(no subject)
I saw James Morris in Dayton on Thursday and he was phenomenal. James Morris, in case I didn't write about this before, is one of the best opera singers in the world. Due to his imposing size (he stands 6'5"), figure, and booming voice he makes an excellent and credible Wotan, king of the Norse gods in Wagner's ring cycle and it is the role he is best known for. Unfortunately, he didn't sing Leb Wohl, my favorite opera song and the reason I first heard of him, nor any Wagner. He did sing arias from other operas including one from Don Carlo, an aria he will sing again in Cincinnati when that opera comes to town. I have to look into tickets for that...
Not only did Morris perform well, he also told anecdotes and jokes between songs which he has probably told to dozens of audiences before, but were delivered in a way that it felt like an old friend telling you a familiar story. My favorite of these was Morris' explanation of why he, his pianist, and his page turner left the stage every few songs only to return a few moments later to begin another song.
"Some people ask me if it's to get a drink of water or something," he said. "But really, I just like the extra applause."
The audience chuckled. Someone in the front row started to clap. Morris gave a little gesture with his hand, indicating that he wanted more and the whole place burst into applause and laughter. It was a great moment.
I've been giving Dayton a little crap and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. Dayton is Cincinnati's Canada and must be mocked accordingly. That said, I can see why a world class singer came to that little patch of the Midwest. The Schuster Center in Dayton is a world class setting with astounding acoustics. I felt the vibrations from Morris' singing from thirty feet away as if he were standing right next to me. The architecture is modern without being brutal or odd.
It's not just the Schuster Center. Dayton, like Cincinnati, is making a serious effort to make its downtown a place where residents and tourists alike would want to spend an afternoon wandering and enjoying what the city has to offer. It worked for me.
New titles. Morris sang an aria from Verdi's version of MacBeth in which Banquo senses his impending doom and tells his son to be on his guard.
Title: Come dal ciel precipita
Subtitle: L'ombra piu sempre oscura
Friends' page title: Mille affannose immagini
Translation: See how the shades of night descend, The shadows grow deeper and darker, Thousands of frightful specter shapes. With a Kingdom Hearts lj name, I need some darkness and light in my title. For now anyway.
Off to watch Watchmen. Yes, Dayna, I finished the book 35 thousand seconds ago.
Not only did Morris perform well, he also told anecdotes and jokes between songs which he has probably told to dozens of audiences before, but were delivered in a way that it felt like an old friend telling you a familiar story. My favorite of these was Morris' explanation of why he, his pianist, and his page turner left the stage every few songs only to return a few moments later to begin another song.
"Some people ask me if it's to get a drink of water or something," he said. "But really, I just like the extra applause."
The audience chuckled. Someone in the front row started to clap. Morris gave a little gesture with his hand, indicating that he wanted more and the whole place burst into applause and laughter. It was a great moment.
I've been giving Dayton a little crap and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. Dayton is Cincinnati's Canada and must be mocked accordingly. That said, I can see why a world class singer came to that little patch of the Midwest. The Schuster Center in Dayton is a world class setting with astounding acoustics. I felt the vibrations from Morris' singing from thirty feet away as if he were standing right next to me. The architecture is modern without being brutal or odd.
It's not just the Schuster Center. Dayton, like Cincinnati, is making a serious effort to make its downtown a place where residents and tourists alike would want to spend an afternoon wandering and enjoying what the city has to offer. It worked for me.
New titles. Morris sang an aria from Verdi's version of MacBeth in which Banquo senses his impending doom and tells his son to be on his guard.
Title: Come dal ciel precipita
Subtitle: L'ombra piu sempre oscura
Friends' page title: Mille affannose immagini
Translation: See how the shades of night descend, The shadows grow deeper and darker, Thousands of frightful specter shapes. With a Kingdom Hearts lj name, I need some darkness and light in my title. For now anyway.
Off to watch Watchmen. Yes, Dayna, I finished the book 35 thousand seconds ago.