When You Drop a Logic Bomb on Yourself

Earlier this month I was in the waiting room at the music school waiting for my turn with the accompanist. One of the other singers was a mezzo-soprano who singing None But the Lonely Heart in Russian. I instantly knew that she had to be a fan of Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and this was confirmed the following Sunday after the recital.

How did I mage to come to this conclusion? Well, as far as I know there is only one such recording of None But the Lonely Heart in Russian*, at least this side of the Bering Strait. Said recording is done by Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Since that is AFAIK the only recording of the song in Russian, anyone who sings the song in Russian must have knowledge of Russian opera, and as such would also know about Russian opera singers, including Dima. 

Its rare that I make such successful guesses, but one must savor them when they happen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*The sheet music I got was in German with English translation, I had to write in the Russian lyrics myself.

THE CHOSEN

Who'd have thunk anyone would come up a dramatization of the life of Jesus that was actually great? 

I ranted before about the movie Son of God, which at the time I gave it a five out of ten; in retrospect I probably should have given it a one out of ten. But I'm not here to rant about a nigh-unholy half-baked piece of junk that insults our LORD by making Him so chill there's no anger in Him at all. No, I'm here to talk about the magnificence that is The Chosen.

The show centers around the life of Jesus, however, instead of a straight-up Gospel retelling, the makers of The Chosen opted for a seven-season TV-show told mainly from the point of view of the disciples. There is plenty of speculation to be sure, but it's done in such a way as to develop the characters of the disciples. Some bits have been telescoped and some original characters were added. The story is supremely realistic, showing how Jesus was seen through people's eyes at that time. 

 

What can I say? This show is superb. I can't really find anything seriously wrong with it. Really, my only quibble with the show is that it skipped over the forty days in the desert where Jesus was tempted by the devil, and there being a few anachronistic jokes thrown in. But the writing and characterization is top-notch. 

        For example, Matthew is portrayed as autistic. Whether this is true or not we don't know, but Matthew had been a tax-collector before Jesus called him. Tax-collectors were Jews who worked for the Romans and were infamous for charging more than was necessary and skimming off the top, and thus considered the lowest of the lowlife despite being rich. Rather than risk Matthew being an unlikable jerk, the writers made him autistic and very good with numbers. He has a tough time understanding other people's feelings and struggles to get along with people. 

      Outside of The Miracle Maker, this has to be the best portrayal of Jesus I've ever seen. Not very many films based on His life are able to capture His humanity along with His divinity in a way that makes Him relatable. Then again, this is a series so there more time to explore the characters. 

       Highly reccomended. 

        

            

  

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR at Madison Opera 2021

 I stopped doing full reviews of operas as I found them quite exhausting. But, I've let this blog lie fallow for months, and I felt like I did have a few things to say about the performance yesterday afternoon at Madison Opera. I won't do a big review, though, just point out a few things I liked or disliked.

Lucia di Lammermoor hs long been a favorite of mine. The story is based off Sir Walter Scott's gothic romance The Bride of the Lammermoor, which was in turn based on a real-like incident from the Seventeenth Century: Janet, daughter of James Dalrymple, Viscount of Stair, was bullied by her overbearing mother into breaking off her engagement to Lord Rutherford and marrying Lord Dunbar. Disaster struck on the wedding night, and while no one's quite sure what happened, the most well-known theory is that Janet stabbed her husband and died insane two weeks later.

    This was my second time seeing it live. Unlike the one in 2008, only one guy was wearing a kilt (Normanno), and the setting was updated to the 1880s. 

 I had not seen Ms. Jeni Hauser in fifteen years. Last time I saw her was Spring of 2007 when she was student teacher for my Sophomore Year choir class at Sun Prairie High School. I'd heard her over the radio in a recorded performance as the doll in Le Contes d'Hoffmann back in 2017, but it's not the same thing. So it was lovely seeing her again, if only from the nosebleed section. 

The Mad Scene is the big reason I love this opera, and Ms. Hauser did not disappoint. She came into the room in a bloody nightgown and a knife in her hand (which the understandably freaked-out Normanno had to wrench out of her grip). The director must have been reading or watching Hamlet recently because Lucia did an Ophelia in and started playing with flowers and throwing them around. Ms. Hauser made the singing seem effortless; I still have a beast of a time trying to work the coloratura in some of the pieces I work on. 

It's not everyday you hear someone praise a single member of the chorus, but I would like to give a shout-out to my voice instructor, Katie Anderson. Granted, I couldn't tell which one she was until Act 3 (I think she wore a purple dress in Act 2, but I can't swear to it), but it was fun seeing her antics in that Act 3 chorus.

If there is one quibble I have, it's that Normanno started off kind of weak at the very beginning. I could barely hear his high note in the opening chorus. He got better after that, but it was still annoying. I'm used to hearing Normanno loud and clear when he and some guards are searching the premises for Edgardo. 

Thankfully, my boyfriend wasn't shaken by this one as he was by Carmen and Rusalka. 

Song to the Moon

 Another Halloween performance video (done on the 26th but schedules happen). Am strongly considering doing more performance videos even outside Halloween. Also, have been trying to figure out how to give the opera Rusalka a happy ending without going the Disney route. (I'd seen it before, so I knew what would happen, but it upset my boyfriend, hence why we're trying to rewrite the ending.)

Translation: Moon, high up in the sky, Your light sees afar. You travel over the world Seeing into people's homes. Oh moon, stay a while, Tell me where my love is. Tell him, oh moon, that my arms embrace him, That he, at least for a moment, should see Me in his dreams. Shine your beams on him, Let him know I wait for him. If this Human soul dreams of me, Let the vision awaken. Oh moon, do not fade.

Busted!

Night guard Lance Lewis paced slowly through the halls of the museum, shining his flashlight in the darkness. Anyone who asked him what he thought of his job, he’d say it was dull but paid well. The only real excitement he’d seen during his time as a night guard meant either spotting exposed wires or pieces that needed serious repair. Tonight, however, would be different.

The museum’s crowning attraction was the world’s largest confirmed emerald. It was a three by five inch rectangle, kept in the Hall of Gems in the geology wing of the museum inside a glass display case in the center of the room. The emerald rested upon a white velvet cushion on top of a marble pedestal. Valued at nearly four million, it was bound to attract unwanted attention. 

At around 1:30 am, Lance thought he heard the sound of breaking glass as he entered the geology wing. He quickened his step a little, shining his light ahead as he passed by prehistoric skeletons and various dioramas. He heard a voice muttering as he neared the Hall of Gems. A soft thud, and then a yelp betrayed the presence of an intruder. Lance rushed inside the exhibit, his flashlight revealing everything that had transpired.

Broken glass from the center case was scattered across the floor, the vacant cushion lay askew on the pedestal. A man of roughly thirty-six hopped up and down grabbing his foot, the emerald on the carpeted floor in front of him. He froze when he saw Lance. 

After talking to the police, showing them the crime scene, and seeing the thief arrested, Lance surveyed the damage from behind the yellow tape barrier. He’d have to report this to the administration and the curator, and the case would cost a lot of money to replace. The emerald itself was surprisingly unharmed, for a notoriously brittle gem. Lance sighed in relief, at least it was safe. It would be a nightmare to replace it if it had broken, let alone the bad press.

Mordecai on His Parade

Well, that was interesting. I’d been in mourning clothes since that decree went out, and what happens to me? The king’s eunuchs dress me in royal robes and put a crown on my head. Then the same man who ordered our destruction, puts me on the king’s horse and parades me through the entire city shouting, “Thus shall it be done for the man in whom the king delights!”. This is both a great honor and utterly confusing. Though it was satisfying seeing the enemy so nonplussed. 

Ah well, it’s back to business then. Hopefully some good news will come my way. 

Palace Gossip

 “I ran into Tobias, the kitchen boy, earlier this evening. He looked nervous.”

“Tobias is always nervous, Nathaniel. His first day, he shook so hard he nearly dropped the roast pheasant.”

“Well, then he’s more nervous than usual. It’s his turn to take food up to the king.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Joash, I don’t know what’s come over the king, but…”

“He disobeyed God during the Amalekite campaign, you know that.”

“Well, yes, but still, this is getting out of hand. Tobias said that last night, one of the other kitchen boys—I think his name’s Caleb—let slip some remark about David and got a facefull of lamb stew.” 

“Is he alright?”

“I think so, though Tobias said the guy won’t come out of his quarters. There may be two holed up in there by tomorrow.”

“I don’t blame him. Normally I’d say he’s just shirking, but with the king going mad lately, I’m inclined to be generous.”

“Rebekah said two more servants quit yesterday.”

“That makes, what, five this week?” 

“Six, if you count that one missing guard.”

“He’s dead, remember? He got drunk and fell from a window.” 

“Oh, right.”

“Joash, Nathaniel, are you in?”

“Yes, Reuben. What is it?”

“Do you have the totals for this storeroom?”

“They’re right here.”

“Thank you, Joash. Hey, uh, did either of you see Leah, the washerwoman?”

“No, why?”

“I heard the king tried to strangle her.”

“Who told you that?”

“Abigail, one of the serving maids.”

“I wouldn’t trust her if I were you. I know the king’s off his head, but Abigail’s known to twist words around.”

“So, she lied about Tobias getting a black eye?”