lying on a blanket under the stars, listening to a great orchestra... could anything sound more enchanting? when my friend sayaka suggested a weekend trip to tanglewood, the boston symphony orchestra's summer venue, i replied yes in a heartbeat.
we brought straw mats and candles along with some wine, cold cuts and local cheese from guido's in great barrington. i thought we were pretty organized, but i was impressed by how well prepared some other lawn-ticket holders were, setting up proper tables and bringing real cutlery!
but when the orchestra began playing, it was all about the music and the night's main performer: yo-yo ma. i had never listened to dvorak's cello concerto live, and was blown away. such a vivid piece that brings out the best in a good orchestra and a brilliant cellist.
the orchestra also played from the new world... the funny thing is that in japan, local governments used to play part of this piece over public speakers at around 6 p.m., with an announcement telling children to go home because it's getting dark. so it reminds me of early evenings in tokyo, with the sky turning a hazy orange and the smell of dinner wafting from the windows. but after tanglewood, i might forever associate it with the sight of a billion stars and the smell of freshly-cut grass.
