OTT?

We like to relax in the evening with some classical music, and in the absence of live concerts to attend, we resorted to (amongst others) the Berlin Phil's Digital Concert Hall.  There are advantages to bringing the concert hall to your living room - I often sew whilst watching, and W may sometimes do Sudoko puzzles.  We have been working our way back through the European concerts, and reached the very first one - in Prague on 1st May 1991.  Usually, but not always, the orchestra wear lounge suits for these concerts, including for this very first one.

The 1991 concert was an "all Mozart" affair (I read just now, commemorating the 200th anniversary of his death), starting with the Overture to Don Giovanni.  But when the soprano soloist appeared to sing an aria from the same opera, I had to fetch my camera.  I have noted before that solo singers, and particularly sopranos, tend to dress very flamboyantly, but this outfit was startling in its contrast to the lounge suits of the orchestra.

Also noticeable in this view is the cameraman in the middle of the orchestra, and the total disregard of "health and safety" by Claudio Abbado - no guard rails at all around what was quite a high platform.

In other news, I've put aside the cushion covers for the bench, as these are not likely to be needed before next spring, and started a new big project in the studio - it will no doubt be the subject of a Blip sometime in the near future.