Friday, November 21, 2008

Indulgences


This is the time of year when many of us take vacations. It’s the holiday season, actually, of pumpkin spices, the tartness of apples and the comfort of cinnamon… cold, piercing breezes that sweep the golden leaves back into the lawn you so carefully raked the evening before (they’re so attractive in their look and feel, soft like butter leaves, why shouldn’t you bring them inside? Sprinkle them over the hearth…), but breezes you can’t help but succumb to. After the heat of an extended summer well into September and October, feeling the nip and nick of chilly autumn air is like the Holy Water of oxygen.

But it’s such a pleasure to look at the colors that pop out at you like an old 60’s photograph, against a vibrant blue sky…it brings to mind White House images of the Kennedy’s, red and orange landscapes, dotted by white clouds and the boxy candy colors of Jackie’s suits. Autumn is a season rife with memories for us all, whether the tingly excitement of trick-or-treating with friends as children or simply sensory memories of happy fall feelings gone by, there is so much to celebrate right now.

So, in the spirit of these musings, I came up with a list of fall indulgences around the Charlotte and Belmont area, some of which are my personal tried-and-triumphed activities, things one can do to relax and unwind from stress. Vacation. What a word. If only it lasted year long. If you have time, consider it!


Fall is here, gang. But that doesn’t mean you have to stress about work, family, who’s going to cook the turkey, why can’t aunt Mabel do it? She may complain about her arthritis, but that doesn’t mean she has to stick *you* with it, and what about your sister-in-law? Her cranberry salad is sour and so are her children…oops….

Indulge in….



...French pastries:
Amelie’s French Bakery
2424 N. Davidson St, Charlotte
(704)-376-1781

http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/

Nowhere in Charlotte can you find a little taste of Francophile heaven than Amelie’s. The shop is small (and sparsely decorated the last time I was there) but is thoroughly authentic in terms of what you’ll be eating. Everything is made with French ingredients, in the French style and manner. The glass display case may cause you to faint upon first sight from the sheer bliss of it all, but once you pick yourself back up, whatever you do, try the twice-backed almond croissants. These are gooey, moist and dense, filled with almond paste and dipped in a syrup before being baked. Stupefying of your taste buds may occur. The tortes, tarts, cakes, pies, buns, palmiers and other delicacies are just as scrumptious. With a warm cup of coffee or tea, the drive uptown is worth it for half an hour of sweetness.


…A pedicure (for the ladies)


William Henry Signature Salon and Spa
15 S. Main St., Belmont
(704)-825-9040

http://www.williamhenrysalon.com/

There is much to recommend for spending half the day in Belmont. From Charlotte or Gastonia, the drive is nothing and the benefits are worth everything. One of these is the exquisite care you will receive getting a pedicure, manicure, massage or any other comforting service William Henry will provide. The building has been renovated into a creative space with plenty of light, as acoustic coffee-house music wafts through the air, as does the scent of candles and the friendly jabber of the staff. It’s a place to escape. Tour the website for a selection of services they provide. And speaking of Belmont....

...Small-town quaintness


Downtown Belmont is where you’ll find the Caravan Coffee house with a Near Eastern/Moroccan look and feel, as well as the Old Stone Steak House, owned by the LaVecchia family, a name synonymous with fine dining in the Charlotte area. These are across the street from Stowe Park, a tree-laden hilly area to romp with the family, get some ice cream from the small concession shop at the corner and watch the changing colors of the lights in the fountain. This is usually the scene for most of the outdoor festivals in Belmont at various times of year.

...A simple walk

Belmont Abbey College Campus
100 Belmont - Mt. Holly Rd.
1-888-222-0110
Belmont Abbey College is a short 2 minute drive from downtown and its foliage possesses all the glory of fall colors you could imagine. 110 acres house both the Benedictine Monastery and the college's facilities, lending a cozy, acquainted feeling - just the kind of atmosphere to stroll along tree-lined Abbey Lane, visit the Grotto for prayer or reflection, or take a deep breath in the Monastery Garden. Holy Grounds Coffee House is a popular pit stop for Abbey students, where Starbuck's coffee is served along with wi-fi. It seems nearly every nook, cranny, and hidden area is picturesque and worth the time of stopping to take it in. See for yourself.

...The Outdoors

This is a fairly simple pleasure, without a price tag, non-fattening, and can be done any time of the day (or, if you're adventurous...night! Strong moonlight, like the reflection of fine white satin, under a full moon is not to be missed. Stand under it outside for a while and you'll see). At this time of year, despite the cold, the sun always seems to shine with more a gleam than any time of year. Late afternoons in autumn are particularly evocative of what fall "feels" like in the collective unconscious of American imagery. Think Norman Rockwell, film, or back-to-school advertising. Go outside, find a cluster of trees or an open space in the country. Stand there and let yourself be still. Breathe in the scent of what real earth is. Don't gather your thoughts around you, do not bring anything into that space with you other than God. Ah yes. We've touched upon the ultimate meaning of what relaxation is! :)

...The Ultimate Indulgence: Prayer

For people of faith, prayer is something that is encouraged on a daily basis. A constant dialogue with God. Giving up your tribulations, trembles, fears, thoughts and hopes to your Creator, who is there to comfort you, brings much consolation to those who put their faith in Him. But prayer is more than just a stress reliever. What I have meant to touch on here is that while there are tangible effects to calming the mind and quieting the soul, spiritually speaking to God is incomparable to anything else. It's the key to a true peaceful soul. Fears and anxieties melt away, the more and more you meditate. Think of it as more than a warm cup of tea for the soul. Embrace your prayers and think of it as a spiritual four-star meal. In the same sense, and just as importantly, reading Scripture serves as that spiritual food. Read the Bible, any part of it, take comfort from what you read...breathe slowly...relax...close your eyes...remember you are loved, special, unique. Celebrating His birth is just around the corner!

Monday, October 20, 2008

I am going to die

On November 14th, I go in for a 20 minute procedure that may have taken 25 years or a little less to prepare for.

For the past few years, at least, I have had acid reflux issues that have gradually become worse. After attempting to reason with my family doctor, who swore I did not have an ulcer, and taking three different kinds of medication that helped (but did not cure) the problem, I finally (perhaps belatedly) took a trip to the Gastroenterologist. It was decided within the first 5 minutes that I needed an endoscopy.

This is by no means a fun procedure, unless you consider being drugged and putting a tiny camera down your esophogus...fun. Nevertheless, I've rocked and writhed and twitched, crying out like King Lear's "Hoooowwwwllll!" from the pain quite long enough, thank you.

The reason for my prediction of death is the mere thought of a strange, solid un-digestible object being swallowed...by me. A biopsy of my stomach lining will also be plucked from said organ while I am shivering in a stooper of anesthesia, which I'm sure will be lovely.

The kicker of all this was when my doctor told me that I will be partially awake throughout this entire ordeal. The IV will be pumping a certain kind of chemical (definition escapes me) that is identical to those proteins found in the brains of amnesia patients. That way, she said, you won't remember anything, either before or after the torture....I mean, the endoscopy. Right.

Great. They're going to make me forget. This is the liquid equivalent to that flashing stick Tommy Lee Jones used in Men in Black. The idea of me, control-junkie that I am, forgetting something like that is odd. I rarely forget my dreams or the snippet of conversations I hear as I walk by someone in the grocery store, let alone my own actions. Ohhhh.

So, we'll see what becomes of me. I know it will come and go and will be over before I know it, so I'm not all that worried. I'll be in pain for a few days, but thankfully I'll have the weekend to recover. Wish me luck and I will no doubt give you what details I can remember (WHICH WILL BE PLENTY! MMMWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!) when I return. :)

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Lots of interesting things...

There's a lot going on this week that has caught my attention. Let me expound:

Dickinsonian Revelations

I got the American 19th century literary kick of my life this week, when my husband sent me an article that is no doubt the main subject on the tongues and minds of Dickinson scholars right now. Turns out the mystery of Emily Dickinson's enigmatic poetry and life is in reality quite ordinary: she was engaged (shocker!) to a poor but bright Amherst student, George Gould. Her father intervened in the classic Wimpole Street fashion, she pined away while he traveled to Europe, he came back, he married, she went mad with romantic grief and began writing poetry. Ohhh ok: so that's why her poetry exploded in a flurry of morbidity in the early 1860's (he married in 1862), one might say. Perhaps. As to wearing white and secluding herself in her father's home, that's still in question, still an intriguing anecdote that no one can really pin down.

Before I say anything else, I should mention that I love Dickinson. Her poetry, her life, her circumstances were by no means flowery, but it provides a backdrop to what I consider a dark, remote time in Eastern American history. It's the fodder for gothic-esque novels and films. I read the original article in the New England Quarterly (you can download it, for $10.00 unfortunately, at the MIT Press Journals site). They will no doubt do a movie on this, since the elements for the perfect tale examining her pre-creative years (much like Becoming Jane did with Jane Austen's young love story) and love affair are all there. There is, admittedly, only the basic information to build upon, leaving the writers an easy task for fictionalizing the script.

Georgian England...it's where I want to be.

I saw The Duchess last night, with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Simply wanted to say that I adored it, it was everything I expected, something that is rare for me when it comes to film. I have high standards, what can I say. 8)

Glass, Warhol, and Brando...yes, this has a point!

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is teaming with CPCC this November 14th for a concert I am thrilled about: Phillip Glass' String Symphony No. 3, coupled with scenes from the film On the Waterfront and paintings of Andy Warhol, intertwined with Leonard Bernstein's score from the film. 20th century expression at its finest. Readings from Jack Kerouac is the only thing wanting. Remember the days when respected composers created soundtracks for film? Bernstein, Copland, even Rachmaninoff threw in something now and again. Glass is probably the only one who has achieved this, albeit discreetly: the score for the existential-ish, long-forgotten comedy The Truman Show was a product of his repetitive melodies. John Williams, Howard Shore and others have built their reputations upon writing exclusively for film, not vice versa. Nothing wrong with that, however!

Can't buy me loooooovvee!....

Remember my article from last November, when I waxed ecstatic about the tribute Beatles band, Rain? Well, they're coming back to Charlotte in a matter of weeks. This time, I'll bring my parents along and they can have a flashback to their youth. ;-)

That's it for now. Don't forget: read, sing, soar and inspire. Life is too lovely to waste it on Wii!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Candy just got more fun

Go to www.fusiongorumet.com , if you please. Green tea latte candy? Iced Tea candy (I just ate one, a little too sweet, but definitely reminiscent of a summer's Southern-sweet day)? We have a few of these at the receptionist desk here where I work. I'm thrilled. But check it out, it looks delicious. ;-)

Em

Thursday, September 11, 2008

I'm back, from brief hiatus

Can't write a whole lot right now, but here's something to console you for the long absense I recently took from Bloggy world. :-)

Again, you know me and my righteous disdain for unhealthy food. Here is the an article from MSN on the fat substances of Fast Food. I never eat any of this stuff, but I like knowing the truth about things, especially what I eat (or don't eat).

Be Back Soon!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Viva La Continuation of my Argument

I found this Protestant interpretation of the album (let me just say, I only call it Protestant because of the name of the blog, denomination means little when it comes to this stuff).

I'm not so sure this guy is really getting it, though. I don't think there is an underlying Christian message, as he calls it, within the album. As I've read the lyrics more and more, my doubts are given assurance that Coldplay is mocking Christianity, not celebrating it or "discovering" it. It's like small children mocking or mimicking something they only have partial knowledge of, so they do an "interpretation", if you will. That's Coldplay. Perhaps they are exploring Christian themes, but they are certainly not elevating them. Anyway, give it a read.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

More thoughts on Coldplay

I was doing some more research on attempting to understand the un-understanable "Viva La Vida" album, and came across this very sober article from a Christian perspective.

The author is of course recognizing the spiritual references that permeates most of the band's music and I don't believe he comes to any more of a conclusion than anyone else, but he does make some good points about Coldplay's philosophy. So give it a read, if your interested.

Being a person of faith, particularly Christian faith, in contemporary society is never an easy role to play, yet it is what we are. Pop culture and faith are strange bedfellows, but necessary ones when it comes to the dialogue of how they should and do interact and the Christian response to it. This is something has always sparked my own attention, especially seeing how history, society, and culture interact. Throw religion into the mix and it becomes something else entirely. Paying attention to the signs that culture plants in front of us, good or bad, whether negative or positive, is an obligation of the modern Christian. Not paying attention and not analyzing the world around us is, if I may be so frank, anti-intellecutalism, or a shying away from facing the more challenging aspects of what our faith means to us. It's simply spiritual laziness. Christ did not call us to take the easy route, after all.

Friday, August 8, 2008

A few thoughts on "Viva La Vida"



Coldplay's new album has been on my mind recently. I was attracted to it initially by its historical refrences: the Delacroix painting cover-art, the "VLV" music video that mimics it (I'm always impressed by that kind of video work) and looking at the track listing, it seems the songs would be sort of pretty.


But it's been handed a bad rap due to purported anti-catholic references within the lyrics "For some reason I can't explain/ I know St. Peter won't call my name", etc.


I've always been wary about getting too sucked in to music that could easily depress me or just isn't good for the soul (more latter than former), so I'm always analyzing everything I listen to (honestly, it keeps me busy while I listen to almost anything with lyrics). :) So I decided to do some research on the new Coldplay album because frankly I love Coldplay, but was feeling slightly odd about this one.


I read the entire lyrics for the album and there seems to be a running theme of "I know that God exists, but I'm not sure or I'm not ready, to let Him in yet." There is at least one religious reference within each song. Most of them are maudlin little ditties about cemetaries of London at night and "banks that became Cathedrals/And fog/that became God," (Violet Hill). But others are at least a little more poignant: "You thought you were a ghost/ You didn't get to Heaven, but you made it close."


?? Who wants to listen to that? It's rubbish (a polite word I use for something else, I'm afraid). I know that Chris Martin has given interviews about growing up Catholic in Anglican England, so perhaps this is his way of venting his needless struggles with faith, but I honestly don't see how Viva La Vida, which seems to be spouting the words of every disposed despot that ever lived, has anything to do with religion. It would make an excellent theme song for a biopic of Napoleon, starring Gerard Depardieu. :-P


So, no, I will not download the song Viva La Vida (the only one I like, anyway). I'm religious, if you hadn't guessed already, and I won't fund secularity, no matter how much it appeals to my senses. But...I will listen to it on YouTube from time to time, via iPhone. Something about driving with the top down and listening to Coldplay with the wind in your hair goes hand in hand. I think it's the string sections.


Viva La Optimismo!





Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Fast Food Banned in L.A.

The low-income areas of South Los Angeles are getting a food make-over, hopefully. Poor families only have access to McDonald's (there is nothing good about McDonald's. Positively nothing. If anything, it's an American icon. OK. So is Howard Stern) and other fast-food joints, so they're planning on simply banning anything with a drive-through window in poor areas of L.A. The reason I'm posting this is because a) I'm always happy to see fast-food banned anywhere, but b), I'm not sure this is going to help the over-all health of low-income families in poverty-stricken areas around the U.S. That starts with health-care, not french fries.

For one thing, if you take the relatively cheap, affordable fast-food out of there, what do they plan to put in, if anything? Will they sincerely vow to put in the fresh-food markets and restaurants with better, nutritious choices? I doubt it. The plight of such folks who live in these areas are far from important (let's admit it) to people of certain constituencies. In the end, I think banning french fries and high-fructose corn syrup is a dream come true, not only because of the health factors but I'm also tired of Americans blindly thinking that what they're being fed is actually good for them. Trust me, it's not rocket science: if you can read, you can look at the side of a box and see it's contents (which can also be deceptive advertising).

Gee, kids, what's more healthy? A carrot or a pitiful Chips Ahoy Cookie? Water or sugar-laden Cola? Yogurt (wait now! Read the contents!) or an evil Hershey Bar?

Yes, I'm amusing myself, but I'm also telling the truth. And the truth, kids, is a very good defense.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Georgian England - It's Everywhere You Want To Be







Everyone who knows me knows that I love England in general, but the Georgian period of British history has always fascinated me, if only because of the way it's presented in pop media. It's always bathed in glorious colors of liberty, parties, decadence, manners, love affairs...and corsets.















So I thought I would dedicate this post to anyone who revels in such visual finery and the history of a tumultuous, yet prosperous time in British history (and American, as well!). So let's get started:






  • The big news of the moment is the new Keira Knightley film, The Duchess, portraying one of Princess Diana's famously scandalous ancestors, Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire. From the short trailer I saw, it looks moderately well-done. It has Ralph Fiennes, for heaven's sake. Of course, most of the period pieces he does (with the exception, perhaps, of Schindler's List or The English Patient- but I don't consider that "period") end up being gorgeous, eye-candy films but critically lousy (The White Countess, Onegin, for example). I won't mention the early 90's version of Wuthering Heights here because...well...I really like that one!) Go here for more "Duchess" info with video and pics and the whole shebang.









  • If you truly want a vast (vaaaaasssttt - I warn you) cornucopia/Encyclopedia of Georgian history, you must look no further than The Georgian Index. This is a very detailed (and image laden) website that covers everything from the royal gossip of the day, food, daily life, politics, money, underwear, where to shop and eat and be scene in London in 1795...I mean, it's all there. Certainly for Jane Austen fans, aside from their official watering hole, The Republic of Pemberley, this is where it's at if you want to immerse yourself in a forgotten world (especially if you want to get away from the present one, which Austenites like me often do).

So there's a start! Next week: Imperial Russia...oh yeah, get ready...
























Friday, July 18, 2008

Idiocy

I read this by chance from Yahoo. Salma Hayek, who I don't usually care for, but did like in "Frida" and her billioniare French fiance are calling it quits. Now, I could care less, but what did cause me concern was the pure selfishness of Hayek's comments that she "wanted a boy" but that now her daughter is here, she's happy she's a girl, kind of, because hopefully there won't be "conflict" between them. ? I am in mortal fear of what will happen to the children of these unfortunate souls 20 years from now.

Aside from that, I'm going to see "The Dark Knight" this evening and I'm getting very excited. A review will be posted presently. ;)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

My Wedding Photos :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/viola.illyria/MyWedding

Go here for the photos. Not sure who else other than Facebook peeps see this album, but if not, knock yourself out. 8)

More stuff soon!

Hello Peeps! I'm back! 8)


Why, hello there!


Yes, I know I've been missing for several months straight. I got married. I was planning a wedding for most of the spring and then married my soul mate and life parter (well, he is now anyway! ;-) ), my sweetheart: David Williams. I also went to Boston for my Honeymoon, which was a blast and I will be posting pictures from both events very, very soon. However! I've missed blogging and whilst missing it, I believe I learned an important lesson. I'm going to follow the general example of my good friend Adam Morgan, who has decided to leave his Southern breathen and get his MFA in Creative Writing in Chicago. His blog, Adam Morgan Online, incorporates all his interests into one place. I think I'll try this concept to see what happens, as well as follow the concepts of other blogs I've noticed, so expect more stuff than just symphony, opera schmooze. 8)



Now, in the spirit of that variety, read this. I should mention before you read this that for the past few years, I've had a growing interest in organic food and general health. Not in a Los Angeles, Liberal Latte, Pilates, my-body-is-a-temple-therefore-I-worship kind of way. I guess the knowlege that putting high fructose corn syrup ("The Devil's Condiment", as David calls it) in my earthly self might cause bad things to happen made me rethink what I was eating. I also lost 15 pounds, but who cares. I had a right to. I was preparing for Bridalhood! ;-P
But the article addresses two of my recent issues: high gas and food prices and organic produce. Take a look and decide for yourself.


More shall come soon. I'm seeing Avenue Q in a week or so and I have many other things to discuss, so check back.

And let me know what you think of the wedding pic. ;-) Gracias!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Something of interest

My Review of Don Giovanni is coming soon, but in the meantime, my ghostly audience whom I never see and/or hear, read this.

Carnegie Hall finally did a concert version of Puccini's opera Edgar, not widely known. It's a short review, but it seems interesting, and I'm going to do some background research on it.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

First things first!

A quick note to all whom it may concern:

If you saw my facebook post last month, you'll know that I hated the Jane Austen series on Masterpiece Theater this season. It's campy, corny, the opposite of taste when it comes to good literature and a genre that belongs only to those that can truly appreciate a long-gone innocence that is preserved with such detail in the Austen novels. It takes something sacred and vandalizes it for the sake of an idiotic mass - that is, the general American viewer(s). That is my opinion.

Anyway! They scored a hit with tonight Sense and Sensibility. Why? I will sheepishly admit the obvious: if you saw 1995's S&S with Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson, this is pretty much a variant on that film. The same Devonshire coast setting, same Barton Cottage, almost the exact same blocking from scene to scene. More of the novel is introduced than is apparent in the film (for instance, Mrs. Middleton appears here, we see the excursion to Allenham with Willoughby -which provides a little more for the imagination - and Col. Brandon is far less taciturn, dare I say, less saturnine than Alan Rickman's broody Brandon. This one actor looks like Liam Neeson on a good day.).

Most importantly, this is the first new Austen adaptation that is actually split into two whole parts! Persuasion and Mansfield Park were both crammed quickly into a neat 2 hour time span. You can't do that. Not with Masterpiece Theater productions, you can't. They never turn out the same. It's not Hollywood. It's not a summer blockbuster. Treat it like good literature, as MP always does, and that's what you'll get.

The one word I have for this? Respectful. Without respect, not a lot gets done. This applies to life in general, as well as TV adaptations of great literature. ;-)

I will say, however, that while I worship screenwriter Andrew Davies (no, really...I worship the man. If it wasn't for him, I might be a Francophile - ask me and I'll explain), he's going off the deep end, borrowing from other film productions. That's all he's doing. He's sticking with the familiar that all Austenites know because I believe that he's afraid we'll be disappointed otherwise. That's babbling madness, but I'll forgive him.

The crowning moment: Elinor opens up the small book of botanical drawings Edward has given her and we see that he's inscribed: "Your Affectionate Friend, E. Ferrars." That did it for me. The longing on her face is unmistakable.

In other news, I went to the opera today - Don Giovanni. The first opera I've seen in a long while that I actually enjoyed from Opera Carolina. More on this next post, which shall be soon.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

A few things to touch upon, Charlotte-style

  • I know most people reading my blog (I said most), who are my age anyhow, listen to KISS 95.1 or 96.1, The Beat more than they do WDAV 89.9. Yes, I listen to those too now and again. But I mostly listen to the only classical radio station listed for miles around. It's based at Davidson College and they're having their beg-a-thon (whoops! That's Annual Spring Fund Drive to you) right now. Apparently, as I heard this morning, they're going to do some collaboration this coming fall with Opera Carolina. They said they couldn't give too many details, but I have a feeling it's going to be a radio broadcast of a live opera. Should be interesting.

I have two things to complain about:

  1. Everyone who pays attention to uptown Charlotte development knows that we are awaiting the imminent arrival of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. This will no doubt be crammed neatly into the 1 inch space that is left over betwixt Founders Hall and the conveniently-accessible-to-urban-dwellers-but-traffic-jamming Bobcats Arena. Have any one of you gone anywhere near College or Brevard streets on game/theater nights? It doesn't work. Parking is a joke. 6pm : BofA drones driving their "hard earned" BMW's and Lexus' out of the parking decks at the end of the day, while the arts crowd and the basketball crowd merge in together at the same time, trying to snag a spot before the show/game. There has been speculation that this issue has caused diminishing attendance for uptown events and I wouldn't blame them. Me? Sorry, not even traffic annoyances can keep me from uptown. I live for those nights.
  2. Will someone please pump more money into the Mint Museum of Art so their exhibitions can be more exciting? I have no desire to look at non-descript color concoctions for 6 months straight. And I'm not putting blame on the MMofA themselves, certainly not. It's called funding, kids! Fine arts and culture is not a concept reserved only for +50 senior citizens with wealth to spare. You, too, can enjoy nice things! But you have to show interest and there seems to have been little interest in the past 2 years. I use to work at the Mint and I've been a member for some time, now. I remember exhibitions of European art, exquisite furniture and rare Asian artifacts. I remember promotional "Family Days" for a collection of 19th century British paintings, complete with a catered English High Tea and chamber music. I remember the Russian exhibit of 2000 that was so elaborate and careful in its presentation that you needed a ticket just to get into the main gallery to see Catherine The Great's hand gloves (and once you got in, you couldn't leave again). I remember swarms of people coming to see Renaissance-era masterpieces that belonged in the Lourve or 1940's era photographs by Margaret Bourke-White or Ansel Adams. /sigh...I wish those days were back again, but I also know that slumps come and go. So go to the museum (or the equally impressive Craft and Design uptown) and show your patronage! :)

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

New York Philharmonic's historical concert in North Korea (yes, you read that right)

This is an eye-opening article on the recent concert in North Korea by the NYP, led by Lorin Maazel (one of Leonard Bernstein's symphonic "grandsons", if you will). No, Kimmy-boy wasn't there, but his entrouage was. Pay attention to the descriptions of what journalists faced in Jong-Il-land covering this story. Video is provided, so don't miss this!

Monday, February 25, 2008

The last few months...

Instead of posting several times on my recent excursions into Arts-World, I thought I'd give a brief run down of the past few months and then trot off into Oscar-World. And finish off with a very important announcement...

1. The deal with the Charlotte Symphony:

The CSO concerts I went to in November-January didn't have as much pizazz as I had hoped. The basics of Romanticism music have been in the spotlight, with not much else. A lot of Stravinsky, Berlioz and even more Mozart (he's Classic, not Romantic, but I digress...). No particular favorites of my own, with the exception of one Schubert piece, "The Unfinished Symphony" No. 8 (cleverly integrated into the plot line of Spielberg's Minority Report, I might add).

To be honest, this season is enjoyable and satisfactory, but looking at next season's line-up (which I shall reveal next post!), it seems that 2007-2008 may purposely be a mild season for the visiting conductors. For anyone that didn't know, Christoph Perick will be stepping down as CSO music director in 2009 (and he wasn't here all that long, either). So, a smorgasbord of conductors from around the USA are essentially auditioning from now until then, to replace Perick. So far, of all of them, William Eddins stood out as a refreshing alternative to button-down conducting. When a respected conductor and pianist tells his audience out loud, in a good natured way, that he hates playing Beethoven and rehearses for concertos by listening to NPR while practicing the piano...that's sweet! I say that if the CSO wants to pull in the younger generation and get them started on this stuff (while boosting sales, at least), a jazzier approach to PR might do some good.

If you want to read up on the past year's news for the CSO, go here. Otherwise, trust me, I plan to keep anyone updated who cares to know. ;)

2. The Operas

Opera Carolina hasn't had any misses this season as yet. I missed seeing Romeo et Juliette in October as I was traveling at the time, but Aida earlier this month was wonderful. Yet once again, the set was minimal and the lighting uncreative, but watching the camel, horse, donkey, et al., in the Triumphal Entry scene was something you don't always see with opera! Aida is known for being so "large" an opera, with huge, cumbersome sets and elaborate scene changes (not to mention the tradition of live animals onstage), that see it performed is rare. And while my favorite opera the company has produced to date was 2004's Tosca, this Aida wasn't bad. I can be hard to please, yes.

CPCC's production of Puccini's La Boheme in January was certainly a treat, if not for the fact that one of my co-workers, Julie Landman, designed and painted the sets. ;) The actors are mostly volunteers or traditional day students with good voices and emoting, and the orchestra is small, but tuned and expressive. Nonetheless, I will admit that sometimes the group effort put into these small but lovely shows at CPCC often surpass the grandeur of the Belk Theater, if anything on an aesthetic scale. What was especially impressive was the manner in which a large convertible backdrop for an artist's Parisian upper loft apartment could be quickly manipulated to become an Art Nouveau/Toulouse Lautrec-ish restaurant. Compare this to the spare (read: boring?) designs that Opera Carolina uses and one is reminded of why community theaters continue to thrive even in the shadow of more significant opera houses and companies.

3. The Oscars

I'll keep it short and sweet: I don't believe I can comment accurately on the Best Picture, because I didn't see No Country For Old Men. I was rooting for Atonement (question: if a film does so well, why nominate it and then give it nothing?). Neither did I see La Vie En Rose (arrghghghg!)...but I plan to eventually after seeing Cotillard's rendition of Edith Piaf, if only briefly on the telecast.

I did see There Will Be Blood and I'm pleased beyond measure that Daniel Day-Lewis deservedly won in the Best Actor category. But seriously...did anyone notice, as I did, the remnants of his Method acting during his acceptance speech? Was I misinterpreting?What was up with him calling his wife, Rebecca Miller, "Mrs. Plainview"? Or saying, "I wish my son, H.W., played by [forget the kid's name], were here to also accept...yada"??? I nearly expected him to start off on that unique accent he used in the film. Weird. Dashing, but he's a funny one.

One last thing...early in the evening, Alexandra Byrne finally got her due for costumes for Elizabeth: The Golden Age. She was nominated for Branagh's Hamlet (the very expensive Shakespeare adaptation that was overlooked, sadly) and her military-inspired creations for that film gave me flights of fancy as a young girl that I still carry around in my head (that film meant a lot to me, ask me sometime). But again, it's the aesthetics on trial here for the Costume category.

4. The Very Last Thing
...For those of you who live in Gastonia and love the Gap store, you are officially Gap-less: it's presence is no more in the Westfield mall. Now we have to go either to Gaffney or Southpark or Carolina Place, some ways away. Oh well.

More to come...stay classy and sassy, my little Arts-monkeys! ;-P

Friday, February 22, 2008

Don't worry, I'm comin' back!

I haven't posted in quite some time, yet I've seen and done plenty of Arts-related things in the past few months (two operas, a few symphonies, with other little things thrown in for good measure). So, I'm writing to say that, in the next few weeks, expect my reviews to come forth.

I've been thinking that I might also simply start posting other stuff here as well, as I miss writing and may not keep it all entirely devoted to the arts. Anyhow, that's the story. ;-)

Em