Castle hunter 🏰, history nerd 🏛, book lover 📚, travel addict 🌏, music enthusiast 🎶 and culture aficionado 🎭. Sometimes I write about those things.https://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3klzrqp43fc2aWhen they play Beethoven's 9th at the Boulezsaal and it sounds a little like you put on your headphones and turned the volume all the way up… 🔥🔥🔥22 Feb 2024 20:02 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3klzrqp43fc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kicru3bxhc2rRight-wing populists omnipresent everywhere, now a Communist battle slogan on the exterior wall of a house - it feels more eerily like those other Twenties every day…06 Jan 2024 12:17 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kicru3bxhc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kibaaehjap2cStarting into the new opera year with one of the absolute classics, Mozart's Magic Flute at the Staatsoper in Berlin. ✨05 Jan 2024 21:29 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kibaaehjap2chttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3ki36ol247f26A few previously unshared impressions of the Stadtschloss in Fulda to bring a little bit of colour into the oftentimes grey January (at least in my neck of the woods).03 Jan 2024 11:46 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3ki36ol247f26https://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3khxanujjha2qFirst new year resolution ✔️ Almost twelve months and about 2126 pages (some 300 of them today) later, I finally finished "War and Peace"!01 Jan 2024 22:10 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3khxanujjha2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kgz642m3hp2yOne of the most emotional concerts I have been fortunate enough to listen to: "Together for Humanity", a benefit concert by Berlin Philharmonic for Israeli and Palestinian women peace organisations and the Bring Them Home initiative.20 Dec 2023 23:05 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kgz642m3hp2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kgthp4opsi2mEvery Baroque palace needs a good sala terrena: This is the Kaisersaal, or Emperor’s Hall in English, of the Stadtschloss in Fulda. Built in 1713 according to plans by Johann Dientzenhofer, the garden hall gets its name from the paintings of emperors adorning its walls.18 Dec 2023 16:40 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kgthp4opsi2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kgmlx3luge22Because we now apparently migrate to some new platform every couple of weeks, you can also find me on Threads 👉 www.threads.net/@castleholic 👈. Jury is still out, enjoying the calmness of Bluesky but missing some interaction.15 Dec 2023 23:08 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kgmlx3luge22https://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfvpyjaxgr2vHe had it comin': Finally saw Barrie Kosky's "Chicago" at Komische Oper last night. His typical recipe of glitter, feathers and a bit of depth works once more for this new musical production, even though I’m not sure it has the cult factor like previous Kosky stagings of musicals and operettas.06 Dec 2023 20:49 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfvpyjaxgr2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfvnk4hbql2dThe Baroque-style Princes' Hall on the second floor of the Stadtschloss in Fulda was created instead of an earlier Renaissance-style hall in the years 1712 and 1713. Andreas Schwarzmann signed responsible for the ceiling stucco, while the frescoes were created by Tyrolean Johann Melchior Steidel.06 Dec 2023 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfvnk4hbql2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfnmsc4nxe2bFact.03 Dec 2023 15:31 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfnmsc4nxe2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kflrmatn4w2cLet’s have a closer look at the Roman Room of Schloss Ballenstedt. Originally used as a audience chamber, it shows the transition between the Rococo period and Neo-Classicism, featuring elements of both architectural styles.02 Dec 2023 21:51 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kflrmatn4w2chttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kflr7ic3wf2cTannhäuser in Berlin with no climate protesters to be seen.02 Dec 2023 21:44 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kflr7ic3wf2chttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfjbisbboi2uHeading into the weekend with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe: Elgar's Introduction & Allegro, Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto (w/ Beatrice Rana) and Dvorak's 6th under Antonio Pappano. If you look closely, you can also spy another very famous conductor and a well-known violinist in the audience.01 Dec 2023 21:58 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfjbisbboi2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfih6k3anx2uThree days of winter in Berlin later: We now have an almost closed covering of ice and I can now practice my figure skating free skate routine on my way to work. 🥳⛸️01 Dec 2023 14:07 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfih6k3anx2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfe76pfyew2uFelix, you da bomb 💥29 Nov 2023 21:33 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfe76pfyew2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfdyigz7gu2cBerlin turned into a little winter wonderland today… ☃️❄️29 Nov 2023 19:33 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfdyigz7gu2chttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfdyflziod2gFarbrauschend: Clyne, Tschaikowsky und Schostakowitsch mit dem DSO Berlin https://bachtrack.com/de_DE/kritik-clyne-tschaikowsky-schostakowitsch-rouvali-gluzman-deutsches-symphonie-orchester-berlin-november-202329 Nov 2023 19:32 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfdyflziod2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfdy4japao27The White Hall of Schloss Charlottenburg (left) is one of two grand festival halls built by King Friedrich II of Prussia, the other one being the much more famous Golden Gallery (right). Largely destroyed during World War II, it was recreated in the 1970's featuring a more modern approach.29 Nov 2023 19:27 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfdy4japao27https://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kfazvphv5x2wThe Dalberg Hall of the Stadtschloss in Fulda was commissioned by Prince-Abbot Adolf von Dalberg around the year 1727, hence its name. At the time, the Hall was intended as the Dining Hall, today it is mainly used for weddings. Its central fresco was created by Emanuel Wohlhaupter.28 Nov 2023 15:21 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kfazvphv5x2whttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kexl2si6nv2uFriday night in Berlin: Oksana Lyniv conducts not one but two world premieres by Vladimir Genin, mono-operas "Alkestis" and "Orpheus. Eurydike. Hermes" based on (occasionally crude) poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, plus works by Musgrave and Biber.24 Nov 2023 21:01 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kexl2si6nv2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kewsh57nua2uI lost an umbrella. For the approximately 94th time in my life. But somehow my lost umbrellas don’t turn into random meet-cutes at train stations. What am I doing wrong?24 Nov 2023 13:40 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kewsh57nua2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/svenjaloves.bsky.social/post/3kepdkqamks2wThe Cabinet of Mirrors of the Stadtschloss in Fulda may just be the city palace’s most eyecatching room. Its more or less 420 mirrors are gorgeously intertwined with Rocaille-style decorations and small paintings showing scenes of everyday life against a red backdrop.21 Nov 2023 14:25 +0000at://did:plc:aodumk5yllsfabm4yqb5bf3y/app.bsky.feed.post/3kepdkqamks2w