The Sound of Music...

Austria(part II):

Kunsthistorisches Museum, museum quarter (Hofburg)

 

Kunst Museum, harboring the fourth largest gallery of paintings in the world (Raphael, Bruegel, Titian, etc...) Maria Theresa memorial (the statue) standing in front

Museum Quarter in the former imperial equestrian stables is home to the Leopold Museum, the museum of modern art, the Kunthalle and other art and cultural facilities. 

Heldenplatz: Neue Burg. Main entrance to the National Library, the collection of arms and musical instruments and the Ephesus museum. 

one of the interesting facts about the Vienna's royal opulence was hidden under a piece of napkin!  The art of napkin-folding was so elaborate and unique that it was only taught to 2 people in the imperial apartments as a secret during the Hapsburg empire era. (Can't we just figure it out?!!)

At MusikVerein!

We finally made it there after about 30 min delay from start of the Mozart show and since the rules were very strict there, had to wait until the intermission, thankfully 8 of them, to get to our seats.  The halls were truly magnificent with  intricate golden wall details and murals and with the acoustics being regarded as the best of any concert hall in the world, and the musicians decked out in historic medieval costumes  it was sure going to be a unique and delightful experience! There were a total of  2 halls in the upper floors adjacent to one another and you could not hear a beat from the other hall even from the corridors while the other concert was going on.   Good thing because they usually don't allow small kids in the live shows but this acoustical protection with secure double layered doors suddenly seemed hugely appropriate as we were waiting in the hallway with a little more than excited toddler !  The smaller hall of the two places where our concert was held was also blessed with a remote balcony so if there was a need kids could be  removed at once without disturbing the performers. Although every thing seemed like a perfectly laid out plan  let's say Arah did quite remarkably for her own good for the first 20 minutes in the show with no complaints or major wiggle and even was steeped in the rhythm of music but at some point when the Opera  hit the stage with a special tone-frequency she somehow lost her calm and it was all down hill from there. However, I would say it was still a worthwhile attempt and was definitely a  memorable 20 minute experience with an authentic Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra  though most of what I recall is from the pictures and the sporadic pieces of video we recorded!  Perhaps next time she'll be grown up enough to make a request for it herself or revisit the place with whole different ambitions...(smile)