Midsummer celebration at House of Sweden!

During my Sunday walk through Balboa Park, I found myself enjoying the House of Sweden’s lawn program. Summer began several days ago, so they were having a midsummer celebration. Complete with a flower bedecked maypole!

Anticipating the afternoon’s entertainment, a large crowd had gathered on the grass at the center of the International Cottages.

Ladies in folk costume paraded with flags onto the stage and sang the American and Swedish national anthems. Followed by more songs. Different regional dresses were then showcased and explained. Then more music. A group took the stage to perform the popular music of ABBA.

On the patio of the House of Sweden’s cottage, all sorts of crafts, flowers and colorful works of art were on display. Inside the cottage pastries and other treats awaited.

I wandered about, took a few photos.

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Faces sing, play pipes at Spreckels Organ Pavilion!

Two youth sing together.  Decoration on Balboa Park’s outdoor Spreckels Organ Pavilion. The faces are composed of plaster of Paris mixed with coir fiber.

Like many of the buildings created for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park, the Spreckels Organ Pavilion is decorated lavishly with unique plaster ornamentation. The impressive structure with its sweeping, semi-circular colonnade, designed by Harrison Albright in the Italian-Renaissance style, contains many sculptural figures and motifs, including human faces.

The other day I took a close look at the organ pavilion building and its colonnade. I noticed a number of different faces singing or playing pipes. Here they are!

The organ isn’t playing and the benches are empty, but many still wander into the historic pavilion to marvel at its unique beauty.

An exotic face made of plaster for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park appears to be singing.

A youthful musician plays the pipes. Many beautiful figures made of plaster decorate the pavilion which is home to the majestic Spreckels pipe organ in Balboa Park.

A cherub sings inside the pavilion’s colonnade.

Perhaps this is the Greek god Pan playing his pipes–or just an ordinary person who loves making music.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can enjoy even more Cool San Diego Sights by following me on Facebook or Twitter!

Children’s Chorus of Staatsoper Berlin in Balboa Park!

The Children’s Chorus of Staatsoper Berlin sings at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park on a Sunday afternoon.

The award-winning Children’s Chorus of Staatsoper Berlin performed this afternoon in Balboa Park at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. They took the stage after a performance by the San Diego Children’s Choir, and then, at the program’s conclusion, the two youthful choirs joined together as one.

Accompanied by Martin Green playing the Spreckels Organ, the Children’s Chorus of Staatsoper Berlin, which is on a tour of the West Coast, impressed the large audience with their excellent voices. The music included Halleluja (from Messiah) and a mixture of folk and traditional pieces.

At Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion, fantastic music can be heard every weekend. Merely take a seat at 2:00 on a Sunday afternoon!

Someone arriving for the concert is carrying colorful flowers.

A large crowd gathered on the Spreckels Organ Pavilion’s benches to hear the famed German children’s choir.

All ears at attention.

The Children’s Chorus of Staatsoper Berlin performs on stage in front of the large Spreckels Organ pipes.

Piano accompanied the organ for a few songs. Guest organist Martin Green played this Sunday, while the Spreckels Organ Society searches for a new San Diego Civic Organist.

Near the conclusion of the program, the San Diego Children’s Choir gets ready to head up onto the stage.

Dozens of young voices join together to create beautiful music!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can enjoy even more Cool San Diego Sights by following me on Facebook or Twitter!