The main attraction for me in a free ticket to the gala opening of Buta (the festival of arts of Azerbaijan) was really that it was in the Albert Hall, and it's ages since I've been there! Anyhoo, I checked out some YouTube clips and decided it sounded interesting.
Now, the Albert Hall isn't that far away from me, but it's another of those places that turn out to be a bit further than you'd think, so you need to leave enough time. Even with the concert not starting until 8, they asked Showfilmfirst patrons to get there by 7.30 to pick up our tickets - and of course, I was rushing again. The nearest Tube station is South Kensington.
I was incredibly lucky with trains, mind. A train arrived as I got to the platform in West Brompton. As usual, the platform indicator was wrong, promising me a train that would take me all the way, when the train itself wouldn't. However, they all go through Earl's Court, from where you can change to whatever train you want, so it's always worth taking the next - and I did. At Earl's Court, the train on the opposite platform was going my way, and the driver obligingly waited until we all scurried across - we left within a minute. Two stops later, we were in South Kensington.
As I scurried along the subterranean passageway that leads to the museums, and most of the way to the Albert Hall, it occurred to me how many times I've rushed along it, desperate not to be late for something! It also occurred to me how long it's been since it last happened. Anyhoo, I finally got to the end, and was back out in the rain again. A helpful, simplified map just at the exit tells you how to get to the Albert Hall, but it's easy - left out of the passageway, then left down Prince Consort Road (notice a theme developing here?) and the first right onto Kensington Gore. As I sploshed along, I couldn't help but notice a very vocal protest, across the road from Oginsko Restaurant and apparently directed at it. Some girls, with slogans scrawled on bedsheets. Couldn't make out what they were saying.
When you've wound your way around Kensington Gore, you can't miss the Albert Hall - it's that large, round building. Round buildings aren't too common. My ticket said to head for Door 3 or Door 9, depending on surname, for Showfilmfirst tickets. I was headed for Door 3 - luckily, that's the very one you come to from that direction. As I entered, the lady on the door directed me to the end of the queue. The VERY long queue that snaked around the lobby. I began to wonder just how many Showfilmfirst tickets they'd given away!
Well, in the end it only took me 15 minutes to get to the end of the queue - by which stage, the queue was now longer than when I'd started, and had curled around on itself. The frazzled lady at the desk took my printed confirmation - Showfilmfirst is one thing you do need to print confirmations for. She was glad to be told how many tickets I wanted, rather than having to check! Ticket in paw, I dashed for my seat.
I had a Circle seat. Highest up I've ever been here: in the Albert Hall, you have the Stalls, Loggia (behind the Stalls), Grand Tier, Second Tier, Circle, Gallery. The Gallery is standing - they weren't offering standing tickets for this. I've typically gone for the Second Tier - ticket prices are reasonable there, and you are in a small box, with a good view. Besides, the Circle looked too steep. Well, in the meantime, I've been to the Coliseum a lot - and if you can manage that, you can manage most things.
The Albert Hall is pretty easy to navigate - the nearest door is marked on your ticket, they're all numbered, and if you're not near that door, just keep running around the outside of the (round) building till you get to it. There was a lift, with a small gaggle of people in front of it, but I figured I'd be faster taking the stairs - besides, the lift looked quite small. It turned out I was in the very back row of the Circle, so the highest seats in the house - but they have railings all the way up, like the Opera House, and I managed. Seats are comfy, legroom is decent.
As for the view..
The view, certainly from our row, was somewhat obstructed by the railing. But what the hey - I could see enough, and they had a big screen that I could see perfectly. Looking around the Circle, it did occur to me that all the Circle seats were probably allocated to Showfilmfirst! By showtime, the Stalls were mostly occupied (including the Arena, which is usually standing, but where seats had been placed for this), but the Loggia and Grand Tier were empty and the Second Tier only half full. If not for Showfilmfirst's free tickets, the place would have been over half empty. Which begs the question - why book a venue larger than you can fill? But I guess they wanted a prestigious venue.
I had the joy of being squished between two large ladies. Seats are a bit snug - at least there are armrests. Happily, the end of the row emptied out before the end of the show, and the people to my right moved up a couple of seats, so I could move up one too and we all had some space.
As I say, there was a large screen behind the orchestra. This was used to project a short film about Azerbaijan, and throughout the evening, it announced the next act. It was professionally done, apart from the lack of sound. There was also an MC - he seemed to go off-duty after his opening speech, though.
We had the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra for most of the evening. The repertoire was mostly classical - with composers' names that sounded pretty Azeri. There was an Azeri violin soloist. There was a traditional music trio - sort of the Azeri version of The Chieftains. :-) All in lovely, ornate, ethnic dress, with one on a balalaika, one playing a violin (vertically), and one on something very like a bodhrán, which he played with fingertips.
There was one soprano with an Azeri-sounding name, who came on for one song, but most of the female operatic singing was done by Joan Rodgers. An Azeri jazz virtuoso got a great reception (especially for his catchier number), but the most rapturous reception of the night was reserved for the (surprise) headliner. I don't quite know why they didn't advertise in advance that Andrea Bocelli would be appearing - they'd have got more interest then. Neither do I know what his Azeri connection is. :-) But what the hey, he was the highlight - even though he only sang three songs.. finishing with "Time to Say Goodbye", appropriately. Which brought more than one tear to more than one eye. (And whose chorus he changed to "Time to say salaam".)
And.. that was it! He was led offstage, the lights came up. Ah. No closing word from the MC? Not quite used to this sort of thing, are they? No "thanks for coming", no "please come to the rest of the festival" (it runs till March). They don't even have a working website. Ah well, good luck to them - it was a great evening, with a very Arabian Nights feel to much of the music. Which makes it a pity, really, that "Time to Say Goodbye" is the song most people will have taken from it.
It was also a long evening, and too late to blog by the time I got home (on a direct train that arrived as I got to the platform). Flying back to Ireland tonight, for Dara O' Briain in the University Concert Hall, Limerick tomorrow. Always a good show, Dara! Looking forward to it - for once, I'm near the stage! It's sold out, predictably. And I'm staying in Ireland for the weekend.
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