I am the first in my immediate family to study abroad, and a first-generation college student as well. I didn't have many people to ask for hands-on advice or guidance about this trip. I instead resolved to just experience the trip as it happened and hope for a transformative experience. Vienna alone was more than I bargained for! But I've also had a feeling that my frame of mind would be stretched and expanded by this trip, and that I've been searching for that opportunity for a long time. That feeling has certainly proven true.
On to Vienna! What a gorgeous city. A sense of age is evident in the architecture and structure of the city. Each building is its own work of art, and there are countless alleyways and passages to get lost in. Venture into one and you might end up somewhere you don't expect. Our tour guide took us on a route that led us through several courtyards with stunning views. We rushed to take photos of the most beautiful buildings. This was a struggle, because there were far too many to capture them all. And each one was just different enough that a failure to notice its uniqueness evoked a small sense of loss.
The people navigate the subtle passageways as a natural part of the city, and they certainly are. It seems like I could spend a lifetime in Vienna and not appreciate each detail. Dr. Powell has said that he finds new things on every visit, which is both encouraging and a bit overwhelming. There's too much to soak up immediately. I feel like a sponge, saturated with newness and bewitching beauty. The removal from daily life evokes a feeling of suspension in time too; I've resolved to embrace and savor it while I have the chance.
We went to the Kunsthistorisches, or the Art History Museum in Vienna. That was filled with breathtaking and strange art that stirred a lot of emotion in most of the students in our class. Everyone seemed drawn to something. Gustav Klimt, in addition to a few other famous artists, painted the ceiling of this stunning structure. The building itself was steeped in and created as art. I'll include some pictures of the building and the works that drew me below.
We also had the opportunity to see the ballet Onegin. The basic plot is that an extra-pretentious frat boy cruelly rejects a genuine and inexperienced girl (Tatianna) who loves him. Really, Onegin is a jerk about it. He tears up her love letter in front of her face at her birthday party. Ouch. Then he exacerbates his personality issues by flirting with her sister, and then killing the sister's fiance/his only friend in a duel afterwards. This finally gets to Onegin, and he's sad. Tatianna marries a prince, and Onegin gets his heart broken by her in return when she rejects him after choosing a different path. She's really better off.
The artists were just incredible in this show. The dancers were engaged, emotive, and dramatic. I wish that I could give a more technical analysis, but I only danced for a few years in total as an adult. But they strongly conveyed the plot of the story, and the relationships of each character to each other. The orchestra was filled with absolute rockstars. The first violist, cellist, and bassoonist were unbelievable, but the entire ensemble blew me away. Each flourish and dynamic was performed in lovely detail on very difficult music. The stage crew also did extremely well. The backdrops, props, lighting, and other cues gave the basis for the excellence of the show. The fog machine added a lot. With everyone working together, they produced something remarkable.
This is far from all we did in Vienna, but there's too much to include right now! We finish out our trip with four days there, so I'll finish my synopsis of it then. In the meantime, thank you for reading.
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