Day 4 - Tour and Concert in Ljubljana, Slovenia
After a good night’s rest, the Glee Club assembled to enjoy a full day in Ljubljana. They fueled themselves for the adventures of the day with a continental hotel breakfast, complete with Slovenian honey and mini pancakes.
Though it was a cloudy and rainy day, the spirits of the Glee Club were bright. At 10 am, they split into their Immortal Bach choir groups, not to sing, but rather to embark on a walking tour of Ljubljana, led by engaging and knowledgeable tour guides. One tour guide commented that he heard that the Glee Club was directed by a famous conductor, unknowing that the embarrassed celebrity himself was among the crowd. They walked past gorgeous churches, City Hall, and the second oldest musical society. They enjoyed the main square and a music conservatory where a soprano was rehearsing near an open window.
Then, they had some free time to explore the sights. Some ventured up to the Slovenian castle for a view of the city, while others perused the city center with chocolate shops, souvenir shops, and clothing stores. All enjoyed the stunning views of the Ljublianica River and had lunch at one of the many restaurants nearby.
Then, they made their way to the Ursuline church for a final rehearsal before the concert. At 7 pm, the choir walked on stage and began their concert to a full house. Notable pieces were Piispa Ja Pakana, where the tenors and basses shined, and Ave Verum Corpus Reimagined, a chamber piece with a beautiful tenor solo by Braiden Aaronson ‘25. Another highlight was the tear-jerking O Salutaris Hostia with the iconic duet of Hannah Bein ‘22 and Sloan Huebner ‘23. Ilia Curto Pelle ‘22 thanked the audience in Slovenian, which was indecipherable to the Glee Club but evidently appreciated by the crowd. They ended with an encore of (a much faster version of) The Word Was God.
After a successful concert, some members greeted Wolfgang, a new friend of the Glee Club, who fulfilled his promise to attend the concert after meeting Shruti Venkat ‘23 and Katelyn Rodrigues ‘23 on the plane from Munich to Ljubljana. The Glee Club then split up to have a well-deserved dinner in the city center, and finally headed back to the hotel to rest for an early departure the following morning.
~ Ishani Kulkarni ‘22
