Sing mein Sachse, sing!

by Alexandra Schmidt

„What happened to this record?“ is my first spontaneous response, when Tex Rubinowitz told me about how he once was standing on the jumble sale at the Vienna Naschmarkt with a single of “Sing my Saxon, sing”. the one came from the one side and from the other side came the other adored artist, the suspense is rising – what would happen if they both meet each other by chance at a “one-man-stand” with only one product?

Well: he still had the record. And offered it to me. I should do something with it – after the official part I go on to him and give him my address, one week later the single is in my letterbox. Ow – now I really have to come up with something – at least 100 people noticed it.

Ok. At the jumble sale of “Picknick im Park” in Salzburg I prepare myself. No two artists come across each other. A few sellers take for a short look at me. My friend takes a few pictures. I cannot hold on for a long time. But I do not really have a connection to this record and the title and the line of this chorus: “…bis nunder nach Bulgarschen tu isch die Welt beschnarschen…”.

But I will do two things this summer, with the feeling that it comes near to what Tex describes in his episode: I present myself in front of the Festspielhaus in Salzburg with a sign in my hand, which shows: “search ticket”. Once at the “Jedermann”, once at “Ariodante”, one of Händel´s opera. Every time I arrive, I´m not the only one there. The others are not delighted about me being there. I look awesome – an old friend that I meet a little while before, tells me out of the blue : “You look cool – you always look cool”. Yes, thanks – that was the intention . I thought, if someone had a second ticket, because someone got ill, got stood up or booked with Air Berlin (and therefore is late), then he would love to have a person sitting next to him that looks awesome.

Very wrong: many tickets had been given as a present or passed at really low prices – to older people, who were not that well dressed and to obvious art students. I never had success – but anyway I had fun: so many jealous views from men who obviously would rather give their tickets away. And don´t have to sit in the opera for four hours, when they – like I did afterwards – could also spend a nice summer evening in a beer garden.

But also many superior views from people who have a ticket – and a few comments like: “where did you lost your ticket?” hahaha.

The superior views predominate. They said: “I´m not in the need of something like this.” or “I can buy my ticket on my own.”

The best moment was when an old lady, who got a 420-euro ticket as a present five minutes prior to the beginning, came over to me really relieved: “You already have one? Not? Wait for it, I stay a little, maybe I can help you.”