The Christmas tree looks nice also after Christmas:
Saturday, 28 December 2013
The Last Night of the Proms 2011 on BBC HD channel last night
 |
| Conductor Edward Gardner and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in front of the audience in the Albert Hall. |
One reason why I always look forward to the Christmas season, is that the European television channels include so many fine classical music and opera performances in their programme schedule. In addition to the great live broadcasts - e.g. from Vienna, Dresden, Berlin and Venice - there are also many rebroadcasts of older favourites, like the Last Night of the Proms 2011, shown on the BBC HD channel last night.
What a great evening, with the young conductor Edward Gardner in charge of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Chorus and the soloists Susan Bullock (soprano) and Lang Lang!
Particularly I enjoyed Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, and Britten's wonderful arrangement of the British National Anthem.
 |
| Soprano Susan Bullock was quite a sight when she sung Rule Britannia! |
 |
| Edward Gardner was the youngest conductor since Henry Wood to conduct the Last Night of the Proms. |
 |
| The "father of the Proms", Henry Wood. |
 |
| There is no audience like the audience on the Last Night of the Proms! |
PS
Just in case you are interested:
The 2014 Proms Season launches on 24 April
and the booking opens on 17 May.
A photograph of Tsar Nicholas II and his family together with officers of the Semenovsky Life-Guards Regiment
In its 16 September 1906 issue the Swedish weekly Hvar 8 Dag published this photograph of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, posing together with officers of the Semenovsky Life-Guards Regiment.
The commander of the regiment, general Min (marked as number one in the picture) was assassinated the day after the photograph was taken. Of course, we all know what happened later to the Tsar and his family.
The Semenovsky Regiment was the second oldest guards regiment in the Imperial Russian Army. In December 1905 the regiment had participated in the quelling of the armed uprising in Moscow.
The commander of the regiment, general Min (marked as number one in the picture) was assassinated the day after the photograph was taken. Of course, we all know what happened later to the Tsar and his family.
The Semenovsky Regiment was the second oldest guards regiment in the Imperial Russian Army. In December 1905 the regiment had participated in the quelling of the armed uprising in Moscow.
 |
| Tsar Nicholas II (marked with 2) and his family together with officers of the Semenovsky regiment. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna holds the Tsesarevich and heir apparentto the throne, Alexei Nikolaevich. |
Friday, 27 December 2013
The Church of the Old Swedish Fishing Village of Viken
The church of the old Swedish fishing village of Viken is beautifully located close to the sea:
 |
| The Church of Viken was built in 1825. A new "wing" was added in 2013. |
 |
| The church seen from the other side. |
 |
| The old vicarage. |
 |
| The old cemetery at Viken. |
Houses in Viken in "Christmas Dress"
Both old and new houses in the historic fishing village of Viken are nicely decorated for
the Christmas season:
Thursday, 26 December 2013
A Christmas Doll House
What a wonderful Christmas doll house somebody has created in the village of Viken!
An artificial snowman in Sweden
No white Christmas this year here in southwestern Sweden. However, if you are inventive enough, there is excellent compensation for the lack of snow:
 |
| An artificial snowman in Viken. |
 |
| Another picture of the welcoming snowman. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)