As I sit here at Panera Bread, there’s a baby girl sitting in a high chair staring at me. She’s with her mom, of course. Babies don’t drive. Mom is reading the latest book from Donald Miller (A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life). Since her daughter can’t […]
Entries Tagged as 'Box 16: German Operas'
Of Staring Tykes and Tarnished Flutes (German Operas, Box 16)
June 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Die Zauberflote, Die Zauberflote (Part III), K620, K620 (Part III), Magic Flute, Mozart at 35, Panera Bread, Vienna (September 29 1791)
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Of Glen/Glenda and Magic/Flute (German Operas, Box 16)
June 2nd, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen, Die Zauberflote, Ed Wood, Glen or Glenda?, K620, K620 (Part II), Luciana Serra, Magic Flute, Magic Flute (Part II), Mozart at 35
Today, we watched the Ed Wood movie Glen or Glenda?. I’m speechless. All I can say is that it lives up to its billing as one of the worst movies ever made. I realize director/writer Ed Wood was a transvestite in real life. But if he thought his movie would earn sympathy or empathy for […]
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Of Night Queens and Magic Flutes (German Operas, Box 16)
June 1st, 2010 · No Comments · Ann Murray, Armin Ude, Box 16: German Operas, Die Zauberflote, Dritte Dame, Dritter Knabe, Ein altes Weit, Erste Dame, Erster geharnischter Mann, Erster Knabe, Frank Hoher, Friedemann Klos, Hanna Schwarz, Heinz Reeh, K620, K620 (Part I), Konigin der Nacht, Kurt Moll, Luciana Serra, Magic Flute, Magic Flute (Part I), Margaret Price, Maria Venuti, Marie McLaughlin, Maynard Solomon, Michael Diedrich, Mikael Melbye, Monostatos, Mozart at 35, Mozart: A Life, Pamina, Papageno, Peter Schreier, Queen of the Night, Reiner Goldberg, Robert Tear, Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Sarastro, Singspiel, Sir Colin Davis, Sprecher, Staatskapelle Dresden, Tamino, Theo Adam, Vienna (September 29 1791), Zweite Dame, Zweiter geharnischter Mann, Zweiter Knabe, Zweiter Sprecher
This is one of Mozart’s biggies, one of the operas I’ve been waiting to hear. It’s called Die Zauberflote, K620, also known (especially to those who don’t speak German) as The Magic Flute. This flute definitely is magical. I like it a lot. Even the Overture is memorable. I know enough about operas now to […]
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Of Sherlock Holmes and Il Seraglio (German Operas, Box 16)
May 30th, 2010 · No Comments · Billy Wilder, Box 16: German Operas, Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail, K384, K384 (Part II), Mozart at 26, Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, Singspiel, Vienna (May 29 1782)
Tonight, we’re watching another Billy Wilder film – The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970). I’ve never seen this particular Wilder film. But I’m hoping it’s as good as some of his other classics, for example: Some Like it Hot, Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17, Double Indemnity, and The Apartment. As for today’s Mozart opera, it’s […]
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Of Christiane Eda-Pierre. Period. (German Operas, Box 16)
May 30th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Christiane Eda-Pierre, Mozart at 24, Vienna (May 29 1782)
The recording of this opera has a lot going for it, not least of which is the music is played by The Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields. That, automatically, gives it a feel and sound that grabs me. I don’t think I’ve yet heard a recording by the Academy that I didn’t like. Another plus for this […]
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Of Bike Rides and Reconstructed Songs (German Operas, Box 16)
May 29th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Erik Smith, K344 (Part II), Mozart at 23, Mozart at 24, Reconstruction by Erik Smith, Salzburg (1779-80), Zaide, Zaide (Part II)
My wife and I took a long bike ride today. We were out about three hours, with a stop for lunch along the way. I loved it, although I got more sun than I probably should have. Still, this is what summer is all about. And I have to enjoy it while I can. I […]
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Of Unusual Occupations and Unfinished Operas (German Operas, Box 16)
May 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Allazim, Armin Ude, Bernhard Klee, Box 16: German Operas, Drei Sklaven, Edith Mathis, Gomatz, Gunther Koch, Ingvar Wixell, Joachime Vogt, K344, K344 (Part I), Mozart at 23, Mozart at 24, Osmin, Peter Schreier, Reiner Suss, Salzburg (1779-80), Staatskapelle Berlin, Sultan Soliman, Vorsanger, Walter Weih, Werner Hollweg, Wolfgang Wagner, Zaide
I like watching old movies, the really old black and whites, and seeing the occupations people had back then. Jobs like elevator operator, soda jerk, gas-station attendant, and switchboard operator. Today, those jobs seem archaic. And unnecessary. But I’m sure many jobs today will seem that way in 20 years. If there are any jobs […]
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Of Tater Tots and… (German Operas, Box 16)
May 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Die Gartnerin aus Liebe, Die Gartnerin aus Liebe (Part III), K196, K196 (Part III), Mozart at 24, Munich (May 1 1789), Tater Tots
When I was growing up, there was something about tater tots that gave me the heebie jeebies. Don’t ask me to explain it. I can’t. I had the same reaction to Brussels sprouts – an instant disliking for their texture, taste, and smell. Now, Brussels sprouts I’m sure everyone can understand. But tater tots? They’re […]
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Of Sheer Monotony. Period. (German Operas, Box 16)
May 26th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Die Gartnerin aus Liebe, Die Gartnerin aus Liebe (Part II), K196 (Part II), Mozart at 24, Munich (May 1 1789)
Part Two is no better than Part One. Just as I’m sure Part Three will be no better than the previous two. What was Mozart thinking when he re-worked La finta giardiniera (“The Pretend Garden-Girl”), K.196, an Italian opera, into Die Gartnerin aus Liebe, K196, a German opera? It didn’t improve by changing the language, […]
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Of Relaxation and Retreads (German Operas, Box 16)
May 25th, 2010 · No Comments · Box 16: German Operas, Die Gartnerin aus Liebe, K196, K196 (Part I), La finta giardiniera (re-worked), Mozart at 24, Munich (May 1 1789)
Man, what a let down this opera is. Yesterday’s opera (Bastien und Bastienne, K50) was a pleasant surprise. Today’s opera (Die Gartnerin aus Liebe, K196) sounds like dialogue from a World War II movie set to nondescript music. It’s dreadful. According to its entry on Wikipedia: In 1780 Mozart converted the opera – La finta […]
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You can call me Amadeus. But don't expect me to answer to that.