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#11
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"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message ... I posted the following to my travel and opera newsgroups, who probably can be of more help from a practical standpoint. However, given the proven "power of purr", I figured it would do no harm to post it here, too. I can certainly use all the help I can get! __________________________________ After believing my Zurich hotel (Hotel Opera) when they assured me that procuring tickets to "Die Meistersinger" the next to last week in December would be no problem for them, in July I booked (and paid for) a non-changeable, non-refundable airline ticket from L. A. to Zurich. This week I received an e-mail from the hotel informing me that the operas were on "subscription series", sold out, and although they've placed me on the Opernhaus waiting list, they are not too hopeful! The sole reason for the journey was to hear my favorite opera singer in a very demanding role which he may not sing again (he's in his mid-sixties, and thinking of retiring from the operatic stage). I cannot afford to forfeit the rather substantial amount of money the airfare represents, so MUST make the trip to Zurich, but am not exactly overjoyed at traveling all that distance for nothing! I have faxed the opera house explaining my particular circumstances, but my German is so inadequate I've no idea whether the fax number I found in the season brochure is likely to reach the box-office. I have written a followup letter to the opera house box office, with the same information I put in my fax, but it will take a week to reach Zurich from Los Angeles. I have written a letter to "my" singer in care of the opera house, telling him the problem and asking him to use his influence for me. (The opera is probably in rehearsal now, but there will be the same week's delay before he gets my letter - if he does.) I have also e-mailed him at the address he once gave me, but who knows how often he checks his e-mail, or even whether he monitors it himself? When I first decided to go, I asked Western States Tickets to find the opera tickets for me (I'd rather pay their inflated prices, as I've done in the past, and KNOW I have seats) but they "have little demand" for opera in Zurich or any other venues off the beaten tourist path, so more or less told me (politely) that they didn't want to be bothered. Short of camping out in the box-office lobby for my entire week in Zurich, hoping to waylay someone who cannot use their ticket, does anyone have any suggestions how I might manage to attend at least ONE performance? Any help you can offer will be GREATLY appreciated. Evelyn special opera purrs enroute. Brenda |
#12
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Arthur Shapiro wrote: In article , "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote: I posted the following to my travel and opera newsgroups, who probably can be of more help from a practical standpoint. Wow...what a story. And I thought travelling from California to Chicago for a piano recital was fairly heavy-duty! Purrs from here, of course. Is there any possibility that the Swiss embassy might have some clout, even for a non-citizen? I'm curious, if it isn't a state secret, who the singer in question might be. His name is Jose Van Dam - he's a very fine Belgian bass-baritone, well known in Europe and on the East Coast of the U.S. - not quite so well in the Western states. He doesn't sing much opera in the U.S. any more (understandable, since it's much easier to have BOTH a career and a home life in Europe, and SFAIK, he's a happily married man), but that means if I want to hear him in opera, I must go where he is singing it. |
#13
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"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:
His name is Jose Van Dam - he's a very fine Belgian bass-baritone, well known in Europe and on the East Coast of the U.S. - not quite so well in the Western states. Any relation to Jean-Claude? Never mind. I do hope you get your tickets. I love Wagner, too, and they never seem to do his operas with any regularity. |
#14
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"Yowie" wrote Just ring the opera house in question and ask for someone who speaks English. Most people in Europe speak perfectly good English, give it a go. Also, Italian and French are official languages in Switzerland, so if you know either (I'm assuming all opera singers know Italian) you could try using those. There should be someone at the hotel that speaks either or both, even if Zürich is in the German-speaking area. -- Marina |
#15
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Takayuki wrote: "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote: His name is Jose Van Dam - he's a very fine Belgian bass-baritone, well known in Europe and on the East Coast of the U.S. - not quite so well in the Western states. Any relation to Jean-Claude? Never mind. Funny you should ask that! He tells the story that, when he sang for the royal wedding of Belgium's king and queen, some prominent person in the wedding party remarked upon how beautifully Jean-Claude Van Damme had sung! (They do have the same last name - although the singer has dropped the final "me" from his - but I think its a fairly common surname in Belgium.) I do hope you get your tickets. I love Wagner, too, and they never seem to do his operas with any regularity. |
#16
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"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message ...
I posted the following to my travel and opera newsgroups, who probably can be of more help from a practical standpoint. However, given the proven "power of purr", I figured it would do no harm to post it here, too. I can certainly use all the help I can get! __________________________________ (snipped the details) Wow, Evelyn, what a glamorous problem to have! :-P I'm afraid I don't have any helpful ideas, but we are sending purrs that you get to your opera and it's as enjoyable as you'd anticipated. ------ Krista |
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