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Tosca Talk

Tosca BookletHow much should an audience member prepare for a performance? Some of my best memories come from the shows I stumbled into blindly only to be completely blown away. But most of the time, concerts are more fun when you already know the music. It’s no fun to see a David Mamet play without some idea of what you are in for. {2018 Update: It’s no fun to see a David Mamet play.}

Anyone who attends The Marriage of Figaro, as I once did, without knowing the song made famous by Bugs Bunny is actually in The Barber of Seville will be sorely disappointed. In theory, I like to be prepared, but I don’t always find the time for research ahead of time. Read More

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A History of My Life in 10 Songs

History of Rock'n'Roll in Ten Songs book cover

I have been reading Greil Marcus. I haven’t read A History of Rock ‘n’ Roll in 10 Songs yet, but the title intrigues me. One night I couldn’t sleep, and the result is the following chronological history of my life in ten songs. With only a couple exceptions, it would be more appropriate to list albums, but if singles are good enough for Marcus…

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Guardians of the Galaxy for the Win

Awesome MixLast week I had a good whine about parenting, so it’s only fair that I crow about the high point in my family life to date. Guardians of the Galaxy. Okay, that probably needs a little backstory. Before kids, a perfect date night was a bootleg John Woo movie. Like Tarantino, we would have had no qualms watching Shogun Assassin with our kindergartener. Except… Read More

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Oh Deer

MiyajimaDeer

We visited Japan when my oldest daughter was six, and gave her a camera to document the trip. She took this picture of a holy deer on Miyajima.

ByGD

Tosca Weekend

Tosca at Seattle Opera

When I go to the opera, I always feel like the Grandson at the end of The Princess Bride.

Grandpa, maybe you could come over and read it again to me tomorrow?

The action in Tosca takes place over about 18 hours. For the same amount of time, my life was completely focused on the opera last weekend when one of my dreams came true and I got to watch the Sunday matinee of Tosca after attending opening night on Saturday. 

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