On May 22, 2011 it was 30 years since my first OperaDuets Travel. I was not yet OperaDuets because no internet. But it was still Travel because we, my parents and I, had to travel to Oslo to see Die Csardasfürstin, operetta by Emmerich Kálmán, in Den Norske Opera (The National Opera of Norway, sic). Den Norske Opera lived in the Opera Passage and was a former cinema became theatre and then Opera.
From 1981 I went regularly in the opera. First it was mostly once in a year. Then it became more often. I was 13 years in 1981. So in the beginning I needed my parents to go with me, and they did. Already in 1982 we went to Stockholm on a small holiday travel and used the opportunity to see Der Rosenkavalier in the Opera House there. In 1985 we went to Vienna for our summer holiday and saw two operettas. In 1987 I insisted that we should go to Bad Ischl, Austria, because it had a Franz Lehar Operetta Festival, so we saw Der Graf von Luxemburg.
1989 was my first big opera year with 12 performances and my dad and I went to Edinburgh because of the Edinburgh Festival to see zarzuela and Montserrat Caballé. 1990 was the first time I saw Josep Carreras live. In 1992 my parents and I went to St.Johann in Tirol, Austria for our summer holiday and while we were there I managed to get a ticket for a concert with Josep Carreras in Innsbruck. My mother got real stressed out but I got a wonderful concert on my own. In 1993 I lived in Bergen, so I got 2 operas there, and a Christmas Concert with Carreras in Oslo. In 1995 I Carreras 3 times, 2 concerts and 1 opera.
Although 1996 only had 3 performance it was one of the best years because I got Samson et Dalila with Baltsa and Carreras, and 2 three tenors concerts. In 1997 there was disappointment during summer holiday in Vienna since Carreras did not sing Stiffelio, a wonderful opera gala in Hamburg with Agnes Baltsa, Josep Carreras and Isabel Rey, then the opera Fedora with Agnes Baltsa and new tenor José Cura where my choice of a cheap seat will alway be a regret.
With 1998 I really do OperaDuets Travel. May 1998 weekend travel to Zurich for Carreras, to Vienna for Agnes Baltsa and Plácido Domingo. October 1998 a whole week in Zurich with a short visit to Vienna in order to get 2 times Fedora with Agnes Baltsa, José Cura is Loris in Vienna, Carreras is Loris in Zurich. In 1999 it was to travel in May for Agnes Baltsa in Fledermaus, in November Agnes Baltsa sang Fides in Le Prophete.
From the year 2000 my years are so filled with wonderful memories. Samson et Dalila with Agnes Baltsa and José Cura on June 10, 2000 is a special memory. Carreras Gala in Vienna 2004 + Verdi Gala in Parma 2004. Agnes Baltsa in operas like Carmen, José Cura as Stiffelio etc. Maria Guleghina as Abigaille, Tosca, Turandot etc.
For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com
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