Last Day in Leipzig; final concert and farewell dinner

Saturday, June 13

After spending our morning either relaxing at the hotel or running around to see and hear the things we still hadn't gotten to (an impossible goal!), the Chorale members met at St. Thomas Church to hear a Motet (Motette) featuring the Amici Musicae Choir and Orchestra of Leipzig.  To hear this grand choral music in Bach's church home was an inspiring way to bid farewell to this city and to the tour.

 

St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche).

With the voices of Amici Musicae still in our heads, we trekked over to Leipzig's newest Catholic Cathedral,  St. Trinitas, for our final service participation and concert.  After being in the elaborate, mostly Baroque  churches we'd performed in for the past 10 days, St. Trinitas was a complete opposite: a modern, soaring and austere space.  

Tour pianist, and organist, Carolyn Cline, ready to accompany us on organ at St. Trinitas.

Time for a group photo of Larimer Chorale, Voices West, and our fabulous accompanists -- Carolyn Cline and the Adornamento string quartet.

And then, our descent into....

Auerbach's Keller!

Auerbach's Cellar  is the best known and second oldest restaurant and drinking spot in Leipzig, dating to at least the first half of the fifteenth century. It is described in Goethe's play, Faust,  as the first place Mephistopheles ( a demon/devil)  takes Faust on their travels. Goethe lived and went to school in Leipzig and spent many hours at Auerbach's and felt it was a fitting setting for the Faust scenes.  Goethe was familiar with the Faust legend since childhood,  The scene Auerbach’s Cellar in Leipzig in his drama is his literary salute to his student tavern and to the city. 

Many of the same paintings of Faust with the devil still adorn the walls from those days several hundred years ago.  We had a great farewell party with good food, wine and we even sang -- a Happy Birthday to long-time Chorale member Ceil Damshroder.  What a treat for her to have the song sung with rich harmony, loudly with even the restaurant's other patrons joining in!  

A-HA Moment!!!  The space above Auerbachs Cellar is a lovely shopping area.  Very close to the Statue of Faust  is a shoe store selling "Mephisto" shoes!  I'll need to research that one.  Devil shoes?

The devil tempts Faust to join him for drink at Auerbach's Keller. Statue is at the entrance of the restaurant. Our travelers had no trouble giving in to Mephistopheles's call to drink!

Our traveling chorus and supporters celebrate a great tour in Auerbach Keller after the final performance in Leipzig.

 Happy Birthday to Ceil Damschroder! (right)  Had our harmonic version ever sounded to strong?  We had help from other restaurant patrons who joined our own group in that universal wish for a joyous birthday. Ceil would be headed home for the ultimate birthday gift...a new grandbaby due at any time!

Time for a sweet farewell to the Adornamento Quartett  (from left, Filip, Alex, Charlotte and Natalia) whom we've all grown very fond of and whom we admire to the max! There were so many people lined up to take their photo, it looked like a press conference!

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