Festival of sacred music in Olbia, Sardinia 28.9.-3.10.2011

Lenka Matejovičová
Once upon a time, there was a small Hungarian town of Miskolc, where (during the festival of chamber choir music in March 2011) a true friendship between two choirs has started. Thanks to the excellent organisation of social events in Miskolc, we had great opportunities to get to know each other well, we could dance, eat, sing together and talk to each other, exchange our Facebook contacts and to arrange future cooperation. And thus, in May, Apollo bought tickets to Olbia, Sardinia, for a festival of sacred music already.
 
After unusually early start of the choir season and a weekend choir rehearsal in Dudince in the beginning of September everybody was looking forward to meeting our hosts in Olbia. Concerts dresses washed, suitcases neatly packed and pulsing with indescribable joy, in early hours of Wednesday the 28th September we left our homes in Slovakia for a great adventure...
 
... which started in the Vienna airport already. Apollo flies for the first time in its history! After short and pleasant flight we landed in the beautiful country of Sardinia, where we were cheerfully welcome by Paolo and taken by the nicest bus-driver in the world Pierpaolo to the place of our stay – Hotel for you – right in the city centre of Olbia. Vivat Sardinia!
 
Of course, we couldn’t be left hungry and after short marvelling at the beauties of the hotel rooms we were taken to de la Salette parish house together with Ukrainian choir to enjoy delicious and truly Italian pasta after a long time. However, even more than food, we enjoyed smiles and hospitality of our Sardinian friends.
 
Short siesta was followed by a rehearsal on the hotel terrace with nice smell of the sea in the air and a unique atmosphere. Thorough voice warm-up and our conductor’s Milan’s picturesque motivational stories for the right feeling of the compositions made us confident, that this evening’s performance will stay in many (at least our) hearts and minds for a long time.
 
Half an hour in advance, we step out of the bus. The 11th century Basilica di San Simplicio is amazing! And so is our new Sardinian friend Mario, the soul of the festival, making friends with all singers in front of it. Hot outside, hot inside. Fortunately, our hosts think of everything and provide us with water, many thanks for that! (Nevertheless, this made us think quite intensely of summer alternative to our pink satin concert dresses.)
 
Fulfilling our expectations, the concert was a strong experience, especially performances of the Olbian children choir with small solo singer in pink dress and astonishing Ukrainian choir in beautiful robes. But, of course, our performance was special for us. We love music, we live music. Milan conducts for us with the powerful emotion like no one else, and we try hard to give him our best. Our audience is marvellous, we smile at them with joy , they smile back and give us huge applause and even standing ovations. Hopefully earned :).
 
However, this is still not the end of the day. We are about to enjoy a dinner with other performing choirs and our nice hosts in de la Salette. The food is great, but the atmosphere is wonderful and the time passed very quickly chatting and singing. Of course, we couldn’t forget to sing Nannedu meu all together, but every choir had also something special for the evening (and this was the time, when I definitely fell in love with Scandinavian culture, but who may hear and not fall in love the Latvian song Gullu, Gullu and the way Norwegian choir Schola Cantorum sings it?).
 
Well, the Thursday’s morning was difficult, but expectations of the great day helped us to get up from the beds smiling and cheerful. We went to sing in a Technical high school and welcomed by a teacher Rosa, we had a quick warm up in the staff room looking forward to the performance of the Romanian Snaps vocal band, who were enjoyable! With their fresh style, skilled instrumentalists and popular repertoire they not only amazed us, but even managed to capture whole auditorium full of young and temperament future Italian technicians.
 
This evening we could spot the contrasts of 11th century Basilica and 21st Chiesa Sacra Famiglia with very interesting acoustics. Yesterday we didn’t know that our performance could be even better, but this place convinced us that it can be always better. Everyone (including Mario) delighted, we were taken to de la Salette to celebrate end of this successful day.
 
Friday is a Big Day. We-go-on-the-beach! I know Sardinians will never understand our passion for sea (in October?!:)), but we are absolutely crazy about it. Very comfortably, we were taken by our friend Pierpaolo to Pittulongu, lovely beach with blue water and almost white sand near Olbia. We had a great time there and enjoyed ourselves singing our favourite songs right in the sea. This probably helped that it didn’t take a long time, before our fans found us there: “Slovakia, Bratislava, Apollo?” they asked, and we confirmed proudly. (Sure after the two previous concerts there quite was something to be proud of:))
 
Friday evening was very special. All the choirs marched through the city centre making stops to sing a song or two at various places such as Piazzetta Biblioteca Comunale or Piazza Regina Margherita. Apollo and Coro Lorenzo Perosi in red T-shirts, Ukrainian Pectoral in beautiful robes, Romanian Snaps Vocal Band in another of their stylish outfits and Norwegian Schola Cantorum in breathtaking traditional folk costumes, all finished at Piazza Mercato, where the aparature was ready for a great concert of all participating choirs and a celebrations that followed.
 
On Saturday morning, there was a rehearsal for Sunday’s Holly Mass and after that we had an opportunity to experience a market with typical Italian goods such as hard cheeses, sausages and prosciuttos. In the evening amazing gala concert in Chiesa N. S. De La Salette there was a very strong moment, when Pectoral, Schola and Apollo all sang two Bogoroditse djevo’s by Pärt and Rachmaninov together, which sure must gave our audience the shivers (as it did to us).
 
After such a successful finale, all the participants were invited for dinner in a restaurant and my dreams (worries?:)) came true. Frutti di mare! Oh, my Goodness! First I examined it very thoroughly, if it doesn’t twinkle at me, but fortunately, I didn’t find any eyes, so I ate it happily and with a great pleasure. However, dinner in Italy, that is never just eating! All the choirs sang, and we could stay and listen to the Corale Polifonico di Arsoli from Rome and their eminent solo singer performing opera songs with our mouth widely open again. Of course, I shouldn’t leave out the Sardinian wedding song, which was sang to the two just married couples: Ukrainian conductor Andryi with his charming wife and Ondro with Tánička, our dear choristers.
 

Everyone, who came to Sunday’s Holy Mass on that Sunday, could enjoy the strength of moments, when all the choirs joined to create one whole, one beautiful spiritual experience. The mass was followed by merry celebrations of the successful festival below astonishing old olive trees and blue sky. Shining sun, roast pork, lively music, full dance floor, songs and cheerful conversations made this day very special, yet our last one, unfortunately. And thus, waving the rising sun from behind the glass of Olbian airport on Monday morning, one could almost hear us saying: "Good bye, Olbia! But hopefully, see you soon!“ 

Lenka Matejovičová
Obrázok Apolla
Obrázok Apolla
Obrázok Apolla
Obrázok Apolla
Obrázok Apolla