(Click on all images to enlarge. Above: The grand hallway of Natural History in the Manchester Museum.....lots and lots of stuffed animals...some were rather creepy.)
By now most of my family and friends know that Steve and I went to England to watch Mathias in the Stravinsky triple bill and the classical Giselle. Steve carefully selects all our flight arrangements and painstakingly investigates all hotel options....only to have them scattered by weather delays and every other possible problem. As a result, I was only six or seven hours late, and Steve was over 26 hours behind schedule.
I made it to the Lowry in time to see the final part of the matinée Stravinsky program. Fortunately, this included Mathias' solo in Card Games. It was wonderful fun! My luggage, however, was lost; so, there was no need to find the hotel immediately. Mathias got a staff ticket for the evening production. I saw the whole show this time...with Mathias dancing a different part. Grand! (Except Steve wouldn't get to see this production at all.)
I took a taxi to the hotel afterwards...one in which we planned on staying only a single night. Later, I learned that Steve was spending the night in NYC....stranded....but able to get to the Met to see ABT's Giselle! This was a rare and wonderful treat to see the same ballet done by another internationally great company...one night before seeing it done by BRB!
The next day we had planned to visit the Manchester Museum and the Whitworth Gallery. So, I did...alone...because I had no idea where Steve might be or when he might arrive. I had no luggage to worry with either. The museum was wonderful, one of those places with a bit of everything....strong on Egyptian artifacts and natural history. (I adore both!)
From this museum I went on to the Whitworth Gallery and saw the most incredible and inspirational exhibition by a printmaker named Anne Desmet. Her use of architecture as a means of expression was outstanding. Her ability to take traditional printmaking to a new, complicated and modern level totally amazed me. I probably should have purchased the catalog, but I was tire of carrying my heavy purse....my only luggage!
By the late afternoon, I went to the second hotel...closer to the Lowry. No rooms had been available the evening before. Fortunately, Steve had arrived. Amazingly, my luggage had been delivered! That night we saw Giselle for the first time. It is so nice to see a production before Mathias is dancing his "big part". He was in the show, of course, but not dancing the Peasant Pas in the first act.
We had a chance to have dinner with both Mathias and Laura Jane. It was great to catch up and listen to their "ballet" talk.
2 comments:
Wow...26 hours has got to be close to the Lenz Family record, right? And "Egypt=Susan"...it's always been that way since you were in 7th grade! You are so wonderful to go through museums with...I listen to you more than I read the little signs. Remember the Art Museum in Aschaffenburg where all we did was look at the picture frames and not the pictures? I'll never forget that!
By the way...doesn't this last picture...of the skeleton...look like he has glasses on????
Post a Comment