Initially she thought both invitations were pranks.
The first was an offer to name a salami in her honour. The second was to serve as godmother for a new river cruise ship being launched in faraway Holland.
For Measha Brueggergosman, the New Brunswick soprano now famous on opera and concert stages around the world, both were quite legitimate.
There is now a "Brueggergosman Salami" offered to guests at an upscale Toronto restaurant. And the new, sleek river cruise ship, Avalon Felicity, has as its godmother a Fredericton native and one of the world's finest operatic performers.
The Felicity is the ninth ship in the fleet of Avalon Waterways, the fastest growing river cruise line in Europe. Its English language cruises attract a broad cross-section of adventure-minded and luxury-loving Canadian, American, British and Australian guests.
Like all river ships, its 110-metre length is dictated by the size of the canals, locks, bridges and docking facilities it encounters on the Rhine, Rhone, Danube and many other picturesque waterways throughout Europe. But this newest vessel incorporates the most modern features plus creature comforts that equal the largest ocean cruise ships.
Accommodating just 138 passengers in 65 large staterooms and four junior suites, the Avalon Felicity boasts floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French balconies on two of its three levels, spacious lounges surrounded by huge windows in both the bow and stern areas, an open-air sky deck with whirlpool as well as a small gym and a hairdressing salon.
The restaurant, which can accommodate all guests at one sitting, is remarkable for the scope and quality of its cuisine. Seven chefs and cooks prepare the buffet breakfast and lunch with choices that match ships ten times as large. In the evening, diners enjoy complimentary European wines which accompany a five-course menu with several choices of soup, entrees and desserts.
The maiden voyage of the Avalon Felicity was called the "Tulip Time Cruise" and sailed from Amsterdam through Holland and Belgium. But first the ship had to be christened and for the ceremony it repositioned from Amsterdam across the former Zuiderzee (now a lake, thanks to extensive Dutch flood control dams) to the delightful community of Volendam.
Measha Brueggergosman had been on an extensive concert tour of Europe after her remarkable Olympic opening ceremony performance. The chance to be a ship's godmother, in the company of Princess Diana, Sophia Loren and Judi Dench, was ideal in its timing, especially since the cruise would offer a chance to totally relax.
"It's almost perfect to be the godmother of a river cruise ship," she said. "I grew up beside the Saint John River and it's a great fit for how I was raised."
She added that Holland was an appropriate location because she had won a major international voice competition in Amsterdam and, as a teenager, her high school choir had toured Holland. As we approached Volendam and the formal ceremony, Measha remarked that she'd sort of been in this position before.
"I'm the godmother to my sister's youngest," she said with a twinkle. "But I didn't have to break a bottle of champagne on her! I'm starting to get worried. If the bottle doesn't break, apparently they'll have to rebuild the ship."
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Because of its compact size, Avalon Felicity can visit the centre of small towns. |
Measha need not have worried. The soprano with the huge personality looked absolutely glamorous as Avalon executives gathered by the bow of the ship while officers and crew saluted her from the Avalon Felicity's sundeck. In four languages (English, French, Dutch and German) she wished the ship, her crew, owners and all who sailed on her good fortune. The traditional bottle of champagne was attached to a rope that the new godmother had to cut with a pair of special ceremonial scissors. On cue, the rope was cut with a flourish and the bottle of bubbly smashed into the freshly painted royal blue hull with a satisfying thud and spray.
Measha Brueggergosman beamed as waves of applause greeted her and flowers and multiple hugs came her way. On the return trip to Amsterdam that evening, a formal dinner was laid on for the dignitaries with Measha as the guest of honour. She couldn't stop smiling.
As we sailed towards the Dutch capital, Patrick Clark, the Managing Director of Avalon River Cruises, said Measha was the perfect choice for godmother of the Avalon Felicity.
"We couldn't think of a more appropriate person," he said. "Felicity means happiness and Measha's performances around the world evoke happiness for all who are lucky enough to hear her."
John and Sandra Nowlan are freelance writers based in Halifax.
