Saturday, February 26, 2011

Iphigenie en Tauride


Opera day again today! Whoo hoo!

This time, I managed to get the parentals up and joining me. We made it in time and my tutoring client (who is rapidly becoming my friend) met us there, as I'd told her all about my first operatic event in this forum, and she had been eager to see for herself what the HD transmission was all about.

Before the curtain goes up, they showed previews of the following weeks' features and we all pointed out which ones we want to see:

I'm going to see Le Comte Ory with Client/Friend. It's a comedic opera and sounds fun.
Dad wants to see the ones I had already highlighted and put on the fridge for him (do I know my dad or what?), Il Trovatore and Die Walkure.
Mom pretty much agreed with Dad.

We all had a great time, and then commented on the continuum of Greek mythology, since we all know the story of Helen of Troy and this particular opera was about Iphigenie, the daughter of Agamemnon, whom Agamemnon sacrificed in order that his war against Troy be successful. Iphigenie was then rescued by the goddess, Diana, and that's what the opera is about. But then there is mention of Electra, her sister, and there's a whole 'nother play about her (Mourning becomes Electra) that continues the family saga.

Anyway, we were all three quite enthralled by the production.

Mom fell asleep. She's not allowed to come to any more.




*For the list of productions and theater locations go to the Metropolitan Opera website.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Cupidity




So yeah.

Not a big Valentine's Day fan. Never really have been. It's easy to say that it's because I don't have anyone to share it with and haven't for some time. It's easy to say that because I'd be lying if I claimed that there wasn't some truth to that. But to be honest, I've never really been a slave to the consumer version of holidays. So Valentine's Day has always been a bit of a lace-and-roses absurdity to me, anyway.

Having said that, I was thinking the other day - as I have been known to do - that there should be a National Thank You Day on the calendar. Not a conceptual thank you, like Thanksgiving where you look at all the goodness in your life. Thank You Day would be a day for specifically targetting those people in our lives who deserve thanks for some reason or another. So it's kind of like Valentine's Day, but more inclusive and less limited in the emotional spectrum.

I can count with one hand the amount of people I might send a friendly Valentine's Day card to. But my list of Thank You cards is long and needing much attention.

Who's with me?


Image: xkcd.com