Travelreport # 9 Svendborg 

8.6. Do Welch ein Erlebnis, der Höhepunkt unserer Reise scheint bereits nach gut 3 Wochen erreicht. Nachdem gestern den ganzen Tag über der Sturm den Regen gegen die Fensterscheiben drückte, ist drinnen im Saal die Spannung bis zum Ende des Halbfinales gestiegen. Gegen 23 Uhr gab die Juri die 3 besten Dirigenten bekannt. Das Publikum von der Lili war sich einig und hatte 2 davon auch ausgewählt. Anfangs standen 18 Kandidaten aus 9 Ländern in der Konkurrenz. Heute nun soll von den dreien die Nummer eins gekürt werden. 

Da wurde ich aus dem Publikum gefragt, ob ich ein paar Anmerkungen zu dem Wettbewerb geben würde. Der sah dann folgendermaßen aus, sorry for my English:  

Dear Marie, 

we appreciate that you asked us for our opinion about this year's Northern European Choir Conducting Competition. We are tourists in Svendborg and happened to be just here as the competition took place. We think that other people are more qualified than us not only to evaluate but also to give recommendations e.g. the members of the jury, the choirs and the candidates. 

Since you asked us, this is our opinion: 

1. we were amazed at the high level qualification of the 17 candidates, the committee of the jury and above all the Choirs. 

2. the organization behind the scene seemed to us well prepared and excellent. 

3. we wonder why this important world event attracted such a small audience. It contained all elements of an excellent cultural event such as theatre, opera and exciting entertainment. 

4. we have already attended many classical concerts with conductors, but after having the privilege of enjoying these young conductors, we have no reservations about the future of the world choral conductors. 

5. Finally, we are on our three-month sailing cruise through the "Danishes South See", and now after only three weeks, we have already experienced the absolute highlight of our entire journey. 

Thank you very much 

P.S. A small mishap on the edge: Close to the wall of this cultural building is a narrow trench. We suddenly discovered that a car was hanging over the ditch and could not go back. The driver told us, that there was a sign on the house wall with tiny letters something like : "stay away from the wall" and to decipher it, he has gone too close and ended up in ditch.