Topic: NEXT TO NORMAL (Read 4844 times)

bk · « **on:** June 06, 2021, 12:02:04 AM »

Well, you've read the notes, the notes were next to normal, and now it is time for you to post until the next to normal cows come home.

bk · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2021, 12:09:08 AM »

And the word of the day is: GLEAN!

George · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2021, 01:15:36 AM »

Was the website down for a while?? I kept getting some kind of an error and wasn't able to log on, at all! Fortunately, it's back up.

George · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2021, 01:18:02 AM »

Today at 11:00 a.m., I hope to be up to watch The Show Must Go On! Live | Live Concert | The Shows Must Go On! Here's the description from the YouTube channel:

THE SHOW MUST GO ON! - LIVE AT THE PALACE THEATRE will be broadcast live from the West End on Sunday 6th June at 7pm BST! (2pm ET / 11am PT)

The LIVE broadcast follows an incredible year for The Theatre Support fund+, raising over £900,000 for theatre charities from their renowned ’The Show Must Go On!’ campaign.

Presented by Theatre Support Fund+, The Shows Must Go On! and National Theatre Live, the world’s most iconic musicals return to the West End stage with a stunning concert performance that audiences can watch from the comfort of their homes for free.

George · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2021, 01:23:13 AM »

I don't know if it's going to be available after the original broadcast, or if it's going to be deleted once it's done, so I want to be up to watch it. HERE is the announcement video.

George · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2021, 01:29:54 AM »

After that, I'll go to my mom's for our regular-ish weekly family dinner. My friend David was planning on coming down from Seattle for the day, but he can't now, so we'll get together in a couple of weeks. So, I'll just come home afterward.

George · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2021, 01:30:05 AM »

But now...to bed.

Have a good day, all!

singdaw · « **Reply #7 on:** June 06, 2021, 03:11:13 AM »

Good morning, friends.

singdaw · « **Reply #8 on:** June 06, 2021, 03:12:09 AM »

Quote from: George on June 06, 2021, 01:23:13 AM

I don't know if it's going to be available after the original broadcast, or if it's going to be deleted once it's done, so I want to be up to watch it. HERE is the announcement video.

Thanks for the info, DR George. According to that promo video, the show will be available for viewing for 7 days, for free.

singdaw · « **Reply #9 on:** June 06, 2021, 03:19:44 AM »

Nice headshot, bk. I like all of the ones you've shown us so far.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 06, 2021, 03:47:34 AM »

Good morning, all!

elmore3003 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 06, 2021, 03:49:17 AM »

I seem to have survived last night's panic attack, and I am now in a much better frame of mind. U keft arm still aches, but I'kk see how it's doing when I actually need to start using it.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:02:18 AM »

Last night we watched the second of two Premiere Opera bootlegs of Händel's wonderful opera Acis and Galatea, which is based on a story from Ovid's Metamorphosis. Acis was a shepherd loved by the water nymph Galatea, who was in turn the object of obsession by the Cyclops Polyphemus, the one-eyed cannibalistic giant later blinded by Ulysses on his return from Troy. In a fit of jealousy, Polyphemus murdered Acis, and Galatea transformed him into a fountain to keep him forever close to her.

The text Handel set was written by John Gay, who wrote The Beggar's Opera it, and it has the same sort of tongue in cheek approach to Ovid's story. Acis' death and the ending are tragic, but the story dances through Act One with glorious numbers, and Polyphemus' first appearance in Act Two is a rather comic number, "Oh ruddier than the cherry," with piccolo recorders chirping away. I cannot praise this work highly enough.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:14:15 AM »

So in the past two days I've watched two productions from Aix-en-Provence (2011) and Lithuania (2018). Both have good playing from the band. The Lithuanian production sounds as if the orchestra microphone was placed under the bassoon, and both have some good singers. The Lithuanian production uses countertenors instead of tenors for the secondary roles of Corydon and Damon. One countertenor is bad enough but two is a calamity. The tenor singing Acis is okay and his English is good, but the singing star of the production is Ilona Pliavgo as Galatea. She's quite lovely, her English is good, and her coloratura and ornamentation vwet focused.

Sadly, the production is ridiculous and unemotional.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:23:01 AM »

The Aix-en-Provence production has very good singers, and the two leads, handsome Canadian Pascal Charbonneau, and American soprano Joelle Harvey, look great and sings beautifully. The DVD is taken from a broadcast, but it's missing the last half of Act One. Sadly, the direction, along with the designs by the same moron, is deplorable. The singers are forced to gyrate, contort, "dance," through all their music, and they look ridiculous, as though possessed by convulsions.

singdaw · « **Reply #15 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:35:49 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on June 06, 2021, 04:14:15 AM

One countertenor is bad enough but two is a calamity.

singdaw · « **Reply #16 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:36:10 AM »

elmore3003 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:41:33 AM »

Twenty years ago, New York City Opera produced the opera, directed by Mark Lamos, set on a beach - could be the Hamptons - with the chorus in summer frocks. It was charming, funny, pastoral, and ultimately quite moving. I went into the theatre thinking WTF and came out thinking it was pretty close to perfection.

singdaw · « **Reply #18 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:44:07 AM »

I have found a way for keto folks to eat pizza, guilt-free. Just use a woven bacon crust.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:50:23 AM »

So, if anyone's interested in hearing this lovely work, my favorite recording remains one John Eliot Gardiner's recording with Norma Burrows and Anthony Rolfe Johnson. Neville Marriner's recording with Jill Gomez and Robert Tear was recorded around the same time. It's good and it's now on a budget label.

John Butt recorded it recently, and it's very good recording as well.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 06, 2021, 04:57:15 AM »

After Händel's death, Mozart and Mendelssohn revised the work to make it more contemporary. There are now several recordings of Mozart's edition, some in the German text Mozart used and some in the original English. There is also a relatively new recording of Felix Mendelssohn's edition as well.

There is only one DVD and it's from the Royal Opera's misguided attempt to blend ballet and opera. The singers are good but the production is nearly as ridiculous as the contortion production I watched last night. Avoid this mess like the plague.

singdaw · « **Reply #21 on:** June 06, 2021, 06:30:41 AM »

Always love your opera and ballet posts, DR elmore3003.

singdaw · « **Reply #22 on:** June 06, 2021, 06:31:49 AM »

Got in my walk before it gets unbearable.

Now to grab a quick breakfast and shower, then off to ~~a fitting~~ ~~church~~ the sauna.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:06:47 AM »

10:00 and it's already too hot and humid. The Amazon Fresh delivery sneaked in and left four cartons at my door without alerting me. I'm glad I got an email telling me it was delivered.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:08:13 AM »

Quote from: singdaw on June 06, 2021, 06:30:41 AM

Always love your opera and ballet posts, DR elmore3003.

Well, thank you, DR singdaw. I remain amazed at the incompetence or stupidity of some of these "directors" and wonder why the hell they ever get hired.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:32:31 AM »

Yes DR ELMORE thanks for the specific recommendations and anti-recommendations.....most excellent information.

And SUPER VIBES for you and the kitties.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:32:51 AM »

The new head shots of MR BK are most excellent as well.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:32:59 AM »

Is it Wednesday?

Donald · « **Reply #28 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:33:11 AM »

Happy Sunday to one and all! There's a brand new Broadway Radio Show now up for your listening pleasure. This time I am chatting with professor Dominic McHugh about his new book The Big Parade: Meredith Willson's Musicals from The Music Man to 1491. It's a wonderful read for anyone interested in the mechanics of how a Broadway musical is created as well as for fans of the works of Willson. Give the show a listen!!!

http://www.haineshisway.com/the-broadway-radio-show-2/

Jrand74 · « **Reply #29 on:** June 06, 2021, 07:35:26 AM »

No theatre for TWO whole days.

Last night one little boy of about seven was so amused at my portrayal, he began laughing and laughing and eventually almost fell out of his seat..... So I walked over in his direction for my last line....as is said - if you're going to milk it, you may as well get both hands on the udder.

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Author Topic: NEXT TO NORMAL (Read 4844 times)