Don't know why I find this so silly, but there you go.
Blog tracker today:
Location:
Country: United States
State: Illinois
City: Chicago
Referring URL:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=nathan%20gunn%20nude%20love%20and%20other%20demons
Search Engine:
google.com
Search Words:
nathan gunn nude love and other demons
Visit Entry Page:
http://luindriel.blogspot.com/2008/08/nope-hes-still-not-naked-at-least-not.html
(which I think is funny since that was a post about the last naked google search)
Visit Exit Page:
http://luindriel.blogspot.com/2008/05/nathan-gunn-pro-wrestler.html
(see the comments)
It's a (vicious?) cycle - Someone googles it, comes to my blog, I post about it, then the next time someone googles it they come to my most recent post about it.
Obviously I need to find something else to write about.
Keeping the obvious out of the tags this time.
.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Take it All Off
Had my voice lesson yesterday. It was good. I mean, nothing earth-shattering. We did some exercises to work on the break in my range. I think if it almost like a shelf. I'm singing, singing, down, down and then I hit the shelf and both the sound and the internal feeling change. So I'm working on staying on the upper shelf for the lower notes - it's hard! I think I might have written about this last week too. At one point in the lesson, pretty early on actually, I was feeling all out of sorts and uncomfortable in my own skin. Ok, the truth is, I just wanted to take all my clothes off. Not in any suggestive sense, but just to not have ANYTHING touching me. It was not unlike when I was in labor with Alex. I chose to have an unmedicated delivery. Part of the natural progression of labor is a point called transition, when the cervix (sorry if too graphic) opens the final few centimeters before it's time to push the baby out. Transition is the most difficult part - contractions one on top of the other, no break, painful beyond description. Luckily it only lasts 5-10 minutes. The longest 5-10 minutes of my life. But I digress, as usual. So when I was in transition, I wanted NOTHING touching me. Nothing. I threw off my clothes (trust me, you don't care who sees what at that point) and I made the nurse take off the straps that were holding the heart rate and contraction monitors. So thankfully I wasn't in any physical pain yesterday, but the idea of wanting nothing touching me was very similar. Sadly, I had to remain clothed, so I compromised and took off all my jewelry. Which sounds like I wear alot... I don't... but it all came off.
We also went over Apres un Reve. The accompaniment has absolutely no correlation to the melody. It'll be an interesting exercise. I have to get the melody firmly entrenched so I can sing along with the accompaniment. I see it as a challenge.
So. That post went off in a direction I didn't expect. But there it is.
Cat pic time, it being Friday and all.
Diego in the bathroom sink.
.
We also went over Apres un Reve. The accompaniment has absolutely no correlation to the melody. It'll be an interesting exercise. I have to get the melody firmly entrenched so I can sing along with the accompaniment. I see it as a challenge.
So. That post went off in a direction I didn't expect. But there it is.
Cat pic time, it being Friday and all.
Diego in the bathroom sink.
.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Clarifying the Comparison
Ok. I still have people telling me that you can't compare apples and oranges. They're right, you can't, and it's not what I've done. Perhaps this will help.
Imagine that you are going apple picking. You're in some northern state in the US, maybe Washington or Oregon. It's a crisp sunny day. You're wearing a sweater but don't need a coat. So you get to the farm. At the farm stand you pick up a paper bag. The sign says that your apples will be weighed and you'll pay by the pound. You might pick up a hand-drawn map of where the different varieties are growing, and perhaps the person at the farm stand will tell you where the best picking is. You'll head out to the field. The trees are pretty low - you can reach almost all the fruit. There is a smell of slightly fermented apple from the fallen, rotting apples on the ground. Yellow jackets hover around these fallen apples. You hop over or skirt around muddy ruts in the lanes between the trees. You fill your bag and head back. The person in the farm stand weighs the bag. You add a gallon of fresh cider to your purchases and head home. At home, you decide to do a tasting. You slice three varieties of apple and compare their flavor, texture, aroma and so on. They are crisp, sweet, tart and totally delicious. All in all you had a wonderful day picking apples.
The next week you fly to Florida or California and decide to go orange picking. It's hot. You put on sunscreen and your straw hat. When you get to the farm, you are told that only one variety is available right now, and you'll have to ride on the tractor to get out there. It's a bumpy ride out to the grove. The trees are pretty high - you can barely reach the oranges on the lower branches. The tractor driver has a pole with clippers and a basket or netting on it. He or she helps you get the oranges from high up in the trees. It's hot out there. You can see the heat waves shimmering as you look across the field. When you return to the farm stand, you pay by the piece rather than by weight. You also pick up a gallon of freshly squeezed orange juice. At home, you peel a still-warm orange and enjoy it's juicy sweetness. The juice runs off your chin and up your arms. All in all you had a wonderful day picking oranges.
Got it? It's the experience, not the fruit, that's being compared.
Imagine that you are going apple picking. You're in some northern state in the US, maybe Washington or Oregon. It's a crisp sunny day. You're wearing a sweater but don't need a coat. So you get to the farm. At the farm stand you pick up a paper bag. The sign says that your apples will be weighed and you'll pay by the pound. You might pick up a hand-drawn map of where the different varieties are growing, and perhaps the person at the farm stand will tell you where the best picking is. You'll head out to the field. The trees are pretty low - you can reach almost all the fruit. There is a smell of slightly fermented apple from the fallen, rotting apples on the ground. Yellow jackets hover around these fallen apples. You hop over or skirt around muddy ruts in the lanes between the trees. You fill your bag and head back. The person in the farm stand weighs the bag. You add a gallon of fresh cider to your purchases and head home. At home, you decide to do a tasting. You slice three varieties of apple and compare their flavor, texture, aroma and so on. They are crisp, sweet, tart and totally delicious. All in all you had a wonderful day picking apples.
The next week you fly to Florida or California and decide to go orange picking. It's hot. You put on sunscreen and your straw hat. When you get to the farm, you are told that only one variety is available right now, and you'll have to ride on the tractor to get out there. It's a bumpy ride out to the grove. The trees are pretty high - you can barely reach the oranges on the lower branches. The tractor driver has a pole with clippers and a basket or netting on it. He or she helps you get the oranges from high up in the trees. It's hot out there. You can see the heat waves shimmering as you look across the field. When you return to the farm stand, you pay by the piece rather than by weight. You also pick up a gallon of freshly squeezed orange juice. At home, you peel a still-warm orange and enjoy it's juicy sweetness. The juice runs off your chin and up your arms. All in all you had a wonderful day picking oranges.
Got it? It's the experience, not the fruit, that's being compared.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Johnny's Discs
Several (several) posts ago I mentioned that tenor John Osborn was putting out a CD (or two!) with his beautiful-like-she-could-be-a-model and very talented wife, Lynette Tapia. Well said CDs are finally available for public consumption. Consumerism. Purchase. Whatever. You can buy them now.
One is called L'amour Consacree. Click the link and listen to the 30 second sound bytes. Nice, huh? I've never heard her sing before. She sounds to me, at the same time, bubbly yet fluid. Really a sweet sound. Of course it's hard to tell from these tiny blips of song. But some of my favorites are on there, and the bits I heard that I don't know sound wonderful too.
For the other CD, it looks like they put a filler name in while they thought up something else, but then, a la "Hey Jude," decided to go with the filler: La coppia degli acuti (The couple of the high notes). Well I must say, from listening to the 30 second clips, the CD is aptly named. And WOW! I can't wait to hear the entire thing.
Ok everyone, go out and BUY the CDs! Chrismakah is coming! Get your shopping done early! Put some spare change in the pockets of these (starving) artists!
One is called L'amour Consacree. Click the link and listen to the 30 second sound bytes. Nice, huh? I've never heard her sing before. She sounds to me, at the same time, bubbly yet fluid. Really a sweet sound. Of course it's hard to tell from these tiny blips of song. But some of my favorites are on there, and the bits I heard that I don't know sound wonderful too.
For the other CD, it looks like they put a filler name in while they thought up something else, but then, a la "Hey Jude," decided to go with the filler: La coppia degli acuti (The couple of the high notes). Well I must say, from listening to the 30 second clips, the CD is aptly named. And WOW! I can't wait to hear the entire thing.
Ok everyone, go out and BUY the CDs! Chrismakah is coming! Get your shopping done early! Put some spare change in the pockets of these (starving) artists!
An Apple-Orange Week
Apples. Oranges. I like them both. And I'm going to get a taste of both, so to speak, on consecutive days!
March 11 - La Sonnambula at the Met. Apples! I mean, Juan Diego Florez!!!
March 12- The Firebrand of Florence at Alice Tulley Hall. Oranges! I mean, Nathan Gunn! Row G, Seat 117. I understand that as part of the contract he is not allowed to enter the building wearing a shirt. In fact, I might just put the word naked here in the blog so it comes up on the next few "nathan gunn naked" google searches.
So I didn't get to see them perform together, but this isn't too shabby. Now I can give each my undivided attention.
Hm. I wonder if I can get backstage.
So. Any readers out there in NYC have a couch I can crash on for one or possibly two nights? Anyone else out there going to either of these?
March 11 - La Sonnambula at the Met. Apples! I mean, Juan Diego Florez!!!
March 12- The Firebrand of Florence at Alice Tulley Hall. Oranges! I mean, Nathan Gunn! Row G, Seat 117. I understand that as part of the contract he is not allowed to enter the building wearing a shirt. In fact, I might just put the word naked here in the blog so it comes up on the next few "nathan gunn naked" google searches.
So I didn't get to see them perform together, but this isn't too shabby. Now I can give each my undivided attention.
Hm. I wonder if I can get backstage.
So. Any readers out there in NYC have a couch I can crash on for one or possibly two nights? Anyone else out there going to either of these?
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Uber-Excitement!!!
Two things!!!
First:
Second: Nathan Gunn, remember him? I mention him here occasionally. He's singing in some thing in NYC in March, the day after I'm going in to see La Sonnambula. I have conferred with Husband and received the necessary go-ahead to, um, go-ahead and get myself a ticket! I will do so tomorrow. I could buy one online but they don't tell you the seat, and I need to know where the seat is if I'm plunking down $100.
I wonder if I can get frequent train-riding miles?
It's a happy day. Off I go to see Obama's acceptance speech.
First:
Obama Obama Obama!!!!!
HOOOORRAAAYYY!!
HOOOORRAAAYYY!!
Second: Nathan Gunn, remember him? I mention him here occasionally. He's singing in some thing in NYC in March, the day after I'm going in to see La Sonnambula. I have conferred with Husband and received the necessary go-ahead to, um, go-ahead and get myself a ticket! I will do so tomorrow. I could buy one online but they don't tell you the seat, and I need to know where the seat is if I'm plunking down $100.
I wonder if I can get frequent train-riding miles?
It's a happy day. Off I go to see Obama's acceptance speech.
Beethoven's Wig
Have I ever mentioned Beethoven's Wig here? I love love love Beethoven's Wig. They take different pieces of classical music and write lyrics for them so you can sing along. The words often pertain to the composer, the piece, the instruments and so on. Now, I've heard some critics say that once you hear the music with these words, it's "ruined" for you, because you can never listen to the symphonic version without hearing the words in your head. I'm not sure that's true, but even if it is, does that necessarily mean it's ruined? Anyway, take a listen!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Yes, We Have A Video, Take, Oh, Whatever
I think I use that title whenever I post a video I've slapped together. "Will make YouTube videos in exchange for girl-drinks in martini glasses."
The phrase "Yes we have a video" is from an episode of The Young Ones. Anyone remember that gem? And speaking of young ones, Christian Van Horn turned 30 this week. Happy Birthday CVH! And as your present, a YouTube presence. You'll want this presence instead of presents. Oops lost myself there, sorry. So without further ado, may I present...
Bass-Baritone Christian Van Horn sings Dalle Stanze, Raimondo's second aria from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.
The phrase "Yes we have a video" is from an episode of The Young Ones. Anyone remember that gem? And speaking of young ones, Christian Van Horn turned 30 this week. Happy Birthday CVH! And as your present, a YouTube presence. You'll want this presence instead of presents. Oops lost myself there, sorry. So without further ado, may I present...
Bass-Baritone Christian Van Horn sings Dalle Stanze, Raimondo's second aria from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
I Was Gonna...
...but then I didn't.
I thought, hey, maybe I'll make another recording of me singing to post here for a laugh. I tried, I did. I sang Vedrai Carino with the accompaniment about 5 times. I know all the words, yet I forgot some of them when the camera was rolling. I can hit all the notes, yet my voice strangled for some of the high ones. Then, of course, Husband and Child came home from their outing during the final, and what I consider, best, attempt. However, you, Dear Reader, will not see any of said videos, and not only because I deleted all but one. No, you won't be seeing the remaining video because if I'm cringing that much while watching (although, I will admit, here and there it sounded nice), no one else will get the chance to cringe, laugh or point all all the mistakes that I know are there, that I hear myself making as I sing them, and that I know I can sing the song without making them.
Maybe after some wine. Husband's outing with Child was to the liquor store, after all. Maybe alcohol will help me sing like no one is listening. Hmm. Probably not a good habit to develop...
I thought, hey, maybe I'll make another recording of me singing to post here for a laugh. I tried, I did. I sang Vedrai Carino with the accompaniment about 5 times. I know all the words, yet I forgot some of them when the camera was rolling. I can hit all the notes, yet my voice strangled for some of the high ones. Then, of course, Husband and Child came home from their outing during the final, and what I consider, best, attempt. However, you, Dear Reader, will not see any of said videos, and not only because I deleted all but one. No, you won't be seeing the remaining video because if I'm cringing that much while watching (although, I will admit, here and there it sounded nice), no one else will get the chance to cringe, laugh or point all all the mistakes that I know are there, that I hear myself making as I sing them, and that I know I can sing the song without making them.
Maybe after some wine. Husband's outing with Child was to the liquor store, after all. Maybe alcohol will help me sing like no one is listening. Hmm. Probably not a good habit to develop...
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thoughts on Singing (and the original title somehow vanished!)
Had my voice lesson yesterday. Worked on going up and down without hearing a break. It takes some concentration when the notes get lower. But once I sort of figured out how to do it, it got easier. Well duh of course that makes sense for anything. Went over a few parts of Vedrai Carino that I had questions about - the timing of one part, the progression of notes in another, then we went back to French. Tried Ouvre Ton Coeur in a lower key, from the mezzo book. It felt really comfortable there so I'll probably stick with it. Now that doesn't mean I'm a mezzo (darn!), but my teacher said that singers do that quite often - they're just more comfortable with certain songs in a different key. We also worked on me not being influenced by the background music. It's got quite a beat, for lack of any other way to describe it. But the singing is fluid, so I have to ignore that beat and keep the singing part smooth. Here, like this:
Hear that piano? On the accompaniment CD it's very sharp and staccato. I have to ignore that and sing smoothly. It's a nice contrast. The CD is also very very fast. I feel like I'm running a race sometimes.
My homework is to learn the words, translate and IPA a new one in French - Apres un Reve.
Sometimes the first time I hear a song I'm going to learn, I don't like it. I don't necessarily dislike it, but I'm not always instantly crazy about it. But then, once I get into it, pick it apart and learn it bit by bit I really do fall in love with it. Or maybe I just get used to it????
Hear that piano? On the accompaniment CD it's very sharp and staccato. I have to ignore that and sing smoothly. It's a nice contrast. The CD is also very very fast. I feel like I'm running a race sometimes.
My homework is to learn the words, translate and IPA a new one in French - Apres un Reve.
Sometimes the first time I hear a song I'm going to learn, I don't like it. I don't necessarily dislike it, but I'm not always instantly crazy about it. But then, once I get into it, pick it apart and learn it bit by bit I really do fall in love with it. Or maybe I just get used to it????
Cat. Pic. Friday.
The next time I invite you over for dinner, remember, we never let the cats on the table and they never ever eat off the dishes.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
If Your Glass Harmonica Breaks
Many articles say how rare the glass harmonica is, and how hard it is to find a proficient player, so that many orchestras use a flute instead. Well. I believe they have forgotten about the theremin.
Here's some Pink Floyd. Yes, Pink Floyd on the opera blog.
and to keep it classical, here's Ave Maria:
So if you put this dude in a tux and taught him Lucia, I bet he could step in for a broken glass harmonica, don't you think?
Ahhh that Pink Floyd is so calming.... Maybe I've found the antidote to opera keeping me awake.
Here's some Pink Floyd. Yes, Pink Floyd on the opera blog.
and to keep it classical, here's Ave Maria:
So if you put this dude in a tux and taught him Lucia, I bet he could step in for a broken glass harmonica, don't you think?
Ahhh that Pink Floyd is so calming.... Maybe I've found the antidote to opera keeping me awake.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
I've Been Tagged!!
I've been tagged!!!
The rules
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog. Carlos, the owner of the Anna Netrebko blog, tagged me.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. If you don't have 7 blog friends, or if someone else already took dibs, then tag some unsuspecting strangers.
Ok, so here we go: Seven Facts about Me
1. I was a baton twirler from the age of 5 all through high school, and I twirled the flaming baton several times.
2. In high school I was in community theater. We did "Once Upon a Mattress" and I had the role of the Kitchen Wench. I ran across the stage screaming while the king chased me and tried to grab my behind. Then in school we did "South Pacific" and in one scene someone... chased me and tried to grab my behind. Typecast perhaps?
3. Whenever I see a water tower, tall antenna or the like, if there's a ladder on it, I have a strong urge to climb it.
4. I lived in Minnesota for 3 winters and can "do" a Minnesota accent on command.
5. In high school I used to leave MTV on all the time so I wouldn't miss when a Duran Duran or Adam and the Ants video came on.
6. I like going alone to the opera.
7. I don't realize how short I am until I see someone the same size and think, "Wow, that person is short." and then, "Wait, we're the same size. I'm short."
I will now tag the following 7 bloggers:
1. Diva De La Blog, owner of a humorous blog about her own operatic experiences.
2. Tea At Valhalla - Lydia writes about studying opera at college.
3. Coloratur...aaah, whom I do not know, so it feels kind of strange to tag her, but I read and comment regularly on her blog.
4. The Reverberate Hills - Patrick's amusing insights into music, art and whatever else he feels like writing about.
5. Willy or Won't He? Humorous insights into all sorts of things, including opera.
6. Hey Liz, Lilly's blog about opera, music and whatever strikes her fancy.
7. The Journey of a Voice, Lindsey gets her groove back.
TAG! YOU'RE IT!
The rules
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog. Carlos, the owner of the Anna Netrebko blog, tagged me.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. If you don't have 7 blog friends, or if someone else already took dibs, then tag some unsuspecting strangers.
Ok, so here we go: Seven Facts about Me
1. I was a baton twirler from the age of 5 all through high school, and I twirled the flaming baton several times.
2. In high school I was in community theater. We did "Once Upon a Mattress" and I had the role of the Kitchen Wench. I ran across the stage screaming while the king chased me and tried to grab my behind. Then in school we did "South Pacific" and in one scene someone... chased me and tried to grab my behind. Typecast perhaps?
3. Whenever I see a water tower, tall antenna or the like, if there's a ladder on it, I have a strong urge to climb it.
4. I lived in Minnesota for 3 winters and can "do" a Minnesota accent on command.
5. In high school I used to leave MTV on all the time so I wouldn't miss when a Duran Duran or Adam and the Ants video came on.
6. I like going alone to the opera.
7. I don't realize how short I am until I see someone the same size and think, "Wow, that person is short." and then, "Wait, we're the same size. I'm short."
I will now tag the following 7 bloggers:
1. Diva De La Blog, owner of a humorous blog about her own operatic experiences.
2. Tea At Valhalla - Lydia writes about studying opera at college.
3. Coloratur...aaah, whom I do not know, so it feels kind of strange to tag her, but I read and comment regularly on her blog.
4. The Reverberate Hills - Patrick's amusing insights into music, art and whatever else he feels like writing about.
5. Willy or Won't He? Humorous insights into all sorts of things, including opera.
6. Hey Liz, Lilly's blog about opera, music and whatever strikes her fancy.
7. The Journey of a Voice, Lindsey gets her groove back.
TAG! YOU'RE IT!
Monday, October 27, 2008
How to Seduce a Scarecrow
Had my voice lesson on Thursday. Figured I'd write about it before this Thursday's lesson.
It was pretty good. We did some exercises to help me remember to open open open before the high notes. So if you think of the scale as doe-re-mi, we were singing ahs of doe-re-mi-fa-so-doe-mi-re-doe. The exercise is to open at so in order to hit the note at the high doe, then keep open and elastic all the way back down to doe. The exercise covers a few things - the elastic throat thing, the open mouth and not giving in to the break at the lower end. I'm supposed to practice in front of the mirror but that hasn't happened yet. Then we went over Vedrai Carino, especially the 2nd half. Now that I can get myself to produce the sound forward and rounder and fuller, I have to work on being consistent with it. So we let that go for a bit and worked on the feeling of the song. My teacher decided it might be easier to get into it if I had some poor injured man to offer myself to. I've mentioned before that my lesson is in an elementary school. This month as some sort of a project the kids have all made life-sized scarecrows and - get this - tied them to chairs. They line the hallways. My teacher tried to embrace one but the chair came up with it. Him. It. So we had to sing to them as they sat in the chairs. Yes. I sang to a scarecrow, "E naturale, non da disgusto" and "si sento battere, toccami qua" (I might have that all spelled wrong, sorry) while I grabbed at my... at my heart. Toccami qua. It's under there somewhere.
It was pretty good. We did some exercises to help me remember to open open open before the high notes. So if you think of the scale as doe-re-mi, we were singing ahs of doe-re-mi-fa-so-doe-mi-re-doe. The exercise is to open at so in order to hit the note at the high doe, then keep open and elastic all the way back down to doe. The exercise covers a few things - the elastic throat thing, the open mouth and not giving in to the break at the lower end. I'm supposed to practice in front of the mirror but that hasn't happened yet. Then we went over Vedrai Carino, especially the 2nd half. Now that I can get myself to produce the sound forward and rounder and fuller, I have to work on being consistent with it. So we let that go for a bit and worked on the feeling of the song. My teacher decided it might be easier to get into it if I had some poor injured man to offer myself to. I've mentioned before that my lesson is in an elementary school. This month as some sort of a project the kids have all made life-sized scarecrows and - get this - tied them to chairs. They line the hallways. My teacher tried to embrace one but the chair came up with it. Him. It. So we had to sing to them as they sat in the chairs. Yes. I sang to a scarecrow, "E naturale, non da disgusto" and "si sento battere, toccami qua" (I might have that all spelled wrong, sorry) while I grabbed at my... at my heart. Toccami qua. It's under there somewhere.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Lucia Bits
There are 5 videos in this playlist, so don't run away after the first one is done!
Keep an ear out for the glass harmonica. You'll know it when you hear it.
In case you miss it in the playlist, here's another video that covers some of the same, above, but a different section.
Cats Here and There
Cats here:
Diego and Viola play with toy trains
Cats there - Adoption Day at the local feed store:
Diego and Viola play with toy trains
Cats there - Adoption Day at the local feed store:
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Cat Pic Eventually
I did take a good picture of the cats today but it's still in the iPhone. Until then, here are some other cats to look at. Meow.
Head Hurty
Just reread over my previous post. Remind me never again to post after a party where drinks were served out of test-tubes and glass flasks. I'm appalled at the writing, but it's there and I'm not in the mood to rewrite it. Well, maybe I will later. I might not be able to stop myself.
This party was across the street from my house. Some other neighbors were there. One asked if we could hear a neighbor playing piano sometimes. I said no because I'm always singing and she said, "Oh! Is that YOU? It's beautiful!" Ha! That's only because she hasn't heard a professional opera singer lately. I didn't say that, of course, I just said thank you. Heh heh.
Cat pic Friday was yesterday. At some point I will post new cat pictures.
This party was across the street from my house. Some other neighbors were there. One asked if we could hear a neighbor playing piano sometimes. I said no because I'm always singing and she said, "Oh! Is that YOU? It's beautiful!" Ha! That's only because she hasn't heard a professional opera singer lately. I didn't say that, of course, I just said thank you. Heh heh.
Cat pic Friday was yesterday. At some point I will post new cat pictures.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Mad Scene part 3: The Opera!!!
I know it sounds strange, but I kind of like being on my own in the opera house. Any opera house. I can do my own thing and not have to worry about who is doing what where. So I was happy to lean on the railing and take a few pics with the iPhone.
Those chandeliers are actually gorgeous, but the iPhone lens isn't the best quality when it comes to balancing the exposure. I was more interested in people watching than looking at the chandeliers.
My seat was in the Grand Tier, 2nd to last row.
There were three empty seats on one side of me and one empty seat on the other so I spread out. If only the armrests folded up like on an airplane, then I really would've gotten myself comfortable.
Pre-curtain scrim:
The opera was AMAZING! Diana Damrau has a voice like a bell, like a bird, like... it's unreal. So beautiful. Rather than give you a synopsis of the opera, I will direct you here, or better yet, here, where you can here Diana singing a bit of it. I will mention that the very opening scene, the one of the men scouring the woods, had dogs in it! Two beautiful dogs. Live animals on stage - always a risk, right? They were great and they didn't even get a curtain call.
Lucia's first scene was in the garden with her maid type person. She sang of a ghostly (ghastly?) woman who appeared to her and told her about a lover who perished in the fountain. A dancer in white, very creepy, came out and sort of floated around the way dancers can, and made her exit pirouetting down the fountain. Yes, ghosts talk to her. Perhaps she's already a nut job? The potential is there.
First intermission was rather long. I made a mad dash to the bathroom and was the FIRST ONE THERE!!! Of course I was also probably the youngest one in the building and therefore able to dash. Then I made a few phone calls while I ran up and down the stairs, checking each level to find which bar my friends were lounging around with their $25 glasses of champagne.
Intermission scrim, before Act 2:
I never did find my companions so I just trolled around until it was time for the act to start. It was, of course, amazing, Everyone was amazing. You could see Lucia really going, well, insane, as her brother Enrico lies to her about her lover, Edgardo, and convinces her to marry the rich guy he's picked out for her, Arturo. Act ends with the party for the signing of the contract. It took her a long time to sign - I wonder what she really wrote? Edgardo comes in and sees what has happened, freaks and is escorted out.
One of the most exciting things about act 2, of course, is that it was chock full of supers!! Maids and servants!! Drinks on trays!! Nothing spilled. The glasses were probably glued to the trays.
Another rather long intermission. And an eventful one, for this is the intermission during which I had an argument with an usher! Rather than explain the whole thing, at the end of this post I'll paste in the email I sent to the Met about it the next day.
Intermission photos, including an iPhone self-portrait, trying not to laugh. You can see a bit of the pre-act 3 scrim:
Finally, act 3. Blah blah the brother visits the boyfriend, meet you on the playground after school, I mean, in the graveyard at dawn for a duel. He gets back to the wedding party in progress (Aside: what kind of brother forces his sister into a marriage and then leaves during the reception???) So anyway by this point she's already gone completely bonkers. They had this balcony up across the top of the stage and she comes staggering out backwards. "Where is my husband?" she asks. She's clearly out of her mind. Her wedding dress is stained with blood. She drops her veil over the railing and comes down the steps. (aside #2: When I told my mom about this she asked me if she fell down the steps) There is an absolutely fabulous cabaletta where she's singing these very fast very high coloratura notes and each note is echoed just as quickly by an instrument called a glass harmonica. Apparently that was the instrument of choice to portray madness in a character at the time. Ohh lookie the NY Times has a little video of Natalie Dessay doing Lucia last year. Sets and costumes were the same, but I saw Diana Damrau. Natalie is amazing too! So at one point she sits on the steps and starts tearing at her veil and that's when I lost it. I mean, yeah, I'm a cryer. I cry at operas. But I cry quietly. Well I was trying my hardest to cry quietly when what I really wanted to do was sob right along with her. At another point she was laying back on what I think was the prompter's box but I'm not sure... anyway it was reminiscent of Madonna singing Like a Virgin. (Aside #3: Madonna obviously took voice lessons after her first album... perhaps a before and after post is in order) Ok so back to Lucia - she's in this bloody wedding dress calling to her lover that now they can be together and share bodily pleasures while she writhes around on stage with her knees up and apart and she's running her hands over her own body, and the wedding guests look on in horror. It was awesome. So this all goes on for a while until she collapses. Then the boyfriend shows up in the graveyard for the duel, hoping to die, and when he learns of Lucia's death he offs himself. Of course it took him 20 minutes of singing to do it. He was fabulous. Piotr Beczala was his name. The cast applauded him during curtain calls, that's how awesome he was.
So now on to the non-opera related things that happened at the opera house.
I never did find my friends during the first intermission. Turned out, my one friend, after two glasses of wine at dinner, decided that she didn't want to risk coughing during the performance, because although I couldn't tell, apparently she had a cough. So she drank two glasses of wine and then took a triple dose of cough medicine. Big oopsie there. Middle of the first act she began to feel unwell. She staggered out to the lobby where she collapsed on the floor and asked for a doctor. She got sick and they wheeled her to the infirmary. Yes, they not only have a house doctor, they have a little infirmary at the Met. The doc told her that it happens all the time. Luckily she felt better quickly enough to make it back for the rest of the opera. I didn't learn about this until this morning.
It was during the second intermission that I had it out with the usher. Here's the letter I sent to the Met the next day:
And here is their reply:
So it was a mad mad mad mad night and I loved every moment of it. (Except for getting car sick in the limo. I didn't love that part.)
Those chandeliers are actually gorgeous, but the iPhone lens isn't the best quality when it comes to balancing the exposure. I was more interested in people watching than looking at the chandeliers.
My seat was in the Grand Tier, 2nd to last row.
There were three empty seats on one side of me and one empty seat on the other so I spread out. If only the armrests folded up like on an airplane, then I really would've gotten myself comfortable.
Pre-curtain scrim:
The opera was AMAZING! Diana Damrau has a voice like a bell, like a bird, like... it's unreal. So beautiful. Rather than give you a synopsis of the opera, I will direct you here, or better yet, here, where you can here Diana singing a bit of it. I will mention that the very opening scene, the one of the men scouring the woods, had dogs in it! Two beautiful dogs. Live animals on stage - always a risk, right? They were great and they didn't even get a curtain call.
Lucia's first scene was in the garden with her maid type person. She sang of a ghostly (ghastly?) woman who appeared to her and told her about a lover who perished in the fountain. A dancer in white, very creepy, came out and sort of floated around the way dancers can, and made her exit pirouetting down the fountain. Yes, ghosts talk to her. Perhaps she's already a nut job? The potential is there.
First intermission was rather long. I made a mad dash to the bathroom and was the FIRST ONE THERE!!! Of course I was also probably the youngest one in the building and therefore able to dash. Then I made a few phone calls while I ran up and down the stairs, checking each level to find which bar my friends were lounging around with their $25 glasses of champagne.
Intermission scrim, before Act 2:
I never did find my companions so I just trolled around until it was time for the act to start. It was, of course, amazing, Everyone was amazing. You could see Lucia really going, well, insane, as her brother Enrico lies to her about her lover, Edgardo, and convinces her to marry the rich guy he's picked out for her, Arturo. Act ends with the party for the signing of the contract. It took her a long time to sign - I wonder what she really wrote? Edgardo comes in and sees what has happened, freaks and is escorted out.
One of the most exciting things about act 2, of course, is that it was chock full of supers!! Maids and servants!! Drinks on trays!! Nothing spilled. The glasses were probably glued to the trays.
Another rather long intermission. And an eventful one, for this is the intermission during which I had an argument with an usher! Rather than explain the whole thing, at the end of this post I'll paste in the email I sent to the Met about it the next day.
Intermission photos, including an iPhone self-portrait, trying not to laugh. You can see a bit of the pre-act 3 scrim:
Finally, act 3. Blah blah the brother visits the boyfriend, meet you on the playground after school, I mean, in the graveyard at dawn for a duel. He gets back to the wedding party in progress (Aside: what kind of brother forces his sister into a marriage and then leaves during the reception???) So anyway by this point she's already gone completely bonkers. They had this balcony up across the top of the stage and she comes staggering out backwards. "Where is my husband?" she asks. She's clearly out of her mind. Her wedding dress is stained with blood. She drops her veil over the railing and comes down the steps. (aside #2: When I told my mom about this she asked me if she fell down the steps) There is an absolutely fabulous cabaletta where she's singing these very fast very high coloratura notes and each note is echoed just as quickly by an instrument called a glass harmonica. Apparently that was the instrument of choice to portray madness in a character at the time. Ohh lookie the NY Times has a little video of Natalie Dessay doing Lucia last year. Sets and costumes were the same, but I saw Diana Damrau. Natalie is amazing too! So at one point she sits on the steps and starts tearing at her veil and that's when I lost it. I mean, yeah, I'm a cryer. I cry at operas. But I cry quietly. Well I was trying my hardest to cry quietly when what I really wanted to do was sob right along with her. At another point she was laying back on what I think was the prompter's box but I'm not sure... anyway it was reminiscent of Madonna singing Like a Virgin. (Aside #3: Madonna obviously took voice lessons after her first album... perhaps a before and after post is in order) Ok so back to Lucia - she's in this bloody wedding dress calling to her lover that now they can be together and share bodily pleasures while she writhes around on stage with her knees up and apart and she's running her hands over her own body, and the wedding guests look on in horror. It was awesome. So this all goes on for a while until she collapses. Then the boyfriend shows up in the graveyard for the duel, hoping to die, and when he learns of Lucia's death he offs himself. Of course it took him 20 minutes of singing to do it. He was fabulous. Piotr Beczala was his name. The cast applauded him during curtain calls, that's how awesome he was.
So now on to the non-opera related things that happened at the opera house.
I never did find my friends during the first intermission. Turned out, my one friend, after two glasses of wine at dinner, decided that she didn't want to risk coughing during the performance, because although I couldn't tell, apparently she had a cough. So she drank two glasses of wine and then took a triple dose of cough medicine. Big oopsie there. Middle of the first act she began to feel unwell. She staggered out to the lobby where she collapsed on the floor and asked for a doctor. She got sick and they wheeled her to the infirmary. Yes, they not only have a house doctor, they have a little infirmary at the Met. The doc told her that it happens all the time. Luckily she felt better quickly enough to make it back for the rest of the opera. I didn't learn about this until this morning.
It was during the second intermission that I had it out with the usher. Here's the letter I sent to the Met the next day:
Hello, I had the pleasure of seeing Lucia di Lammermoor on October 22.
One member of our party was an elderly woman. Her seat was Grand Tier, Row G, Seat 123. After act 2, when she stood up, her seat folded up and would not come back down. I approached an usher to ask for assistance. His name was Anthony and he was usher #7. He was very rude. He dismissed me by saying, "Yeah, we know, that seat is broken, there's nothing I can do She should just find somewhere else to sit," and he turned away. I asked if he could help her find a seat. He said no because he didn't know where there were any empty seats. I then asked him if he could please go over and talk to my companion. He gave an exasperated sigh and went. Meanwhile I asked another usher who was very helpful and friendly and tried to solve the problem. I went back to Anthony to ask him his name and he said, very rudely, "I don't understand what the problem is." I replied, "I know you don't. I would like to know your name please." He was then rude to me later during the intermission when I tried to use my cell phone.
My friends and I save our money all year long to go to the opera once or twice a year. It was disappointing to pay over $100 per ticket with the fees to not only find that the seat was broken, but to have the usher be so rude to us about it. I have tickets to see La Sonnambula in March and I hope I do not encounter a similar problem.
Please contact me to let me know how you plan to resolve this situation.
Thank you.
And here is their reply:
Dear Ms. xxxx,
Thank you for contacting us.
We appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention. I apologize for the manner in which you were treated while attending the October 22nd performance of Lucia di Lammermoor. It is unfortunate when anyone’s opera experience is disturbed due to inappropriate behavior. Please know that our House Management Department has been contacted and they will address this situation with the usher so that we can ensure this type of behavior does not occur again.
It remains our goal to continue producing opera and providing service of the highest caliber and your input is valuable to us. We are constantly reminded that we are able to provide great performances of opera for everyone because of our loyal supporters.
Once again, please accept our apologies for the unpleasant situation that you experienced. Thank you for your support of the Metropolitan Opera.
Sincerely,
Judy M. Williams
Met Opera Customer RelationsSo it was a mad mad mad mad night and I loved every moment of it. (Except for getting car sick in the limo. I didn't love that part.)
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