One of my friends is a fan of a very talented tenor named Bülent Bezdüz. I believe she started and/or is in charge of his official fan club. He recently won an opera award and also had a birthday, and as a gift to him she wanted to put together a slide show video. I offered to do this for her. We discussed what features she wanted the video to have, then she sent me all the files and I got to work. She has since uploaded it to YouTube. Click through to see the full screen because as usual my blog format manages to chop off the edge.
He is very sweet - he actually thanked me for putting the video together! I didn't expect that at all.
He does have a beautiful voice. I hope his career brings him to New York and/or Philadelphia so I can hear him in person.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, June 14, 2009
More Thoughts About Lucretia
More details and thoughts about Rape of Lucretia have popped into my head. One I wrote as a comment/reply in the original post. I forgot to mention that there were a few scenes where the Female Chorus' actions mirrored those of the women. She was there on stage, singing about what they were doing, doing it right behind and next to them. They didn't see her of course. It was nice, very graceful, kind of showed that the F.C. is telling her own version of the story and the characters will therefore do what she says. Like she is in control by virtue of being the narrator? But at the same time the M&F Chorus were not in control, because they tried to prevent the rape but couldn't. This is all popping into my head as I type it so I haven't had a chance to really analyze it.
Another observation that should have been blazingly obvious at the time but wasn't until I was rethinking it today was, that rape scene - he's wearing a harness. He ties her up with the bridle. He rapes her from behind as if he's riding a horse... remember the whole whores/horse thing... I don't know why I didn't realize it at the time. Wait yes I do - I was too upset. Now it seems so obvious. And I'm still upset - I actually turned my head and averted my eyes as I wrote these last few lines.
I think this is one reason (besides sheer laziness) I don't like to do a lot of research before seeing an opera that I've never seen before. I have no preconceived notions about what anything is supposed to symbolize here - I'm going purely on that collegiate and graduate school training of how to analyze writing, poetry and other forms of art. And it's fun. I'm having these "aha!" moments as I think back over the performance. I imagine that some of the scenes are described in the libretto in detail while others are the director's creations. Doesn't matter to me - I mentioned in my last post that at least one other audience member questioned if the production was in line with what Britten intended. Perhaps this is naive of me, but... does that really matter? Once you write something, people are going to put their own spin on it, their own interpretation, based on their own experiences. You lose control. It applies to something as innocuous as this blog, or as heavily studied as the Bible. So really, is it valid to criticize something like an opera production by asking if it's what the composer had in mind? Unless the composer left explicit instructions, or is still alive, there's really no way to know. And surely any artist, writer or composer is aware that an audience may not know their intentions. And in this case I suppose the "audience" is the director. So how would a composer/author/artist feel about the fact that people are studying his or her work after they've been long gone. "Wait! That's not what I meant!" or, "Wow! That's not what I mean, but I like it!" or, "STOP!!!!!" To me, it doesn't matter. You put something out there, it's not yours anymore.
So this post has gone off on a tangent I didn't expect! Ah the joys of trains of thought.
I am still recovering from the performance. I'm still upset about the rape scene. I'm still blown away by the rape scene and all the rest of it. I'm upset, blown away and filled, as Banawoman said in her comment on the review post, with moments of joy about seeing it and experiencing the beauty of the performance. And of course seeing Nathan Gunn in it - vastly different from Papageno, Figaro, Zurga and the others he's made so popular... or have they made him popular?
Now I'm lapsing into post-performance blues. I've been waiting for this performance for almost a year. Banawoman and I planned to meet this weekend about 5 or 6 months ago, possibly more. The weekend was everything I thought it would be and more. So now what? It's time to plan the next few adventures. Who's in?
Another observation that should have been blazingly obvious at the time but wasn't until I was rethinking it today was, that rape scene - he's wearing a harness. He ties her up with the bridle. He rapes her from behind as if he's riding a horse... remember the whole whores/horse thing... I don't know why I didn't realize it at the time. Wait yes I do - I was too upset. Now it seems so obvious. And I'm still upset - I actually turned my head and averted my eyes as I wrote these last few lines.
I think this is one reason (besides sheer laziness) I don't like to do a lot of research before seeing an opera that I've never seen before. I have no preconceived notions about what anything is supposed to symbolize here - I'm going purely on that collegiate and graduate school training of how to analyze writing, poetry and other forms of art. And it's fun. I'm having these "aha!" moments as I think back over the performance. I imagine that some of the scenes are described in the libretto in detail while others are the director's creations. Doesn't matter to me - I mentioned in my last post that at least one other audience member questioned if the production was in line with what Britten intended. Perhaps this is naive of me, but... does that really matter? Once you write something, people are going to put their own spin on it, their own interpretation, based on their own experiences. You lose control. It applies to something as innocuous as this blog, or as heavily studied as the Bible. So really, is it valid to criticize something like an opera production by asking if it's what the composer had in mind? Unless the composer left explicit instructions, or is still alive, there's really no way to know. And surely any artist, writer or composer is aware that an audience may not know their intentions. And in this case I suppose the "audience" is the director. So how would a composer/author/artist feel about the fact that people are studying his or her work after they've been long gone. "Wait! That's not what I meant!" or, "Wow! That's not what I mean, but I like it!" or, "STOP!!!!!" To me, it doesn't matter. You put something out there, it's not yours anymore.
So this post has gone off on a tangent I didn't expect! Ah the joys of trains of thought.
I am still recovering from the performance. I'm still upset about the rape scene. I'm still blown away by the rape scene and all the rest of it. I'm upset, blown away and filled, as Banawoman said in her comment on the review post, with moments of joy about seeing it and experiencing the beauty of the performance. And of course seeing Nathan Gunn in it - vastly different from Papageno, Figaro, Zurga and the others he's made so popular... or have they made him popular?
Now I'm lapsing into post-performance blues. I've been waiting for this performance for almost a year. Banawoman and I planned to meet this weekend about 5 or 6 months ago, possibly more. The weekend was everything I thought it would be and more. So now what? It's time to plan the next few adventures. Who's in?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Two Hours I'll Never Get Back
Just wasted two hours watching the Kennedy Center Awards to see approximately 2 minutes, possibly less, of the Gunnster singing for Barbara Streisand. Not to say that the people getting the awards didn't deserve them, but the program itself was your typical prime-time network event - just not my cup-o-tea. I will say that those Broadway singers have HUGE mouths, Beyonce was wearing HUGE earrings and Mr. Gunn is in HUGE need of a haircut. At least he was clean-shaven.
I have a friend (hopefully? Not so sure...) burning a DVD of it for me. If I can catch him before he does it I'll get him to do just the last 5 minutes so I can get the relevant stuff online for our viewing pleasure (?). The duet was very nice and he sounded great, especially with the microphone. I actually thought he sounded a little nervous at first, for like the first 5 seconds, but who knows. I was so exhausted by then after suffering through 117 minutes of the previous "we love you, honoree" business that my judgement was a bit skewed. However, the whole proceeding reminded me why I like opera.
On an unrelated note, one of my online friends, someone I "met" because I liked his MySpace profile picture, and where did I find it? On Mr. Gunn's friend list there - it was a squirrel with a superman costume on under his fur - I wrote him a note that I liked the picture and we instantly clicked. He lives in CA but was in NY this week on a musical project. We wanted to get together but he was too busy- he called me today. Husband answered the phone of course. "Yeah Susan it's one of your freaky MySpace friends..." Actually, he didn't say that. He knows who the friend is by name and was glad that it wasn't a telemarketer. It was fun to chat in person and be goofy in real time instead of via email. And we never would have known each other if it weren't for Mr. Gunn's Myspace page. Blah, blah, blah. Does make you wonder how many potential friends are out there who you'll never meet because your paths never cross. Ok, signing off before my philosophical waxing smears the computer screen.
I have a friend (hopefully? Not so sure...) burning a DVD of it for me. If I can catch him before he does it I'll get him to do just the last 5 minutes so I can get the relevant stuff online for our viewing pleasure (?). The duet was very nice and he sounded great, especially with the microphone. I actually thought he sounded a little nervous at first, for like the first 5 seconds, but who knows. I was so exhausted by then after suffering through 117 minutes of the previous "we love you, honoree" business that my judgement was a bit skewed. However, the whole proceeding reminded me why I like opera.
On an unrelated note, one of my online friends, someone I "met" because I liked his MySpace profile picture, and where did I find it? On Mr. Gunn's friend list there - it was a squirrel with a superman costume on under his fur - I wrote him a note that I liked the picture and we instantly clicked. He lives in CA but was in NY this week on a musical project. We wanted to get together but he was too busy- he called me today. Husband answered the phone of course. "Yeah Susan it's one of your freaky MySpace friends..." Actually, he didn't say that. He knows who the friend is by name and was glad that it wasn't a telemarketer. It was fun to chat in person and be goofy in real time instead of via email. And we never would have known each other if it weren't for Mr. Gunn's Myspace page. Blah, blah, blah. Does make you wonder how many potential friends are out there who you'll never meet because your paths never cross. Ok, signing off before my philosophical waxing smears the computer screen.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
If Only I were RICH RICH RICH
Yes, we've all done it. We've all fantasized about what we would do if we won the lottery, the Publisher's Clearinghouse or some other multi-million dollar prize that would set us up for life. They say money can't buy happiness, but I'd be willing to test that theory.
For example, if money were no object, I'd already have booked a flight to and a hotel in Chicago and would have tickets to see Pearl Fishers once or twice. But money is an object, an object that I don't have enough of to go gallivanting off all over the country to follow opera singers and maybe offer to do their laundry.
So, until I strike it rich, I'll have to live vicariously through friends who do get to go, and I'll also live internally, in my head, because anything can happen there, and, like Vegas, what happens in my mind, stays in my mind.
While we wait for all that, put this into your mind.
And as always, go, rate, comment, enjoy.
*******
Update:
My friend received the infamous postcard from the person. I thought I had gotten mine the other day... but it was a card from the vet reminding me to bring Diego in for his shots. Meow.
For example, if money were no object, I'd already have booked a flight to and a hotel in Chicago and would have tickets to see Pearl Fishers once or twice. But money is an object, an object that I don't have enough of to go gallivanting off all over the country to follow opera singers and maybe offer to do their laundry.
So, until I strike it rich, I'll have to live vicariously through friends who do get to go, and I'll also live internally, in my head, because anything can happen there, and, like Vegas, what happens in my mind, stays in my mind.
While we wait for all that, put this into your mind.
And as always, go, rate, comment, enjoy.
*******
Update:
My friend received the infamous postcard from the person. I thought I had gotten mine the other day... but it was a card from the vet reminding me to bring Diego in for his shots. Meow.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
More Sad
Weird stuff's been happening lately. Most of it is so unrelated to opera that it doesn't appear here in the blog.
But now, something that I suspected might happen has happened, and I'm not surprised, as I would have reacted exactly the same way.
One of my opera friends, a regular reader of this blog, is several months shy of his 18th birthday. His mother found out we were friends and told him no, no, no. Now, this is a perfectly normal friendship, an innocent friendship, nothing smarmy or funky or whatever. The point is, we became friends over opera, before we knew each other's ages, because it just didn't matter. We became friends because of the music.
However, when Alex is 17, I'd be pretty freaked out if he were friends with a 41 year old woman. This friend's mother and I come from a generation of not having had internet as children and young adults. Not knowing how internet-savvy she is, she may not understand the types of innocent friendships that can form between unlikely people, such a teenage guy and an adult woman, over a common interest. All we hear about are the creepy relationships where minors are lured to hotels to be molested by creepy ... well by creeps. So I can totally understand where she's coming from, and although it makes me sad to put a friendship "on hold," I absolutely must respect her wishes. Like, as soon as I found out, I immediately terminated the conversation.
It's possible that this friend and I will continue to communicate publicly about music via comments on blogs, youtube videos and so on, however, I will not allow any direct interaction via chat or email.
So, to the mom of my opera friend, I hear ya, I understand, I respect your wishes. I'm a mom too. Your son is a kid I'm friends with. There's nothing inappropriate. So no worries, ok?
But now, something that I suspected might happen has happened, and I'm not surprised, as I would have reacted exactly the same way.
One of my opera friends, a regular reader of this blog, is several months shy of his 18th birthday. His mother found out we were friends and told him no, no, no. Now, this is a perfectly normal friendship, an innocent friendship, nothing smarmy or funky or whatever. The point is, we became friends over opera, before we knew each other's ages, because it just didn't matter. We became friends because of the music.
However, when Alex is 17, I'd be pretty freaked out if he were friends with a 41 year old woman. This friend's mother and I come from a generation of not having had internet as children and young adults. Not knowing how internet-savvy she is, she may not understand the types of innocent friendships that can form between unlikely people, such a teenage guy and an adult woman, over a common interest. All we hear about are the creepy relationships where minors are lured to hotels to be molested by creepy ... well by creeps. So I can totally understand where she's coming from, and although it makes me sad to put a friendship "on hold," I absolutely must respect her wishes. Like, as soon as I found out, I immediately terminated the conversation.
It's possible that this friend and I will continue to communicate publicly about music via comments on blogs, youtube videos and so on, however, I will not allow any direct interaction via chat or email.
So, to the mom of my opera friend, I hear ya, I understand, I respect your wishes. I'm a mom too. Your son is a kid I'm friends with. There's nothing inappropriate. So no worries, ok?
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