July 09
Today was a day straight out of a movie! We started with a tour of the sites of the film, Sound of Music, including the glass gazebo where Leizl (and most of the choir) sang "I am sixteen going on seventeen". We learned about the real Von Trapp family, and caught a glimpse of thier home! We saw beautiful panoramic views of the mountains and towns below and visited the site of Maria's wedding in the film, the church at Mondsee monastery. We sang in the church!
After a great lunch, a rehearsal and some relaxation time, we got dressed in our formal uniforms and headed to St. Peter's Church for the opening ceremonies of festival. An ecumenical service was held and each of the participating choirs performed a piece. It was interesting to see the wide range of ages and musical styles. the evening concluded at the restaurant Sternbrau, where all the participants congregated for a buffet dinner. It was a challenge to get food as there was a single table fo food for over 300 choristers, but it gave us time to mingle and meet the other choristers. We are looking forward to a few more days in Salzburg. :)
