rathausplatz film festival! or, der nussknacker

last night i zipped down to the rathaus, where they have a free film festival during the summer...every night they play a different music dvd, or they have strange performances (mambo, viennese waltzes, whatever). last night was the nutcracker, which i love. i know, i know, it kind of has a bad name, but i maintain that it is that piece that first made me realize that instrumental music can be powerful (i know that these things are not easy to pinpoint, but i credit the nutcracker with my realization that i loved classical music. at this point, it doesn't matter whether or not that's the truth...it's what i remember, even that memory is false). 

anyway, i was really excited, and took my seat in front of the screen around 8.30...the show started at 9.30, but i wanted to make sure i could see. then it started to rain. and i don't mean drizzle...i mean, buckets upon buckets of sheets of rain. and the loudest thunder....i went and stood under an overhang and read my (soaking wet) newspaper for an hour, while a three-inch puddle formed around my feet. they said they were going to play the movie unless a hurricane came, so i waited it out. 

and then, as the movie started, i was just struck by this incredible feeling...here i was, crammed shoulder to shoulder with some of the nicest people i've ever had the pleasure to wait out a rainstorm with, freezing cold, listening to gorgeous music, watching ballet, in a public square, in VIENNA. 

i really can't imagine anywhere else that could happen.