Haines His Way
Archives => Archive 2 => Topic started by: bk on November 17, 2004, 11:59:53 PM
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Well, you've read the notes, you've gotten an impression of the notes, and now it is time to post whilst doing an impression of the cows coming home. To it, I say.
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My hunch is that BK's impression of his nose would only work when he's had a snootfull, which isn't his style.
I'm at a loss when it comes to the TOD, because I'm also at a loss when it comes to the great films noir. I'm simply not that familar with the genre.
That said, the film noir-styled musical City of Angels has several great numbers in it, and a few that work well out of the show's context. "With Every Breath I Take" is a traditional torch song, but "You Can Always Count On Me" and "What You Don't Know About Women" would also be good candidates, especially since they would make for an upbeat change of pace.
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Thinking on one of yesterday's discussions, on how the composer of an opera is more likely to also be it's orchestrator than his musical comedy/play counterpart, I've come to the conclusion that this isn't because of a lack of skill on the mc/p composer's part, but more because of a time factor. A lot of compositional work is done on a Broadway (or Broadway-style) musical during tryouts, with the show already mounted but in need of correction. The composer simply doesn't have the time to invent new melodies and put together the new charts.
Compare this with the situation facing the composer of an opera. This composer has been sitting alone in a room, finishes his work in however long a period it takes(including orchestrations), and delivers the work complete. (And it's nifty how "opera" means "work," isn't it!) Any corrections take place during rehearsals, but basically what has been turned in as the score is what gets on the stage. There is no "tryout" period; the work is given it's world premiere and that's that. So the opera composer is dealing with a vastly different time situation.
This suggests that the Broadway musical is a more colaborative art, and rightly so. Operas are usually known only as works of the composer. Musicals are known as the work of the composer, the lyricist (assuming that's a different person), and the book writer (assuming that again is a different person).
In both cases, if the orchestrator is another different person, his (or her) contribution is generally ignored. :-\
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Oh my....hmmmmmmm......Abbe Lane does a great little song called "One At a Time" in the film noir CHICAGO SYNDICATE.
I also like a lot of the songs Jane Russell did in her movies with Robert Mitchum....especially one song called, I think, "San Berdoo."
Hmmmmmm.....lots of night clubs in noir movies.....I must think about some others.
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My hunch is that BK's impression of his nose would only work when he's had a snootfull, which isn't his style.
SWW, LOL! :D ;D :D
So, I'm sitting here at 6:55 and knowing senility has landed. I can think of only one noir song, "Laura," and I'm certain there are others, most likely ones I'm truly fond of like "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte," but I wouldn't consider it noir. Southern Gothic, yes.
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Compare this with the situation facing the composer of an opera. This composer has been sitting alone in a room, finishes his work in however long a period it takes(including orchestrations), and delivers the work complete. (And it's nifty how "opera" means "work," isn't it!) Any corrections take place during rehearsals, but basically what has been turned in as the score is what gets on the stage. There is no "tryout" period; the work is given it's world premiere and that's that. So the opera composer is dealing with a vastly different time situation.
Actually, DRSWW, there are several famous cases of opera revisions after the first performances: Verdi's overhauls of DON CARLOS and MACBETH, Puccini's several attempts to finalize MADAMA BUTTERFLY. I believe there are two endings, brief but different, for HANSEL UND GRETEL. There've now been attempts to "fix" CARMEN on the grounds that Bizet was forced against his will to alter it for the Opera Comique, and the alterations Mozart himself made to his operas toi accommodate different singers accounts for DON GIOVANNI being for the past 200 years a conflation of the Vienna and Prague versions as well as several big variants in THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO.
Offenbach made his cuts and alterations after the piece was running, like Gilbert & Sullivan, since there was no concept then of "tryout performances." There was a wonderful book published in the 1960s called THE OPENING NIGHT GILBERT & SULLIVAN that published the opening night libretti before the changes were made. There have been, since 1960, at least three attempts to fix THE TALES OF HOFFMANN that I know of (two of them now published), but since Offenbach died before an audience ever saw the opera. we'll never know what he would have considered definitive.
You are right, though, about a musical in tryouts. When a show like CANDIDE in 1956 goes through a lot of rewrites in Boston, and this is drastic compared to some shows where little was done out of town, the composer has to keep writing new songs or adjustments, confer with director, Musical Director, etc. There's no time to sit in a room, orchestrate, and be certain the copyists are on schedule. It takes me around 20-30 minutes to score a page (4 measures) of music, depending how dense it is and how large the orchestra, so that would be around 8-10 hours to score an 80 m. (20 pages) song. Richard Rodgers could have written the song in 20 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on how difficult the piano accompaniment was, and composers use a lpot of shorthand in their manuscripts, as do I when I can get away with it.
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Steve Sondheim says an opera is a piece performed in an opera house, but I don't totally agree with him: I thought SWEENEY TODD was a great opera the first day I saw it at the Uris Theatre. I don't consider THE MEDIUM and THE TELEPHONE musicals because they opened for a run at a Broadway theatre. DIE FLEDERMAUS is another problem: as ROSALINDA it was a big Broadway hit, with Miss Shelly Winters in a secondary role, but as DIE FLEDERMAUS it hasn't left the opera houses since Mahler conducted it at the Vienna Opera. THE MAGIC FLUTE opened in a popular Viennese theatre, as a singspiel, and I'd love to see it performed as a bizarre musical comedy rather than a charming opera with spoken dialogue.
I find the whole megillah too amorphous to tie it down with rules or names like musical theatre and opera. To me, it's all musical theatre - zarzuela, singspiel, ballad opera, operetta, opera, musical play, musical comedy - and it's either done well or badly. End of soapbox for today!
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I'll second the song "laura" but refresh my memory is it actually sung in the film or was it written after the film came out?
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How Little We Know or Hong Kong Blues from Have or Have Not
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine from the Big Sleep
Too Marvelous For Words from Dark Passage
Moanin' Low from Key Largo
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I find the whole megillah too amorphous to tie it down with rules or names like musical theatre and opera. To me, it's all musical theatre - zarzuela, singspiel, ballad opera, operetta, opera, musical play, musical comedy - and it's either done well or badly. End of soapbox for today!
You'ld like how I organize that part of our CD collection: If it's a work done for the theater, it's in alpha order by title. Makes the shows a lot easier for me to locate.
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Well, I think that our very own BK should write MORE lyrics to the theme from CHINATOWN.
"Why Don't You Do Right?" as sung in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT is one of my favorites.
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Thinking on one of yesterday's discussions, on how the composer of an opera is more likely to also be it's orchestrator than his musical comedy/play counterpart, I've come to the conclusion that this isn't because of a lack of skill on the mc/p composer's part, but more because of a time factor. A lot of compositional work is done on a Broadway (or Broadway-style) musical during tryouts, with the show already mounted but in need of correction. The composer simply doesn't have the time to invent new melodies and put together the new charts.
Compare this with the situation facing the composer of an opera. This composer has been sitting alone in a room, finishes his work in however long a period it takes(including orchestrations), and delivers the work complete. (And it's nifty how "opera" means "work," isn't it!) Any corrections take place during rehearsals, but basically what has been turned in as the score is what gets on the stage. There is no "tryout" period; the work is given it's world premiere and that's that. So the opera composer is dealing with a vastly different time situation.
This suggests that the Broadway musical is a more colaborative art, and rightly so. Operas are usually known only as works of the composer. Musicals are known as the work of the composer, the lyricist (assuming that's a different person), and the book writer (assuming that again is a different person).
In both cases, if the orchestrator is another different person, his (or her) contribution is generally ignored. :-\
You're quite correct, and, inadvertantly, we've begun a list of "symptoms" that tell us whether a show's an opera or a musical. Why did I call them "symptoms?" Well, in a sense, we're like doctors. A symptom can usually mean one thing, but there are exceptions. A doctor will look at a whole set of symptoms before making a diagnosis.
So, so far, we've got my statement that it's exceedingly rare for composers of musicals to do their own orchestration.
BK's close personal friend Mr. Stephen Sondheim said an opera is a work to be performed in an opera house, and DR Elmore argued with him.
That operas usually have one big opening, having not played for preview audiences, while musicals are tinkered with, in front of audiences, for years before their openings.
Operas are usually known only as works of the composer. Musicals are known as the work of the composer, the lyricist (assuming that's a different person), and the book writer
I found this answer to someone who asked whether Les Mis is an opera:
Susan,
This point can be confusing, for Les Miserables does have a few things in common with operas. Let me point out some of the things that make it NOT an
opera:
1. The composer didn't do the orchestrations
2. It doesn't require, and wasn't conceived for, operatic singing. True, it's difficult to sing, but the voices it has been cast with use "pop" inflections, so, I guess, it could be called a pop opera.
3. It wasn't conceived of for the opera stage. There are a zillion subtle differences between operas and musicals in how the musicianship is handled.
4. Operas, for more than a century, have a level of musical complexity and sophistication that Les Miserables lacks, which is not to say the music isn't
good, beautiful or effective.
5. An opera is, for the most part, a musical expression by the composer, and the composer is always more important than the librettist. Musicals are
theatrical expressions in which all collaborators must be treated as equals, equally important.
Finally, the lack of dialogue means nothing. Plenty of wonderful operas contain a lot of spoken dialogue. Some musicals contain no dialogue, but they're usually pretty dull.
A good noir song: Put the Blame on Mame (Gilda)
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DR Michael Shayne has already mentioned my particular film noir song--"And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" from The Big Sleep. What a terrific scene--in the middle of an already complicated case, Bogie comes upon Bacall oozing even more self-confidence than she's previously shown to him, casually tossing off this song like it was last year's corn flakes, in an illegal gambling club in the sticks. It's almost like Alice wondering into the Mad Hatter's tea party. But while Bogie is taken aback for only a moment, it's enough for him (and the movie audience) to fall even deeper for this dame.
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I don't know that there's a lot of singing in films noir, but there are songs from musicals that strike me as very noir-ish:
My Time of Day from Guys and Dolls
While the City Sleeps from Golden Boy
and there must be something in Sweet Smell of Success
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So, how do these symptoms apply to Sweeney Todd?
Its composer-lyricists states it's not an opera.
The orchestration is by Jonathan Tunick.
The words are equally (if not more) important as the tunes.
It does not require operatic voices - Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou are nobody's idea of opera singers.
It played 8 shows a week at the Uris Theatre (not an opera house), opening after a period of previews.
It requires excellent acting.
Now, I for one, LOVE it when I see an opera where the acting is excellent, and this is obviously an objective term. But there are plenty of opera fans who are perfectly happy to see an opera beautifully sung but insufficiently acted. That's because opera fans love the sound of a beautiful voice. Musical fans love a well-acted performance, which is why such un-lovely-voiced people as Carol Channing, Jackie Gleason, Zero Mostel and Shirley Booth could be such great stars of the Broadway musical stage.
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Some authors at this here site should be pleased with the following link:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89640.html (http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89640.html)
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I cannot think of any songs from film noir...well, of course there are many songs in Bollywood film noir...I guess MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (1944) isn't really film noir, but it could pass and it has some nifty songs...like BOOGIE WOOGIE BOOGIE MAN, for instance.
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Good Morning!
Of course, the one day this week I finally wake up "early", it's gray, overcast and there's a chance of showers all day. -Well, it's not that gray outside, but all the weather reports have called the air "unstable" today. So, we shall see...
"Laura" is the only song that comes to mind right now. Just such a great tune, great harmonies. And, actually, the other night, there was a great clip of Errol Garner and his trio playing the tune. Quite wonderful playing.
Hmm... The sun is now shining through the windows here in my living room... hmm...
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Great song choices already. I think there was a song in Kiss Me Deadly sung by Nat King Cole. I know there's a song in The Blue Gardenia also sung by Nat, I think. Gun Crazy's theme has lyrics somewhere in the film, doesn't it? I also think doing a couple of stage songs would be cool - City of Angels and Sweet Smell are both good choices for that.
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Mr. Jason Graae has decided to do a show at a small cabaret on 8th Avenue in New York City. Here's a link to the Playbill article on Coup de Graae
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89663.html
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Yes, forgot to mention earlier that my two choices "Laura" and "Put the Blame on Mame" we already mentioned.
Other than those I don't know much from film noir.
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Chicago singer/pianist Audrey Morris recorded an album about a decade ago called FILM NOIR, and here are the contents:
"I'd Rather Have the Blues Than What I've Got" (KISS ME DEADLY)
"I've Heard That Song Before" (FAREWELL MY LOVELY)
"Don't Call It Love" (I WALK ALONE)
"I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" (DETOUR)
"Mad About You" (GUN CRAZY)
"A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening" (THE RACKET)
"Slowly" (FALLEN ANGEL)
"Ace in the Hole" (NAKED ALIBI)
"Again" (ROAD HOUSE)
"Blue Gardenia" (THE BLUE GARDENIA)
"I Hadn't Anyone 'Til You" (IN A LONELY PLACE)
"Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" (CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY)
"Memphis in June" (JOHNNY ANGEL)
"Body and Soul" (BODY AND SOUL)
"He's Funny That Way" (THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE)
"Reach for Tomorrow" (LET NO MAN WRITE MY EPITAPH)
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Seems like Ava Gardner sang songs (dubbed by Eileen Wilson) in THE HUCKSTERS and THE KILLERS, but I can't remember what they were. Haven't seen either film in a long time.
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Mr. Jason Graae has decided to do a show at a small cabaret on 8th Avenue in New York City. Here's a link to the Playbill article on Coup de Graae
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89663.html
Great! Now, since he'll be in town, how do we get him to the Writer's Block reading/signing?
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Jason has promised he'll try to make the Writer's Block signing. Oh, and Jrand's review now contains no spoilers.
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The lyritcs to "Laura" were added after the film was released. No vocal version of the song was ever added to the film.
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I just received the following in an E-mail that was forwarded to me. Though I usually loathe those lists of jokes and whatnot that are passed around like so many cold germs at this time of year, I thought that this group in particular may enjoy these:
Actual Analogies and Metaphors Found in High School Essays.
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes witha pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
26. Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser.
27. She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
28. It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to a wall.
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Actual Analogies and Metaphors Found in High School Essays.
DRStuart - Loved these analogies & metaphors - great lunchtime laughs.
Fellow readers, my copy of Writer's Block arrived yesterday, too, and I'm looking forward to reading it this weekend. Tonight my book group meets to discussReading Lolita in Tehran and I just learned that we'll have a guest with us who taught English as a second-language in Iran in the early '70s.
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Speaking of FILM NOIR, I haven't finshed watching the films in that excellent boxed DVD set. Still haven't gotten to THE ASPHALT JUNGLE or GUN CRAZY.
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DR Jane: I have big, big plans for my birthday tomorrow - I'm working 9:30-5:30 at MTI and 7:00-12:30 (AIDA) at the Met. Sounds like a heck of a party, huh?
DR Sandra: Right back atcha. How ya been? How's school? Are you still the Bookworm champion?
DR Laura: Hi! You'd be tickled to know that Ms. Judy Kaye (the lady with whom I "sang" on JEEPERS CREEPERS) is playing the ever-fabulous Florence Foster Jenkins in an off-Broadway play. I'm going to see it so I can tell you all about it! :-)
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And one for Mahler.
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On the final page of my "Oliver" vocal score, it says "end of opera".... can anyone tell me why anyone would consider "Oliver" an opera??
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Good morning all!
If I was still allowed to post from work this would be one of those posts, but since I am not, it isn't.
Jason -- Happy Early Birthday! It is so nice to see you posting again.
BK, you must refrain from nose impressions, because if your impression did smell, then I would have to picket.
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TCB, I know I am not allowed to groan on HHW...but I must! LOL!
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On the final page of my "Oliver" vocal score, it says "end of opera".... can anyone tell me why anyone would consider "Oliver" an opera??
I doubt that it is still true, but it used to be that in England, any dramatic musical (as opposed to comedic) was referred to as an opera. Certainly the last few scenes of OLIVER would qualify it as drama, rather than comedy. Don't aske me to quote my source, I am just channeling my old British Theater professor, who was not, BTW, Jed's grandfather.
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Woohoo! Two more Italian sword and sandal movies are begin released on a double feature disc by Image in February...HERCULES THE AVENGER starring Reg Park, and HERCULES VS. THE BLACK PIRATE starring Alan Steel a.k.a. Sergio Ciani! I have not seen either film before so I am awaiting this release with much excitment!
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So, how do these symptoms apply to Sweeney Todd?
Its composer-lyricists states it's not an opera.
The orchestration is by Jonathan Tunick.
The words are equally (if not more) important as the tunes.
It does not require operatic voices - Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou are nobody's idea of opera singers.
It played 8 shows a week at the Uris Theatre (not an opera house), opening after a period of previews.
It requires excellent acting.
Now, I for one, LOVE it when I see an opera where the acting is excellent, and this is obviously an objective term. But there are plenty of opera fans who are perfectly happy to see an opera beautifully sung but insufficiently acted. That's because opera fans love the sound of a beautiful voice. Musical fans love a well-acted performance, which is why such un-lovely-voiced people as Carol Channing, Jackie Gleason, Zero Mostel and Shirley Booth could be such great stars of the Broadway musical stage.
Well, DRNoel, I think you're flogging a dead horse trying to prove a difference:
Before SWEENEY TODD opened, Steve Sondheim told "Opera News" he was working on a ballad opera, and the closest piece I can think of to SWEENEY TODD is Britten's edition of THE BEGGAR'S OPERA.
I've named and can name more operas whose composers had assistance on orchestrations.
Len Carious sang in American premier of THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY at the Stratford, Ontario, Shakespeare Festival; according to Mr Weill it's an opera.
And when PORGY AND BESS played Broadway in 1935, the 40s, and the Houston Grand Opera revival of the 1970s, was it a musical or the folk opera Gershwin wrote? Although there's that song & dance man Sportin' Life; does he make it a musical?
Some pieces to hit Broadway are clearly musicals, and I'd rather see an opera production that's both well-sung and well-acted, as much as I'd rather see a well-staged and well-acted musical than some of the unsophisticated, not-so-well-acted musicals I've seen recently. I'd also perfer to see any form of musical theatre where the performers respected the musical line and did their acting within its confines rather than try to snarl and act the text over the musicality. I guess that wasn't the end of the soapbox earlier!
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Hot diggity! I feel so good, I could dance the old Yahoo Step!
My copy of Writer's Block arrived yesterday, it did. I only read the first chapter this morning between wake-up (4:45) and depart for work (6:27). Didn't bring it to work because, you know, I really should do some work here occasionally, and I knew that would be impossible with an unread Bruce Kimmel work nearby.
I also obtained a CD of the original demo to a sixties show called, Bus and Truck. Aren't you all envious? Does anyone know if an OBC recording was ever made of this show? I know it was supposed to be recorded by Goddard Lieberson.
Anyway, the demo has some surprising performers on it. Among them is our very own Guy Haines, sounding exactly like he does today, thirty-five years later. But most surprising is Tammy Minoff, who, I believe, was not even born at the time the recording was made. Precocious indeed!
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BK, don't know that this has been answered here, but you did pose the question once.
Mariclare Costello is the actress playing Emma Goldman in the deleted scene from RAGTIME.
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And...oh! an A Chorus Line reference!
I've listened to the demo four times today, and I really recommend it. I think it's a bookleg. Shhhhhh!
To a matter of pedantry--and I hope I can out-pedant derBrucer any day of the week: People, it's neither film noirs nor films noir. It's films noirs. So named after the French actress Bette Noire.
Does Chicago count? If so, I would pick "My Own Best Friend", except, of course, that they didn't use it in the film. And they hardly used it in the show. I love the song, but I do not like what Fosse did, turning it into a parody. In Colored Lights, Kander & Ebb explain that Fosse really disliked the song, comparing it to "My Way" and "I Gotta Be Me". But when Liza stepped in to do the show, she bullied him to let her sing it straight. She got thunderous applause, and she said, on stage, "You hear that, Bobby?" But it didn't sway him.
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What started out as a beautifully sunny fall day has degenerated into an overcast, soggy Thursday. Bah! :(
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Well, I participate in the first excerpts from our production of NUNCRACKERS in about three hours. I hope all goes well. Then, later tonight, we will do the show for the first time all the way through both acts.
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DR Elmore3003, here a another upcoming release from Image that you may be very interested in!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006L0LMA/dvdverdict/002-5315235-9312004?dev-t=D2JUTWY2CB9NCH%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2#product-details (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006L0LMA/dvdverdict/002-5315235-9312004?dev-t=D2JUTWY2CB9NCH%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2#product-details)
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To a matter of pedantry--and I hope I can out-pedant derBrucer any day of the week: People, it's neither film noirs nor films noir. It's films noirs. So named after the French actress Bette Noire.
DRWilliamFOrr, LOL! ;D ;D ;D
I wonder if Bette were related to Rosetta Le?
I really screwed this up a minuite ago!
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DR Elmore3003, here a another upcoming release from Image that you may be very interested in!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006L0LMA/dvdverdict/002-5315235-9312004?dev-t=D2JUTWY2CB9NCH%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2#product-details (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006L0LMA/dvdverdict/002-5315235-9312004?dev-t=D2JUTWY2CB9NCH%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2#product-details)
DRMichaelBarnum, I love THE CAT AND THE CANARY! I still wish the Bob Hope-Paulette Goddard version would be released in the States; it's available in England. Thank you, but I already have the silent version, and I think you do, too!
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And in other news: People Magazine has just appointed Jude Law "Sexiest Man Alive", once again passing over the legitimate title holder, our very own Brent Barrett. Well, at least Jude is sexy, as opposed to, say, BenAf.
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And in other news: People Magazine has just appointed Jude Law "Sexiest Man Alive", once again passing over the legitimate title holder, our very own Brent Barrett. Well, at least Jude is sexy, as opposed to, say, BenAf.
Now, now, I would take Ben Affleck any day of the week!
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MusicGuy just had to go through the same thing with a crown. His impression was more like Peter Lorre.
Luckily, it's been a few years since I've had to go through that. With luck, maybe I can skip it again entirely.
I left the law firm last week after 6 months. This also means I have no more paychecks coming in-- not a good thing. Does anyone here happen to know what I want to be when I grow up?
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I'm on my way to see Kevin Spirtas. I shall return so keep the home fries burning you dear, dear people in the dark.
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Elmore I only “speed watched” during the slow moments. ;D I made it through two hours of viewing in about an hour and a half. Only one more hour to go.
Matt H, I TIVO’d HOUSE last night. Unfortunately I missed the first episode. You must tell me about the new shows before they come on. :)
We haven’t watched the last episode of LOST yet, maybe tonight.
Keith just walked in and said I received something special in the mail today. :D
SWW I have trouble focusing and it bothered my eyes. I don’t have to read a photograph. It was years before computers improved enough for me to use one.
Michael Shayne, welcome back. Did you have fun?
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Elmore I only “speed watched” during the slow moments. ;D I made it through two hours of viewing in about an hour and a half. Only one more hour to go.
DRJane, LOL! :-* :-* :-* :-*
If the episode of HOUSE you taped is about the kindergarten teacher, you just TIVO'd the first one.
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Now, now, I would take Ben Affleck any day of the week!
Never on Sunday!
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But since I missed Ask Bruce Day, I will leave the following question up for general discussion. (Thanks to my Joe.)
How is a mouse when it spins?
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Jason, have fun tomorrow anyway. Will you celebrate over the weekend then? You must find something you enjoy doing, and do it. Even if it on Saturday or Sunday. Get yourself a special treat during your dinner break.
I can’t add to the songs already named. What bothers me is a few named I should know and don’t. Wish I could listen to them right now.
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Hmmm... It's already 4:30pm here on the East Coast, and we're still on Page 2?!?!?!?
I sense you-know-who may have to resort to doing some you-know-what after he gets back from you-know-where.
:P
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I just opened my mail. :D
Bruce, Keith and I think the cover and the layout of the book are very nice. An especially nice compliment from the professional in the family who is impressed with the books physical attributes.
Sometimes just having a book in my possession, knowing it is waiting for me to read brings me great pleasure. I will leave the book out and look at it occasionally until I have the time to give it the attention it deserves. This is the case with WRITERS BLOCK. It is not due to lack of interest I will wait to read it, but I have too many distractions at the moment and want to read the book straight through without interruption.
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elmore I TIVO'd the next episode.
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And speaking of the impression of BK's tooth.
Jean-Auguste Renoir was an impressionist--but he did a lousy Cagney.
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Good Afternoon!
Well... I think I've officially hit the rock-bottom-ness of my post-show lazy cycle for this time round. I got up around 9:00, checked my e-mail, watched some TV... Then I kind of zonked out on the couch between 11:30 and 3:00... And, of course, it turned out to be a beautifully sunny day here in Richmond. Even in the mid-60s! -And I forgot just how cool this apartment stays year-round. It's nice in the summer, but it's definitely cooler outside right now than it is inside. Someone better open up a window! -Or at least a screen door. ;)
So...
I don't think I'm gonna go to see Tony Curtis tonight, but... I may just walk by the Byrd and see what the crowd looks like and go from there. We shall see. However, I did decide that I'll just go up to Fairfax tomorrow and spend the weekend with my parents and family. So at least I did something "decisive" today.
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Neither of these are really film noir, but they are from mysteries... I'm fond of "Smoke Rings" from one of the Thin Man films. And "By the Sea Side" as performed by Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
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..And what's up this with this proposed LAW that would make fast-forwarding through the ads and previews on a DVD at home - at HOME?!??! - illegal?!?!?!?
Illegal downloading of songs I can understand... but fast-forwarding?!?!? Will "older" VCRs and DVD players along with their remotes become "black market" goods in the future since they have a fast-forward button?!?!?
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Jane, re: your request for WMKV's site:
www.wmkvfm.org
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MusicGuy just had to go through the same thing with a crown. His impression was more like Peter Lorre.
Luckily, it's been a few years since I've had to go through that. With luck, maybe I can skip it again entirely.
I left the law firm last week after 6 months. This also means I have no more paychecks coming in-- not a good thing. Does anyone here happen to know what I want to be when I grow up?
Gay?
[/b][/size]
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Often misquoted as:
Why is a mouse, when it spins?
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And I will start the ball rolling by answering in Esperanto:
Ju pli alte, des pli malmultaj.
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elmore I TIVO'd the next episode.
DRJane, how can you. It hasn't played yet. Didn't HOUSE just start this week?
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OK... Time for my walk... -And it's still only about 65 degrees outside right now!
Laters...
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OH...
If I recall correctly, "Laura" is also a music theorists's dream "exercise" since the tonic ("Do") doesn't "happen" until many measures into the song. I remember doing a harmonic analysis of it college - very "juicy" stuff. -Sheesh, I was such a geek! ;)
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The BUS AND TRUCK OBC was released but only a few LP's were pressed - this was during the strike at the processing plant. Once it was settled, the masters had been "misplaced" and so only those few thousand were ever released and are highly prized. Also because of its limited number of units - even though it was announced as June, 1969, selection of the Columbia Record Club - those ordering the disk were sent copies of ZORBA! instead.
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A couple of my favorite film "noir" songs are unusual in that the films were in color, and so technically I suppose were NOT noir - but their stories, attitudes, and performances WERE.
KISS ME - sung by Marilyn Monroe in NIAGARA
A KISS BEFORE DYING - title song of the film, playing on a juke box.
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Were any lyrics EVER more depressing than for "What Now My Love"?
What now my love?
Now that you left me
How can I live through another day?
Watching my dreams turning to ashes
And my hopes into bits of clay
Once I could see
Once I could feel
Now I am numb
I've become unreal
I walk the night
Without a goal
Stripped of my heart
My soul
What now my love?
Now that it's over
I feel the world closing in on me
Here come the stars
Tumbling around me
There's the sky
Where the sea should be
What now my love?
Now that you're gone
I'd be a fool
To go on and on
No one would care
No one would cry
If I should live or die
What now my love?
Now there is nothing
Only my last goodbye
My love
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..And what's up this with this proposed LAW that would make fast-forwarding through the ads and previews on a DVD at home - at HOME?!??! - illegal?!?!?!?
Illegal downloading of songs I can understand... but fast-forwarding?!?!? Will "older" VCRs and DVD players along with their remotes become "black market" goods in the future since they have a fast-forward button?!?!?
No, never fear...Radio Shack will market an "ad buster" that will allow everyone to skip every single ad/preview.
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And people complain about postal services:
I received a parcel today -post marked Nov 15th. It was posted in California.
It seems in one of my internet buying frenzies I ordered the Cd of "Bus and Truck". (did someone mention that earlier!). What a wonderful organisation with which to deal. Not only are they efficient but a free bonus book "Writer's Block" was included in the parcel.
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Well, DR's, as promised, I mentioned that when I finally organized my "new" studio space and hooked up my record player, the first thing I would do was break the seal of my copy of bk's "Together Again" that I purchased almost 6 years ago and put it on. As I type, it's playing, quite marvey, if I should say so myself.
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I know France is in the Old Europe, but still we only can read about Mr Michel Colombier's passing in papers here only today!
From LAtimes.com:
November 17, 2004.
Michel Colombier, 65; Composer Was Known for His Versatility.
Michel Colombier
GOBy Myrna Oliver, Times Staff Writer
Michel Colombier, the prolific French-born composer who scored more than 100 motion pictures and television productions including "White Nights," "Against All Odds," and "Purple Rain," has died. He was 65.
Colombier, who also composed chamber music pieces and more than 20 ballets, died Sunday of cancer at his home in Santa Monica.
Often called the "godfather of French fusion" or, in Japan, "Fusion-sama," Colombier was extremely versatile, whether a script called for classical music, jazz, rock, soul or his own innovative meshing of genres. He spun out the appropriate classical phrases for Mikhail Baryshnikov's ballet steps in "White Nights" and collaborated with Prince on futuristic rock sounds for "Purple Rain" with equal aplomb.
He also worked quickly.
Colombier demonstrated both his versatility and speed in 1991 when he was asked to score the raw urban film "New Jack City" after the original composer bowed out. Waiting for gritty, rhythmic music to perform were such artists as Ice-T, 2 Live Crew and Queen Latifah.
Colombier delivered an appropriate soul and rap-laced score in just three weeks.
A gifted pianist, Colombier was classically trained at the Paris Conservatory. He became a popular recording artist and performed on the soundtracks of some of the films he scored, including "The Golden Child," starring Eddie Murphy, in 1986.
Other American films with Colombier's music include "The Money Pit" with Tom Hanks, "Ruthless People" with Danny DeVito and Bette Midler, "Surrender" with Sally Field and Michael Caine, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" with Angela Bassett and "Swept Away" with Madonna.
He also composed for television films including "Double Switch" on ABC in 1987 and the "Desperado" series for NBC in the late 1980s. His eerie scores lent fear and mystery to HBO's "Tales From the Crypt."
Colombier worked initially in France, collaborating with such directors as Claude Lelouch and Vittorio De Sica and artists like Charles Aznavour and Catherine Deneuve. He came to the United States as musical director for Petula Clark, who introduced him to Herb Alpert. Their collaboration resulted in the Grammy-nominated album "Wings." In addition to working with the Comedie Francaise and the Ballet de l'Opera National de Paris and American Ballet Theatre, Colombier composed frequently for the more modern Twyla Tharp Dance company.
As a conductor, he directed such top orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Paris Opera and the London Symphony.
Among his myriad awards were the Cesar, the Edison Prize and a Tokyo Music Award.
Colombier is survived by his wife, Dana; six children, Christian, Agathe, David, Emily, Siena and Arabella; and a sister, Marie-Francoise Hoessler.
A memorial observance is being planned.
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I think I shall listen to "Film Noir" today. Wonderful CD by Carly Simon. (Title song by Jim Webb and Carly Simon).
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I'm back from Mr. Kevin Spirtas' taping. It was just five songs, but he has an impressive voice. Not sure what his show's gonna be like.
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Were any lyrics EVER more depressing than for "What Now My Love"?
What now my love?
Now that you left me
How can I live through another day?
Watching my dreams turning to ashes
And my hopes into bits of clay
Once I could see
Once I could feel
Now I am numb
I've become unreal
I walk the night
Without a goal
Stripped of my heart
My soul
What now my love?
Now that it's over
I feel the world closing in on me
Here come the stars
Tumbling around me
There's the sky
Where the sea should be
What now my love?
Now that you're gone
I'd be a fool
To go on and on
No one would care
No one would cry
If I should live or die
What now my love?
Now there is nothing
Only my last goodbye
My love
Yep!
I believe some French chap -- who passed away not too long ago! -- Another one! -- did write the music for those words; Gilbert Bécaud.
Too bad his musical "Madame Rosa" failed!
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Chicago singer/pianist Audrey Morris recorded an album about a decade ago called FILM NOIR, and here are the contents:
"Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" (CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY)
"Don't Call It Love" (I WALK ALONE)
"I Hadn't Anyone 'Til You" (IN A LONELY PLACE)
IN A LONELY PLACE has to be one of the strangest movies that I have ever enjoyed. And I really do enjoy it.
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On the final page of my "Oliver" vocal score, it says "end of opera".... can anyone tell me why anyone would consider "Oliver" an opera??
About 10 years ago or so, I remember reading a book about music theater ("theatre" actually) and opera. The author had a section on Sondheim's shows and said something about the "opera" A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, "...oh yes, it's an opera." I really had to laugh at that one! ;D
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To a matter of pedantry--and I hope I can out-pedant derBrucer any day of the week: People, it's neither film noirs nor films noir. It's films noirs. So named after the French actress Bette Noire.
Great, now I've got two pedants in my life. *sigh*
;)
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Charles Pogue thank you!! I’m listening to it right now and am enjoying the music so much I’m having a difficult time reading the posts.
Elmore when I say I TIVO’d, I mean I programmed TIVO to record HOUSE every week. It is how TIVO works. You can get a season pass to your favorite shows and never worry about recording them again. I even tell TIVO to only record first run episodes.
Tomovoz, LOL. It took me just as long to receive my order of a book with a free CD. Keith wants to know who got the better deal.
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And in other news: People Magazine has just appointed Jude Law "Sexiest Man Alive", once again passing over the legitimate title holder, our very own Brent Barrett. Well, at least Jude is sexy, as opposed to, say, BenAf.
Jude Law may be People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive," but Brent Barrett is the "World's Sexiest Man Alive," which trumps (no relation to the Donald) the non-world-wide People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive." ;)
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I suppose someone is going to tell me that L. Bernstein's Mass is an opera. I've always thought of it as a "theater piece," as it's composer said. (And it did play Broadway, so it has to be a musical, right?)
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This working record player thing is VERY exciting. It's set up near my computer and hooked up to the amp that my computer is, making vinyal transfers easier. But the good thing about the whole thing is that I haven't visited my records in quite a while, I have no clue what is there! While pulling out bk's "Together Again", I found an LP of "Show Boat" with Cleo Lane. Too fun, I'm sure!
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Der Brucer will be off to Maryland tomorrow, to join the older grandlad for "Grandparent's Day" at school.
The grandparents have been asked to bring along something (or plural) that they own that is "old". I offered to go, but was turned down as not being old enough. ::)
Instead, der B is putting together a "treasure box" of old items. One item is a book he read when he was the older grandlad's age, about a trip Mickey and Minnie Mouse, along with Donald Duck, take cross country. They don't write books like this any more. No, really, somewhere along the line what a seven-year-old was expected to read became much more simplistic, or if you prefer today's lingo, dumbed down.
He's also taking a 45 rpm single of Elton John and his merry band, as much for the photo on the slipcover as for the idea of 45s. Elton and crew are wearing clothes much like what der B wore when the grandlad's mother was the grandlad's age.
Der B's taste in clothes has much improved since then.
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Catching up on some earlier postings. Re: The First Roadshow I ever saw.
Was Mary Poppins released as a roadshow?
If not it then had to be: The Sound of Music. And I remember they played: Oh Canada and God Save Our Gracious Queen.
Which I thought was a strange thing to do before a movie. Especially since I was living in the USA at the time.
just kidding.
It was at the now boarded up and abandoned theater in Montreal called The Seville which was a block from the old Montreal Forum. It played for over three years. The next roadshow was at the theater was Half A Sixpense whose run was cut short when the soda machine short circuited and cause a fire that destroyed the lobby.
I
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Are the cupon codes still working at deep discount dvd?
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So the Producers duo is getting a new gig (http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89646.html), for next year.
Lane and Broderick would play Oscar Madison and Felix Unger in Simon's classic The Odd Couple. Lane would be the sloppy sportswriter Madison, while Broderick would be the uptight photographer Felix Unger (the twosome might also switch roles at some performances, it has been reported).
Personally, the idea of the two switching roles is the only attractive part of this deal, IMO. Otherwise, they're just playing the same old relationship again. (That, and I like the idea of pairing Lane with Sarah Jessica Parker and Broderick with whoever Lane is bunking these days...no, wait, that's swapping, a totally different concept.)
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Catching up on some earlier postings. Re: The First Roadshow I ever saw.
Was Mary Poppins released as a roadshow?
I think it would have been. I know der B has commented several times to me about seeing the roadshow engagement of The Happiest Millionaire, which Disney released after MP as part of a plan to release one big musical each year.
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I suppose someone is going to tell me that L. Bernstein's Mass is an opera. I've always thought of it as a "theater piece," as it's composer said. (And it did play Broadway, so it has to be a musical, right?)
But didn't it open at the Kennedy Center in the Opera House?
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Can someone tell me when BK is in NYC for the book signing and why are all the hotels booked or so expensive?
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DR TD mentioned that Laura Elliot aka Casey Rogers mentions why she chnaged her name in the making of documentary in Strangers On a Train. Well I don't have that so what was the reason.
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Continuing from older postings:
When TD and I saw The Boy From OZ Keven Spiritis was no longer the Standby. But wasn't he also in Days of Our Lives at one point?
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Evening folks!
I must say that I felt good today. I mean, really, really, really good. I woke up perfectly rested for once and I had a very nice day at work. Gave the boss heck. She loves it.
We have some phrases that we’ve had to type over and over again and old programmable typewriters. I couldn’t figure out how to make it save the phrase in memory since the instruction manual has long since been MIA. Phrases like “Approved By:_______________, Date:_____________ --- you get the idea. Turns out my boss is a real whiz with them. I ribbed her about being “New technology challenged but Old technology savvy”. She’s still not sure if she likes that statement or not.
I’m sorry, Dan the Man, that I don’t have any pictures of “The Blue Whale” but I think (help me out here, Jrand) that was just a set that was built and never a location shot.
I wanted to post that last picture that I thought you DS fans might like to see but it seems the upload folder is still full ***Cough, Cough, Hint, Hint***
Well, did ya see her on LOST! Delenn, I mean. I almost fell out of my chair when I realized who it was. I don’t ever remember names but voices are another matter. As soon as she started to speak I said, “I know her from somewhere.” And then it hit me, Babylon 5! So Delenns voice wasn’t a fake accent after all! I thought it was like Londo’s. Wow! Cool Beans!
Welcome back, Jason! Always good to see a familiar icon. You will have a party for your birthday. Here at HHW we will celebrate your special day with party hats, ham chunks and cheese. We will dance the horta and the swim and the twist but not all at the same time. And then we will sit down and talk because we (well, some of us) shall be quite dizzy, I’m sure.
SWW, I swear you should have a cooking show. Everything you write about sounds so good. :D So, do I understand that Der Brucer is bringing home some extra dough?
The thing I like best about the cooking software is that you can search for ingredients to match what you have at hand and the recipes that you can use them with.
I found I have a 2nd white four o’clock! Several of the other boxes I planted seeds in are now growing back up and some are getting ready to flower. I’m so excited because I can’t really remember what color was in what box now so it really will be a surprise to see what I get!
Well, BK, all I can say about your tooth is that I hope he got the tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth. Looking at the bright side, at least you didn’t get YOUR lip split by the drill. I can tell you that is not fun. :(
Did I tell you that I had a really nice day today? :D
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From Nov 15th postings:
Fav political films:
All the President's Men (Which is also a good thriller)
Z
The Parallax View
Missing
and I liked Copenhagnen. I first heard it via BK's cast recording and then I bought the DVD of the PBS performance. Which has a prologue and epilogue which explains the history behind the play.
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Can someone tell me when BK is in NYC for the book signing and why are all the hotels booked or so expensive?
As for the hotels: Christmas shopping season!
As for the date of BK's signing.. I need to go back and check the notes...
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We are having problems with our satellite again so I don’t know if I will be able to stay long. It is times like this I’m tempted to move into town where we can connect to cable.
SWW & DERBRUCER I think that is a wonderful idea for Grandparent’s day.
Danise I’m so happy you had a good day, topped off with the one new as well as the promise of more four o’clocks to come.
Matthew have you found any more exciting LP’s?
I checked the calendar for Bruce’s NY dates without success. I do remember he is flying home on the morning of his birthday which is Dec. 8th.
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Are the cupon codes still working at deep discount dvd?
They're supposed to be good through November 20th (this Saturday).
And I forgot to mention that I received my copy (4/10 of the first 10 books!) of "Writer's Block" yesterday! I've listened to the CD three times now...I just wish it could be the whole score!
So, BK, (not having read the book...yet), is Bus and Truck! a show that could really be written? I've always wondered about shows within shows, movies within movies...things like that. Could they actually be written and have a life of their own?
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Can someone tell me when BK is in NYC for the book signing and why are all the hotels booked or so expensive?
Michael, Christmas shopping has begun! The week before BK's arrival is the lighting of the Rockefeller Plaza tree, but the 3 weeks before Christmas are prime shopping time.
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It is now Thursday 11/18/2004 at 9:24:01 PM
Event: Christmas
Scheduled For 12/25/2004 12:00:00 AM
1 month 6 days 2 hours 35 minutes 59 seconds or
5 weekends or
37 days or
866 hours (577 waking hours) or
51,995 minutes or
3,119,758 seconds
Until Christmas. In case anyone needs/wants to know. :D
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Quote from BK “NY people - it's December 6 at Partner's in Crime in Greenwich”
I couldn't find a confirmation of this or travel dates.
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Danise, the pressure is on to get ready.
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Going back to the Bad South Pacific casting.
The Don't Ask Don't Tell version
Nellie: Kevin Spirtas
Emille: Christian LeBlanc
Cable: Clay Aiken
Liat: Sam Harris
Bloody Mary: Lea DeLaria
Billis: Nathan Lane (too obvious?)
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But didn't it open at the Kennedy Center in the Opera House?
Well, yeah, but ...
OK, I had to do some digging here. Yes, it did open at the Opera House. (http://www.kennedy-center.org/about/perhig70.html) Finding THAT information wasn't easy; most references are to Mass opening the Kennedy Center without saying which hall in the Center. Even the Kennedy Center website has the detail that it was at the Opera House buried deep within layers of pages. Confusing the issue is the detail that the work was recorded in the Concert Hall, I presume for better control of the recording's sound.
Still, Mass is neither opera nor musical. It is a "theater piece", both outside of and in between the two forms. Calling it by that term more successfully describes it than the pigeonholes would. (And I appologize to any pigeons out there who take offense at my using "pigeonhole" in a dismissive context.)
Personally, I find Mass a fascinating work musically, and a vexing mess otherwise.
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I've found a new toy. Click here! (http://www.googlism.com)
According to this, I am...
...on duty with two other officers
...in the enviable position of having so much demand for his cabernet
...the only declared candidate
...fighting that fate
(among many other listings. Who knew?!)
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I've found a new toy. Click here! (http://www.googlism.com)
What a great toy, too!
td is available for all types of appearances
td is confident that mci/worldcom will honor the contract and continue to perform business as usual
td is appointed chairman of the irish red cross
td is the bomb
td is a big leap in the right direction
td is superior in quality and precision and gives you accurate images at a price and performance that cannot be matched by the competition
td is dynamic
td is asking the same question himself
td is transorganizational development
td is done
td is nuts
td is still in short supply
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Yes, the signing is 12/6 at Partners & Crime in Greenwich Village. I'll be having complete details shortly. It's at seven o'clock. Lots of fun people will be there, too. I come into NY on the 5th and leave the morning of the 8th. We will definitely be having a hainsies/kimlets get-together aside from the party.
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Yes, the signing is 12/6 at Partners & Crime in Greenwich Village....
For those without a calendar handy, 12/6 is a Monday.
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Yes MS - as DRGEORGE said, those codes should be good at DeepDiscount through November 20th.
DRDANISE I am pretty sure you are correct that the Blue Whale was just a set, I don't remember it being indentified by a slide or photo of an exterior, mostly just the sign!
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Oh, I thought my books were among the first 10 - but didn't notice anything written in them about it.....what was I, 11 and 12? Story of my life...LOL.
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JRand I believe Bruce meant he would write something nice and sign the book. I that what is in your books?
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Wow DR Tom, you got your book before I did!
DR Jane (and anyone else interested): FOX's website says they are REBROADCASTING the premiere episode of HOUSE tomorrow (friday) at 8pm ET. So you should be able to see it.
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Yes my book is nicely and personally inscribed as is the book I am giving as a gift!
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Anybody see The Apprentice tonight? I won't spoil, but the promos kept saying, "it isn't over when it's over". Woohoo. Good one. There was a line I loved that I will mention tomorrow.
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JRand I believe Bruce meant he would write something nice and sign the book. I that what is in your books?
So, only the first ten copies that are sent out will be signed?
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Speaking of Christmas shopping, it is crazy how early one must shop if one is going to ship the parcels.
I feel like I'm running out of time. I have a HUGE (and I mean huge) box or two going up to Nunavut (Iqaluit).
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So, only the first ten copies that are sent out will be signed?
No, I'm pretty sure they will all be signed. But BK said the first 10 would get something special. Not sure what that is.
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The first ten copies (in the order they were received) are numbered and signed - the first copies to be sold. All other copies are signed and personalized.
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Neither of these are really film noir, but they are from mysteries... I'm fond of "Smoke Rings" from one of the Thin Man films. And "By the Sea Side" as performed by Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
Actually it's called "Smoke Dreams" and it's in the second THIN MAN film, AFTER THE THIN MAN.
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Well, DRNoel, I think you're flogging a dead horse trying to prove a difference:
Before SWEENEY TODD opened, Steve Sondheim told "Opera News" he was working on a ballad opera, and the closest piece I can think of to SWEENEY TODD is Britten's edition of THE BEGGAR'S OPERA.
I've named and can name more operas whose composers had assistance on orchestrations.
Len Carious sang in American premier of THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY at the Stratford, Ontario, Shakespeare Festival; according to Mr Weill it's an opera.
I stand corrected: Len Cariou is an opera singer. In fact, forthwith, everytime I refer to him, it'll be as The Noted Opera Singer Len Cariou (akin to how Brent Barrett is always referred to as World's Sexiest Man).
I'd hate to think it's beating a dead horse, but your comments reveal you've not understand my point at all. I've no idea why you feel compelled to point out examples of operas in which the composers have had assistance doing the orchestration. I've never, ever, made any statement about operas not orchestrated by their composers. There are tons of them. I have made a statement that most composer-orchestrated works aren't musicals. If you and I rack our brains, we might come up with a dozen musicals, at most, with orchestrations by the composer. That's a tiny percentage, isn't it, of composer-orchestrated shows?
It's like if I say that a heavy cough is a symptom of bronchitis, and you respond that you once knew a guy with lactose intolerance who coughed a lot. O.K. But what does that have to do with my statement?
And here's a bit of trivia: Alan Jay Lerner's last musical, Dance a Little Closer, starred both Noted Opera Singer Len Cariou and World's Sexiest Man, Brent Barrett.
What's Opera, Doc?
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Hey Jennifer,
Broadway: The Golden Age has finally come to Montreal and is playing downtown at the AMC everyday at 1pm
I found this out absolutely by accident and am happily planning my trip on Saturday :)
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Are the cupon codes still working at deep discount dvd?
The 20th is the last day they are valid.
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DR Jane, I mentioned on Tuesday morning (the day HOUSE premiered) that I was planning on recording HOUSE since I wouldn't be at home to see it, and I also stated that I read read quite a few reviews from TV critics both locally and on the internet, and they were all very positive. It was an excellent show. That was the pilot; hopefully the subsequent episodes will be as strong.
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DRDANISE I am pretty sure you are correct that the Blue Whale was just a set, I don't remember it being indentified by a slide or photo of an exterior, mostly just the sign!
Click here (http://www.architecturetoursla.com/gallerypages/10.htm) for a photo of the exterior of the Blue Whale.
AKA the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The "Blue Whale" is the building's nickname.
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The PR gig went very well for NUNCRACKERS tonight (the five of us do seem to be able to make some noise). Our later run-through also went well with a few breakdowns. We open in two weeks.
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What's Opera, Doc?
Leave Chuck Jones out of this!
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I stand corrected: Len Cariou is an opera singer. In fact, forthwith, everytime I refer to him, it'll be as The Noted Opera Singer Len Cariou (akin to how Brent Barrett is always referred to as World's Sexiest Man).
I'd hate to think it's beating a dead horse, but your comments reveal you've not understand my point at all. I've no idea why you feel compelled to point out examples of operas in which the composers have had assistance doing the orchestration. I've never, ever, made any statement about operas not orchestrated by their composers. There are tons of them. I have made a statement that most composer-orchestrated works aren't musicals. If you and I rack our brains, we might come up with a dozen musicals, at most, with orchestrations by the composer. That's a tiny percentage, isn't it, of composer-orchestrated shows?
It's like if I say that a heavy cough is a symptom of bronchitis, and you respond that you once knew a guy with lactose intolerance who coughed a lot. O.K. But what does that have to do with my statement?
And here's a bit of trivia: Alan Jay Lerner's last musical, Dance a Little Closer, starred both Noted Opera Singer Len Cariou and World's Sexiest Man, Brent Barrett.
What's Opera, Doc?
Just don't get confused, Noel, and refer to Len Cariou as the World's Sexiest Opera Singer. I don't think you would find anyone who would agree with that, including Mr. Cariou!
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Don't get me started on the Pacific Design Center, an eyesore of the worst order. I'm happy to say that architect Cesar Pelli's New York work has been far more restrained; attractive, even.
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Glad your PR show went well, MATTH!
Time for a piece of pumpkin pie and whipped cream.
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Good Evening!
I definitely need to get off my butt-cheeks tomorrow and do something. Anything. Even my boredom is getting boring. :-\
However...
It was nice catching some "Must See TV" tonight for the first time in a while.
"Joey"- eh.
"Will & Grace" - eh. But the guest star was nice. Sort of.
"The Apprentice" - Talk about whining! However, the ending was good, I guess. However, after all the promos, I was expecting a different twist.
"ER" - Very emotional stories tonight. -And you can tell they're gearing up for Noah Wylie's departure.
And now the News at 11:00 - which has a new feature every Thursday night. The Restaurant Report. It's not a review segment, but rather it's an inspection segment - as in health department. They go into restaurants that got cited by the Health Department, and they do a follow up. Alas, one of the places they went to tonight had fixed their five "critical violations", but then the live cameras caught another one in progress (no gloves on the servers putting the cheese and lettuce on the tacos (Mexican place, duh)). And it was a lunch rush. -I have to wonder if any viewers recognized their lunches on screen tonight. They also list other restaurants that have been cited for critical violations. Of course, the report is supported by the requisite "thud" sound effect as the number of violations appears on the screen. On the bright side, they also site restaurants that have received perfect scores on their recent health department inspections. This week's honoree was a location of The Waffle House.
-Isn't that just too too? Couldn't you just plotz plotz?
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SCROOGE, THE MUSICAL (subtitled: The Living Monument to the Memory of Anthony Newley) opens one week from tomorrow. That wouldn't be too terrible if it were not for the fact that we have exactly four rehearsals left before we open, the last rehearsal being on Tuesday evening!
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Hmm... Well, I was planning on popping up to New York City on December 6 for the book-signing, but since I just got my "part" for Hallelujah, Baby! in today's mail, something tells me I should probably stay close to the theatre. The orchestra has also been in called in for four additional rehearsals for the show - an extra 16 hours in all! The contractor called me up, and asked, "Are you interested in making a little extra Christmas money?" ;)
However, we now have no rehearsal on Sunday, the 5th, so... Hmm... We shall see...
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...Of course, the report is supported by the requisite "thud" sound effect as the number of violations appears on the screen....
News reports with special sound effects...gee, I thought Fox News had that idea under copyright!
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SCROOGE, THE MUSICAL (subtitled: The Living Monument to the Memory of Anthony Newley) opens one week from tomorrow. That wouldn't be too terrible if it were not for the fact that we have exactly four rehearsals left before we open, the last rehearsal being on Tuesday evening!
Does this mean we can now call you our Living Monument? ;D
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As long as we're using visuals... (http://www.chuckjones.com/cgi-bin/chuckjones/image_popup.html?image=/pics/81192-big.jpg&item=What%27s%20Opera%2C%20Doc%3F%20IV&sku=81192)
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Has anyone seen the play NATIONAL PASTTIME? Did you like it? Were you moved by it? Were you uncomfortable with the use of the "N" word?
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OK... I think I'm going to turn into a Wussburger now...
Goodnight.
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Visuals???
My Castle has been newly repainted!
Don't believe me?
Check!
http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID200330.asp
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Ok, I think I will be needing to go shopping at DeepdiscountDVD some more with that 20% off discount...just found out that they have 3 DVD volumes of LOVE THAT BOB and 1 volume of the show PRIVATE SECRETARY! I love both of those shows!
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Hmmmm.... I just read last night's post by dear bk about a threatened bitch slapping at my new home environment. There are two problems with that. 1. Abie wouldn't allow it (neither would I, for that matter -- and I DID study Judo in theatre school)... 2. It would be difficult to find me among the boxes.
I'm enjoying the NHE. The luxury of space is marvy. Last night I slept in the OTHER bedroom to keep Abie company on the old bed. (Okay - I have to confess it wasn't totally altruistic. I like cuddling with the mutt.)
Back to work. I'll try to get back to my "normal" posting self by the end of the weekend.
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Bitch-slapper vs judo champ square off in the battle of the year! Film at eleven.
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Don't get me started on the Pacific Design Center, an eyesore of the worst order. I'm happy to say that architect Cesar Pelli's New York work has been far more restrained; attractive, even.
Compared with the Courthouse Center (http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/colspelli/colspelli.html) Pelli designed in 1973 for Columbus, Indiana, which I find decidedly bland, the Pacific Design Center (1975) is a bold step forward.
Of course the work Pelli (http://www.cesar-pelli.com/flash.cfm) has done since then, in NYC and elsewhere, has shown artistic advances. He's his own man now, running the show as he sees fit. He didn't have his own firm until '77; up to that time, his work was done under other firms auspices.
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Hey Columbus Indiana is progressive - some of the people wear shoes every day of the week!
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MBARNUM those ARE great shows. Hmmmmm....I might need to get those as well. I like LOVE THAT BOB except when he plays his own grandfather - I never thought Cummings looked much older when he was playing the old man - watching it today, I can't believe he was being presented as the "swinging bachelor" - whew!
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Matt H, you're right, of course. And I did know it. I do an embarrassingly tacky impression of Penny Singleton's sort of whiny wail on it (It is Penny Singleton, isn't it?)