A Stolen Night in Rome

I was due to start a pilgrimage, meeting the other pilgrims (who were flying in from the USA) at Rome Airport on Wednesday 5 March. The timings were a bit tight to get to Rome in time by flying out that morning so I thought I would treat myself to an extra night in Rome beforehand.

I consulted a colleague who recommended the Hassler Hotel, described in my guidebook as having a 'mood of timeless luxury': just what I was looking for. Set at the top of the Spanish Steps, next door to the Chiesa Trinita del Monti, the Hassler lived up to its reputation and provided me with a cocoon of luxury for 24 hours. I had lunch overlooking the Spanish Steps before retiring for a siesta.

In the evening I took the opportunity of visiting Rome's new concert hall, the Auditorium Parca della Musica. This building, opened about five years ago, houses three halls, and I went to a concert in the largest of them, the Sala Santa Cecilia. This is a large hall seating more than 2,500 and laid out in the terraced style favoured by many modern European halls. The acoustics are good without being outstanding, there are a lot of stairs and not many bars or 'arrangement rooms'.

The concert featured the hall's resident Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by the distinguished Russian conductor Yuri Temirkanov. The first work was Beethoven's fourth piano concerto played by Nelson Goerner with just the right balance of delicacy and bravura. This was followed by Ravel's piano concerto played by veteran Martha Argerich. So warmly were both pianists received that we then had two piano duets as encores. The second half of the concert was Tchaikovsky's fourth symphony. In this Termikanov really put the orchestra through their paces, taking the outer movements at thrilling speed. The players responded magnificently, with the leader at times up off his seat.

A slight downside came at the end of the concert, when the only taxis available were those that had already been booked, leaving me with a thirty minute walk to find a taxi rank. Then it was back to the Hassler for a late supper and a night in a luxurious bed before pilgrimage conditions started the next day...