Summer Orchestra Tours

Is it really already mid-August? This summer has flown by for us here in Bulgaria with lots of concerts, tours, a short family vacation, and much more keeping us on our toes. There are so many things that we have been wanting to share here on the blog, but we have been so busy DOING it all that it can be difficult to find the time to write.

In an attempt to start catching you all up on the latest happenings in Bulgaria, here are some stories from our time on the road with the orchestra this summer.

As some of you may remember, our orchestra went on tour to Deva, Romania to play for a local opera festival last summer. Apparently the tour was such a wonderful success that the festival invited us back for a second year this summer. In fact, this summer went so well that we just finished up a third Romanian tour, just for the weekend, to perform a reprise of one of our programs from July (but more on that another time).

So this past month we packed our bags for the drive to Deva for a week of opera performances. This year with the addition of a few days playing in Graz, Austria for another opera festival tagged on at the end.

Here are some photos and highlights from both parts of the trip…

Deva, Romania:

 

A short day-trip outside the city to enjoy the Romanian MOUNTAINS and a traditional meal of lamb with bulz (baked polenta with sheep cheese on the inside)..yummy!

Dressing up as traditional Romanian shepherds

Playing at Corvin Castle for a second year and taking (what is becoming) an annual photo at the gallows!

 

Finding classic tile stoves (Kevin’s new obsession) and enjoying traditional Mici sausage at the local indoor market in Deva

 

Enjoying a wonderful end of festival banquet at a local restaurant, complete with a traditional Romanian folk band, folk dancers, food and some Bulgarian horo dancing added into the mix

Graz, Austria:

Playing Nabucco in the ruins of an old prison that has now been converted into a beautiful outdoor theater on the top of a hill overlooking the city! What a COOL theater and GORGEOUS view!!

Staying in the beautiful Schocklblick lodge in the Austrian mountains just outside of Graz

Going on an adventurous hike to see a waterfall (that turned out to be dried up) with numerous wooden bridges and stairs to climb. Wish we had thought to count how many bridges we had to cross…oh well!

Enjoying amazing Austrian pancakes (Kaiserschmarrn) at Alsteirische Schmankerlstube before one of the concerts. Definitely one of the best things we ate all trip. You should definitely visit this restaurant if you are ever in Graz.

Meeting up with the Shasberger side of the family at the end of the tour before beginning a short family vacation together…Yay for family time!!

Compared to our tour last year where we were mostly stuck in rehearsals all day, it was wonderful to have some more time off this year to explore and enjoy both Deva and Graz. Not to mention that being able to see family at the end definitely made it fly by that much faster.

It was definitely a joy to have a few weeks this summer exploring new places, making new friends and playing beautiful music. Besides having a bus driver that kept seeming to take wrong turns and get lost (including that one 13 hour trip that should only have been 8) it was certainly a very smooth and relaxed tour overall which was a blessing.

We hope all of you have been enjoying your summer adventures as well!

Stay tuned for more summer stories and updates coming soon…