Well, dear readers, I’m sitting here like so much fish, listening to another tuneful opera by the tuneful Camille Saint-Saens, this one called Les Barbares, another from this lovely label that did their release in book-style packaging. I really like these, and they did quite a few, but most are from earlier eras that I’m not interested in. I now have all the Saint-Saens releases (four), which are all limited numbered editions, but they have two Massenet titles I’ll probably get, too, and I’ll YouTube a couple of other composers who are not familiar to me. Anyway, I really do enjoy the musique of Saint-Saens and these are really well recorded and performed. Prior to that, it was Massanet’s Cendrillon, which was also melodically rich from the melodically rich Jules Massanet. I got the version starring Frederica von Stade on Sony, conducted by Julius Rudel. It’s quite delightful and I enjoyed all of it. Prior to that, it was Ottorino Respighi’s Christus, a biblical cantata – that one I just loved a whole lot. All I ever knew of Respighi were his warhorses, but his operas have all been beautiful to hear and this cantata is pretty terrific – beautiful, haunting, and well-performed in excellent sound. So, dessert last evening was this musically rich cornucopia of melodious delights, with whipped cream. Prior to that, we’d had one final actor read for project two, and we’re now fully cast and I’m very happy with how that turned out. Doug checked with everyone and they’re all available for the dates we’ll be doing this.
Yesterday wasn’t really a bad day – it wasn’t really a good day either, but the one thing it absolutely was was a day, Friday to be precisely precise. I got nine hours of sleep, not arising until one. Once up, I answered e-mails, had telephonic conversations, did some stuff on the computer, and then I went to the mail place and picked up some packages, after which I came directly home. Once home, I made the spicy salmon I’d gotten at Gelson’s the night before. I didn’t care for it much – it was a very small piece of salmon, so that was fine, and it came with asparagus that weren’t too good, and a couple of small red garlic potatoes that I didn’t love. So, that was all a disappointment and I realized that I’d need to eat something else.
So, I ordered three slices of pizza from Pizza Wagon of Brooklyn and they showed up about forty minutes later and those were excellently excellent and weren’t too huge, either. Once I’d finished that, then it was a few more telephonic conversations, and listening to music. After that, the day was done.
Then we had our Zoom audition, after which Doug and I finalized the cast of eight and I know he’ll be sending schedules and stuff to them today and I’ll be writing the other folks who auditioned to thank them for doing so and to explain that this was hard to cast for various reasons and their not being chosen is absolutely no reflection on their talent – I simply had to mix and match types and ages for the best group of eight and while it’s difficult to make those final choices, they have to be made. I’m sure some will not be happy, as that’s usually how that goes. I always want to tell those people that they should sit in the director’s chair at least once so they understand what directors go through trying to find the right blend of people, and that invariably there will be disappointment for those they don’t cast.
After that, I began the musical desserts and that took up what little of the evening was left in a most delightful way, just like a spoonful of sugar.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, the helper will be bringing some CDs over, then a dealer will be picking up some CDs, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat – I’ve already ordered from a Chinese jernt I’ve passed by for years, just to see if they’re any good – I did so because Uber Eats, who I’ve never used, sent me a $25 off credit, so I ordered thirty-two dollars of food (this jernt is pricey – that’s just two dishes, rice, and some egg rolls) – of course, with fees, tips and all the other nonsense they tack on, it went back up to over twenty bucks – and then I’ll just watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow will be more of the same, then next week we’ll start dealing with tracks for the Kritzerland show and get a jump on all that, we’ll continue proofing charts and getting those cleaned up, I’m thinking we’ll have a meeting and read-through of project two on Zoom, and then it’s just doing whatever else needs doing. I’m also hoping Grant has worked on the book over the weekend and if he has then we’ll add the final proofing to the list o’ stuff for next week.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, the helper will bring CDs, a dealer will pick up CDs, I’ll hopefully pick up packages, I’ll eat Chinese food, and then I’ll watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Of the films you’ve seen that are Oscar eligible – who do you think will be nominated in the acting categories or, more importantly, who are your choices, and what films are your choices for best picture. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had an evening of rich musical desserts.