Beef...it's what's for dinner and Carmen
Sunday I picked up Renee, hit the expressway and went to Otsuki to see Rick and Marissa perform at the Otsuki Wind Ensemble 8th Regular Concert (I kid you not, it says regular on the program in English...special translation skills went into this, let me tell you!). The concert was split into 3 parts with the 1st part being just the orchestra. In the 2nd part a new conductor came out for one number and then Rick and Marissa came out....and then followed the Japanese introduction which was so long it started sounding more like a speech contest than the intro to a concert. The introduced every single song that way...most annoying thing EVER! At one point they were just reading the program...can people not read in Otsuki?!
Marissa majored in music and has a lovely Soprano voice that isn't ear shattering. There are sopranos and there are SOPRANOS...you know the ones who try to break glass when the music says PP? Clad in a sexy sexy blue dress and looking gorgeous she began with Tosca with the orchestra and Rick on piano as backup. Never heard of that opera before (I've only been to one opera) but it was wonderful. Jessica and I were sitting on the edge of our seats in a dreamlike state.
Then the music started up for the 2nd selection she had which was from Carmen. Rick, Renee and I had been discussing it in the dressing room. Luckily Marissa was not there to witness my shameful moment when I somehow thought Carmen was a broadway musical...OPPS! It's only one of the most controversial operas ever...good job Kat. I'd heard of Carmen, but couldn't think of the music in my head. Well the orchestra started playing the Overture to the opera and it suddenly clicked....
THE MUSIC YOU USED TO HEAR ON THAT BEEF, IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER COMMERCIAL! I was so psyched I recognized it and couldn't believe I hadn't made the connection all those years ago. In my mind I totally saw all the beef dishes whizzing around too...how sad is that. One of the most beloved operas of all time (4th most popular or something) and I associated it with a beef commercial. Yikes.
Marissa did a beautiful job and even managed to not crack when a nearby microphone fell down in the middle of her singing. It was not on and no one really noticed, although Jessica and I had to hold back giggles when she glanced down and tried not to laugh at herself. I hope Leslie's camera didn't catch our amusement.
Instead of watching the entirety of the 3rd part, we went upstairs to hang out with Rick and Marissa because there was a party for the performers afterwards (of course). Jessica and I stayed for just one song...Whistle While You Work. I wish I had pictures of this. It was hilarious. All the orchestra members came out with party like hats on. It started with the flutes, moved through the orchestra groups, the clarinet leader wielded her instrument like a band leader's cane, and just as it all came together the conductor came out dressed like a Mickey Mouse (minus a Mickey head). To top it all off, there were little animated parts going on in a powerpoint behind them on a big screen. SOOOO FUNNY!
A bunch of us went back to Rick and Marissa's, helped them demolish a ton of cheese a friend had brought them, and eventually headed out later that night. On the way home Renee and I ran into two of the Irish lads who'd been in Nagano (gee, I wonder which car is yours...the one with snow on top?) and attempted to set up my DS WiFi with no success. The poor McDonalds manager didn't even know what I was talking about.
Today I had no classes, just graduation rehearsal. The 3rd years gave us the thank you cards and one of the T-shirts I gave them to sign. I hope they still have the other one somewhere... Then I studied police stuff, looked up Japanese spiders to alleviate Jessica's fears, went through some random website that posts "things overheard" such as :
Kid - Mommy, how do dinosaurs cook their meat?
Mother - They don't, they eat it raw.
Kid - Are Japanese people dinosaurs?
That was pretty much my day. Here are the pictures of my lovely roses!
Marissa majored in music and has a lovely Soprano voice that isn't ear shattering. There are sopranos and there are SOPRANOS...you know the ones who try to break glass when the music says PP? Clad in a sexy sexy blue dress and looking gorgeous she began with Tosca with the orchestra and Rick on piano as backup. Never heard of that opera before (I've only been to one opera) but it was wonderful. Jessica and I were sitting on the edge of our seats in a dreamlike state.
Then the music started up for the 2nd selection she had which was from Carmen. Rick, Renee and I had been discussing it in the dressing room. Luckily Marissa was not there to witness my shameful moment when I somehow thought Carmen was a broadway musical...OPPS! It's only one of the most controversial operas ever...good job Kat. I'd heard of Carmen, but couldn't think of the music in my head. Well the orchestra started playing the Overture to the opera and it suddenly clicked....
THE MUSIC YOU USED TO HEAR ON THAT BEEF, IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER COMMERCIAL! I was so psyched I recognized it and couldn't believe I hadn't made the connection all those years ago. In my mind I totally saw all the beef dishes whizzing around too...how sad is that. One of the most beloved operas of all time (4th most popular or something) and I associated it with a beef commercial. Yikes.
Marissa did a beautiful job and even managed to not crack when a nearby microphone fell down in the middle of her singing. It was not on and no one really noticed, although Jessica and I had to hold back giggles when she glanced down and tried not to laugh at herself. I hope Leslie's camera didn't catch our amusement.
Instead of watching the entirety of the 3rd part, we went upstairs to hang out with Rick and Marissa because there was a party for the performers afterwards (of course). Jessica and I stayed for just one song...Whistle While You Work. I wish I had pictures of this. It was hilarious. All the orchestra members came out with party like hats on. It started with the flutes, moved through the orchestra groups, the clarinet leader wielded her instrument like a band leader's cane, and just as it all came together the conductor came out dressed like a Mickey Mouse (minus a Mickey head). To top it all off, there were little animated parts going on in a powerpoint behind them on a big screen. SOOOO FUNNY!
A bunch of us went back to Rick and Marissa's, helped them demolish a ton of cheese a friend had brought them, and eventually headed out later that night. On the way home Renee and I ran into two of the Irish lads who'd been in Nagano (gee, I wonder which car is yours...the one with snow on top?) and attempted to set up my DS WiFi with no success. The poor McDonalds manager didn't even know what I was talking about.
Today I had no classes, just graduation rehearsal. The 3rd years gave us the thank you cards and one of the T-shirts I gave them to sign. I hope they still have the other one somewhere... Then I studied police stuff, looked up Japanese spiders to alleviate Jessica's fears, went through some random website that posts "things overheard" such as :
Kid - Mommy, how do dinosaurs cook their meat?
Mother - They don't, they eat it raw.
Kid - Are Japanese people dinosaurs?
That was pretty much my day. Here are the pictures of my lovely roses!