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You are a double reed player. YOu are a breed of your own.
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How seriously should one take a quiz that is poorly worded? And it’s “saxophone” not “saxaphone”. Geesh.
But still, it says I’m a double reed. Whew.
Now if only I could make the darn things! 😉
So Howard Shore is writing an opera. But did it have to be The Fly? Not my cuppa, to be sure. I can’t even watch the movie; it’s just too icky.
Yes. I just wrote the word “icky”. Really.
But anyway, I just read about who was chosen as the lead singer for the opera:
Daniel Okulitch can sing his way out of and into most things. But portraying a human bug in the operatic adaptation of David Cronenberg’s The Fly next summer will be his biggest challenge.
The 31-year-old bass-baritone from Ottawa has been picked to sing the title role in The Fly, which premieres next June in Paris, France. Cronenberg will direct, while the music will be composed by fellow Canadian Howard Shore, Oscar-winner for his music for The Lord of the Rings.
Daniel Okulitch sang Schaunard in Baz Luhrmann’s production of La Bohème when it was in SF. Nice guy. Strong singer.
The opera has another name some of you might recognize: Placido Domingo will be conducting.
Bowling Green State University will be featuring the Imani Winds on November 9. Info here.
Meanwhile … closer to home…
SCU Symphony Orchestra – Fall Concert
Friday 9th November at 8pm
Santa Clara Mission Church
Tickets: $5 Students, $10 Seniors/SCU Staff, $12 General
The Fall University Symphony concert will feature the winners of the annual student Concerto/Aria Competition. Raymond Wu will perform the first movement of Rachmaninoff’s popular Piano Concerto no. 2, and Jordan Becerril will perform “Allegro moderato” from Franz Strauss’ Horn Concerto. Also featured on the program will be Beethoven’s Symphony no. 6, “Pastoral”, and Verdi’s Overture to Nabucco.
UCSC ORCHESTRA: ‘ Music of the Americas’
Roy Malan, violin solo
Friday, November 9 &10 2007 – 7:30 p.m
Music Center Recital Hall
An evening of blissfulness, colors, and grandeur featuring music by Argentinean composer Astor Piazzola, the master of “Nuevo tango,” and American composer Lou Harrison, celebrating what would be his 90th year. Nicole Paiement, artistic Director/Conductor.
Admission: $10 general, $8 seniors, $6 students
Okay. Sorry. Bad joke. (You’ll understand in a minute.)
So … the question that goes with the answer you find in my subject header is, “How was the opera rehearsal?”
Why?
Well, after dealing with the new parking garage I have to deal with (hey, at least they still provide parking for us!), and hiking over to the hall, or as close to it as I could get, I was told I couldn’t enter the hall. Heck, I couldn’t even get to the stage door. The fireman said, “There’s a gas leak. Can’t you hear it? You can’t get close to it. There could be an explosion.” Okay, then. I don’t argue with explosion possibilities.
Well, no, not really. I mean … it was downtown San Jose. There was noise. Cars. People. I didn’t realize the loud hissing sound was gas. (And I’m still wondering if I really heard it or if I then imagined the sound since he suggested it.)
So the two women I was walking with and I headed down the street, and located our colleagues. And then we waited.
I think we got into the hall a half an hour late. And we still managed to touch on a lot of the opera. So far I don’t see much to worry about. But I know that can change. I often start out thinking, “Wow. Easy opera.” Only later do I change my mind. Usually when I have a bad reed. 😉
The Romanian-born soprano, called by FHM magazine “the 74th most beautiful woman in the world,” has been justly acclaimed in top opera houses for her voice and artistry. At the same time, her temper and that of her husband, the famed tenor Roberto Alagna, have generated headlines about “opera’s answer to Bonnie and Clyde.” (RTWT)
How funny. Ah to be 74th. In the world, too! (What is “FHM magazine?) I’ll be hearing her—if she shows up—at La Rondine sometime this month. I think I’ll make a pin that reads “#74” in her honor. Wouldn’t that be nice of me?
In other news … this non-numbered oboist is going to the first rehearsal of Werther today. It’s new to Opera San José which means we get one extra rehearsal (woo hoo!). And because it’s new I’m really looking forward to it. New stuff is fun. Even if it’s only new to us and not to the world. (It would be great, though, to do something totally new. Maybe someday.)
