/ by Hélène Delanglez, Finance and Administration / Projects
Voilà. It’s been almost a week since we left Athens and as usual, I keep playing a recording of the programme of the concert (well, the symphony) over and over. But it is not an MCO recording and it is not the same. Right away a thought pops up in my mind: it takes more than you’d think to become the MCO.
But let’s start from the beginning. What is expecting me/us on this 11th July? A very short project, just 4 days, an exciting programme, in a place that most musicians know already. The concert is part of the Hellenic Festival. Again a short project for Aglaja and me, like the last one we had together, where in the end, we look back and wonder if it really happened.
Luck is on our side from the first day on: the only remaining game of the Football World Cup takes place on the arrival day, so no fans/rehearsal conflict. I watch the game with the Spanish team of the orchestra, and well, it isn’t such a great game. But happy they are and it is almost frustrating that the Greeks don’t seem to care that much!
Another share of good luck: the weather. Nobody will believe me but we almost had a fresh air feeling at our arrival in Athens, yes, the temperatures there were more bearable than in Berlin! Really! Ok, it doesn’t last and on Monday, we are all already very very thankful for the huge pool of the hotel, which is happily located only 10 minutes away from the theatre, so that we can enjoy a short swim before breakfast and after work in the evening. The only way to cool down and survive the day.
Luck again in the theatre: both the festival and the theatre staff are really competent and friendly, organisation is perfect, internet connection works well so that we can work too during the rehearsals, everything is thought through; we can’t express wishes, they’re already fulfilled. On the administration side, my field, lots of requirements but all managed with good mood and good will. Even this will not make this project a nightmare for us!
Monday evening: a very smooth day is over and we enjoy the Greek culinary pleasures, thanks to Aglaja who knows Athens pretty well and can lead us to less touristy areas. We have a nice summer walk through the tiny streets at the foot of the Acropolis, food is great, and Ouzo, well Ouzo reminds me happily of Pastis, and July is just the right time for it!
Tuesday goes just the same, smooth, good work, perfect organisation, very hot, great food, no accident, no catastrophe, nobody is sick, no instrument is broken…It really looks as if we’ll be heading towards the end of this project without any problems!
Nope! We have forgotten one element: the departure day is Thursday. In Greece, in the last few months, STRIKE day has been Thursday….. Yes yes, you’re guessing right: on Wednesday we hear about a strike of the air traffic controllers at Athens’ airport, planned for Thursday.
On stage everything runs well, and the three bassists know where they will stand for Fazil Say’s piece: Silk Road. One of them plays one – and only one - tone, which is held for the whole piece: it represents the constancy of the Earth, which continues to rotate despite whatever may happen.
And here we go: Aglaja spends the whole rehearsal re-booking all musicians concerned by the strike, in co-ordination with Westtours, the travel agency that takes care of all our trips, and with the Festival, as all transfers to the airport have to be changed as well. The musicians leave the theatre for a free afternoon before the late concert (21h30) and Robert (the stage manager), Aglaja and I spend a few more hours checking in everybody online, to limit, a bit further, the chaos of the next day.
It’s been such an easy project that we kind of enjoy this little last minute adventure! Well, the adventure goes on in the evening, when the electricity is suddenly shut down shortly before the concert begins. Apparently there is no electricity left around. After having freed a trumpet player from the elevator, the first ones realize the next problem: no air-conditioning on stage anymore! Electricity for the whole building is now supplied through a generator.
Well, you know what? As I sit here and listen, I see them all sweat and try to get some air, but above all, I hear and see the complicity of the wood winds, I hear and see the incredible, physical commitment of the string leaders followed like one man by their colleagues, I hear and see the deep and round sound of the brass… I see the magic of the MCO: lots of them have never played together before. Still, it works. We’re really travelling through Central Asia with Fazil Say’s Silk Road, and Beethoven is alive!
And once again, I know in that very moment why I work for THIS orchestra.
The travel day? Finally a perfect conclusion to a short but lovely project: all of the musicians finally made it home without any further surprises except for one, who had to extend his trip for one night in Zürich. This time, we can look back and say “yes, it happened”.
