Lil' Updates...

The novel I’m currently writing has just passed the point of no return. Okay, I just wanted to sound dramatic. All that means is I’ve completed the “big” chapter. Now comes the aftermath of the event before the big payoff, so to speak. Darn this “sequential” writing I’ve gotten myself into… it will be nice when I can skip around again in time.





The trailer for Where the Wild Things Are has shown up on the internet.




Oh. My thoughts? Looks pretty good, but I didn’t get wrapped up in it, I must admit. Perhaps it didn’t get packaged quite right? After all, a trailer can do wonders. Three cases in point: The original trailer to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder depicted it as lifeless, pointless and dull. (Watch it. IMDB does not have the original. It's on the DVD.) No justice to the movie in the least. The trailer for Superman Returns had me drooling for it to come out - only to discover it belongs in the “Wish-I’d-Never-Wasted-My-Time” category. Bravo to whoever concocted that trailer for they worked a miracle. And then there’s the famous re-cut of The Shining, which proves that you can make a movie look like anything! So…no, I am not disappointed by Where the Wild Things Are, but it could have been a little more engaging. Let’s hope it’s of the Wonka variety.

Our opera season has come to an end. Last night Bart and I attended The Abduction from the Seraglio, a Mozart work. Perhaps you remember it from Amadeus. It’s the one with “too many notes.” But that certainly did not seem the case. Another memorable masterpiece of sublime aural and visual delight. Bravi, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Bravi! We were all saying what a fantastic season it has been. Not one of the productions left anything to be desired. And some rarities, too!
It also proved a twinge bit sad, as it soon became time to bid farewell to our opera friends. Doesn’t that sound pretentious? Well, it’s really not. I just mean the wonderful people who sit around us. We’ve become quite fond of each other, catching up on our lives in the minutes before our mutual love of opera begins. And we discuss the pieces at intermission and afterward, too. But for the most part, we only see them perhaps once a month, actually, more like every month and a half. An odd relationship, but one I wouldn’t trade. Fortunately, we plan to get together with a few of them after London, so we’ll have even more to talk about (at their request.) We also have been out to dinner a couple of times with our usher. If you met her, you’d want to have dinner with her, too. She wants to hear all about London as well.

And I once again want it to be Monday. Thanks, Heroes!

All right…I’m sure I have something I should be doing…

Opera Bound Again...

I’ll be continuing my opera education tonight. Bart and I have had Season tickets for many years now. And Bart informs me that I have seen a great amount of both famous (such as The Marriage of Figaro, Madame Butterfly, Die Fledermaus) and rare opera (such as Regina, Midsummer Marriage, Manon) in that time. I’ve seen a few of them more than once now. But each time is, of course, different performers and sometimes different stagings, so it works out to be a new experience.

Tonight is Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. It’s a new one for me, and Bart says it has gorgeous duets. I’m certainly familiar with Wagner’s other works. His Siegfried (a 5 hour opera!) is my favorite. Siegfried is part of the Ring Cycle, a series of four operas relating the tale amidst Norse mythology. It involves a magic ring, invisibility, a dragon, dwarven humanoids, wizardly wanderers - sound a bit familiar? That’s because Tolkien had been a bit more than influenced by the Der Ring des Nibelungen saga. (And yes, Bart and I attended not just Siegfried, but the entire Ring Cycle at Lyric Opera.)

I’m familiar with Tristan and Isolde. It’s a tale from long yesteryear, as in the 12th Century. Studied it in college. But not this particular version. The story is one that many have told, adding their own touches. Most recently, Hollywood produced a movie in 2006, a variation written by Dean Georgaris, though I have not seen it.

But tonight I will be seeing the amazing Deborah Voigt in the role of Isolde, naturally.
So we certainly will be treated to a fabulous night of romance.

Lil' Updates

Well, I’d assumed wrong. (You know what they say...) Bart does not have the soundtrack to Leonard Bernstein’s musical of Peter Pan, which I wrote about in the last post. Jeepers. That surprises me. Maybe we’ll have to obtain it via the Holiday spoils (as in using a Gift Card.) The cover of the CD looks cool, doesn't it? (Although Pan looks an awful lot like Disney's.)

Also, I forgot to mention another opera star we had the pleasure of hearing in Madama Butterfly, which I also spoke of in the last post. And shame on me…for he’s one of my favorites: David Cangelosi. Bravo, sir! Although we did not catch him after the performance at the Stage Door, Bart and I have met him before. I told him (and quite honestly) how I could listen to him sing for hours. In fact, I have, both on stage at Lyric Opera and in a recording Bart gifted me with him in Siegfried. (Which, by the way, is a 5 hour opera and my favorite, believe it or not.) In Siegfried he plays the role of Mime (pronounced Me-may, not the like silent clowns)…and boy does he! He’s terrific.

Lemonie informed me that she has read Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, which I posted about here and again here. She loved it, too. We were both enchanted by the cat character. [The cat does not have a name, seriously.] The movie is still scheduled for February 2009. It looks promising. You can visit the official website here. It's worth it. It's quite charming and elaborate. LOTS of interactivity. Or, if you just want to see the latest trailer:


I’m sure that my characters ZJ and Andy must hate me. For all sorts of other obligations (and perhaps a touch of laziness, I dare admit) have kept me from writing their story. Their story of course being the book I am currently writing. (Or not.) I plan to delve back into them today and tonight. Let’s hope they’re not too cross with me and will jabber on so that I can barely keep up. [Note: Only ZJ is depicted, as I have not yet made a picture of Andy.]

L.B. stands for Lost Boys -and- for Leonard Bernstein

I thought I'd stay with the Peter Pan theme that's been going on this week.
(Gee, imagine that.)

I must admit I'm also late in reporting this one, as I'd been with Disney's depiction of the Lost Boys being featured by The Hundreds. I've really no excuse in not reporting it other than Life intervening... such as attending Madama Butterfly at Lyric Opera last night. The amazing Patricia Racette did indeed vocally float as delicately as a winged beauty as well as radiate with all the glory of Japan. Bart beamed, for he says [and rightly so] that she has the perfect voice for Madame Butterfly.

Okay... on to Peter Pan.

It seems a "long lost" Pan is flying again. In the form of Leonard Bernstein's "forgotten" musical. It's been 60 years since its premiere! And then, all but forgotten, like Wendy's memory of Peter Pan coming to her window. I knew of it, naturally. But I cannot say I am entirely familiar with it. I suppose I should correct that, no? I'm pretty sure Bart has a recording of it. I'll give it a listen if he does and report back to you. For unfortunately due to time and such, I will not be able to attend the new production. (And please don't hate me when I say I'm not so very fond of his outfit in the show. It just seems "too much" to me. Those brown leg fringes, for instance.)

You can read about the new production here.

And I also came across this in-depth article about Bernstein's version of Peter Pan here.

Lil' Hiatus

I've been busy researching, writing and "fighting with characters."
Nothing in particular has presented itself to prattle on about.

Last night Bart and I attended the Lyric Opera and saw The Pearl Fishers, by Georges Bizet. He's the one who composed Carmen, which I'm sure you're familiar with even if you don't know that you are. Exquisite music and singing, but the story is a little much. But it's ok, as melodrama and Dickensian coincidence abound in opera.
And today is my anniversary.

So please forgive my slight absence.

Is there anything anyone wants to hear about?
Sunshine, I know your suggestion already. :)
And as I said, I just feel that the information you seek is best left for those who have already read Peter Pan's NeverWorld. I don't want the secrets of its secrets spoiled for those who have yet to delve into the adventure.

I shall return...

October Begins with...

SPOOKY!

Indeed it did...

Exiting the train station today, I noticed a large (yes really, about two-thirds the size of my thumb) thin-legged spider wriggling on a strand from the ceiling. A strand so long the crawly critter came to chest height. I’m glad it hung on the other side of the hallway. But one guy did not fare as well… Not seeing it, he walked right into it. I turned away from the scene just as a horrified expression began to form. But he seemed to recover, as I could see him exiting via the vertical turnstyle. I would not have been okay for weeks, myself.

Tonight starts Opera Season for Bart and I. We will be attending Lyric Opera’s production of Manon, by Jules Massenet. It will be interesting, as Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini is one of my absolute favorites. One might harken to this post as the operas are an adaptation of a 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost. Also, the amazing Natalie Dessay will be performing. If you had the good fortune to catch her as Lucia, you will know how incredible she truly is. One of my favorites, David Cangelosi, will be performing as well. It shall be wonderful. Plus, we get to see the friends we’ve made with fellow season ticket holders who sit around us and our favorite usher, whom we have also befriended.

I’m three-quarters through Lost by Gregory Maguire. I first mentioned it here. So far I’m enjoying it. It took a while get back into his thick prose. I mean that as a compliment. But once I did, it's zipping along. I had a wee bit of fun with it, as the perfect place for the word I invented arose. Maguire wrote: "You wouldn't have let her off the hook without taking a rough guess. Stop stringing me along." I couldn't help but change the last sentence to: Stop being filiquious. If you're not familiar with filiquious, see here.

Happy October. Happy Fall.