tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post115242286131692258..comments2024-03-16T08:02:38.070-04:00Comments on wellsung.blogspot.com: CaramoorAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748408812275965064noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1153060163663342222006-07-16T10:29:00.000-04:002006-07-16T10:29:00.000-04:00I thought about this post last night when I was at...I thought about this post last night when I was attending an open air concert given by Bryn Terfel (and violinist Chloe Hanslip). I say given - we paid for the tickets and I'm sure they got a handsome fee. Premium deckchairs I was in; many others were in 'blanket on the ground'.<BR/><BR/>In front and behind were chatterers. Incessant chatterers. Pointing out that the La Forza del destino overture is the Stella Artois advert music (it is, or was, but this was billed an 'Opera Gala', not a 'Your favourite classical music from the ads Gala'). Premature applause - eg before the end of Thais Meditation.<BR/><BR/>I took guerilla action. In retrospect it was a misjudgement. I decided that as the people imediately behind and in front of me were intent on spoiling my enjoyment by their twittering I would light a cigarette. This was open air, and there were no 'no smoking' signs. It certainly annoyed the people in front of me. Unfortunately, it also annoyed the woman next to my partner, so at the interval I apologised profusely to her and explained that because so many people were talking, I thought ignorant and anti-social behaviour was the order of the day, and I should join in, but I promised I wouldn't repeat the stunt. She said she understood my reasoning and smiled warmly. What it meant of course was that I surrendered the moral high ground and had less of a leg to stand on when glaring at the non-stop talkers who continued in the second half - and then left immediately after the 'last piece' and long before Bryn said "We have a couple of encores..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1153036939823524422006-07-16T04:02:00.000-04:002006-07-16T04:02:00.000-04:00Clayton:Thanks for the intel on Mobbs...the perf i...Clayton:<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the intel on Mobbs...the perf in question was only semistaged and half assedly semistaged at that. Plus I was in the back row without my glasses--so I can't speak much to physical presence. <BR/><BR/>Save for the smoov moves of La Jo, of course. Lord knows that business was visible from Row JJ.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15748408812275965064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1153012442812422882006-07-15T21:14:00.000-04:002006-07-15T21:14:00.000-04:00Alex - Your blog looks great on the Safari browser...Alex - Your blog looks great on the Safari browser on my iMac. (I have explorer on the iMac, too, and it never looked good for anything on the few times I tried it.)<BR/><BR/>I was glad to see your mention of Daniel Mobbs. He appeared at the Baltimore Opera a couple of times a few years ago. He started out as a dancer then switched to singing--and it looked like the dancing experience paid off in how he moved himself about the stage. I wonder if you noticed anything in that regard. He had a fine voice, too, of course.Clayton Kooncehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05075385150588253823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1152766912290167812006-07-13T01:01:00.000-04:002006-07-13T01:01:00.000-04:00P.S. I looked at the blog in explorer on a Mac for...P.S. I looked at the blog in explorer on a Mac for the first time and it is really f'd up. Have others been dealing with this? Not sure if/when I'll fix it, but sorry anyhow if you've been dealing with it...Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15748408812275965064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1152740652206411572006-07-12T17:44:00.000-04:002006-07-12T17:44:00.000-04:00Canadienne:Indeed, the cruelest blow was that they...Canadienne:<BR/><BR/>Indeed, the cruelest blow was that they didn't even applaud at the end. They just sort of got to their feet and continued chatting away.<BR/><BR/>Henry:<BR/><BR/>Indeed, when people have no concert etiquette it isn't that they are failing to conform to some mysterious and elitist rules. It is just that they are blithely ignoring the obvious standard for behavior set around them, which is a expectation made of people participating in some sort of cultural event, classical or otherwise. And that standard has nothing to do with wearing a monocle or being an elitist prig. It is first and foremost about not fucking it up for the people around you who are trying to concentrate on the music. <BR/><BR/>Secondarily, it is about showing some semblance of appreciation or gratitude for the performers, perhaps by imitating how the 1000s of human beings surrounding you are responding. But maybe we should just work on number one first.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15748408812275965064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1152739076912487392006-07-12T17:17:00.000-04:002006-07-12T17:17:00.000-04:00The guy behind me enjoyed Sumi and Barry so much h...The guy behind me enjoyed Sumi and Barry so much he let out ear-splitting whistles, as if he was attending a taping of American Idol. I am a regular Met standee and have experienced a lot...but never this. So I operatically screamed right in his face (during the applause) for him to cut it out. I must have reminded him of his mother,(or grandmother) because he stopped immediately and never whistled again. Very satisfying. Very good Opera too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18540063.post-1152446034060134852006-07-09T07:53:00.000-04:002006-07-09T07:53:00.000-04:00"If you're in a chair and under a tent, even if yo..."If you're in a chair and under a tent, even if you can hear crickets, standard concert hall etiquette prevails."<BR/><BR/>You're assuming that they know what that is...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com