Which apparently was v. exciting. We should have watched it instead of seeing a crushingly dull version of ‘Tristan and Isolde’ by the LA Opera. The sets – by Hockney – kept me thinking of ‘What’s Opera Doc?’,
and the wooden-acting, dispassionately-singing Tristan – John Treleaven – got Wagner exactly wrong. I won’t claim Patterico’s musical knowledge, but in my view Wagner has to be sung with the reckless certainty of an adolescent sure that no one – no one has ever felt the feelings he is feeling right now; no one as angry, no one as passionately in love, no one as despairing. The cracked adolescent view of the world is central to Wagner, and when not done with passion and a crazed certainty leaves the audience feeling vaguely ridiculous.
Wagner’s characters do love death, and later on I’ll spring off that a bit to talk about Foucault and the Iranian Revolution.
Meanwhile, yay Giants!
4th quarter was awesome.
The Eli scramble out of a sack, to that Tyree catch – one of the best plays I’ve ever seen.
hypocrisy,
I agree. Nearly rivals “the catch”–Montana to Clark vs. cowboys in the ’82 NFC championship game. Nearly needs to be emphasized. Beats Wagner on most nights, regardless of who’s singing.
What a shame they blew Wagner. He’s not my favorite but he’s certainly fun in the right mood and properly done. Sorry you had to sit through that – not that you had to – were you hoping for it to get better any moment or just along for the ride?
So why is this political blog so silent on the eve of Super Tuesday?
I’m casting my primary vote for Obama in NJ tomorrow.
Well, what about all you Righties out there voting tomorrow? Any Huckabee supporters (he’s my man on the Right….)?
Huckabee?? LOL…I’m finishing up my endorsement post now, ought to be up in 30 mins or so.
A.L.
The young characters – Tristan, Siegfried, and such – definitely need the reckless adolescent attitude. The older characters can be played as relatively mature… but wooden and dispassionate just doesn’t cut it. Years ago, in Seattle, I saw the difference between an indifferent and uncertain Wotan (a youngish performer) and a lively and confident Wotan (a hastily-recruited Thomas Stewart). Lively and confident is _much_ better!
bq. Meanwhile, yay Giants!
“Sanft schloss Schlaf dein Aug’:
wir beide bauten Schlummers bar die Burg.”
bq. Huckabee?? LOL
Yep, that’s the reaction I was going for….