new documentary about opera lovers' hangout in l.a.

a new friend, lisa dibenedictis, whom i met, a few months ago, after susan graham's concert in akron -- she (lisa) was with her neighbor's lovely granddaughter, miss haily -- well, lisa told me about her friend anne davis o'neal's documentary about a group of opera lovers, who have been gathering in a los angeles restaurant for 50 years

behind the scenes of baden-baden concert

great documentary, behind the scenes of the spectacular concert in baden-baden, in 2007

there's a part seven, which doesn't have a number...after the title

can't include it here -- here's a link to the video

turns out, the director of this documentary, robert dornhelm, is the person who directed the boheme movie starring netrebko and villazon

what i didn't understand, was what they were reviewing, in the studio -- was it, a post-mortem

triple-header in the sky: traviata documentary, eastwood's curve, luhrmann's romeo

on the trans-atlantic flight, wednesday night, i didn't sleep -- 'last night, i didn't get to sleep at all'

a song by the fifth dimension, i see, on youtube -- i forgot that -- a cleveland group, by the way -- although, on the wikipedia page about them, there's no reference...to cleveland -- i scrolled through the page, then did a search... -- nothing -- and...all of the founding members... -- not a one...born in cleveland -- nothing -- none,...in ohio -- well, we claim them,...in cleveland -- always been...a point of pride -- associate them...with...our fair city

well, i didn't sleep...because i watched three movies -- all, very good

my first choice...was a french documentary, 'traviata et nous' (the english title, 'becoming traviata') -- about the making of a recent production...in aix-en-provence (here, a link to the production i saw, three months ago, at the met) -- natalie dessay stars, as violetta valery -- the director...of the production, though, is the main player...in the production -- definitely...puts his stamp...on each...and every role -- a lot...goes into...each role, each...mannerism,...move -- amazing...how much work...is put into...each and every...little detail -- the movie...captures that...very well -- including...the final scene -- terrific -- lingers...on that -- also features...prominently...the conductor...and the musicians -- the instrumentalists -- and their interpretations...of the music -- their roles...in the drama -- at one point, as i remember it, the conductor tells the musicians, they're crying (referring to the song, the singing -- no doubt, the second...gilda-rigoletto duet -- the 'tutte le feste' duet)-- let's cry, he tells the musicians [update, august 9: reading this, as i...site this, in an e-mail to my...'opera list,' i see...i wrote down the wrong opera -- it's not the gilda-rigoletto duet, but...obviously...the violetta-germont duet, another...of verdi's...father-daughter specials]

it was in french -- don't know...if it's available...with english subtitles -- i guess so, according to the above poster

[september 10: i just read a review of this movie, in cleveland classical -- the movie was shown, four days ago, in the cleveland museum of art]

next, i watched a movie i wanted to see,...when it first came out -- 'trouble with the curve ball' -- also...very good -- well, might not be...for non-baseball people -- that, certainly, makes it...very appealing to me -- love...almost anything...to do with baseball -- the main themes, though, were...the father-daughter relationship and aging -- and includes...a romantic angle

the father-daughter...sections...were a bit overdone -- the daughter's...aspect -- aspects -- facets -- reactions -- what-have-you...struck me...as...a bit extreme -- imposed...psycho-babble -- all's well, though,....

finally, i had a choice between 'quartet'...and baz luhrmann's 'romeo + juliet,' which i've seen...a number of times -- great -- love it -- see it, whenever i have a chance (on television) -- 'quartet,' though, i just saw,...a few months ago -- and...three times, at that -- so,....

great movie -- excellent -- such...beautious lines -- they amaze -- and, on top of the story, the lines, the scenes, the drama, the thoughts,...ideas, the bard's...insights -- on top of all that,...a fantastic soundtrack -- some...super-...duper...songs

i got to the final scene -- romeo...entering the chapel...where juliet lies on...whatever-it's-called...at the front of the chapel -- and...the airline cut in, for the final announcements

i just clicked on the movie's soundtrack (on imdb), and...i noticed...that one of the tunes...is an opera song -- the 'liebestod,' from wagner's 'tristan and isolde' (which i heard in canton, two months ago) -- in the movie, imdb's page says, it's sung by leontyne price -- i don't remember that (in the movie), and i wonder...how much of it...they played -- i've gotta pay attention, next time -- maybe...i can find...that part of the movie...on youtube

oh -- another...note -- i first saw the film, soon after it came out -- my cousin...had just arrived from iraq, and...he joined me...to the theater -- i loved it -- was...entranced -- thought it...a great...adaptation...into a modern setting -- certainly,...faithful -- my cousin...i felt sorry for -- the shakespearean english

i found it -- well, at least...the song -- from the soundtrack -- i don't remember it...in the movie, though

new bbc documentary 'the genius of verdi'

the met's 'audition'

friday night, i watched the metropolitan opera's documentary 'the audition' -- very good -- enjoyable

the full documentary became unavailable on youtube -- here are three videos with excerpts

i then watched the follow-up conversation with renee fleming, susan graham and thomas hampson, all of whom (hampson, too, i think) were previous winners

then, in yesterday's live simulcast of the met's 'francesca da rimini,'...who's conducting the orchestra...but...marco armiliato, who's a mainstay...of...'audition'

i hadn't noticed him conducting the orchestra before, and...he was mentioned, as having conducted...at least one...recent met simulcast...that i'd seen