Music Program at the Strathmore
Friday saw Derek Jacobi, Richard Clifford and Holly Twyford doing dramatic readings from The Tempest, with a background of a small orchestra with musical instruments from the early 1600's, and two singers - counter-tenor and a baritone. The baritone, Robert McDonald, looked either nervous or bored, I couldn't tell which. Let's go with nervous.
The piano was not a piano but a cheese-like wedge that played all tinkly-tinkly, and the counter-tenor David Daniels was not quite on spec for a little section, but he recovered later and sang something horribly difficult in Italian, and the crowd stood and clapped and said "Bravo!" and other snobby forms of appreciation.
Then someone in the back hooted WOO HOOO! so I gave the fellow a rock-n-roll whoop of appreciation. He was so proud when the audience went wild; he definitely gave it all he had. I thought he was gonna just pop up out of his shoes, he was singing so hard. He stood on his toes at some parts to get the high notes, and wiggled. I didn't know they lived literally up higher, but apparently, they do.
D says, "So, did you flick your lighter, then?" "No, silly, I showed him my boobs."
It was supposed to be Jacobi and Lynn Redgrave, but she up and died before event, poor thing. Holly Twyford did fine; one of the ladies I was with was all aflutter over the giant magical ruby red heels the teeny little Ms. Twyford was pirouetting about on. They were some tall shoes, I can confirm.
Note to people going to shows at the Strathmore at Grovsner-Strathmore Metro stop - there is nothing there but the music hall and some apartment buildings, forcing you to eat at the venue. Not that the food is bad, but you were forewarned.
A Washington Post review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/11/AR2010061105247.html
The piano was not a piano but a cheese-like wedge that played all tinkly-tinkly, and the counter-tenor David Daniels was not quite on spec for a little section, but he recovered later and sang something horribly difficult in Italian, and the crowd stood and clapped and said "Bravo!" and other snobby forms of appreciation.
Then someone in the back hooted WOO HOOO! so I gave the fellow a rock-n-roll whoop of appreciation. He was so proud when the audience went wild; he definitely gave it all he had. I thought he was gonna just pop up out of his shoes, he was singing so hard. He stood on his toes at some parts to get the high notes, and wiggled. I didn't know they lived literally up higher, but apparently, they do.
D says, "So, did you flick your lighter, then?" "No, silly, I showed him my boobs."
It was supposed to be Jacobi and Lynn Redgrave, but she up and died before event, poor thing. Holly Twyford did fine; one of the ladies I was with was all aflutter over the giant magical ruby red heels the teeny little Ms. Twyford was pirouetting about on. They were some tall shoes, I can confirm.
Note to people going to shows at the Strathmore at Grovsner-Strathmore Metro stop - there is nothing there but the music hall and some apartment buildings, forcing you to eat at the venue. Not that the food is bad, but you were forewarned.
A Washington Post review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/11/AR2010061105247.html