tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post5509834122778138517..comments2024-03-16T06:23:29.917-07:00Comments on The Reverberate Hills; or The Apotheosis of the Narwhal: and repetition palls himPatrick J. Vazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-9223422384267590492008-07-02T12:38:00.000-07:002008-07-02T12:38:00.000-07:00OT, OK, I guess the cheese still stands alone on A...OT, OK, I guess the cheese still stands alone on Alcina. I loved it, and loved the way they used the huge picture frame to suggest a division between the land of magic and the land of reality. I thought the whole production was very rich and suggestive. I've actually heard people call it "pornographic," which makes me wonder what kind of porn they're watching -- I can only hope that, as with baroque opera, all the repeats are observed. Da capo, everybody! But to me, the island of Alcina is partly about sexual excess, and so the production was true to the spirit of the opera: I've seen extremely traditional-looking productions of, say, Traviata, that were so much about a luxe appreciation of fancy costumes and plush furniture and telling ourselves that we're cultured and well-off that Verdi's intentions in telling Violetta's heart-rending story were completely betrayed -- yet no one is denouncing such productions as "Eurotrash" or "Regie of the worst kind" or whatever.Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-64521116738423422162008-07-02T12:31:00.000-07:002008-07-02T12:31:00.000-07:00V, Please do not allow anything as mundane as real...V, Please do not allow anything as mundane as reality to disrupt your magnificent plan, and how exquisitely tasteful of you to avoid the vulgarity of tears. I was hoping the peony was a recondite reference to The Peony Pavilion, but yeah, I do just like them. Lilacs (copious I break!) would also be acceptable, and I don't care that they're out of season in June. I won't tell Michael Pollan and Alice Waters if you don't.<BR/><BR/>But you know what would be totally adorable? If you dressed the cockapi that way and had them scamper down the aisle with the peonies in their teeth! Oh, so cute!Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-77455095196457907552008-07-01T15:53:00.000-07:002008-07-01T15:53:00.000-07:00*chuckles* I think if I had seen Alcina after livi...*chuckles* I think if I had seen Alcina after living in Munich, it would have had made a completely different impression on me than it did. I do love that opera, but the peeling wallpaper and the choreography bothered me a lot. Mostly the choreography though, I was such a stickler for that sort of thing as a young person. I don't think it deserved the loathing that it got though. Random people in the standing room line will bring that up in their list of why Rosenberg was so terrible. I was just thrilled that the production was booed, because that was the first time I had ever observed this in real life.The Opera Tattlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06817163818697608446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-31537623973239567922008-07-01T09:59:00.000-07:002008-07-01T09:59:00.000-07:00Your last line is interesting to me because it rin...Your last line is interesting to me because it rings so true for me, but I never thought it did for you. I always have envied how you have a collection of friends from different points in your life. I tend to form close friendships with people in the same boat with me at that moment in my life, and I tend to think the friendships will last, but I'm a great lapser, sadly.<BR/><BR/>Your thwarted plan to throw yourself into the orchestra pit deprives me of my one opportunity to mysteriously show up at the opera house in late June every year wearing black from head to toe, including a black veil and black gloves, clutching a handkerchief in one hand and a peony in the other. During intermission, I would slowly and silently walk down the aisle to the orchestra pit and stand and stare. Then I would return to my seat, leaving the peony behind.vicmarcamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13193094111343990233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-35188222066995263592008-06-30T22:09:00.000-07:002008-06-30T22:09:00.000-07:00Brian,Yeah, there really isn't much next season th...Brian,<BR/>Yeah, there really isn't much next season that makes me want to take BART across the Bay, much less fly up from LA the way you would need to. Gockley's certainly had his successes, but I'm getting the feeling they're pretty much accidental. And in the context of the programming we were starting to get under Rosenberg, I can't help feeling that he is just managing a more or less strategic retreat, and counter-revolutions are never inspiring.<BR/><BR/>I don't know if you read my entry on LePage's Rake, but I had some problems with it, kind of to my surprise and definitely to my disappointment.<BR/><BR/>I was at Lucia on the 20th (in fact, my original plan for tonight included writing an entry on the performance, until I realized ants were all over the kitchen and I'd better do the dishes instead), so that might have been me: third seat in on the left-hand side; my hair is dark and still fairly short, I have a beard and was wearing my glasses because something in the opera house burns my contact lenses onto my retinas; since it was incredibly hot that day I was wearing a short-sleeve black t-shirt as opposed to the long-sleeve black t-shirts (long sleeves -- the secret to elegance!) that I usually wear there. The whole wardrobe thing is very complicated given casual Friday and my unwillingness to wear the same shirt all day. Anyway, very roundabout way of trying to see if I was the one you spotted -- feel free to introduce yourself if you are so inclined next time. I've been envying your trip to Europe, by the way.Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-46809508301565948852008-06-30T21:55:00.000-07:002008-06-30T21:55:00.000-07:00OT, I imagine the cleaning crew is also glad I did...OT, I imagine the cleaning crew is also glad I didn't hurl myself from the balcony, and who can blame them? Actually, I know a few people who would be glad to push me, I think. I'm glad someone else liked both those productions -- did you happen to see Alcina a few years ago? Because I'd love it if there was someone else out there who loved that production as I did.<BR/><BR/>I feel like Berlioz, crying out for more Gluck. Actually, I would be happy if Susan Graham were coming back in anything next season.Patrick J. Vazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09279528648512493917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-85993121676240437452008-06-30T21:50:00.000-07:002008-06-30T21:50:00.000-07:00I am in total agreement with your assessment of th...I am in total agreement with your assessment of the Gockley era in San Francisco thus far. His public statements seem to dart this way and that as if he's grasping at straws for some sort of vision. My interest (and financial support) for the house have fallen as well.<BR/><BR/>Change is unavoidable however and there is always hope. The Iphigenie was spectacular and though not the biggest fan of Vick's Tannhauser (or Lucia for that matter) I was rather fond of the Robert LePage Rake's Progress.<BR/><BR/>PS - You should definitely watch the DVD of Unsuk Chin's Alice in Wonderland. The video sucks, but I think it's a great opera.<BR/><BR/>PSS - I think I spotted you across the aisle in row D at the Lucia di Lammermoor performance on Friday June 20th. That's a great seat. I'm not surprised you'll miss it.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13928908637908240871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22361479.post-53673102237486352572008-06-30T16:14:00.000-07:002008-06-30T16:14:00.000-07:00I loved both that Iphigenie and the Tannhäuser, th...I loved both that Iphigenie and the Tannhäuser, those were probably my two favorite operas of 2007. I'm very glad you did not hurl yourself into the orchestra pit.The Opera Tattlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06817163818697608446noreply@blogger.com