A Decade was going away in the Cultural Arena of NYC, while I lived it

The city and its culture has blessed me with so many events that crowded my life from last months of fall and these winter months. I lost track of many of my multiple adventures as well as many of my feelings regarding to each experience. Concerts, parties, meals, trips, elevated life as it occurs in NYC.

"Der Rosenkavalier", a majestic long opera by Richard Strauss in three acts introduced variety to new opera listeners. For me it was a distribution of music, voices, emotions, and confusions. The 3 performers were absolutely splendid and I personally knew one of them: Mrs. Miah Persson. She really represents what singers' fans would look for. Mrs. Persson connects with the audience, she smiles, she almost cry, she prays, she adjust her voice to the feelings of the composer. She shows her engagement with the piece and at the same time beg for your engagement on it too. Mrs. Persson, in the brilliant act where all the stage becomes in a stellar scene, with all the white and lights it brings, completed the scene with her presence and her style. The costumes used during this act as well as the white light coming incessantly from the front will stay in my memories as my "Der Rosenkavalier" memory. Because that was what this opera represented: an encounter of souls, a conflict of passions, followed by unexpected closures.

When during the final act Mrs. Persson character walked away from stage, I'm sure many attendees had tears as I did not without humming the "Waltz" on their way home.

No without too much time distant from the opera at the Met, a unprecedented concert of waltzes and songs of Vienna came to life under the environment of the prestigious "world-class chamber music in an intimate setting": The Helicon Foundation. I personally would consider this particular event as the highest musical class forum I've ever assisted. Putting together on stage, musicians of the quality of Miah Persson (Soprano), Colin Jacobsen (Violin), Kristi Helberg (Violin), Nicholas Cords (Viola), Eric Jacobsen (Cello), Ilya Polataev (Piano), Steven Beck (Harmonium), Alexandra Sopp (Flute), and Richard Faria (Clarinet) for playing such an unforgettable program is something that might happen again but maybe every ten years in the privacy of the home of music that the organization offers to members and guests. No one was uncomfortable, everybody was happy, everybody wanted more because everyone felt the commitment for rising the best from the music sheets. I'm sure everyone enjoyed as I did this pleasant evening.

As this concert happened, the US families got together to celebrate Thanksgiving's Day and I was gladly invited to do so at Stamford with such a friendly, natural, open American family. I wanted to point out this event here because (although it wasn't in NYC) came from a strong relation for and in the city. The relation between friendship, love, family, music, champagne, parties and here it came the opportunity for me to read the following quote to all the guests:

"It is delightfully easy to thank God for the grace we ourselves have received, but it requires great grace to thank God always for the grace given to others" ~ James Smith

... so I did it during the whole season starting this day.

Entering in December a special celebration happened at a country house and a crowd of interesting people got together to receive from who was sharing. I witnessed all the preparedness and supported all the interest in making people feel great as well as the rrival and joy of every guest. The party went smoothly with souls smiling while, at some point, the most beautiful snow introduced the real winter to the area. The slow and continuous precipitation decorated each window in the most dynamic manner proposing additional art beyond the walls since these were all covered with the human creation. So the divine creation completed that wonderful gathering. What a way to complete a human experience with such a natural and clean event.

Once more the "intimate setting" of The Helicon Foundation gave venue to another symposium with wonderful string music accompanied by a image change for the organization. When this concert happened most of us was surprised of how much comfort was added to the experience. A extra touch of class gave frame to the performance of The Brentano String Quartet with two meditative pieces from such great geniuses: Beethoven and Schubert. The Brentano String Quartet is dedicated, music lovers, is a conglomerate with precision and passion, that makes string compositions look like human beings with all their states of mind, their emotions, their joy. It's a group to follow up since it's obvious their relation with the music.

Since I invited special people to the concert I invited them to come home so I had my after-concert party which is something so New Yorker that I really feel special and unique here. Mr. Mark Steinberg (violin of The Brentano) pleased my guests with his presence since that's something avery concertgoer wants to do: to meet the performer and have the oportunity to thank them for the sound, and to get to know more of their human nature, close to their expressions and emotions. My guests were really pleased with this experience.

And then it came: the official invasion of pines for sale on the sidewalks to greet the Christmas season. To my surprise there is variety of pines that are for sale based on the leaves. The price is based on height and the seller will show each one you would like to see separately. Each tree has its own style: there are trees that look skinny, others look very strong and full, some are sad, some are happy, there are those ones like big monsters with beautiful sentiments, and there are those that are small but seem to be revengers of the nature. Pines are also of different prices according to the area of the city. The ones from the Upper West side are cheaper, plenty of joy, ready to dance and try costumes. The trees from the Upper East Side look at you above their shoulder, tend to be delicate and thinner, and are more expensive ... isn't it weird? ... I thought that prices and merchandise would be standard. It wasn't.

So christmas came to Manhattan with crowds of tourists and shoppers. Every corner: a multitude of cameras, recorders, groups, bags, open mouths. What can anyone expect from the center of the universe?

Two wonderful concerts were also in my path, so I was there. At Park Avenue Christian Church, my favorite orchestra (Orchestra Saint Lukes) and the Baroque Soloists is participating of a great experience: "Cantatas in Context" with the outstanding compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach. The attention that JS Bach deserves due to his melodies is nothing compared with the feelings that they generate in any sensitive human being. The combination of powerful musical solos and the full orchestra and voices playing in a church can arise the soul of any New Yorker from their protective posture. Mrs. Mary Greer (Artistic Director) of AnimaMusic is doing a great job focusing her efforts in the Bach's music and makes of baroque a great event in the big city.

Saying Good Bye to the old year listening to Bach's music is a way to say it elegantly. Away of the crowds of Times Square. With the style that we New Yorkers deserve after the life that runs here every day, day after day with the sirens of the ambulances, firefighters, and the yellow of the cabs that (by the way) disappear during New Years Eve ... so I took the bus for going home not without a walk under falling snow. Thanks 2000s for framing my conversion to New Yorker. Happy New Years. Just imagine the tears listening "Air on a G string" by Johann Sebastian Bach to close a decade in Park Avenue with all the growth that these years represented.