HELLO,
WORLD!!! I'M BACK!!!
That's
right--Sleeping Globetrotter has been awakened from her 100-day (okay--it
hasn't been quite that long) slumber by Prince Lewes.
That's right! Erica actually lugged herself off the Falmer campus today and visited Lewes (a charming town nestled in
the green hills). It's been so long since I've written a Day ___ email that I really have no idea what to label today, but I guess that doesn't really matter. :-) On with
the narrative!
I awoke at 7:59 and was able to shut off my alarm before it began bellowing
at 8:00. I love that feeling! I went through my morning routine, slipped on the five-pound (cost,
not weight!) sweater that I bought at ASDA yesterday, grabbed some edible provisions for the long day, and headed out the
door to my first class--Music and Narrative. We watched bits of "Boris Godunov" and discussed the major themes
and motifs (both literary and musical; it's interesting how they interact and support each other).
After that, I attended my American Lit class where we picked apart
John Smith's tales of the New World, a Native American Trickster cycle, and Bradford's account of the Puritan
migration to New England. For the most part, the discussion was thought-provoking, and I was able to present a few points
that I felt were very relevant.
It wasn't until after my classes had finished that the excitement truly
began, though. Earlier this week, I received an email from the University of Sussex music department containing some
exciting news. The renowned Glyndebourne Opera House (just outside Lewes) is currently performing Benjamin Britten's
"The Turn of the Screw," and in an effort to build up a younger audience base, the company decided to offer a student-only
discount matinee today. Tickets that normally go for upwards of 100 pounds were selling to students for a
flat rate of 6. I was thrilled when I heard about this opportunity (I love Britten's music), so I booked my ticket yesterday
and headed to the train station right after classes.
I made it to Lewes without a problem and was able to explore a little
before the shuttle bus arrived to take all the students to Glyndebourne. Lewes is beautiful! Like Edinburgh and
Perugia, it has steep ups and downs and plenty of quaint, winding roads and breathtaking overlooks. Sitting atop the
highest overlook is Lewes' very own castle, and it boasts a number of churches and cathedrals, too. Best of all, this
sleepy little town is nestled among the beautiful, sheep-covered hills of Southern England. I was thrilled to discover
such a treasure! I could've pinched myself for leaving my camera at home. :-(
Anyway, the Glyndebourne shuttle bus arrived on time and I was settling
into a nook of my own when a girl bounced up to me and cried, "Erica! Come sit with us!" Come to find
out, she and the others she was sitting with were in two of my music classes. They were all very friendly. We started
discussing the differences between the music programs at ASU and the Uni of Sussex, and my new friends were able to provide
me with some valuable information about the way things work here.
During this entire discussion, the bus had been taking us
through some of the most beautiful countryside I'd ever seen. I really and truly felt like I was back in Ireland again!
Green hills and forests stretched as far as I could see in either direction and sheep grazed placidly on the slopes.
Suddenly, the opera house loomed up out of nowhere, and I was completely charmed by its out-of-the-way location.
Right next to the opera house was a gorgeous mansion, and was able to tour some of the rooms. One of the most ornate
contained a gorgeous Steinway piano and a beautiful organ. And the opera house gardens were even more magnificent!
The gardens were made primarily of long squares of grass, trees, and flowers looking out onto the breathtaking natural
landscape. If I had wanted to, I could have patted the grazing sheep on their woolly little heads!
The opera house was quite modern, but it was definitely a lavish
affair. I picked up my ticket at a posh-looking box office and made my way down red-carpted stairs to the stalls
where I was shown to my seat by a posh usher in a suit. My
seat couldn't possibly have been better! I was dead center, about seven rows from the very front of the stall seats.
Two of the students I'd met on the bus happened to be sitting right next to me, so we were able to chat until the curtains
rose (three times; once when a woman announced that they were having technical difficulties, once when the orchestra
conductor came out to give a brief pre-concert lecture, and once when the actual opera began). :-)
The opera was brilliantly done, but it was definitely eerie.
That said, the acting was incredible and the children did an especially brilliant job. The little boy is the head soloist
with the St. Paul's Boys' Choir and the little girl has several impressive roles to her name, including Young Cosette
in the travelling production of "Les Miserables." The set was very modern and quite ingenious; it involved
a huge pane of glass, a large dead tree, scrims projecting video effects, and a complicated system of moving tracks.
As for the score, I admired Britten's craft (his ability to evoke moods, to create continuity between scenes, to establish
motifs, etc.)
After the opera, I took the bus back to Lewes. Instead of taking
the train directly to Falmer, though, I decided to seize the moment and experience the charms of Lewes! The town
delighted my senses. It's full of little English houses with circular chimneys and quaint shops standing side
by side and lining steeply sloping roads. I wandered where the wind blew me and discovered an almost-deserted park
full of crumbling stone arches and untamed gardens next to a beautiful manor. Then I sauntered up the tiny,
winding roads (stepping aside for passing cars) and walked through a stone arch built in the 1400's and past Lewes castle.
Across from the castle, I found the ancient tilting-grounds where dozens of old British gentlemen were now assembled wearing
smart suits and caps, clamping pipes between their teeth, and carefully tossing little bowling balls with comical gravity.
I watched the proceedings of this strange game in delight until I broke a player's concentration
and received a perturbed look. So I moved on along the old castle wall (which provided a gorgeous, sweeping view of
the city) and ran into a beautiful old church. As I walked past, I noticed that the gate leading to its cemetary was
ajar. So I let myself in, and wandered over the unkempt hills and through the ancient, crumbling tombstones.
After that--alas!--reality hit. My stomach
began to whine and my feet began to smart (rubbed raw from the new shoes I was wearing), so I gave in and headed back to the
train station.
What a lovely day! I need to take Michelle to Lewes sometime
soon and bring my camera along, too. Then I can give you all some visuals to accompany my descriptions.
