Picto Diary - 14 May 2016 (PM) - Vienna PM

Above: Sam Aono and TIMDT. "Mayer am Pfarrplatz," restaurant. Vienna, Austria. 14 May 2016.

Kind of "its a small world" category...

Though we didn't know one another then, Aono-san was a top official at Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) when TIMDT and Mwah (sic) were living in Japan, from 1982 to 1985. Then, Mwah (sic) was Business Manager for the Consumer Bank in Tokyo. The Archbishop, based in Hong Kong, was my boss.

Aono-san, his wife Kathy, TIMDT and Mwah (sic) are now cruise mates on a Tauck Tours river cruise, which started a few days ago in Regensburg, Germany and ends in Vienna, Austria, where we are now. The Aonos are retired and living in Seattle, WA.

Aono-san faced off against Laura Tyson and Larry Summers during his MITI years, late 80's to early '90's. He's a graduate of Keio University and has masters degree from MIT.

Above: The Bishop contemplates Beethovenhaus, Pfarrplatz 2, Vienna, Austria.

Beethoven composed his sixth (Pastorale) and ninth symphonies at this location.

Memorable was TIMDT's and Mwah's (sic) attendance at a concert in Tokyo in 1984 where the Berlin Philharmonic, led by Herbert Von Karahan, played Beethoven's Ninth. The symphony hall was full of young people giving hope that, at least in Japan, western classical music would survive for at least another generation. Orchestras in the United States have a hard time making ends meet, even with donor subsidies.

Above: Concert hall, Musikverein. Vienna, Austria. 14 May 2016.

Playing, Wiener Mozart Orchestra.

Montage, SpaGo, TIMDT, and Mwah (sic) attended this concert.

The concert was orientated "towards the masses" and this is not necessarily a bad thing. The orchestra played recognizable selections from various Mozart concertos, symphonies and operas. Opera singers came on stage for the operatic numbers. It would have been nice for them to hand out a program.... they didn't.

The singers and musicians were dressed in period costumes. There was only one female in the orchestra, and she was the concert violinist.

Applause was welcomed after each musical excerpt.

The music quality was excellent and the "packed in" crowd made up of tourists and local music aficionados was very enthusiastic.

It was a special experience listening to Mozart music in an ornate concert hall in Mozart's home town.

Addendum


Good morning, hope you and Margaret are having a wonderful ride down the river, this morning good LA Times article on Salt Lake City the renaming of the street-Harvey Milk Blvd-there are wonderful museums with local art do you have the time to visit. Maybe if you're in the mood I would contemplate another trip to Europe give me time to visit sites that we missed on the fastback. Just a thought while you're on the river.

Mr. Z3
Ojai, CA


Looking forward to this tour.

Comic Mom,
New York City, NY


I love your observations, especially the political ones!

Have a great trip.

Rocky,
Miami, FL



zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Jack Aroon,
Mahwah, NJ