Bonjour de France!

[Jake4263]

(I Used a translater... Sorry if it's not perfect!)

Hi all,

As a new Member and recent "French" Fan, we have a forum "Libera Passion" but it doesn't seem very actif.
So here I am on your forum! And presentations are required

So how I met Libera: it was completely random!

After moving a few months ago, I took a dusty guitar out of the closet at the beginning of the year.
(I should point out that I am not at all a musician, but when I was a teenager I tried playing guitar "to see" but without result and I put it away.
Wanting to re-learn the guitar, and lacking inspiration, I listened attentively to the different music I heard in various series or films, in order to give me ideas.
One evening I stopped on a song in particular, whose rhythms I recognized, having already heard it a multitude of times, without knowing the title... My phone recognized it without difficulty, it was "Carols Of the Bell" and while looking for tutorials on YouT*** I found Libera's version, and that's how it all began!!!

I must have spent 2 hours that evening listening to their music, their singing, and I was immediately intrigued by these extraordinary talents! This musician/singer couple works wonderfully!! I created a playlist, to which I add titles that I like when I discover them (just yesterday I added Cum dederis and Sacris Solemnis last week... Even though it wasn't a musical style at all that I listened to before, today this group takes an important place (see daily) in my speakers!

They made me want to learn music, so much so that I surprised myself by learning the basics of the piano! by following a few online courses, and I discovered this incredible universe.

At the same time, I'm a fan of cycling trips, and since last year I've been planning a trip to London by bike during the summer holidays, visiting part of England! Nice coincidence!! So I'm going to review my plans to visit the cathedrals for their concert! To see how I can immerse myself in your English culture and also experience a bit of 'Libera' through this trip! But I don't know how... If you have any ideas, I'm interested! Like you, I dream of participating in a concert, but it's missed, my dates will not compatible....

In any case, I will be delighted to discuss Libera with you! Or any advice for 'living' this passion when I will there! (End of August / Beginning of September)

Thank you for your welcome !

[Surpinto]

Welcome to Libera Dreams!

It's good to have you here and interesting to learn how you came to know the choir, so thank you very much for sharing that, and thank you for introducing yourself.

People come to discover Libera in so many different ways, and yours is definitely one of the unique ways in which others have come across them. Some have discovered them online during particularly difficult times in their lives when they were searching for something uplifting, others came across them because they have always been fans of choral music, and still others have even more unique ways of having discovered the choir. One fan, I recall, discovered them because his music teacher in school played the class some of Libera’s music.

With that said, we have several fans from France here at LDF so you should feel right at home and don’t worry about having to use a translator, many others do the same and it's no problem.

Being that the choir is not affiliated with a school, they perform only during school holidays and the schedule is actually rather predictable:

• There is a concert in late November or sometime in December in the UK with a Christmas theme.
• There is sometimes a concert between February and April usually to Korea, the Philippines, etc.
• Then a spring/summer UK concert in May or June (June 8 in Ely, UK this year).
• A summer tour in late July and early August - either to the US or within the UK the last number of years.
• Finally there is usually a tour to Japan around October.

So if you want to see them you should definitely plan on one of these events. Just to clarify, there are sometimes unexpected events that sometimes occur outside of the schedule above but it's usually outside the UK, and fairly predictable because of the school holiday schedule in England.

With that said, welcome again and I hope you are able to see them live, it's an experience not to be missed!

[Padmachou]

Salut Jake !

Comme l'a indiqué Surpinto il y a quelques français ici Libera Passion est moins animé qu'autrefois, cependant cela reste un site précieux pour trouver des informations sur Libera, c'est en quelque sorte "les archives" très bien organisées de The Furby. Cependant depuis quelques mois il est très occupé, mais j'essaie de garder les archives à jour.

Dommage que ton voyage ne coincide pas avec les concerts... si tu cherches à visiter des cathédrales où Libera se produit régulièrement je recommanderais définitivement Arundel, Ely, éventuellement Brighton (la côte doit être agréable en vélo par ailleurs), et Chichester. Partout tu trouveras des jolies "villes" avec de superbes jardins.

Le concert le plus "facile" d'accès est celui de Noël, qui depuis plusieurs années trouve sa place à Saint John's Smith Square à Londres. Peut-être qu'on t'y verra cette année ? La date n'est pas encore déterminée mais c'est souvent le dernier weekend de novembre ou le premier de décembre.

_________________________

Sorry for the french part guys, it felt like a proper way to welcome a french friend

Hi Jake !

Like Surpinto said, there are a few fellow french friends on this website Libera Passion is less lively than it used to be, though it still is a precious place to gather intell about Libera, it sort of qualifies as the "archives", very well documented by The Furby. But for a few months, he has been very busy, though I try to keep the data up to date.

Poor luck that your trip does not coincide with the UK concerts... if you'd like to visit cathedrals where Libera sometimes perform, I would recommend Arundel, Ely, maybe Brighton (the sea front must be nice for a bike tour btw), and Chichester. Each of these locations have nice towns to visit, and beautiful gardens.

The easiest concert to attend might be the Christmas one, which, for several years now takes place in Saint John's Smith Square in London. Maybe we will meet there ? They have not set a date yet, but it often is the last weekend of November or the first one of December.

[Jake4263]

Thank you for your warm welcome!

You say above that many knew Libera at a particularly difficult time in their lives. In my case it is at an essential turning point in my life, after some big changes, being in search of objectives, of new things. Without being in great difficulty I hold on and let myself be guided by the music! And it’s cool!

Concerning the concert dates, I contacted Libera by email, and nothing was planned during the month of August, this period being a 'break' dedicated to vacations and family. I have little hope for the first week of September. Thank you for your additional information!

To padamachou: (Thank you for the French version - it means a lot to me!) Indeed Libera Passion is an impressive source of information! Bravo to TheFurby!
Thanks for the cathedrals! Except Ely the others seem to be on my route! the Coat will be much appreciated for their beauty! (And their difficulty on a bike)
(I'm thinking of following the coast from NewHaven to Plymouth, and going up to Bristol, why not a tour of Wales, and finishing in London. Then time for the train and ferry to return to France)

If London wants to be as welcoming as people say, it's not impossible that I will return there this winter! (I also told myself that one day I would go visit the Harry Potter studios, but I don't really like the crowds, the tourists... I like the calm!

[Citlec]

If your summer is already planned out, with no chance to see Libera, then I would strongly suggest aiming for their Xmas concert. As for London, it isn't as feral and dangerous as the news might portray! I walk in central London regularly, and I've not been stabbed, or mugged, yet... And we do have a huge array of quite lovely, non-Libera things to see. Opera, theatre, musicals, concerts...

A few years ago I noticed when travelling from St Pancras on the Eurostar that they had massive posters advertising an Agincourt memorial event. Which I thought was a little bit inflammatory for a major gateway to France. But that aside, I think we are generally quite welcoming these days!

It's 5 years since I went to the Harry Potter Studio tour which is in a suburb of London. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it!

What I would NOT recommend is the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child theatre play, which I recently finally got round to seeing, and which I would say, unless you are a HUGE Harry Potter fan, really, really don't bother!

London can be a very busy at the weekends, but in the week, during the day, the crowds should be fine. And there are always sanctuaries to be found, even in the most unlikely spots... such as the Church of Notre Dame de France, a magnificent in-the-round church, with a French congregation, right in the centre of London, just off Leicester Square. It recently hosted a fantastic London Oratory Choir concert.

[LordG]

A warm welcome here at LD.

There are so many different stories about how individuals came into contact with Libera and some of them even find their way to a concert. For many, here at Libera Dreams, it hasn't just been one concert. As has been written here before, the concerts in Europe are not as frequent as we would like.

What I would NOT recommend is the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child theatre play, which I recently finally got round to seeing, and which I would say, unless you are a HUGE Harry Potter fan, really, really don't bother!

I can only second this statement. The musical is only for hardcore Harry Potter fans who have too much money to spend on something better.
I suffered my way through these two performances and was glad when it was over. IMHO a waste of money...

[Yorkie]

Hi Jake

Welcome to the forum & congratulations on discovering Libera; it sounds like you have caught the bug and have become one of us.

Some of the biggest and best Libera fans are from France and the French fans (Furby, Fan_de_LoK, Padmachou) provide the rest of us with fantastic information & concert reports.

Sadly, Libera don't perform often enough in Europe for our liking and I don't think I've ever seen them perform in September. They are usually restricted to school holidays which in the UK means a Easter, late May, Late July/early August or late October. We can then expect a Christmas concert in December.

I don't know if this translates well but you get my traditional welcome to the forum:

[Yorkie]

What I would NOT recommend is the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child theatre play, which I recently finally got round to seeing, and which I would say, unless you are a HUGE Harry Potter fan, really, really don't bother!

I can only second this statement. The musical is only for hardcore Harry Potter fans who have too much money to spend on something better.
I suffered my way through these two performances and was glad when it was over. IMHO a waste of money...

I actually enjoyed HPATCC and I don't normally enjoy plays. I don't think I could be described as a hardcore fan but who knows. It was expensive though but as it was my 50th birthday present to myself I splurged on the best seats - maybe I had to enjoy it to justify the price!

[Yorkie]

A few years ago I noticed when travelling from St Pancras on the Eurostar that they had massive posters advertising an Agincourt memorial event. Which I thought was a little bit inflammatory for a major gateway to France. But that aside, I think we are generally quite welcoming these days!

I seem to remember that before St Pancras was ready the Eurostar went from Waterloo

[Citlec]

I seem to remember that before St Pancras was ready the Eurostar went from Waterloo

Quite an apposite video, considering Oliver! returns to the West End in December playing in the Gielgud Theatre (next door to Les Mis)

[TullyBascombe]

Welcome to Libera Dreams Jake 4263, and a happy 80th D-Day to you. I hope you find this forum a useful resource to all things Libera.

[Padmachou]

I seem to remember that before St Pancras was ready the Eurostar went from Waterloo

Quite an apposite video, considering Oliver! returns to the West End in December playing in the Gielgud Theatre (next door to Les Mis)

Ooooh I want to see it ! And then they will play Billy Elliot again ? Right ? Right ?

Huuuuum Agincourt, Waterloo... can't speak in the name of all french people but I personally really don't care and Napoleon is not someone I look up at. He litteraly reinstated slavery and ransacked every country he went to. Sure he did decent stuff as well but... Nope. I will use Waterloo train's station everytime I need to

[Jake4263]

...when travelling from St Pancras on the Eurostar that they had massive posters advertising an Agincourt memorial event. Which I thought was a little bit inflammatory for a major gateway to France. But that aside, I think we are generally quite welcoming these days!

It’s a very original greeting indeed! I'm sure it would have made me smile
I don't doubt London's hospitality, I'm sure I'll come back with great memories!
I have to take the time to identify the best things to do and choose them to do the most in just two days! it's going to be sporty Thanks for the idea!

SeigneurG, Citlect, I'm Crazy about Harry Potter! We could open a topic Just about HP !! I Thinks , if i have time, my priority will be to go to the studios in the first time. About HPATCC, I read the play, but I don't really know what to think about it. it was the first time I read a play.

I don't know if this translates well but you get my traditional welcome to the forum:

This clip is exceptional ! Je ne connaissait pas du tout ce film; "Oliver" is the tittle ?

Thanks for the Welcome , Thanks too TullyBascombe

To Padmachou, I went to see the Film Napoleon when it came out, I guess you did too? I agree with you, there is a lot of darkness in this character...

[Yorkie]

This clip is exceptional ! Je ne connaissait pas du tout ce film; "Oliver" is the tittle ?

Yes it is a 1968 film based on the stage musical based on the book by Charles Dickins called "Oliver Twist"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver!_(film)

[Citlec]

SeigneurG, Citlect, I'm Crazy about Harry Potter! We could open a topic Just about HP !! I Thinks , if i have time, my priority will be to go to the studios in the first time. About HPATCC, I read the play, but I don't really know what to think about it. it was the first time I read a play.

To Padmachou, I went to see the Film Napoleon when it came out, I guess you did too? I agree with you, there is a lot of darkness in this character...

Well, if you are a big fan then perhaps you will enjoy it. To focus on the positives, the special effects were amazing, the dementors... were genuinely frightening! The plot did keep me engaged and the relationship between Harry Potter's son and Draco Malfoy's son was really nice, and the actor playing Draco Malfoy's son was fantastic.

Napoleon was one of only two films I went to the cinema to see last year and I really enjoyed it. I liked the fact that half the film focused on his relationship with Josephine. But the battle scenes were fantastic! He was portrayed in the film as quite a flawed character.