Vienna’s too mean to pay Christmas singers
NewsThe Christmas market opened this weekend outside Schönbrunn Palace and festive liquors were flowing. Only one thing was missing – a good sing-song of Tannenbaum.
The palace management had posted this advisory to professional singers who applied for the gig: ‘Unfortunately, we do not have a budget for fees this year, but we still hope that you would like to take the opportunity to present your skills and passion in front of an atmospheric audience in the unique setting of Schönbrunn.’
So schön.
Maybe they should all get together and sing some seasonal Schoenberg. That would be good for trade.
Christmas markets in both Germany and Austria have become commercial horrors of the worst kind- awful drinks and too much drinking, bad, fat food, lots of Chinese tinsely junk. Stay away, it is a travesty.
Moreover why do we need Christmas markets from november 10th on?
Because some people want to make money in a cheap way. Nothing against a quality Christmas market in December, but the commercialization of those markets is really disgusting. Just like the commercialization of Christmas in general. There is not much left of the original idea. It’s just a giant party celebrating presents in most cases – quite drunk with a sausage in hand and with a lot of glitter.
Their wares are cheap and tacky and there are too many stalls selling the same Chinese baubles. Lots of food, some mulled wine and people walking around in the cold, like brown’s cows. A downmarket version of their excellent Naschmarkt.
If you go the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt in the Freyung, there are regular performances by instrumentalists and singers from all over the country. The great advantage is that the stage is right next to a Glühwein stand.
Like most of the other ones, it kicks off on Friday.
There’s a good one on the site of the AKH, on Alserstrasse. There was a pub there which built a big barn with balcony, from which performers did their stuff in the early evening.
There’s also a nice, low-key one in Spittelberg. Schönbrunn is the last one I would consider visiting.
Seasonal Schönberg sounds like just the ticket to me!