Sommerfest’s A Night in Vienna

On Friday, July 9th, thirty-six ULLRs descended on downtown Minneapolis for the opening night of Orchestra Hall’s Sommerfest---and what a night it was!  We met on the Plaza around six o’clock and the weather obliged with a lovely evening of low humidity and gentle breezes.  The outside entertainment was provided by Christine Rosholt, popular jazz singer and her quartet, with great listening music.   Food by vendors on the Plaza served brats, burgers, chicken, and more accompanied by beer, wine and soda.

The concert for the evening, A Night in Vienna, was to begin at 8 o’clock so our group began moving in around 7:30.  We were all seated together in great seats up front.  The first half of the concert featured Jon Kimura Parker playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3.   Parker got a rousing standing ovation after playing the 34 minute concerto without so much as one page of music—were we impressed!  After intermission, the program turned light with Strauss waltzes and polkas.  I think we all found ourselves bobbing in our seats to the music.

As a finale to the evening we crossed Nicollet Mall to Brit’s Pub.  The outdoor tables were full but they found us seats in a side room where we could all sit together as we ordered more beer, ice cream drinks and desserts—a fitting way to end a magnificent evening of good food and glorious music with our great ULLR friends.