Day 1 - Welcome to Pura Vida!
Greetings from beautiful Costa Rica! We are relieved to be here and comfortably ensconced in our extravagantly nice hotel, and are in fact writing this blog entry poolside while a few of our singers splash about in the pool. Our journey started yesterday night with a final rendition of Let the River Run at the Aeromexico ticket counter at SFO (amazingly, they still let us on the plane!). After a long overnight plane journey, a layover spent in the pre-dawn darkness at the Mexico City airport, and a three-hour flight through sunny skies to San José, we arrived in the distinctly tropical weather of lush, green Costa Rica.
Our friendly trio of guides met us at the airport to shepherd us onto the cool, air-conditioned bus - festival organizer Mildred and local guides Bernardo and Imalay. We’re all grateful for their warm hospitality and lovely accompaniment to our tour - rest assured that we are being very well taken care of! They escorted to a nearby shopping center for a quick lunch before heading off to the Museum of Costa Rican Art, housed in Costa Rica’s first airport. We were fascinated to learn that when Costa Rica disbanded its military, all of the military buildings were converted into cultural and arts centers! This beautiful neocolonial structure houses a collection of Costa Rican painting, sculpture, and murals, and is also where the opening concert of the festival will take place tomorrow.
We had a lovely experience rehearsing around the beautifully carved wooden balustrade of the balcony, from where we will serenade the festival audience tomorrow. Particularly memorable was Meredith Monk’s Other Worlds Revealed (“Shing-Way”), spatialized across the hall so that each singer was sending their voice across the atrium to a counterpart on the other side. The echoing of the voices through the atrium created a stunning effect from below, and we took a few videos to try to capture the moment. Here's a link to one: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4t0frxy7bobnxxt/IMG_2178.MOV?dl=0
After the rehearsal, our guides walked us through a beautiful bronze stucco mural describing Costa Rica’s history from its indigenous inhabitants to the present. We appreciated the chance to learn about the nation’s history and geography from real ticos! Outside, the singers enjoyed exploring the outdoor sculptures by various Costa Rican artists, especially a Seussian astroturf football pitch. It was mounds of fun!
By now the thunderstorms were beginning, with a warm tropical rain falling and lightning flashing over the distant mountains. As we checked into the hotel, singers and chaperones alike were impressed by the grandeur and spaciousness of our accommodations. The elegant archways, tile floors, and living wall of ferns and ivy surrounding the restaurant evoked Costa Rica’s distinctive architecture. But even more amazing were the rooms, which each featured separate bedrooms, a common area, full kitchen, and washer-dryer (!). After a well-deserved rest, we enjoyed a delicious dinner on the patio by the pool, complete with strawberry agua frescas. A quick dip in the pool and an early bedtime rounded out the evening.
We’re looking forward to a city tour and the opening concert of the festival tomorrow - stay tuned!
