tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post2473312277529649205..comments2024-03-16T06:23:29.917-07:00Comments on The Reverberate Hills; or The Apotheosis of the Narwhal: Lovely "Rita"Patrick J. Vazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-30730504071984580762014-02-17T17:33:08.154-08:002014-02-17T17:33:08.154-08:00Axel, Thank you for the update. It is always reass...Axel, Thank you for the update. It is always reassuring to know that Michael behaved himself.<br /><br />And thank you for the correction on the instrumentation. I thought "xylophone" couldn't be quite right, but wasn't sure what to put that wouldn't be even more egregiously ignorant. I did think that xylophones were mostly very small but thought that perhaps like certain breeds of dogs called "Miniatures" there existed a larger version, suitable for the concert hall.<br /><br />I liked the effect more than you did.<br /><br />People can read Axel's account of the open rehearsal here:<br />http://nffo.blogspot.com/2014/02/ncco-open-rehearsal.html<br /><br />and of the Saturday performance here:<br />http://nffo.blogspot.com/2014/02/ncco-donizettis-rita.html<br />Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-29477212307699020632014-02-17T17:13:17.937-08:002014-02-17T17:13:17.937-08:00I agree with your assessment of the introductory v...I agree with your assessment of the introductory videos, & I can attest that Michael was in his seat promptly on Saturday night & so did not miss one second of the unnecessary commentary.<br /><br />Apparently the exchange between Nadja & Gasparo got longer each successive performance. On Saturday night she did additional schtick including handing Gasparo the violin & playing the theme from The Godfather.<br /><br />BTW, the Meditation arrangement unaccountably replaces the harp with the marimba. It was bizarre. Axel Feldheimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-88062591043057646002014-02-17T14:09:44.699-08:002014-02-17T14:09:44.699-08:00OK, actually, I did already read about what you we...OK, actually, I did already read about what you were doing on Saturday:<br />http://abeastinajungle.com/alina-ibragimova-cedric-tiberghien-review/<br />Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-52757132066638291912014-02-17T14:08:27.056-08:002014-02-17T14:08:27.056-08:00So what did you end up attending on Saturday night...So what did you end up attending on Saturday night? I didn't realize Brancoveanu was directing until I think the day before, when Axel Feldheim told me.<br /><br />You know, sometimes I write (or say) things that I think are very funny and then I realize they make people think I'm a pretentious putz. But in the remark you and Mike mentioned, I actually was just being honest, which I guess is a guarantee of comedy gold.Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-69307498328503106392014-02-17T11:49:49.738-08:002014-02-17T11:49:49.738-08:00Well I certainly seem to have chosen wrong this pa...Well I certainly seem to have chosen wrong this past Saturday night, because this sounds much, much more pleasurable than what I attended. Brancoveanu is such a talented artist- had I known he was directing it may have prompted me to go. Next time.<br /><br />Like Mike, I too noticed "different members of the orchestra talked about parts of the music they liked, which is very nice but I'm more interested in the parts I like" as something I think only you could write and have it come across as quite funny.<br /><br />John Marcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17616296400880495672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-55698767440348218452014-02-15T14:08:19.077-08:002014-02-15T14:08:19.077-08:00You realize you will only be giving people like me...You realize you will only be giving people like me the opportunity to complain about the awful audience members who straggled in late?<br /><br />The thing is, I went in knowing NCCO has an unfortunate fondness for that sort of nonsense and then when we received "only" music in the first part I was all relieved, thinking they had wised up, and then: BAM!<br /><br />I'd have to ponder the "least favorite form of humor" question, since there are exceptions to everything. I do despise practical jokes, whereas with many farces I can at least admire their gleaming mechanical precision, even if I don't actually laugh, even deep inside. For a while I was working on the theory that part of my dislike for Fledermaus was that I was not going to be amused by anything whose plot turned on a practical joke, but then I realized that description would also apply to Falstaff, which I love (on the other hand, I am not particularly fond of The Merry Wives of Windsor, so there's some consistency there).Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-65270826148440220122014-02-14T16:51:05.866-08:002014-02-14T16:51:05.866-08:00"different members of the orchestra talked ab..."different members of the orchestra talked about parts of the music they liked, which is very nice but I'm more interested in the parts I like."<br /><br />You are so selfish, Patrick, thinking only of yourself (supply your own smiley face emoticon). Nevertheless, thanks for the heads-up about the video. If possible, I'll make a quick entry from the lobby after it's finished screening. And glad to hear the cast/direction are so good.<br /><br />Out of curiosity, if farce is not your least favorite form of humor, what would be?Civic Centerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12362422142667230626noreply@blogger.com