A cheap flight brought me to Stansted, one of London's 5 airports, which was followed by a train and bike ride across the city. Les Misérables closed in NYC years ago, but was still playing in London. Even after 38 years, the musical still sounded fresh.
The plan on Sunday morning was to kayak with the tide up the Thames from Greenwich to Battersea. Heavy rain and thunderstorm warnings cancelled the paddle, so the Sherlock Holmes Museum beckoned (1). The guide told stories in the study, where Holmes met his clients, with his back to the window so the client's face was illuminated by the incoming light. A picture of Irene Adler from A Scandal in Bohemia, who outwitted Holmes, was on the fireplace mantle.
The Sunday afternoon performance of Mahler's 8th Symphony took place at Royal Albert Hall. The 8th is known as the "Symphony of a Thousand" for the number of performers required. While I did not count, this is probably an exaggeration, although the piece requires a large orchestra, an off-stage brass section, 8 soloists, two full adult choirs, and a boys choir. While I have heard the piece on recordings many times (2), I did not appreciate how the two choruses responded and interacted to each other until I saw and heard them in different ears.
(1) At 221B Baker St., of course.
(2) I even have the full musical score.
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