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

my excellent canton adventure

i attended the saturday portion of this weekend's wagner symposium -- part of my...opera education -- it was organized by the wagner society of ohio, and was held in walsh university, in north canton

in the afternoon, i was introduced to the singing of jane eaglen -- a revelation

she held a master class, then talked about her career -- the interviewer, wagner society board member steve charitan, did a very nice job of pairing her recordings, and singing, of isolde and norma -- she's an amazing singer, and her rendition of casta diva...is incredible

i've added it to my...collection

one of the pupils in the master class, christina carr, will play maddalena, in opera circle's production of rigoletto, mid-june -- in playhouse square -- i gave her...my two cents' worth...on the quartet -- actually, it's...a couple-millions' worth [may 4: christina carr had said that she wasn't familiar with the part, the scene, and...had just purchased the libretto, during a layover in new york, on her way to cleveland]

in the evening, the canton symphony orchestra performed four wagner pieces and stravinsky's rite of spring

i was really impressed by the orchestra -- amazed to see...some...dozen cellists, and, maybe,...eight bassists -- although i was informed (by two members of the wagner board) that this was necessitated by wagner's music, and that the orchestra brought in musicians from indiana, pittsburgh, and other...points...unknown

the conductor, gerhardt zimmermann, has been there since 1980

hometown girl amy yekel (who was sponsored by the ohio wagner society) sang the liebestod from tristan und isolde and brunnhilde's immolation scene from gotterdammerung

the sublimity -- the sublimeness -- of the liebestod...struck me,...for the first time

in between, the orchestra played ride of the valkyries -- which always brings to mind...my main man bugs bunny's classic 'what's opera, doc?' -- years ago, i played for my nephews and niece, when they were...littler

in looking for the bugsie classic, i saw, to my amazement, that it's been done, on stage -- here are two productions

then, of course, there's robert duvall, who's one of my favorites

before the concert, i found, by chance, in belden village, a really good italian fast-food place -- piada -- part of a chain -- a woman in line told me she'd been to one in columbus -- i'll see about getting one...to these parts

i just looked for them, on-line, and,...lo and behold, there's one on cedar, just west of warrensville -- you'll find me...there