Great Emotions at the Léhar Festival in Bad Ischl
Text: Wolfram Scherer
For lovers of quality operetta, the Bad Ischl festival is a must – and for Car Rouge guests, time and again a wonderful opportunity for a few days of culture and indulgence. For several years, the music travellers have been accompanied by Margitta Rosales. Born in Wuppertal, she is not only a passionate admirer of great opera, she also knows the trade from her own practice. Margitta Rosales trained as a classical singer and studied at the State Conservatoire in Sofia. With her versatile and expressive voice she won several competitions, completed masterclasses and performed at renowned houses in Padua, Santa Cruz and Venice. With this track record, she is the ideal companion for Car Rouge music tours.
Landscape, Spa and Music
Margitta Rosales has accompanied many Car Rouge music tours as an expert tour guide. Bad Ischl, European Capital of Culture 2024, is one of her favourite destinations. We wanted to know why. “The journey alone is beautiful,” she says, “past various lakes – including Lake Wolfgang.” And then the arrival in Bad Ischl at the 4-star Thermenhotel Royal. “I like the friendly Austrian hospitality and, of course, the wonderful spa landscape.” Once she has helped all the guests settle into their rooms, she enjoys it privately too. “When I wander through the spa circuit after dinner and look up at the starry sky – my little ritual – I can go to bed relaxed. I am especially taken with the roof-top pool.” And her other favourite places in Bad Ischl? “I recommend that my guests visit Café Zauner for a fine Zauner Stollen and, of course, the farmers’ market on Friday morning. In Salzburg, the best way to explore the city is a ride in a horse-drawn carriage from Residenzplatz. I also never miss an apple strudel and a Melange coffee at Tomaselli on Alter Markt.” Alongside all these pleasures, though, music is always at the centre. “We visit the Léhar Villa, where Franz Léhar wrote many of his operettas. And as early as the second day of the tour, our guests enjoy a first musical highlight: the Mozart Dinner. Here guests are treated to a three-course menu of historic recipes that Mozart himself is said to have enjoyed. It is accompanied by a small string orchestra playing Mozart’s best-known arias.”
Imperial Villa and Der Bettelstudent
The third day of the Bad Ischl music tour is devoted to two highlights. The first is the visit to the magnificent Imperial Villa, where Emperor Franz Joseph found a place of rest in the 19th century, but also made numerous important political decisions. In the evening, after a festive dinner at the Festspielhaus Bad Ischl, the great operetta performance awaits. This year it was Carl Millöcker’s “Der Bettelstudent”. And what the Car Rouge guests saw and heard was simply overwhelming. The production was fast-paced and infectious, featured outstanding soloists and was celebrated with rapturous applause. “That is what moves me again and again,” says Margitta Rosales, “our guests, who travel far across Europe to experience the atmosphere of a concert hall, immerse themselves in the fascinating world of classical music and share in the excitement of a great performance.”
On to Milan, Paris and Berlin
Further great performances are already on Margitta Rosales’ schedule. Her Car Rouge music tours take in the most important opera houses and concert halls of Europe – Milan, Paris, Vienna, Berlin or Amsterdam. A dream job? “Yes, here I can live out my love of music and the fascinating cosmos of a concert hall. And I can pass on my passion and knowledge to Car Rouge guests.” And how does one land such a dream job? “Quite simply,” says Margitta Rosales, “Armin Portner, the PM at Car Rouge, put up a notice with the job advertisement at the Zurich University of the Arts. I contacted him, and I have been on board ever since. I still look forward to every new Car Rouge music tour today.”