This spring, fifty years after the Ischgl meteorite burned its way through our atmosphere, another shooting star has crash landed in the town. Fortunately, the arrival of Christina Aguilera 2,300 metres up the Idalp for the annual ‘Top of the Mountain’ concert was less fiery than her interstellar predecessor – the only fireball to speak of was the pyrotechnic jets that entertained the 19,000-strong crowd during the dance breaks – but it was very nearly as energetic.
Between performances of songs like ‘Dirrty’, ‘Fighter’, and the lesser-known ‘Feel This Moment’, Xtina found time to address the audience. ‘It’s crazy up here,’ she said. ‘If I look to my left, I can see mountains, but if I look to my right, there’s also snow,’ which is a totally legitimate interpretation of the Alps. There is something nuclear about the sun when you get that high up: it doesn’t so much shine as irradiate, reflecting off the ice while skiiers barrel down the peaks to the sound of ‘Moves Like Jagger’.
Aguilera sang hits including ‘Dirrrty’, ‘Lady Marmalade’ and ‘Beautiful’
TVB Paznaun – Ischgl
According to a study by Tattinger, the decrease in atmospheric pressure that comes with an increase in altitude means that larger bubbles form in champagne, resulting in a more intense fizz and less acidic flavour. Science has yet to demonstrate whether the same is true for the Austrian equivalent of an Aperol Spritz, but whatever orange apertivo was in the glass bottles that were cooling in the snow (by this point in the season, a sort of glittering foam) tasted pretty good to me.