Western Michigan State University
2008 Double Reed Festival
October 24 &25
Website
Tiana Holden was thrilled at Tuesday evening’s dress rehearsal of Verdi’s Aida, the classic tale of love and betrayal that opens tonight at the Lyric Opera House. During the intermission, she raved about the voices of Italian soprano Tiziana Caruso, who sang the title role, and her leading man, tenor Antonello Palombi. “It was amazing how they put so much expression into their singing,” she bubbled.
Tiana is a fifth-grader at Cross Country Elementary School in Baltimore. She may not start writing notes for Opera News next week, but given her enthusiasm, it’s probably safe to say the 10-year-old may already be hooked on opera.
That was exactly what the Baltimore Opera Company had in mind when it invited nearly 1,000 local elementary, middle and high school students to last week’s rehearsal. They watched Verdi’s late masterpiece straight through from beginning to end, just as they would at a regular performance. As for understanding the Italian libretto, no problemo, as the kids would say: A translation scrolled above the stage.
(Side note: I’m not so sure kids say, “No problemo.” I know I do. Seems like kids wouldn’t be saying the same thing I say. Would they?)
We’ve been doing this for years. Aside from our first opera of the year (too early in the school year for kids to show up) we always have one open dress that is for school aged kids. I enjoy it for the most part. Sometimes the opera isn’t what I think of as “kid friendly” … not because of the music, but because of the content … but it seems they still come. They always seem enthusiastic. I’m never sure if it’s due to the opera or just because they are allowed to take a day off from school. Either way, it’s good to have them there, even while I sometimes get frustrated with the giggles when there’s any of that kissing stuff going on on stage (“Oooh. Gross!”)
(Full article here)
You know all that stuff about Pavarotti and his daughters and current wife and who gets all the dough? Well, I’m happy to report that’s all so untrue and the problem of money was never theirs in the first place.
In addition, while I might continue blogging it might be sporadic as I think I’m going on a year long vacation. Woo hoo!
NOTICE OF INHERITANCE
With the power attorney of the Estate of late Luciano Pavarotti .I wish to notify you that late Luciano Pavarotti made you a beneficiary to his will.He left the sum of thirty one Million five Hundred Thousand Dollars.($31,500,000.00 )to you in the codicil and last testament to his will.
Late Luciano Pavarotti until his death was a philanthropy and His great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time, late Luciano Pavarotti died at the age of 71 years. years.According to him this money is to support your activities and to help the needy around you.
I just received the email. I’m debating about answering. Perhaps I should just get in my new jet and fly to the UK to pick up the inheritance. I could do with a little trip.
“Classical music is so challenging that you cannot think of anything else while you’re doing it,” says Dr. Thomas Sheldon, who finds playing the oboe allows him to decompress and unwind.
Okay, okay, I understand. The guy is a doctor. So oboe, for him, is a way to unwind.
Not so for some of us.
Me? I usually go do a bit of brain surgery or something. Ya know? 😉
(And yes, I’m just being goofy. I realize that while a doctor might be able to play oboe, this oboist can’t possible do a bit of surgery. Or anything else medical. There are only certain folks who can do both!)
