Lucerne at Dusk: Festival Notes

The festival does its finest work at the hour when the lake turns the colour of old pewter. A world premiere was rained on halfway through; nobody left, and the composer bowed twice to the weather.

At midnight, a string quartet played Schubert in a room lit by a single lamp, the audience seated on the floor. The last note seemed to stay in the air for a full minute.

Notes for next year: arrive early, bring a coat, and do not miss the espresso stand behind the old chapel.