France and Belgium Travelogue Four
Dear Friends,
Satruday, June 2 was largely a travel day for the Georgia Boy Choir. Having given a full concert every day for the past six days, it was a welcome respite. Early in the morning, they bid farewell to their new friends from the Flanders Boys Choir who had graciously hosted them during their 4 nights in the country of Belgium, boarded the bus and headed west. First stop: the beautiful city of Bruges, Belgium. Often called the “Venice of the North,” Bruges was once of the worlds’ chief commercial cities. While still of significant economic importance, the town has maintained its old-world charm. For the most part, it still appears much as it did during the medieval age. While their schedule did not allow a concert in Bruges, the boys had a wonderful time touring the city, enjoying lunch in one of the quaint restaurants on its grand city plaza. Their brief time in Bruges culminated with a “drive-by singing” in the beautiful Basilica of the Holy Blood.
Another hour on the bus found them back in the country of France and in the small coastal town of Dunkirk. It was exactly 78 years earlier, in 1940, that the eyes of the entire world were on Dunkirk, for it was here that more than 300,000 British and French soldiers were dramatically rescued from almost certain annihilation by the Nazi forces in the heroic effort known as Operation Dynamo, when hundreds of small boats, most of them owned and operated by non-military British citizens were employed to ferry the soldiers across the English Channel, thwarting the efforts of Adolf Hitler and his army. The boys and young men of the Georgia Boy Choir were fascinated by this story and were thrilled to be able to tour the Dynamo Museum in Dunkirk and take a walk down by the very beach where this all occurred.
By the time evening arrived, the travelers had reached the city of Rouen, France. The magnificent gothic cathedral of Rouen dominates the city’s skyline. This iconic edifice was the subject of more than 30 paintings by Claude Monet and was also the place where composer Maurice Duruflé sang as a chorister when he was still a boy. On Sunday, morning, June 3, the Georgia Boy Choir had the privilege of collaborating with the current choristers of the Rouen Cathedral to sing the Mass. Following the service, the Choir presented a concert. The ethereal sound of their voices seemed to float throughout the vast interior of the cathedral like wisps of smoke from the incense. It had an otherworldly effect that was mesmerizing.
Click on this link to view a video of the Georgia Boy Choir singing “Ubi Caritas, Et Amor” by Maurice Duruflé in the Cathedral of Rouen.
On Monday morning, the Choir drove southeast into the region of Normandy. They stopped in the city of Bayeux, where they enjoyed a delicious lunch of Galettes (crêpes made with buckwheat – a delicacy of the region), toured the city’s marvelous cathedral (complete with another drive-by singing), and viewed the amazing Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th-century embroidered cloth more than 230 feet long, which tells the story of William, the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest of England. This was a real highlight for the boys, who relished the tapestry’s graphic portrayal of the battle.
From Bayeux, it was on to the city of Caen, France where the young travelers were greeted by the marvelous Maîtrise de Caen, an excellent Boy Choir who would be their hosts for the next several days. On Tuesday morning, the two choirs vocalized and rehearsed together before the French boys had to continue on to their school classes and the American boys went out to see the sites of Caen. The medieval castle of William, the Conqueror still stands in the midst of the city, and despite some rainy weather, the boys and young men from Georgia had a blast exploring it.
That evening, the two Choirs came together again to share a concert in the beautiful Gloriette Church. A gem of Baroque architecture, the Gloriette is no longer a working church, but is used as a concert venue which the Maîtrise de Caen is lucky to call home. The room has a warm acoustic which the Georgia Boy Choir used to full advantage. The audience, who were accustomed to some very fine singing on a regular basis in that room, were enthusiastic in their approbation of the excellent performance given by the singers from America. The applause was lengthy and loud.
Click here to view a video of the Georgia Boy Choir’s Young Men’s Ensemble singing “La Mer” by Charles Trenet, arranged by Robert Newton.
When the concert was concluded, the boys enjoyed dinner with their French counterparts. When they lay their heads on their pillows that night, rest came quickly. Tomorrow would be a big day.
Until next time,
The Georgia Boy Choir 2018 France and Belgium Tour Team