Endless Entertainment

"We are not trying to entertain the critics. I'll take my chances with the public." Walt Disney

Dear all,

Thanks to Robbie Williams, who knows how to make a memorable entry and who I was lucky to experience for the first time live at Munich’s Olympic Stadium and these modern gladiators in Paris, as well as time spent with friends and family, last weekend had all the ingredients for one of the most entertaining in a long while.

🎶 Contrary to my earlier assumptions about a quiet festival summer, I'm now committed to (at least) three happenings:

• Tomorrow I’m off to the LEAD! Foundation’s Fiskars Festival. Besides enjoying beautiful music in the Finnish countryside, I’ll also act as a sparring partner for the next generation of musicians through a workshop and one-on-one sessions.

• Next up is a long-overdue visit to the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Since it’s my first time, I’m going all in for From Dark Till Dawn, curated by Anna Lapwood, who recently caused a traffic jam when 13,000 people flocked to hear her organ recital at Cologne Cathedral.

• My friends from Time for Three with Joyce DiDonato, Kevin Puts, and Andrew Staples. Naturally, I won’t miss their world premiere of Emily - No Prisoner Be at the Bregenzer Festspiele on beautiful Lake Constance on August 14.

Finally, I’m trying something new with this playlist. The tracks aren’t classical, but they reference classical music either through their titles or melodic lines. Hope you enjoy this rather unusual mix (link to Apple Music, Spotify below).

Until next week -
David