Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to Mr. Previn do Mr. Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Sleeping Beauty, which I’ve never heard in its entirety. It’s a beautiful recording and performance. I suppose I’ll now have to find a copy of the ballet to watch. Speaking of watching ballets, I finished watching a ballet entitled Swan Lake. As you know, as I watched the first part the night before, it became apparent to me that it was a ballet about a swan and a lake, not necessarily in that order. I really enjoyed the ballet, I must say and I have, in fact, said. It was beautifully danced by its large cast, especially the leading lady, Natalia Osipova as both the white swan Odette and the black swan Odile. The leading man, Matthew Golding, is very good, too, and in act three the two of them do some mighty fine stepping and twirling that was very exciting. Being that it’s the Royal Ballet, that bad boy Ross MacGibbon directed for the screen, but he’s less egregious here than in most of the others he’s done. He doesn’t cut in quite so much, let’s us actually see some patterns and spatial relationships and – wait for it – feet. Of course, he can’t help himself with the close-ups and the ones of Mr. Golding are all done at inopportune moments where he’s ACTING and where he looks rather like a constipated Mark Wahlberg. A Constipated Mark Wahlberg – that’s the title of my next novel. Anyway, the production is wonderful, with beautiful sets, costumes, and lighting, the choreography is terrific, based on the original by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, with help from Anthony Dowell, Frederick Ashton, and a couple of other folks. There is, of course, another Royal Opera Blu-ray of a production from a couple of years earlier, but I don’t need to see it because, for me, this was the swanniest Swan River – oops – Swan Lake. Although, if you add two “e”s you do get Swan(ee) River or if it’s nighttime you get Moon River. I seem to have gotten waylaid by a tangent.
Yesterday was a day, that’s for certain. I got about seven-and-a-half hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, and then got dressed and moseyed on over to the storage place. I left the box o’ signed books for the helper’s mom, went and found a box of Follies – I’m concerned it’s our last box, but I’ll have to pull some stuff out to make sure. I recall seeing more. Now, one thing I found is about seventeen copies of Drat! The Cat! my studio recording starring Susan Egan, Jason Graae, Judy Kaye, Elaine Stritch, and many other wonderful folks. So, if any of you dear readers need it, private message me quickly – when these are gone, that’s it. It’s really a good recording. Then I came right back home and ordered a Cobb salad from Stanley’s, with ranch dressing. It arrived about thirty minutes later and I ate it all up and it was excellent. That one I’ve only had one other time. Then it was time to mosey on over to a little jernt to have a little meeting, which turned out to be fun.
Then I picked up a couple of packages and came home. I did a few things, had a telephonic conversation, and then it was time for a Zoom callback – only one actress for me to read and I’ve already worked with her and adore her. But now they do this silly thing where all the directors get to fight over who they want. I won’t partake in that kind of thing, as I find it, well, I find it a bit, you know. I’ve told the people who need to know that I want her and since she’s literally the only one who read, while the others all have other choices, I think that should be an easy decision. We shall see.
Then I finished watching the swanniest Swan Lake and after it was done, I tried doing some exciting spins, but Jews of my age should not attempt to do some exciting spins as the result of trying to do some exciting spins is that you feel like you’re going to vomit on the ground. I didn’t, thankfully. Instead, for my evening snack I had three low-carb Keto tortillas – those weren’t all that bad, actually. I put some cheese in each and I had some Taco Bell mild sauce and put that on the cheese. They were very good and only about 250 calories all in. Then I listened to music and the rest you know and you know the rest.
Today, I’ll be up at eight-thirty, then she of the Evil Eye will arrive and I’ll go have a nice early breakfast somewhere – probably a cheese and bacon omelet. Then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll come home and catch up on stuff, then I’m having a much-needed haircut, which, by the way, is much needed. Then I’m hoping we announce our new stuff, after which I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I can sleep in and then pretty much have a ME day. Sunday, I’m having an early dinner with Peyton and mom – I have to figure out the restaurant because our first choice, Barone’s, is apparently the only restaurant that hasn’t reopened and has never done outdoor dining. Really inane, if you ask me. I haven’t seen these people in a year and two months, save for a couple of Zoom rehearsals for the two online Kritzerland shows she did. Then it’s a busy week ahead. And one major hurdle to get over or there will be hell toupee.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up at eight-thirty, have an early breakfast, hopefully pick up packages, catch up on stuff, have a much-needed haircut that’s much needed, hopefully announce our new stuff, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start: CD, more of the Previn box and some assorted other CDs. Blu-ray, perhaps The Innocents and I have another rendition of La Fille Mal Gardee with its original cast, so that will be fun. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have seen the swanniest Swan Lake.