July 6 - 8, 2012: Siros (Salome)

July 6 - 8, 2012: After practicing Beethoven each day, we took the bus to downtown Hermoupolis. Here are pictures of boats in the harbor:

Here are more pictures of Hermoupolis:

Here's a bit more information on the Apollo Theater. The frescoes on the ceiling include the major Italian composers of music as well as Dante, the Italian who created the Italian language from the then-used Latin. Three Greeks are also included in the ceiling fresco: Homer, Aeschylus, and Euripides.

The Apollo Theater

ceiling fresco at Apollo Theater

One day we went to the Apollo Theater to see the final dress rehearsal for the Richard Strauss opera "Salome". The plot to this opera is not for the faint of heart. Here's a synopsis of the opera (as taken from the Aegean Festival program:

• It is evening and a bright moon lights the terrace of King Herod's palace. Narraboth, the captain of the guard, gazes ardently at the Princess Salome who is dining in the banquet hall with her stepfather, King Herod, and his court. A page cautions Narraboth that evil will come of his attraction to Salome. The voice of the prophet Jochanaan can be heard coming from deep down in a cistern, where he has been imprisoned by the king. Jochanaan (aka John the Baptist) foresees the advent of the Messiah, and the soldiers up on the terrace argue, disputing His saintliness. Disgusted by her stepfather's lecherous advances, Salome steps onto the terrace and asks the soldiers to bring the prisoner to her. After the soldiers refuse, Salome enlists Narraboth to do her bidding.

• Jochanaan is brought to Salome, who is attracted to everything about him. Jochanaan tells Salome to repent, but she wants to touch his flesh, his hair, and kiss his lips. As the intensity of Salome's desire grows, Narraboth becomes fearful over the situation has caused and stabs himself to death. Jochanaan screams that Salome is the "daughter of adultery,", curses Salome, and returns to the cistern.

• Herod and his guests come out onto the terrace. Herod is looking for Salome. Herodias, Herod's wife and Salome's mother, accuses her husband of becoming obsessed with her daughter. Herod ignores his wife and offers Salome food and drink. Salome rejects him. Once again, Jochanaan's warnings rise from the cistern. When Herodias asks Herod to get rid of Jochanaan, he refuses, saying the prophet is a holy man. These words mark the beginning of a heated argument among the five Jews about good and evil. The Nazarenes then talk about the miracles already performed by Christ, saying the Messiah has arrived. Jochanaan curses Herodias, while Herodias screams for him to be quiet.

• Unexpectedly, Herod asks Salome to dance, and to persuade her, says that if she does, she can have anything she wants including half of his kingdom. Salome makes sure that Herod will keep his promise and agrees. Over the objections of her mother, Salome begins the "Dance of the Seven Veils," slowly shedding each of the seven veils she is wearing one at a time at Herod's feet. She falls to the ground before Herod. When Herod asks Salome what she wants, she answers that she wants Jochanaan's head on a silver platter. Herod tries to offer her other gifts -- jewels, white peacocks, veils --  but Salome is adamant. Herod agrees to her request.

• Later Salome looks down into the cistern, waiting for the sound of the execution. There is no noise. Then the Executioner's arm rises from the cistern holding the head of Jochanaan. Salome grabs the decapitated head, singing ardently to it and passionately kissing it. Herod orders the soldiers to kill Salome and they crush her beneath their shields.

Here are my comments on this opera and the rehearsal we attended: 

• Unlike the operas that I particularly enjoy attending (e.g., operas by Puccini, Verdi, Mozart, Rossini), I found the music not particularly approachable -- there was no aria that I heard people humming as they left the opera house. I can certainly understand the uproar that Salome caused when it was first performed in Dresden in 1905.
• The vocal quality of the singers was quite good, especially Narraboth, Herod, and Herodias.
• The Salome intended for this play should have been 16 years old; the Salome who performed the part was about 25 years older than 16. The Salome intended for this play should have been slender and lithe; the Salome who performed in this play was a bit more "sturdy". You can be the judge by seeing the pictures and videos below:

Jochanaan in Salome

Salome with the head of Jochanaan

After the rehearsal, we went out for lunch. Here's a picture of the delicious spinach salad I ate. 

Spinach salad for lunch

Later on, we met the others for a nice dinner. I had delicious shrimp marinated in an orange sauce.

One other evening we ate on the coast of Siros. Here's a picture of the beach at sunset:

sunset in Siros

When we returned to our hotel one evening, there was a large wedding taking place around the hotel pool. It looked quite nice. Although I did not see it, I hear that they did Greek dancing around the pool, the men linking arms as they swayed back and forth.