Skansen on New Years Eve

OK here are the photos from the Swedish New Years celebrations.

As I blogged before I dont think I have ever worn so many clothes at one time, but standing for an hour in -10 degrees celcius looking sexy goes out of the way. Well for me anyway!

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Even managed to understand quite a bit of it. Some of the voices were incredible, I had forgotten how much I enjoy opera, I know I know a working class boy from Swansea should not admit to such things but there we go. At one point I even had to ‘shhh!’ some noisy people behind me. How rude to chat and laugh during this performance. I can never understand it. They were rather mature as well so should know better, then again I was sober, they were not…

Lisa Nilsson‘s voice was amazing. She is a soul/pop singer but she sounded like she would not be out of place at any Opera Hall. I was also very impressed with Swedish Baritone Peter Matei. The choir were also very good as was Swedish actor Jan Malmsjö who powerfully read out this moving poem in Swedish by Tennyson. I had not read this before, very powerful.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

So here are the photos..please enjoy!