tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post9201504245881055642..comments2024-03-16T06:23:29.917-07:00Comments on The Reverberate Hills; or The Apotheosis of the Narwhal: second thoughts of a minor MediciPatrick J. Vazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-30574693407481086502008-09-14T20:24:00.000-07:002008-09-14T20:24:00.000-07:00Hey Jolene,Thank you for the link; I had seen that...Hey Jolene,<BR/>Thank you for the link; I had seen that entry earlier, but not all of the comments. I too found it bizarre, and unfortunately typical of the fairly inept interfacing-with-the-public at Cal Performances, that they commented anonymously -- my feeling is that anyone is welcome to respond officially, but you need to make your allegiances known.<BR/><BR/>Their comments also completely missed the point, at least the point I am making: though I'm not thrilled with the exclusive nature of the concert, I do understand why they're doing it, and why they feel they need to raise money that way. What baffles and offends me is that they're making sure everyone else knows that they're not invited.<BR/><BR/>This is especially irritating to me because when I lived in Boston (and Ma was just as celebrated then as he is today), I heard him perform all the Bach solo suites for cello in Jordan Hall, which is comparable in size to First Congregational or Herbst, and at regular ticket prices -- so if anyone in Boston is reading this, make sure to take advantage of the Celebrity Series there!<BR/><BR/>To be honest, I'm not really in a financial situation right now to donate either; some of my continued giving is habit and some conviction, and there's some altruism and some desire to get the benefits of my choice of seating. And I'm definitely feeling I should have redirected my Cal Performances donation this year.<BR/><BR/>In your entry you mention the "discount for the under 30 crowd" that some theaters now have. When I was in my 20s I used to tell people that theaters should have such discounts, since those in their 20s are sometimes even less able to afford theater than students; it's nice to see that this idea is taking hold, though much too late for me.<BR/><BR/>Hey Mike,<BR/>When I posted this entry, I knew that in my munificent way I was also giving you an opportunity to utter those sweet words, "I told you so." But I would like to point out that thanks to Cal Performances I'm going to hear some of those Sarah Cahill pieces she so fascinatingly discusses in your recent entry, so my reservations about how they do things have to be balanced with kudos for what they do. http://sfciviccenter.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-cahills-sweeter-music.html<BR/><BR/>Hey Vick,<BR/>Again, I have to emphasize that, though I don't like this sort of exclusivity, I understand the motives. Its the widespread publicity for a closed event that I find infuriating. Its only purpose is to heighten class awareness: to make the big donors feel special, and everyone else feel excluded. They have to be pretty clueless not to realize that this would backfire -- that people would draw the obvious conclusion that unless you give at least $1,200, there's no point in giving to them at all.Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-70148165735304424722008-09-13T17:58:00.000-07:002008-09-13T17:58:00.000-07:00It especially pains me that it is Yo-Yo Ma, who ha...It especially pains me that it is Yo-Yo Ma, who has always been more than ready to bring classical music to the masses. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I imagine dozens of young people in the Bay Area who only play the cello because they first heard Yo-Yo Ma play, and there is little chance that they will get to see this performance.vicmarcamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13193094111343990233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-89720705134436775152008-09-13T12:28:00.000-07:002008-09-13T12:28:00.000-07:00I saw Gore Vidal being interviewed in Palm Springs...I saw Gore Vidal being interviewed in Palm Springs a couple of years ago and at one point he responded, "Then I got to say my favorite four words in the English language: I told you so."<BR/><BR/>There's something definitely rotten in the State of CP, and it's been evident for some time. They'd better clean up their act before they alienate virtually everyone.Civic Centerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12362422142667230626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-34019496746921997042008-09-13T09:38:00.000-07:002008-09-13T09:38:00.000-07:00"What offends me, and what I find completely inexp..."What offends me, and what I find completely inexplicable and inexcusable, is that this concert...Yo-Yo Ma is prominently featured on the posters in the lobby, on every program cover, and on every mailing from Cal Performances."<BR/><BR/>Amen, totally agreed. They market it to be completely accessible to everyone, and it is deceptively not.<BR/><BR/>It's all very sketchy, and even sketchier is when I blogged about it as well, they disguised themselves as anonymous commenters to defend their shady marketing tactics. I think it's important for the public to keep them accountable. Check out this entry; they are comment no. 4 and no. 7.<BR/><BR/>http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2008/05/sr-sro-and-1200/<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately I am not in any financial situation to being able to donate, but if I do, it will totally be to get better seats too. Oh and to support the arts. ;) It's a nice added benefit, the cherry on top of the sundae.jolenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11674264153754358602noreply@blogger.com