Cruise hits high notes
Travel Guests aboard the Crystal Symphony enjoy tours of Baltic ports and performances by renowned violinist Leila Josefowicz and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade
Perhaps CBC Radio 2 fans, about to lose much of their classical music, should take a cruise.
About three dozen Canadians were aboard the luxury ship Crystal Symphony on its recent tour of several Baltic ports. What set the cruise apart, besides a full three days to explore the art, music and history of St. Petersburg, Russia, was its overall theme of classical music.
Several outstanding international artists were aboard to give concerts and mingle with the 800 guests throughout the 11-day Dover-to-Stockholm cruise. The singers and musicians were invited by Classical Action, a New York-based group dedicated to raising funds to fight HIV and AIDS. The performers, well known to concertgoers worldwide, were violinist Leila Josefowicz and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade.
Josefowicz, the 30-year-old Toronto-born violinist, made her Carnegie Hall debut at age 16 and has performed concerts with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony and the London Symphony, among many others.
But never before had she performed on a cruise ship.
"It was a totally different experience but I loved it," she said. "People are here to relax and it's so easy to play for them in this more casual environment."
Her program, featuring Brahms and Schubert as well as a delightful version of Charlie Chaplin's Smile, produced rousing ovations later in the week.
Frederica von Stade, one of the world's best-loved mezzo-sopranos, also made many new friends with her interpretations of Bizet, Ravel and Offenbach. She was accompanied by pianist and composer Jake Heggie.
Len Fenwick of Calgary was among those who chose this cruise for its classical theme. "I've always wanted to visit the Baltic," he said.
"But when I learned about the famous artists who'd be aboard, it made the decision easy. I've loved the concerts but I can't wait for the Mozart Tea."
(On each Crystal Cruise, waiters dress in formal 18th-century attire to serve High Tea while a string quartet performs melodies from the Salzburg master.)
Several large groups of classical music lovers were aboard Crystal Symphony, one of which was led by Jonathan Palevsky, a Montreal native and Carleton University grad, who is now program director at a classical music station in Baltimore.
"We've been sponsoring international music trips for 12 years," he said.
"But this is our first cruise and our first Baltic experience. Leila Josefowicz and Frederica von Stada were huge attractions for us but our stop in Russia for ballet and opera at the Mariinsky Theatre was also very important."
Palevsky added that the three dozen members of his group would have liked even more classical music on the ship ("I'm not a big fan of Broadway show tunes") but he was ecstatic about the ship and its facilities.
"Half the fun is enjoying the fantasy world of a luxury cruise line. Where else can you go and say, 'I want this to happen' and - boom - it does? 'I'd like one of everything on the menu.' 'Of course, madam.' It's a remarkable environment to be in for a brief period of time. People really enjoy it."
As Canadians, both Josefowicz and Palevsky were concerned about CBC Radio's move to cut back its classical music beginning this fall.
"Classical music is very important but young people don't fully appreciate it because they don't hear much of it," said Josefowicz. "It would be very bad if we cut back the possibility of young people getting to know the music."
Josefowicz is now hooked on cruising. "I'd love to be back to perform on another cruise," she said.
"My whole life is about packing and unpacking and repacking. Here you get on this wonderful ship and unpack once. We're totally pampered with an abundance of different things to see and do."
She laughed as she added, "And to eat. The food is wonderful."
John and Sandra Nowlan are freelance travel writers based in Halifax.
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