Meyerbeer at Spa

Meyerbeer at Spa, Belgium

Meyerbeer spent much time Spa in Belgium. Spa was a 19th century resort to the well-to-do and is referenced many times in the Meyerbeer Dairies. The city of Spa maintains a monument in honor of the composer. In 1999, Meyerbeer Fan Club member Sister Tomiko Hirata made a special six hour journey to Spa, just to see the monument.

Addendum May 21, 2007 (Webmaster) We visited Spa this month. Below is a picture postcard made at the turn of the century -- I bought it from a vendor of old postcards at the Spa flea market, held every Sunday. We learned however, that there are actually TWO monuments to Meyerbeer at Spa! There is another bonze plaque in the hills on the walkway to the "Fontaine du Barisart" and the walkway itself is named for Meyerbeer!! (Stephen A. Agus)

Excerpts from the letter from Sister Tomiko dated November 3, 1999

". . . . . Today would you mind my chatting a while about my Meyerbeer? If you cannot believe me, please look at the picture I'm enclosing. You can recognize me where I am in the picture, can't you? I went there all alone without knowing the exact place of the statue, not even that part of the town, much more the country that I have never been to before. ( Wasn't it as if I was Abraham?) And I was sitting in the train for about one and a half hours traveling across their land looking at plains and mountains with snow falling. Then I arrived at Spa. Then there appeared to me one old lady called Elizabeth, 74 years of age, and I found she did not know of Meyerbeer. Getting off the train she took me walking on the snow-covered street, and then she brought me to the information office, and to as far as the park called Mini Golf. We found no statue of Meyerbeer but a Marshal's of the 20th century. Then there again, appeared a man with a dog and he said, "Are you looking for the statue of Meyerbeer? It is over there!" I extended my cold hand with a warm thankful heart to him. He also looked happy and he went away. It was like a dream but it was not a dream. I tuned, and there I was, standing in front of the statue of Meyerbeer; the same one that I often saw on the website[www.meyerbeer.com] and Fr. Robert's [Robert Letellier] office. He [Meyerbeer] was as if welcoming me, pure white snow surrounding him, reflecting on his bronze bust, which by that time was in harmony with the brown hill slope at the back. "Yes, you are calling me to come here, Meyerbeer, man of courage, patience and goodwill! These virtues of yours will solve every problem," I spoke to him. Thus my 6 hour journey of meeting Meyerbeer ended. This was one of the most mysteriously wonderful and meaningful journeys I ever had. . . . "

Photos courtesy of Sister Tomiko Hirata

Here is a map of the region showing how to get to Spa from Liege, in the eastern part of Belgium, close to the borders of Netherlands, Germany and France

Sister Tomiko Hirata stands before the Meyerbeer Monument erected in a park at Spa, Belgium in November, 1999

A close-up of the same monument