Thursday, October 19, 2006

R&J and Fledermouse can suck a nut

J: dude there was just a centipede in my office
J: I screamed and made my intern kill it
A: sick!
A: how long?
J: oh man!
J: we lost it
J: and are now in a fight with this tree hugger girl in the office
J: though PS she eats meat and wears leather
J: but is mad that we killed a 'pede
A: whatever
A: those things are like animals
A: they are not to be allowed inside
A: the new cubs manager is giving a press conference, and just said something like "I'd like to have the success Joe Torre's had with the Yankees over here"
A: and there was an audible beat of silence from the reporters
J: hah
J: is idle at 1:13:06 PM.
J: is no longer idle at 1:27:55 PM.
J: is idle at 1:57:58 PM.
J: is away at 2:32:58 PM.
J: returned at 2:36:51 PM.
J: signed off at 6:54:58 PM.
J: signed on at 9:14:46 PM.
A: dude
A: I just *swam*
J: wow!
J: that is awesome
A: It basically killed me
A: more or less
J: well right
J: but it feels good
A: and in some way I feel there is more potential for going back than with running
A: where you're all "I feel great! I'm doing this every other day! (not)"
J: yeah that makes sense
A: also, the cat is apparently really intrigued by chlorine
A: he's going crazy on everything I brought back
J: oh awesome
J: Cristina Gallardo-Domas is such ass
J: it
J: is so retarded
A: you went again?
J: I am listening
A: oh right
A: where the hell did she come from anyhow?
A: this was her debut, right?
J: no
J: she did some Mimis and stuff before
A: there was no alternate cho-cho san night, right?
J: no!
J: I hope she falls ill when my parents are here
A: when are your parents coming?
J: Veteran's Day weekend
A: nice
A: anything besides budderfly on the agenda?
J: they are joining the Barbiere premiere
A: oh cool
J: hah Juntwait is hilarious about the puppet
J: she just said "now the entire company is in a line...along with the puppet boy...who is bowing....by the way."
A: hahaha
A: MJ
A: awesome
J: I have done a total 180 on that woman
A: I want it so bad
A: I am on ebay now
J: wait wait
J: don't buy one
A: k
A: ?
J: just don't ;-)
A: oh you...
A: Sports radio is discussing whether it is valid to be happy about the Bears' win last night.
J: a win is always good, I think
A: people here are very self-critical
J: right
A: it was pretty awesome at the time though
A: they were down like 13 five minutes from the end of the game and made it all back
J: yeah that is neat
A: people in Jimmy's were like shrieking with joy
J: I mean, I maintain football is sort of retarded and boring
J: haha
J: like, I am not one to rag on sports or anything
J: but football I just can't engage with
A: I mean, just to be clear, I still haven't watched a complete game
J: I suppose I haven't really tried
J: hah
J: whew
A: the third quarter of monday night football starts about when I get out of choir
J: haha
J: my parents are going to Tristan in SF this weekend
J: I am jealous
A: oooh
A: awesome
A: Brewer?
J: yeah
J: I like her
A: who is the 'stan?
J: Moser
A: he seems like the go to tristan, but no one is very happy about it
J: is he bad?
J: well it's kinda like how Linda Watson is the go to Brunnhilde...but have you ever met a LInda Watson fan?
A: the one thing I really remember him from is this Frau Ohne Schatten video
A: where he was really great
J: oh neat
A: I am back and forth re: Watson
J: I have never really heard her
J: I never really heard much of the Bayreuth b'casts
A: Re-Listening through those Bayreuth b'casts there were times when I thought she had pitch and stridency issues, and times when I thought she was interesting and right on
J: oh cool
A: it's way on the gym-teacher end of the Brunnhilde spectrum
A: which isn't necessarily bad
J: well she is the B-hilds in the DC Walküre this season
A: oh--Vincent from choir has podcasts with the highlights
A: I'm sure they are still on his site
J: oh swell
J: I'll listen
J: but I think right now since I am not prepared to sit entirely still with headphone I am going to put on the Tristan with Meier and Jerusalem
A: I still need to hear her Isolde
J: he sounds a little assy on it
A: that is Barenboim?
J: but she is good
A: he is assy all over
A: the Siegfried on those Bayreuth 'casts is neat
J: it is B-boim
A: He has to noticeably change his tone to hit some stuff, but it may really be the most secure Siegfried one can find these days, and he is very musical
A: he spent like 6 years in the "Phantom" nat'l tour before returning to opera
A: it is a neat story
J: oh wow
J: like, AS the Phantom?
J: I am so glad he came back
A: yeah...THE phantom
J: huh
J: I have been wondering if Forbis could ever sing the more serious Wagner stuff
A: right?
A: he totally does the 'stan
J: oh man I would LOVE to hear his 'stan
J: oh and he sings Parsifal
A: dude, they need to give him that shit at the Met
A: nothing against Hep B
A: but they need to mix it
A: up
A: fuck
A: no more rib tips left
J: oh crud
J: and PS
J: totally fine to diss the Hep B
J: the guy has great moments but if often a disappointment
J: is often
J: ok hm
J: maybe I should switch over to the Bayreuth Tristan from 1953 with Nilsson
J: the Barenboim is sort of bumming me out
A: who's the conductor on that '53 bayreuth?
J: oh sorry
J: I was getting it confused with a '53 Krauss Ring
J: it is '66
J: and Böhm
A: ah
A: I was about to comment on how ridiculously long that woman's career was
J: have you seen this M-A trailer?
J: they are side by side on the shelf
A: arg
A: I am missing a plugin
J: urg
A: I don't know why it hates me
A: everything seemed to be going so well
A: I need a laptop
J: it's just a quicktime, so that is weird
A: when does it open everywhere?
J: friday
A: I was in this funny dance club on the North Side on Friday called "Berlin" and it was plastered with Marie Antoinette posters
J: oh awesome
A: clifton forbis has a nice big Wagner face
J: he does
J: I like the CF
A: I bet he has a really funny deep speaking voice
J: and maybe a souther accent
A: yeah...I want to hear him talk
A: barber premiere is the 10th, right?
A: maybe I will get my sister tix to that
A: it is her birthday thursday
A: but all the cav/pags look kind of dumb
A: so much Farina
J: is idle at 11:55:03 PM.
J: is no longer idle at 12:04:55 AM.
J: I know it
J: it gets better in the January ones
J: Guleghina is replaced by Zajick and Farina is replaced by someone who is not Farina
A: score
A: it is too bad all the DZ trovatores here are right after you'll be here
J: hrm
J: yeah
J: I think my next Chicago opera trip will be Carmelites
A: oh...it's S-rad too
J: I know!
A: barring the DZ and S-rad, tho, that's really the only other interesting thing on the schedule
A: I'll go to the Cosi, but R&J and Fledermouse can suck a nut
J: yeah
J: oh but it's lovely Matthew Polenzani
J: in R&J
A: oh!
A: hm
A: I am so turned off by that opera after last year
J: yeah
A: I guess the chances are pretty slim that the Lyric would come up with something as retarded as the Met
J: it's true

2 comments:

Lisa Hirsch said...

Re Watson, I've heard her twice. Four Last Songs and Liebestod at Berkeley Symphony last year, as Kundry in Seattle in 2003. (I can't believe it was that long ago; it seems like yesterday even though the last three years have been a little nuts.) I liked her a lot both times; she's short on top but musical, good singer, not very specific with the words.

(Looking at my review of the Berk. Symph., I'm surprised at how much I liked Nagano, whom I hated last time I heard him.)

Must also confess: not a fan of Nilsson on the Boehm. Okay, it probably is the most recommendable Tristan on record; it's complete, well-conducted, in good sound, with good singers. But oh god Nilsson's unsteadiness in almost every phrase. No one wants to admit it's there, but isn't it totally obvious next to the goddess Christa?

Opera Gal said...

Alex & Jonathan - just found your blog, and it brings me joy. I wish I could IM anyone about opera.

thanks for the joy.