Oh the irony!
Ok, so I teach my kids about a new composer every month. In 2006 they learned about Mozart, Bach, Handel, and Tchaikovsky. So for January I decided I would like to teach them about someone still alive so they don't think all composers are dead white guys. So I looked through all the posters that the school owns (I put a poster portrait of the composer up), only one composer was still alive, Gian-Carlo Menotti. I recognized him for writing The Medium and The Consul, and was actually very intrigued by him. He was 95 (very old!) so that would be another fun fact about him. I also found out (didn't share this with the kids though) that he was in a relationship with Samuel Barber when he was alive, and Menotti also wrote the lyrics for Barber's Vanessa.
Anyway, so I taught my kids about him this month. "And guess what? He's still alive!" This week they all watched his brief opera called The Telephone.
This morning on my way to school, I hear on the radio, "And the Pultizer Prize winning composer Gian-Carlo Menotti has died."
I am like, WHAT??? out loud to myself in the car!
Oh, the irony! Why?
Well, for one, I picked him because he was alive. Secondly, I picked him for the month of January and he died on February 1st. What are the odds?
Well, anyway, rest in peace Menotti. I enjoy your music even if my kids didn't. I also found you fascinating, and I like The Medium a lot.
If anyone would like to read more about him, here's an article.
Anyway, so I taught my kids about him this month. "And guess what? He's still alive!" This week they all watched his brief opera called The Telephone.
This morning on my way to school, I hear on the radio, "And the Pultizer Prize winning composer Gian-Carlo Menotti has died."
I am like, WHAT??? out loud to myself in the car!
Oh, the irony! Why?
Well, for one, I picked him because he was alive. Secondly, I picked him for the month of January and he died on February 1st. What are the odds?
Well, anyway, rest in peace Menotti. I enjoy your music even if my kids didn't. I also found you fascinating, and I like The Medium a lot.
If anyone would like to read more about him, here's an article.