Don't ask me what the banner says because I don't know.
Last Friday I decided to take advantage of the Turner Exhibit at the Fine Art Museum. Much to my surprise, the exhibit was free. After I had my fill of Madonna pictures and Turner's Italian paintings I walked outside to see a crowd of people standing in Hero's Square listening to Beethoven. I recognized it because it was the 'Egmont' Overture, which I learned to play during my brief time with the Brandeis Orchestra. I had no idea what the crowd was up to, or why the were playing music by a German composer.
After the overture ended they all produced Hungarian flags and sang what I assume was the Hungarian national anthem. Apparently it was Revolution Day (which explains the free museum pass), the anniversary of the 1956 uprising which ushered it the more moderate Communism which lasted until the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Politics in Hungary are currently in a bad way. Elections are coming up the Far Right is expected to do very well. Partly because of the economic crisis, partly due to growing prejudice against Gypsies, and also because the ruling Socialist Party disgraced themselves when the former Prime Minister was caught on tape at a cabinet meeting talking at length about how terrible the economy was becoming and how they'd lied to people.
Looks like there are crazies all over.
2 comments:
There have been some aricles in the NY Times about the economy in Eastern Europe. Looks pretty grim. Glad you got to see the Turners. When we were in London, there was an exhibit at the National Gallery featuring landscapes with quite a few Turners.
The most obvious sign of eocnomic turmoil is the For Rent signs on what look like a third of the office buildings.
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