Halleluhah!
Yesterday morning we were up before light (ugh) and out after a very quick breakfast. We were surprised how many other people were also out and about that time on a Saturday - and they weren't the chasse in their white vans.
We headed on south into the Tarn and alongside the river Aveyron before heading down further south to the village of Puycelsi. The village itself is one of 'The Most Beautiful Villages in France'. There is an association of 152 villages in France with this accolade. There are certain criteria to meet such as the number of occupants (less than 2000), the architecture, environment and heritage.
Sitting on top of a hillside with stunning views all around, this peaceful village is incredibly busy with lots of activities, bars, good walking and the Church of St Corneille. This once beautiful church is in need of restoration and lots of TLC. An association has been set up to raise the money for restoration and one of the fund-raising events is a performance of Handel's Messiah with a scratch choir.
Thus briefed we all paid our registration fees, which included lunch and afternoon tea, and duly gathered together yesterday morning eager for our first rehearsal. Unfortunately, because we had registered late, our names were not on the list of choristers, but we were still allowed in!
After two hours of practice we were ready for lunch of salads and quiches, cheese and dessert which set us up for a second two hour rehearsal and then afternoon tea (which was very welcome) and our performance began at 6pm - very, very early by French standards. Of course before we were allowed to sing there were the obligatory speeches, the mayor, the chairman of the restoration committe and another chap whose role I didn't quite get but he spoke at length about the cost of restoration and the way it is achieved. Finally we could begin.
We sang our little hearts out accompanied by organist Nicholas O'Neill from the UK to the direction of Mark Opstad. Four excellent soloists completed the group and the performance itself went very well indeed.
We performed our encore, a second rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus and the audience stood to applaud all the performers.
On my way out of the church I was stopped by an elderly gentleman.
'Thank you so much for a wonderful evening's performance' he said.
Little things like that give you such a warm feeling inside.
Which was just as well since as soon as we set foot outside the wind got up and the heavens opened. I threw off my 'instrument of torture' shoes and ran for the car bare footed. The rain lessened just long enough for me to take a photo of the most stunning sunset I've seen in a long time.
Such a long day and we still got home in time to catch the second half of the Last Night of The Proms - Bryn Terfel's voice is just wonderful - and thanks to the new Proms Director for not playing Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs which has just got too farcical for words these days!
All photographs copyright Sue Smith, September 2008
1 comment:
Hi Sue
Wasn't it a shame about the rain! It spoilt what was otherwise a perfect evening. The caterers had already poured about 100 glasses of wine which was gradually getting diluted in the rain, and were frantically trying to serve canapes to fleeing concert-goers :-) Still, the 5 of us staying in the B&B had a late dinner at the Ancienne Auberge, which was a nice way to round off the evening. And it was a pleasure to meet you and put a face to a name :-)
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