Fairfields in Germany: December 3-9

Monday, December 3rd

Mom and Dad returned today from Salzburg, so I loaded up on groceries again and cleaned the apartment. They got back to the apartment, taking the bus from the Hauptbahnhof by themselves, just after lunchtime. They are staying here this week--last week they stayed in an AirBnB in our neighborhood. With J in Italy for 2.5 weeks, I'll sleep on the couch so they can have the bedroom. We took a little nap, then hung out with the girls as they returned from school. After a light Abendbrot supper with fresh bread from the Ihle, they came with me to my Frauenchor rehearsal. I had a Stimmbildung (voice training) session with Monika, the voice teacher/singer who works with the choir members individually for 20 minutes every other rehearsal (works out to about once a month for each choir member). We worked on the duet I'm singing with one of the altos in the Britten Ceremony of Carols concert on December 16th.

In our kitchen. This one is getting so tall!

Tuesday, December 4th

I've been wanting to go to the Pinakothek art museums ever since we arrived. It's far more interesting if you're with other people, however art museums are not really J's things so I hadn't gone yet. I'd asked Mom and Dad a while ago if they would enjoy going with me and of course, they said "yes!" So I scoped out the week and thought this morning would suit the best. We wanted to go to the Alte Pinakothek first. That's where the old Masters are: Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Raffaelo, Rubens, Dürer, and more. We had also hoped to see the Neue Pinakothek too, but it's closed on Tuesdays (oops! I didn't do my homework completely). Turned out that there was plenty to see at the Alte and we probably wouldn't have had time to make it through the Neue too. The Alte featured a special temporary exhibit: Florence and Its Painters, From Giotto to Leonardo da Vinci. It focused on works that have recently been either restored or conserved, depending on what the piece needed. There were panels explaining the processes and what materials were used, along with "before" pictures and then the work itself. Stunning.

Waiting for the doors to open.

Alunno Di Benozzo: The Adoration of the Child (ca. 1470/75)

Both works, "Virgin and Child" by Fra Filippo Luppi, but the one on the left is dated ca. 1445/50 and on the right, 1460/65. You can see (even from my poorly angled photo) the progression towards a more realistic portrayal of the woman vs. a somewhat cartoonish image in the earlier work.

A third "Virgin and Child" by Fra Filippo Lippi, this one dated 1465.

Da Vinci!

This work by Sandro Botticelli "The Adoration of the Magi" is HUGE (ca. 1475). The photo does not do it justice! It's remarkable in its detail. The artist also painted himself and the patron into the work.Can you find them?

Close up of Botticelli looking out from the image! The patron is in blue, also directly looking out at the viewer.

Leonardo da Vinci "Studies for a Horse" ca. 1480/81. Lent by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Botticelli "Portrait of a Lady" Explanation displayed; Alte Pinakothek special exhibit. "At first, portraits on panel played a pivotal role at courts as dynastic monuments, diplomatic gifts or in marriage politics. Among the bourgeoisie, the painted portrait became established in Florence from the second quarter of the fifteenth century onwards in the form of portrait busts that, in the case of female sitters in particular, were for a long time in strict profile, as this style was considered the most virtuous. Although Netherlandish portraits in three-quarter view had already reached Florence in the 1440s, side and front views only became common here around 1470. To meet the growing wish for individualisation and representation, the formal repertoire was expanded, be it through motifs that introduced a greater feeling of space, such as perspectival interiors or extensive landscape views, or through posture, clothing and attributes. Sandro Botticelli's innovative compositions in which, for example, a woman looks directly at the viewer--for the first time ever--as exhibited here, made a major contribution to changes in Florentine portrait painting."

Sketch by Leonardo da Vinci.

Francesco Botticini (1446-1498) The Adoration of the Child (ca. 1487)

Fra Bartolommeo (1472-1517) The Adoration of the Child (ca. 1495)

Another dramatically large painting: Sandro Botticelli, The Lamentation (ca. 1490/95)

Notes regarding the restoration of "The Lamentation" by Botticelli.

... continued.

After we got through the special exhibit, we headed upstairs and went through the whole upper gallery. I saw multiple works/artists that I remembered studying in one of my general seminars in college. I guess some of that stuck with me! Now that I know where the most interesting pieces are, I plan to take the girls so they can see some of the artists' works that made the deepest impressions on me when I was 10/11 years old, living in Germany with my family.

Rembrandt, The Sacrifice of Isaac (1636)

Rembrandt, Bust of a Man in Oriental Costume (1633)

Rembrandt, The Holy Family (ca. 1633/35). I love this one... the colors, the intimacy, the unabashed display of Mary's breast! And Jesus looks like a miniature little man with strawberry blond hair!

Rembrandt, The Adoration of the Shepherds (1646). "With his skillful treatment of light, Rembrandt underlines how light was brought into the darkest corner of the stable and into the world through Christ." - Alte Pinakothek display panel

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), Portrait of a Franciscan Friar (ca. 1615/16)

Peter Paul Rubens, The Fall of the Damned (ca. 1621) - "Unlike other depictions of the Last Judgement, Rubens concentrates solely here on the Fall and renders this in a monumental format. Horror and the inescapability of the event are captured in a masterly style. Sinners, devil-like figures, and demoniacal hybrid creatures are condensed to form a diagonal that turns into a swirling mass. It renders the powerful pull of Hell's fire visible, as described in the Gospel of St. Matthew (25:41). It does not require much fantasy to imagine the screams of horror coming from the damned and the infernal noise."

Raffael (1483-1520) - The Canigiani Holy Family (1506/07)

Raffael - The Tempi Madonna (ca. 1507/08)

The next photos are all from one huge battle scene painting: Albrecht Altdorfer's The Battle of Alexander at Issus (1529)

The photos simply can't capture the detail of the oil paint. I was fascinated by the texture of the many lines of spears, the microscopic details of the flags, armor, and landscape. Amazing.

The whole thing... Hard to conceive of the size without someone standing next to it--would take up most of a wall above a standard sized couch, if that's helpful!

Albrecht Dürer, Self-Portrait with Fur-Trimmed Robe (1500)

Also by Dürer: Picture of a Young Man

I love the detail in his eyes and brows!

Rembrandt: Self-portrait when he was a young man.

After we finished seeing everything, we walked a couple of blocks to the Café Katzentempel for lunch, then headed home. Another quick Abendbrot supper at 4:00, so we could leave at 4:30 to catch the bus and get to the Oper for a 6 p.m. show! I'd gotten tickets for Humperdinck's "Hänsel und Gretel," a Bayerische Staatsoper Weihnachtszeit tradition (click on the link and scroll down for more details). The girls and I had four tickets together in the orchestra seats under the balcony, but since there were no longer six seats together anywhere in the house, I added two balcony seats (not together) for mom and dad. The girls were a little squirmy to start--it was really warm--but once the singers came onstage, they forgot their discomfort and thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was a fairly "modern" staging, but that added to the fascination. The singing was great and the orchestra well led. Now that I understand how the ticket tiers work (they have very cheap "standing" tickets and seats that have some partial view obstruction), I'll definitely be getting tickets for another production in the spring.

Mom and Dad in their balcony seats! They didn't realize they were practically one on top of the other.

This show was SOLD OUT. I went online to buy tickets a couple of weeks ago and was amazed at how few (maybe only about 25-30 tickets were unsold) seats were still available. It was packed by the time the lights went down.

The Kinderchor at the curtain call--my voice coach is their director.

If it appears that Hänsel and Gretel are stained and dirty, you'd be right! There was a hilarious kitchen scene where they were "cooking" for the witch and it involved a lot of smearing and splashing. The witch, by the way, is a bass/baritone role. The singer was fantastic. The girls especially liked the witch.

Wednesday, December 5th

We stayed in for the morning. Mom and I baked sweet rolls together to stick in the freezer until Christmas morning (I'll pack them in a bag to take to Switzerland!). After lunch we took a long walk to the big girls' Gymnasium and then returned along the Isar river to the apartment. The sun tried to peak out, but it stayed mostly cloudy, though mild and dry.

A "tree" for Christmas morning and extra ones that we cut into smaller sections and will give as gifts (a few of them were eaten straight way the next morning for breakfast).

Once all the girls were home from school, we took the bus into the city and went to dinner at the Ratskeller (courthouse cellar) restaurant. I had not realized how huge this restaurant is! There are 15 different dining rooms and multiple kitchens. It's very traditional Deutsch food and drinks. Afterwards we walked through a little of the Weihnachtsmarkt again before taking the bus home.

The little girls got the house Bratwurst with Pommes.

I had the chicken salad. Pretty!

ME got some kind of soup with their hearty dark Brot.

Dad got the Bayerische Schweinshaxe with Kartoffelknödl (pig's ankle and potato dumplings).

There were place mats on the table with maps of the restaurant. 15 dining rooms!

Münchener Weihnachtsmarkt... Never gets old!

Thursday, December 6th

Mom came with me for a little grocery run to the ReweCity behind our building. Then we all took a walk through the Glockenbachviertel. I wanted to take them to one of my favorite cafés, the Aromabar, but it was closed while it was used for a film scene! So we headed a few blocks over and had coffee at Götterspeise instead. I got some chocolates for the girls for St. Nikolaus day and Mom got some for gifts to take home. We had lunch back at the apartment and then took the bus into town to go back to the Staatsoper building for my coaching session with Stellario. He called shortly before we left to say he'd be about 10 minutes late, so we had time to swing by the Dallmayr café and shop (the original shop and café located near the Marienplatz), so mom could get some of their fantastic coffee, freshly ground, to take home.

Kaffee trinken beim Götterspeise.

The Nationaltheater, home to the Bayerische Staatsoper. My lessons are held on the 6th floor at the front of the building--just below the yellow backed painting.

Stellario assigned a whole variety of music for me at the start, but for the last month or so we've been primarily working our way through Puccini arias (Quando me'n vo; Chi il bel sogno di Doretta; In quelle trine morbide; Se come voi piccina io fossi). They are the perfect medium for stretching my technique and expression right now. Highs and lows, crescendos and dramatic decrescendos. It's all giving me a real vocal work out! So, when I told Stellario that my parents would accompany me to this lesson, he said, "Then let's make sure we give them a fabulous Puccini recital, shall we?" Fun to have a little "audience" to sing for.

Afterwards we walked to the Mittelaltermarkt to get some gifts (shopping without kids!!) and then back to the main Münchener Weihnachtsmarkt for a last Glühwein, so that Dad could keep the mug as a souvenir. Last we hit up the Viktualienmarkt for fresh Raclette cheese and French bread for our last supper together before they leave: Raclette!

Friday, December 7th

In the morning, we rode the bus together to the Hauptbahnhof. Then I saw them off onto the S-bahn to the airport where they were going to pick up their rental car. They will visit friends in Usingen and Haiger before flying back to the US next week. No more US visitors for us until April! But given how quickly the months have flown by since we arrived in August (almost 4 months folks!), it will be April before we know it. After saying good-bye, I took the U-bahn back and swung by the Woolworth to get supplies for GE's birthday party tomorrow: some decorations, napkins, and balloons. I also found an inexpensive hand-mixer and large mixing bowl--I was realizing that I'm missing some kitchen essentials that I'll need for baking Christmas cookies next week! I took the bus home from there.

After lunch I baked GE's birthday cake, a simple chocolate mayonnaise cake, and I practiced and did some laundry. I'm not feeling the let-down yet of my parents leaving--still have the party to get through tomorrow!

Saturday, December 8th

The girls and I slept in (boy did I need it, after sleeping on the couch all week!!) then spent the morning getting ready for GE's party: groceries, cleaning (the girls did most of that), and prepping the finger foods. GE had invited six of her classmates and all of them had RSVP'd "yes"! GE pestered me all day: "How much longer?" "What time will they start coming?" She was so wound up by the time the first guest arrived a little before 4 p.m.! It was 4:30 before everyone was there and I could rally them all to the table (they'd been playing a form of hide-and-seek: hiding in various nooks and crannies in order to pretend that the next arriving guest was the "first" and then jumping out to surprise her). I taught them how to make the little folded Tannenbaum trees that HR and I had learned how to make at the Munich Readery book craft workshop a couple of weeks ago. I had a whole variety of oragami square paper and they happily spent 45 minutes mastering the art of the little trees. Then we brought out the cake, singing "Happy Birthday" to GE. After they ate, GE opened presents. She got several books, some coloring stuff, a couple of stuffed animals, and a gift certificate from her friends. The rest of the time, they were either eating, folding trees, or playing a freeze-dance game similar to Musical Chairs but without the chairs.

All ready to go! I had plain paper for folding and cutting into snowflakes if anyone didn't want to do the trees, but they were a huge hit--the girls asked if they could take extra papers home so they could make more.

Her friends: one Ethiopian, one Iraqi, one Italian/American, one Afghani, and two Germans!

A lambskin from her Oma.

Then it was time for them to go! (A two-hour party--perfect timing!) GE and I walked two of her friends home to their apartment buildings since they live nearby while the others were picked up by one parent or the other.

After cleaning up a bit, ME and I took the bus into town so she could go to the Mittelaltermarkt where we'd gone last week while she was away on her class trip. We also walked through the little Weihnachtsdorf im Kaiserhof der Residenz. We were home around 9 p.m. and all went to bed!

The live music was just ending when we got there, but we still enjoyed a foot-stomping finale. This Markt has all the trimmings of a Renaissance fair, including costumed attendees.

My Paladin in front of the weaponry stand.

Sunday, December 9th

Recovering... We all slept in again. I skipped the real coffee (trying to wean myself off caffeine) and although I didn't get a headache, I was very foggy-brained and sleepy, so I took a nap in the afternoon too! ME took the U-bahn to another Muttertreff game day which she and J have gone to before (happens about once a month). The little girls played, did homework, and practiced. GE has her first piano lesson this week, so she's motivated to show what she can do. I did some laundry, batch cooking, and worked on the blog. It's raining and cold, so no one wanted to go outside.

From ME at the Muttertreff Spieltag...

Update on J:
He's sent me some photos of the view from his "office" at the EUI. It's been fairly rainy and cool though, so he grabbed most these on one or two of the only sunny moments this past week. He made it into Florence yesterday and visited some of the sites there too. I'm planning a trip to visit him in January and will post more pictures then. He's making good progress on his book! Which is the main reason for this whole year and the primary reason for his fellowship at the EUI in December and January.