To all Amigos/as
From Helga Hampton
NEWSLETTER
Dear Amigos, November 18, 2020
This will be yet another message of thanks from me to you !
For our November concerts we initiated a new strategy, suitable for the cooler season, and moved our activities back into our habitual auditorium. Not short of imagination and flexibility, and to ensure at the same time that all safety measures be observed according to DGS rules, we shrank our beloved space ! Instead of the usual 100 seats, we provided fewer than half of that number, but with adequate distancing, and you were all there with us, content and understanding. Thank you for wearing your masks and for giving us the feeling that this is a possible way forward while pandemic strictures prevail. *
And weren’t we well rewarded?
Hélène Tysman braved precarious air travel from Paris. Veni, vidi, vici. And how !!!! Her predominantly French programme she played for us willingly four times – she thrived in having this opportunity of playing matinees in addition to the evening performances, albeit all unfortunately and of needs abbreviated. Intervals obediently avoided, she gave us two marvellous encores at the end. This French pianist seems to invent every note afresh, with total idiomatic emotion and often acrobatic aplomb. Our Yamaha never spoke better French! Standing ovations arose from the appreciative and enthusiastic audience. Did you also enjoy the magnificent excerpt from Bach`s Partita as much as I did?
*Lucky the music lovers, Amigos and others, who helped us reopen our auditorium for the November concerts. They were a sensational success musically. However, the resulting reduction of attendance does affect the economy of our “business”. It remains to be seen how long we can operate on this reduced income basis. On the one hand, let’s hope that the Algarve remains a low-risk area, and on the other, that globally we shall soon be able to return to our beloved “normal”.
We now go on to plan our next concerts for December. I am happy to announce that Anne Kaasa and M. Jose Falcão have agreed to come from Lisbon to us as planned.
On Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 Anne Kaasa will give us a matinee and an evening performance of piano music by Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt, and On Thursday, December 10th, 2020 M. J. Falcão will join her on cello in three magnificent sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin, also as a matinee at 11:00 in the morning and again at 19:00 in the evening.
Reservations are absolutely necessary. Please send your email reservations to Cristina as usual:
She is prepared to accept your reservations to either the matinée or the evening performance, so please specify – for guests the usual contribution of Euro 25.00 will be expected as prepayment. Bank details will be given when you reserve.
Stay safe, stay in touch. See you in Os Agostos in December..
Best regards,
Helga Hampton
President
ASSOCIAҪÃO DE AMIGOS
DE MUSICA at Os Agostos
E-mail: helga.hampton@gmail.com
www.amigos-de-musica.org