it was back on the bus for the four- hour journey to our next town and our four night’s stay in the holiday mecca, Cattolica.

Though unaccustomed to performances commencing at 9.00pm, it was some inspired singing of our a cappella repertoire of sacred songs which opened the first of the Festival Concerts in the beautiful beach resort town of Rimini, a town not far from Cattolica, founded by the Romans in 268BC. To arrive at our venue, the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi, we walked the 2000year old Tiberius Bridge still serving the people of the town and our entre to 2000 years of history! Unbelievable!

Some of the choirs at Queen of the Adriatic Festival

The Queen of the Adriatic Choral Festival attracted not only a pretty darn great Choir from Esk Australia but others including an inspiring all-female choir from Italy, a children’s Choir from Czech Republic, a Bulgarian Chamber Choir and another from the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland. Goose-bump gorgeous they all were with their sublime harmonies.

Cradled in a small bay on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, Cattolica well may have been the resting place for Pilgrims en route to Rome back in the 1500s but in more recent times has become the hot spot for holiday makers from places far and wide. Upon our arrival, the town was buzzing with vacationers making the most of the last of a long weekend. However, when in Cattolica, it’s a case of do as the tourists do and with a free morning following our Rimini performance, our group immersed themselves in all that this charming beach-side town had to offer, soaking up the sun-lashed grandeur of old tradition and modern architecture , wandering the colourful shops and boutiques or finding the perfect place to taste the local cuisine. Call them daring…call them late for breakfast …but Nos. 8,12 and 24 aka Brian, Tony and Eric even braved a couple of bracing early morning dips in the numbing waters of the Adriatic Sea whilst other groups explored the pleasures of a Pimms and pizza on the pier!

That evening following Festival registration at the palatial performance theatre Teatro della Regina it was for our group another case of sensory overload as we sat giddy with the gorgeousness of the sounds of all choirs’ acoustic rehearsals, though our group did receive the first of many rousing receptions particularly from the youthful University of Agricultural Choir from Poland.

Our journey to the historical town of St Leo, our destination for the next non-competitive concert, turned into another picturesque but white-knuckle ride through narrow mountain roads when our chichi Luigi took it upon himself to take us on a slight detour to show us the second Independent State of Italy, San Marino. (Vatican City being the other).

San Leo Village - viewed from the Fortress

Italian lesson No. 2: When one’s bus driver utters “catastrophe…mamma mia!” whilst guiding his bus through narrow mountainous terrain, it is advisable to cover one’s eyes to avoid panic attack.

St Leo was indeed a treasure trove of antiquities atop a mountain. Churches from the 9^th and 10^th centuries and our performance in the plush Palazzo Mediceo was another filled with some wonderful moments along with heart-glow following inspiring performances by all choirs. And as the day drew to a close, our minds drifted to dinner and that cool glass of bubbly prosecco which was fast becoming the recuperative drink of choice for many.

The Queen of the Adriatic Sea Choral Festival culminated in a consummate performance competition between the Choirs over a number of Choral categories, the Ensemble Vocale Femminile Kastalia from Italy, simply perfection and the outstanding Grand Prix winners while the brilliant Czech Children’s Choir showed why they have been successful at Choral Festivals all over Europe. What a thrill it was for our choir to be a part of this International Festival where concert halls were alive with glorious spontaneous singing at any available moment between Jury adjudications, where these magnificent choirs from different musical cultures came together all for their love for music.

Dark clouds greeted us on day 8 and with our first Choral Festival at an end, the jaw-dropping world- heritage town of Assisi was now at our beck and call. And so it is with the weight of my words now on a par with the overloaded suitcases which found their places under the bus that I will bid you arrivederci and hope that you will come with me in another edition for the next leg of our “Cantiamo” adventures in Italy.