_{OPERA PLACES} Baritone Iain MacNeil takes us to Frankfurt

City where you’re working?
Frankfurt, Germany

What are you working on?
I’ve been an Oper Frankfurt Ensemble member since 2019, and was a member of the Opernstudio for two years before that. I’ve just extended my contract through 2025. 

What’s the opera house like?
A colleague of mine and I were recently on stage looking out at the audience, and we remarked that the royal blue and light-coloured wood made it look like a royal blue submarine. The building, which is connected to the Schauspiel (Theatre) is a big maze of tunnels and rehearsal rooms. The most attractive features are the Balletsaal on the seventh floor, a big rehearsal room with lots of natural light and a balcony that overlooks the Main river. It’s a great place to practice, watch the sunset, or watch the fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Frankfurt Opera © D&B Audiotechnik

Best coffee or tea?
Best coffee is at my house, thanks to my newly upgraded Gaggia Classic espresso machine. Best cappuccino is a tossup between BUNCA (a block from the opera house), and Moka a few blocks from my house in Sachsenhausen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Coolest bar or restaurant you’ve been to?
I’ve never had a bad time at Balalaika in Alt-Sachsenhausen. There’s a crispy honky tonk piano in the bar which always gets played around closing time. Several guitars hanging on the wall serve as functional decoration, and a purely decorative Balalaika hangs above the bathroom. It’s a dimly-lit, smoky atmosphere with an ageless clientele, and has been in the family for decades, and the area since 1968. Spontaneous jam sessions erupt frequently. It’s definitely a vibe.

An activity you have done that is unique to the area?
Every spring a group of us go to the woods and harvest something called Bärlauch. It’s a type of wild garlic which grows rampant throughout Germany in April. We then mash it into pesto, make a big old pasta with it, and play some music.

Bärlauch Pesto Pasta © Eat Smarter

Is there something unexpected that happens locally that you discovered?
The fireworks on New Year’s Eve are an absolutely hectic game changer. It’s complete and total mayhem for hours culminating in a massive firework show of individual citizens shooting their own personal stash in every possible direction. It’s the perfect end to December which, with the Christmas Market which stretches through the city for kilometres, is a very festive month.

Frankfurt’s Christmas Market © The Bicester Collection

How did you find your accommodation?
I visited an apartment alongside a handful of banking couples my age, and my prospective landlord decided that it would be interesting to have an opera singer living in the house. LITTLE DID HE KNOW.

What’s the most important thing you think of when it comes to finding accommodation as a singer?
Good kitchen and proximity to nature.

Where is the most peaceful place in the city above?
Probably the top of the Grosser Feldberg in the nearby Taunus Mountains, seconded by the Stadtwald where I walk almost every day.

Have you had a chance to explore some galleries or museums?
Yes. I recently enjoyed the Film Under Water exhibit at the Deutsche Film Museum.

Is there anything you recommend beyond what we’ve asked here?
Right around the corner from my house there’s a refurbished Oil Factory turned restaurant/music venue called Die Fabrik. It’s an intimate and friendly atmosphere, and I’ve even seen a Toronto band playing there. I’ve played a set of original songs there myself. I’d recommend seeing what’s playing if you’re in the area.