Summertime, and the livin is easy....
Well, it's purportedly summertime. Our temperatures don't reflect summer, but given that most of the country, and other parts of the world, are locked in a nasty heatwave, I think I'll take mild temperatures and a cloudy tendency and be glad.
Tonight, Scott and I are going to see "Porgy and Bess" at the Seattle opera. I saw it once when I was 10 or so, in Chicago, with my family. I can't remember if Dad's high school class came with us or not that time, I just remember sitting way, way, way far up in the theater, where the people were so far away we needed those little glasses, and we had to share them. And thinking it was beautiful, and sad, and weird, and that the people were extremely tiny. It might have been the first time I was in such a large theater. It was certainly the first time I remember sitting in a theater balcony. The steepness of the stairs and the cool ceiling are almost more memorable than the opera. Although I've always loved the music. Gershwin might have missed, in some ways, the nuances of the culture he was trying to capture and depict, but his music is gorgeous. I'm looking forward to tonight.
Scott was trying to warn me about the fact that this is an opera, and that it's not done in a jazzy way when they do the whole opera. Which I know - I've heard the music done the way Gershwin wrote it. I've heard it jazzed up so it sounds a little more ... realistic, I guess. But I like both. I wouldn't keep buying opera tickets if I didn't enjoy song in operatic styles. I know it's a little weird to hear that type of dialogue in operatic voices, but I just get lost in Gershwin's string section, honestly. And clarinets. Once upon a time, I wanted to play the clarinet, and this music is why. (I stopped wanting to play the clarinet once I realized that a) I was never going to be able to play it like that, and b) practice of the clarinet wasn't any more interesting or fun than practice of the piano, and even more necessary. Thus, my childhood dreams of orchestra glory crumbled upon my childhood stubborn insistence that if it's not going to be immediately freaking amazing, or it isn't immediately fun, then I'd much rather read a book, thanks all the same.) (It took a lot longer to convince my parents to let me quit, seeing as how it was a family rule that we all play instruments. Somehow my singing didn't count until 8th grade.)
Tomorrow, as some of you locals are aware (and those who aren't, you should have received notice, so contact me if you think you were left out) is my annual natal day celebration. I know, my natal day isn't until next week, but we're celebrating this weekend because, well, it's summer, and choosing a weekend that people are going to be around for is nearly impossible. So I chose the 13th, and still about half the people I've invited are out of town or otherwise busy. Well, fine, you people. Sheesh. I'm having my party anyway. There will be a bunch of boogie, a bunch of food, and a bunch of cupcakes for after the food. If you don't like boogie, food, cupcakes, and company, well, that's ... I don't know what to say. Other than it's my party, so I'm having what I like, and you can have what you like at your party. My boogie playlist is 5 hours long (cut down from much, MUCH longer) and I will be shaking it. It's a BBQ, and it's supposed to be relatively nice, but we'll be able to move indoors if the weather doesn't cooperate. But the plan is to boogie and BBQ and eat and chat outdoors until it's dark and the neighbors complain. Yay party!
I love a party weekend. Especially when there will be cupcakes. And boogie. Etc. Happy Birthday to ME!
Tonight, Scott and I are going to see "Porgy and Bess" at the Seattle opera. I saw it once when I was 10 or so, in Chicago, with my family. I can't remember if Dad's high school class came with us or not that time, I just remember sitting way, way, way far up in the theater, where the people were so far away we needed those little glasses, and we had to share them. And thinking it was beautiful, and sad, and weird, and that the people were extremely tiny. It might have been the first time I was in such a large theater. It was certainly the first time I remember sitting in a theater balcony. The steepness of the stairs and the cool ceiling are almost more memorable than the opera. Although I've always loved the music. Gershwin might have missed, in some ways, the nuances of the culture he was trying to capture and depict, but his music is gorgeous. I'm looking forward to tonight.
Scott was trying to warn me about the fact that this is an opera, and that it's not done in a jazzy way when they do the whole opera. Which I know - I've heard the music done the way Gershwin wrote it. I've heard it jazzed up so it sounds a little more ... realistic, I guess. But I like both. I wouldn't keep buying opera tickets if I didn't enjoy song in operatic styles. I know it's a little weird to hear that type of dialogue in operatic voices, but I just get lost in Gershwin's string section, honestly. And clarinets. Once upon a time, I wanted to play the clarinet, and this music is why. (I stopped wanting to play the clarinet once I realized that a) I was never going to be able to play it like that, and b) practice of the clarinet wasn't any more interesting or fun than practice of the piano, and even more necessary. Thus, my childhood dreams of orchestra glory crumbled upon my childhood stubborn insistence that if it's not going to be immediately freaking amazing, or it isn't immediately fun, then I'd much rather read a book, thanks all the same.) (It took a lot longer to convince my parents to let me quit, seeing as how it was a family rule that we all play instruments. Somehow my singing didn't count until 8th grade.)
Tomorrow, as some of you locals are aware (and those who aren't, you should have received notice, so contact me if you think you were left out) is my annual natal day celebration. I know, my natal day isn't until next week, but we're celebrating this weekend because, well, it's summer, and choosing a weekend that people are going to be around for is nearly impossible. So I chose the 13th, and still about half the people I've invited are out of town or otherwise busy. Well, fine, you people. Sheesh. I'm having my party anyway. There will be a bunch of boogie, a bunch of food, and a bunch of cupcakes for after the food. If you don't like boogie, food, cupcakes, and company, well, that's ... I don't know what to say. Other than it's my party, so I'm having what I like, and you can have what you like at your party. My boogie playlist is 5 hours long (cut down from much, MUCH longer) and I will be shaking it. It's a BBQ, and it's supposed to be relatively nice, but we'll be able to move indoors if the weather doesn't cooperate. But the plan is to boogie and BBQ and eat and chat outdoors until it's dark and the neighbors complain. Yay party!
I love a party weekend. Especially when there will be cupcakes. And boogie. Etc. Happy Birthday to ME!