After a restful 10 days in the States, I’m on the road again (in the air again)! I’m lucky enough to be the rehearsal pianist and a choir member for performances of the Mozart Requiem that will take us to Rome, Florence, and Venice in Italy. This isn’t a UofL Choir Trip, but a trip arranged through Varna International with Dr. Hatteberg as the conductor. The group is a mix of UofL students, other Louisville musicians, and former singers and friends of Dr. Hatteberg. I traveled alone to meet the group in Rome, and while not having to worry about undergrads making it onto the plane and getting through customs was less stressful for me, I did miss the exuberant chaos that traveling with Cardinal Singers brings. I flew from Louisville to Dallas first, and I was impressed by the Dallas airport. The train between terminals was a great way to kill time during my nearly five-hour layover, and I chose a burger and fries from Shake Shack as my last American indulgence before traveling overseas.
The flight from Dallas to Rome took about 10 hours, and after dinner and watching a couple of movies, I mercifully was able to sleep for a little over 4 hours. I woke up about 30 minutes before landing, and my seat neighbor had mercifully grabbed a Greek yogurt and granola bar for me from the flight attendants while I was asleep. This was my first time flying alone, let alone to an international destination, so I was proud of myself for navigating Customs and baggage claim in a foreign country on my own. I thankfully arrived in time to meet the rest of the Varna arrivals and get to a chartered Varna bus to start our day (at about 9:30 AM local time).
After loading our luggage onto the bus and departing, we got right into some tourism activities! We had a guided walking tour of Rome’s city center, followed by a free hour for lunch. I feel completely overwhelmed by the beauty, history, and vastness of the city around me. During the walking tour, I felt like I wasn’t fully appreciating some of the sights I was seeing due to both exhaustion and how much history and architectural marvels lie in every single city block. Some highlights of the tour included the Column of the Immaculate Conception, the Trevi Fountain, one of the Italian Parliament buildings, and the Pantheon. In what will probably become a common theme on this trip, I had some delicious pasta for lunch! Italy’s culinary scene is vital to the cultural experience, and I look forward to sampling pasta, bread, and gelato in the coming days while also trying not to gain too much weight!
Following our tour and lunch, we headed to our hotel on the Western side of Rome for the afternoon and evening. My roommate and I were both able to get some much-needed power-napping in before dinner (which was a catered meal with more pasta) and after dinner, the choir met to rehearse for the first time! The whole ensemble was sleep-deprived this evening, but we still managed to get through the entire Requiem before 9:00 PM! The choir is also performing a few American folk songs and spirituals at the concerts, and we will rehearse those for the first time in the morning. I’m exhausted but grateful beyond measure to be here. In the coming days, I’ll see archaeological sites, the Vatican, Florence, Venice, and more, and my one goal for the trip is to never lose my sense of amazement. Thank you for reading, and I’ll look forward to updating you again tomorrow!
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