Day 6: Walking in Shakespeare’s footsteps — singing, laughing, crying, birthdays
Singers woke up from their dreamy and warm night in the estate and enjoyed a full English breakfast at the hotel. We got onto the bus and drove into the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. We split into two groups and went on a walking tour where we saw and learned about Shakespeare’s life and death along with where some common colloquial phrases derived from in this historical town came from.
After a tour of Shakespeare’s birthplace and home for many years, the singers had free time to explore the charming town and grab a quick snack for lunch!
Next, we came back to the estate (hotel) and had a wonderful rest hour. Some singers drew, journaled, read, and played card games. Well rested, singers loaded onto the bus and drove to The Windmill where we ate burgers, fries, and brownies - a taste of home. Now well-fed, we all walked to the church for the evening's concert. They quickly rehearsed and toured the church where they saw Shakespeare’s burial site. ‘Twas a sight to behold!
Ensemble sang another fantastic concert concert which included many of the same songs from the nights before, however, soloists Ava and Keira, as well as some Ancora singers. graced us with new pieces that haven’t been heard on tour before. Many audience members were moved to tears by the sounds of the singers (they ended the program with Homeward Bound so there wasn’t a dry eye in sight)! Avi had a special interaction with a very moved couple that will forever be remembered as he quickly journaled and shared his experience with us - check the Dropbox for a video of Eric reading his note.
Finally, we drove back to the estate and partook in a celebration of PB&J’s, Digestives, Carrots, Doritos, and Gluten-free cake for Carys's birthday! She had a fantastic birthday and was thankful for all of the celebrations!
While the ghost of Shakespeare did not take over us while we were writing this blog, the spirit of art and joy deeply moved all of us today. To finish this off I’ll leave us with a quote from Avi’s excerpt, “she told me that it was amazing having us come through continents to sing. I told her that it is people like her that drive us to sing.”
