This year, the International Choir Potsdam spread pre-Christmas cheer at two performances at two quite different Christmas markets in Potsdam. According to our choir director Eugen, these were wonderful opportunities to rehearse the repertoire for our New Year’s concert in front of an audience. Some singers felt a little thrown in at the deep (cold) end by this, but in the end our enthusiasm for singing prevailed. Unfortunately, despite everyone’s good intentions, there were a few absences due to coughs and colds. As a result, our first performance at the first-ever Akzeptanzmarkt (Acceptance Market) in the Waschhaus on November 30 was more like a chamber choir’s – luckily it was indoors, so nobody got cold feet 😉 Of course, the sound was not quite the same as with a full ensemble and accompaniment, but singing carols with our small but wonderful audience was all the more beautiful. Especially when one of the children requested “In der Weihnachtsbäckerei” (In the Christmas Bakery), there was no holding back and much merriment ensued.
In marked contrast, the Christmas market at Bassinplatz on December 13 featured a fully equipped, fully lit stage with professional sound technology. But it was also freezing cold. And we had a much larger and more raucous audience. Two people (an adult and a child) were so enthusiastic beforehand that they climbed on stage and wanted to sing along with us before we had even started. But the choir was in high spirits too after the break between our two blocks of songs and the mulled wine that was being enjoyed – and yet the solos were still spot on! Some of our former members and friends and family were there and cheered us on loudly.
Thank you to everyone who came to hear us sing and to sing with us during the busy pre-Christmas period. And these were just previews, a little taster: the (fingers crossed!) full cast, the full program, with piano, saxophone, and the real CIP New Year’s glamour can be experienced exclusively on January 10 at the Inselkirche in Hermannswerder. See you there!