Coronation Mass Rehearsal, performance Sunday
2 rehearsals, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0
Christmas Cantata Rehearsal, performance Christmas Eve
Check out Dan’s latest posted picture.
Just because I said so … and because you can. 🙂
(More SF at Night Pix)
“Ah Tchaikovksy’s Nutcracker Suite …”. The commentator is talking about how she was in the ballet for years. She goes on to interview a dancer who was in the first SF Ballet production of the work. I just heard this on KQED radio. Sigh. Can’t these people do a bit of research?
Okay … gotta get this off my chest …
It’s not the suite, folks. It’s the Nutcracker Ballet! The Suite contains some (eight, I think) of the tunes pulled out for concert performance.
Geesh.
This was kindly brought to you by the Classical Music Police Company (CMPC™). Here for your snobbish pleasure. What can I say? I’m here for you.
There’s a story that Denis Decoteau used to gleefully tell about some rich blustery Southern guy who was bragging about going to see the Nutcracker Suite. The man was sitting right near him at a restaurant. Maestro DeCoteau finally turned around and explained that it was actually the Nutcracker Ballet and they guy said something I can’t reprint here of a very racist nature, using an ugly,ugly word. (The late Maestro DeCoteau was African American.) Well … DeCoteau got to the performance, turned around to take his first bow, and who was sitting right there? Of course! Horrible Southern man. DeCoteau looked up and said, “Nutcracker ballet“. True story? I sure hope so!
The first thing I do when I go to sites is turn off the darn music! Now I do love music. Really, I do. But I want to be the one who decides what I’m listening to, and I usually don’t like what others have chosen. I’m annoying that way. So bloggers of the world … why don’t you have the music as an option, but let US decide if we want to listen, eh? Can’t you do that? Pretty please?
It’s just like the shopping malls and other places that I visit to spend my well earned (?) money; I still say (I blogged earlier about this) they should hand out wireless headphones to those who don’t mind the infliction of Other People’s Music (OPM™) and would provide those of us who do mind with the beauty of quiet. Or at least as quiet as things can be when other people are around.
And all this reminds me that I actually have to go out and buy a few things today. Rats. Thought I could avoid the crowds. Not so. Probably won’t be able to avoid OPM™ either. 🙁
Someone referred to “legit contemporary music”.
What does that mean? What does it imply?
Ms. Uchida was the most prominent name on a list that included seven other most valuable players as well as players from all instruments of the orchestra, with the exception of the tuba.
-Jeremy Denk (read here)
I’ve been successful more often than not in focusing on the positive, but God knows there are still periods of true difficulty and struggle in this business, and through those ghastly moments, we still have to breathe in and “turn it on” for a public that deserves our everything and, rightly so, could not care less about how hard it was for us to get into makeup and warm up that particular night. I consider it a LARGE part of my job to keep healthy mentally so that these difficult moments happen less and less. (In part, it’s wishful thinking, I know, but it’s my goal!)
-Joyce DiDonato (found here … and read ALL of her blog … it’s fabulous! I am really enjoying her gratitude journal.)
I understand what Ms. DiDonato is saying, even while she is miles beyond me when it comes to talent and career.
As I play a run of something (say, Nutcracker for instance!) I hear a lot of grumbling around me. Heck, I grumble too. But the truth of it is, we have an audience and they deserve to hear our absolute best. In addition, I feel so entirely blessed to get to do what I do. So some days are rough. I miss the few weeks before Christmas being free for decorating and parties. Oh. Wait. I’m not into parties. Never mind that second thing! But I am so glad to bring joy into people’s lives. When I see the little kids bouncing their way to the hall for the ballet I am reminded that we are creating memories that they will probably talk about for a good long time. And when they are parents or grandparents, they’ll tell their kiddos about the event, and bring those young ones to a show too. And more memories are created. I always want to remember why we do what we do. It isn’t all about the money. If it were, I should just choose something different to do with my time!
