The outing on Monday to Berkeley Castle was only one of several non-music options at the Three Choirs Festival. This morning Joan Ishibashi and I attended a most interesting lecture by Dr Linda Porter, called “The Real Bloody Mary,” on Mary Tudor, the first child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Eclipsed by her younger half-sister Elizabeth, Mary is confused with Mary Queen of Scots, vilified as ‘Bloody Mary,’ or simply forgotten after her brief reign.
Dr. Porter, a historian and author of four books on the Tudors and the Stuarts, gave a very informative yet humorous talk and slideshow. Afterwards, Joan bought one of her books and had it autographed.
Meanwhile, I explored St. Catharine’s Church, where the lecture was held, and discovered a colorful organ. We were offered tea and cake before the lecture where one of the parishioners apologized for this instrument, but it certainly was pretty.
We left St. Catherine’s and set off for the Old Bishop’s Palace Garden where we participated in a Ghanaian Drumming Workshop! What fun!
And then we walked into a danger zone — a large tent featuring a craft display from local artisans! I’m afraid I yielded to temptation and bought a contemporary raku clock. Here I posed with the artist, Sally Brooks. She was thrilled when I gave her a box of macadamia chocolates from Hawaii.
It was time for Evensong—and this was a special one, with a live broadcast on the BBC. We arrived in plenty of time to join the queue into the Cathedral.
The service featured the music of James MacMillan (b. 1959), who composed the introit, Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, the anthem, “O give thanks,” and the postlude, “Meditation.”
I had already decided that since Evensong was held early (for the BBC broadcast), that Joan and I would return to The Fountain Inn, where we ate with Joey a year ago when the Duke University Chapel Choir was in residency at Gloucester Cathedral. The food is delicious and very affordable—in fact, it’s downright cheap!
I picked a prawn and smoked salmon salad, in keeping with my diet. It was a beautiful salad!
Because Joan’s birthday is Sunday, (and it’s a milestone birthday!) it turned out we celebrated her birthday tonight. Happy Birthday, Joan!
In the evening, we heard a fine performance of Handel’s Israel in Egypt. It was done in a Mendelssohn style, with a huge chorus and orchestra, sung in German and with the inclusion of clarinets (!) and did I hear saxophones, too?! Still, I enjoyed it, and as Joan overheard a woman saying after the concert, “Handel makes you want to come out singing after the concert!”
