Gay Away Day #2 + 3

[jinks]

THAILAND PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

The season of concerts held at the Mahidol University in Bangkok is drawing to an end. The last two programs are;

Saturday 13th Sept. Carl OrffтАЩs Carmina Burana.

Saturday 27th Sept. The final fantasy. BeethovenтАЩs Triple Concerto and MussorgskyтАЩs Pictures at an exhibition.

For both concerts we will leave Pattaya around 13.00 and arrive at the University in plenty of time to have a relax and a snack before the concert begins at 16.00. At the end of the concert usually around 18.00 we nip over the road to a very good, inexpensive Thai/ Chinese restaurant for dinner before heading back to Pattaya arriving home around 22.30.

The music faculty auditorium is the superb purpose built home of the Orchestra. It is very comfortable with superb acoustics, yet the cost of the ticket is unbelievable only 300 baht!
The cost of the transport will be shared and is totally dependent on the number going. Up to 4 people will be by private car, over 4 people will be by mini bus. As a guide the cost of transport will be between 400 тАУ 850 baht.
If you are interested please call in to Bar La Cage and talk to Mike or Roger.

For both concerts we will leave Pattaya around 13.00 and arrive at the University in plenty of time to have a relax and a snack before the concert begins at 16.00. At the end of the concert usually around 18.00 we nip over the road to a very good, inexpensive Thai/ Chinese restaurant for dinner before heading back to Pattaya arriving home around 22.30.Pattaya really is so central, isn't it. You can just hop on a bus and within a couple of hours be somewhere really interesting. I pinched that line from Lunchtime O'Booze's good friend, Dame Edna Everage, who said of Melbourne's centrality that you could just hop on a plane and within 24 hours etc. etc.

[jinks]

NEWS FROM MIKE

On Saturday 13th September a minibus full of 10 friends and regular customers of Mikes Bar La Cage, went up to the Mahidol University in Bangkok.
The penultimate concert in the current season with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra was a real treat. Carl Orff's Carmina Burama was a very brave choice of work. It's big in every respect, and this Orchestra, along with the Mahidol University Choir, the Thailand Philharmonic Choir and the Bangkok Christian Boys Choir, all under the baton of resident Conductor Gudni A. Emilsson, did a spectacular job.
Although the venue at the music faculty is a purpose built auditorium it was never meant to accommodate a full Orchestra as well as a massed Choir of over 250 voices. There wasn't a spare inch of space on stage. In fact the Conductor worked from an extension platform added on to the front of the stage. Even the audience capacity of 500 was increased for this performance to over 700 with extra seating in the aisles, and still there were many standing at the back. It reminded me of the Proms. The atmosphere was electric well before the first note which was struck perfectly, launching us on the Roller Coaster ride that is Carmina Burana. Love it or hate it, you cannot deny that you get a lot of music for your money with this world famous piece, and at only 300 baht per seat, it must be Bangkok's bargain of the year!

Personally I must admit that I was not expecting a great performance, simply because of the sheer size of the work and the difficulty of the Latin and medieval German text for the Thai Choir. Oh How wrong I was. The Performance was simply FANTASTIC! The three Soloists from Germany and Austria were naturally very good but all the Bouquet's must go to Bangkok's very own Orchestra and Choirs, and of course the Conductor. We left the auditorium stunned speechless, in a euphoric stupor, with many a tearful eye also spotted.

We were on a real high as we headed for a lovely Thai/Chinese meal which was a real feast for only 450 baht. All too soon were were back in the bus and back in the Bar by 9.30 pm.

I must apologize for the many people who we could not squeeze into the bus this time. You missed something very special. However we are off again on Saturday 27th September for the final concert. The program includes Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Tickets are only 300 baht and the cost of the minibus is dependant on numbers but about 4 - 500 baht. As I write (15th) we still two seats left.

Mike.

[Dodger]

Hey Jinks,

Could you let me know the next time Jethro Tull comes to town...I'll be the first one on the bus.

I guess I'm not refined enough (or gay enough) to get off on BeethovenтАЩs Triple Concerto.

Just joking.

[jinks]

I don't know about Jethro....

But I used to roadie for a band called Earth....

Oh yes they changed their name.... Black Sabbath.

Halcyon days my friend :)

[Dodger]

Jinks...

That rocks !!!

I jammed once with Geezer Butler the former bassist for of the Polka Tulk Blues Band when he was in Chicago...before they changed their name to Earth. Actually, it was the lyrics from one of his songs that inspirted the name "Black Sabbath."

Talk about small worlds !!!

[dab69]

the Mussorgsky pieces are better as solo piano.

[ceejay]

the Mussorgsky pieces are better as solo piano.

Prefer the Emerson Lake and Palmer version myself :colors: