This is the first opera I have ever experienced, and while I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to see another, I can't say I'm not necessarily going to mind. There's an incredible amount of appreciation to have for all aspects of an operatic production, as it truly is a combination of all theater arts on steroids. The scenic design and costumes are grand, the physical and vocal work is incredible, and it's simply a beautiful spectacle.
I enjoyed UNC's production of Don Giovanni for these many reasons. I wasn't engrossed with the story or baffled by the performances, but had high praise for the work that was being done. I was able to soak in the beauty of the arts, the delicious composition of the music, and so on. The show was impressive, and humorous, and well directed. I've been a part of some intricate productions before, and can only imagine the group effort to get something like this on its feet. It's not a surprise that the rehearsal process was held over a span of a few months. That's absolutely necessary not only to make sure that everything can be directed and choreographed, etc; but also to make sure that no details have been missed and that everything will indeed fit together.
Yikes! What a job to take on. But it was taken on and handled beautifully and the show was one to be proud of for all involved. The show was a wonderful introduction to the art of Opera and has helped open up my mind and appreciation for the many forms of art just a little bit more.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
You Can't Take It With You
I don't know if I can describe how incredibly proud I am of UNC's final main stage production of the Spring 2011 semester. Everything was magnificent and beautiful in only the ways theater can present.
The set is probably the biggest and best of any production I've ever seen. I expected something in relation to the Denver Center's incredible 3 story house for August: Osage Country that took my breath away; however, TCTIWY seemed so much more full and alive. Nik-naks and paintings and books and animals and plants and the list goes on and on sprawled across the stage setting the busy home for an artistic family that is always working on something. Dad and his friend are in the basement making fireworks, mom's working on yet another one of her plays, her daughter's practicing dancing in between baking her candy, her husband is writing and practicing his new composition on the xylophone, and grandpa practices his darts. The best part - that doesn't cover half of it.
The production is littered with 13+ characters that are all interesting and not at all boring in their own ways. The pace is quick for the most part, with some slower sweeter moments, and a few very awkward moments that (thankfully) never linger too long. The timing was snap-snap throughout keeping the flow of characters in and out of the room extremely smooth, and only a few moments that the timing was off just enough for the joke to not quite hit - but still be gotten.
The direction of the show was tight from David Grapes, who luckily worked with an incredible ensemble of actors who know what they're doing and can do it right. Everyone found so many wonderful characteristics in their portrayals that made them stand out in their own right, and everyone had their moments in the show. In fact, the show felt most like a sitcom at times with the audience hooting and hollering with applause enough to stop the show. This is damn funny.
Personally knowing or working or having worked with almost the entirety of the cast filled a warm spot in my heart as I watched these brilliant performers at the beginning of their careers. Their performances, and the show in general, reignited any fleeting thoughts or feelings I may have experienced in the theater arts. It charged me and fueled me, giving me the boost I've needed in the overwhelming past weeks where my college career is coming to an end and my acting career is about to begin with the LA Showcase in May.
This production was magical. Not quite perfect, but as damn close as you can get with the few flaws that are just the nature of live theater. This show inspired me to never forget what really matters in life, and how doing what you love and having fun while doing it is the only way to live as fully as you can. That's something you can take with you.
The set is probably the biggest and best of any production I've ever seen. I expected something in relation to the Denver Center's incredible 3 story house for August: Osage Country that took my breath away; however, TCTIWY seemed so much more full and alive. Nik-naks and paintings and books and animals and plants and the list goes on and on sprawled across the stage setting the busy home for an artistic family that is always working on something. Dad and his friend are in the basement making fireworks, mom's working on yet another one of her plays, her daughter's practicing dancing in between baking her candy, her husband is writing and practicing his new composition on the xylophone, and grandpa practices his darts. The best part - that doesn't cover half of it.
The production is littered with 13+ characters that are all interesting and not at all boring in their own ways. The pace is quick for the most part, with some slower sweeter moments, and a few very awkward moments that (thankfully) never linger too long. The timing was snap-snap throughout keeping the flow of characters in and out of the room extremely smooth, and only a few moments that the timing was off just enough for the joke to not quite hit - but still be gotten.
The direction of the show was tight from David Grapes, who luckily worked with an incredible ensemble of actors who know what they're doing and can do it right. Everyone found so many wonderful characteristics in their portrayals that made them stand out in their own right, and everyone had their moments in the show. In fact, the show felt most like a sitcom at times with the audience hooting and hollering with applause enough to stop the show. This is damn funny.
Personally knowing or working or having worked with almost the entirety of the cast filled a warm spot in my heart as I watched these brilliant performers at the beginning of their careers. Their performances, and the show in general, reignited any fleeting thoughts or feelings I may have experienced in the theater arts. It charged me and fueled me, giving me the boost I've needed in the overwhelming past weeks where my college career is coming to an end and my acting career is about to begin with the LA Showcase in May.
This production was magical. Not quite perfect, but as damn close as you can get with the few flaws that are just the nature of live theater. This show inspired me to never forget what really matters in life, and how doing what you love and having fun while doing it is the only way to live as fully as you can. That's something you can take with you.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
As a Weapon in the Hands of the Restless Poor
This article nearly brought tears to my eyes. What an incredible story did unfold giving such a huge insight within a small circumstance.
It is truly amazing to see how an education in arts, philosophy, and so forth can change a human being so much for the better. Not only did these poor individuals end up earning so much physically through continuing on to institutions with scholarships, etc; they became rich in thought and heart through all that they learned.
That should be the defining difference between those who are truly rich and poor.
I really have nothing more to say that the smile on my unseen face doesn't express.
It is truly amazing to see how an education in arts, philosophy, and so forth can change a human being so much for the better. Not only did these poor individuals end up earning so much physically through continuing on to institutions with scholarships, etc; they became rich in thought and heart through all that they learned.
That should be the defining difference between those who are truly rich and poor.
I really have nothing more to say that the smile on my unseen face doesn't express.
As Lite Entertainment for Bored College Students
It may be due to my lack of consciousness slowly creeping in as I read this text, or the fact that this text is somewhat difficult to read due to the poor quality of the scanning, but Mark Edmundson seems like an enemy of the liberal arts in our schools simply because he doesn't feel people should have an "enjoyable" experience while learning. This may be a strong statement, and possibly it's completely false, but how he speaks negatively about being adored for making his classes fun and how our generation is affected by the constant stream of white noise coming from the radio and television sets makes him sound pointedly against anything that isn't straight-forward, thought changing, education.
I agree on many parts as Mark dissects the political environment of a college campus and compares it more to a candy store - showing off the goods so students will be interested in buying, taking samplers until they find the right taste, etc - than a collegiate establishment meant to educate students within certain standards in order to receive a degree that fully states their accomplishments and knowledge of specific topics.
Colleges do make the process too easy for students. The classes aren't difficult enough, and most professors aren't shying away from admitting that they are dumbing down their course material from what it was before because the newer generations are struggling. How sad is this, that really any worthless being can attend a college and ghost their way to a degree? How is it fair that those who don't care to try get to succeed just as much as those who actually give a shit?
Now this isn't necessarily true in the outside world; reality after university. But we're all on the same road to an ultimate goal, and I personally feel that one better be damn well committed to reach the end. This is also something that baffles me of students who find college time to be party time. What's the point? Why don't you simply rent a house on campus and save the tuition costs on booze instead of wasting your time and money on classes you're going to drop or fail out of anyway?
And why are some of these students not dropping or failing out of classes? Because they university is holding their hands. Most professors have the mentality that "we want you to succeed" without any mention or emphasis on "striving to succeed." The student's should be putting forth the effort, not the professors.
Now dismissing liberal education doesn't necessarily fix the ADD issue students have. What professors and universities need to understand is how this can be used as a tool to help students. It can only be used as such if the teacher forces a challenge on the students to keep to a certain par of performance, while using more enjoyable means of educating.
It sounds to me that Mr. Edmundson needs to stop whining and do something about it.
I agree on many parts as Mark dissects the political environment of a college campus and compares it more to a candy store - showing off the goods so students will be interested in buying, taking samplers until they find the right taste, etc - than a collegiate establishment meant to educate students within certain standards in order to receive a degree that fully states their accomplishments and knowledge of specific topics.
Colleges do make the process too easy for students. The classes aren't difficult enough, and most professors aren't shying away from admitting that they are dumbing down their course material from what it was before because the newer generations are struggling. How sad is this, that really any worthless being can attend a college and ghost their way to a degree? How is it fair that those who don't care to try get to succeed just as much as those who actually give a shit?
Now this isn't necessarily true in the outside world; reality after university. But we're all on the same road to an ultimate goal, and I personally feel that one better be damn well committed to reach the end. This is also something that baffles me of students who find college time to be party time. What's the point? Why don't you simply rent a house on campus and save the tuition costs on booze instead of wasting your time and money on classes you're going to drop or fail out of anyway?
And why are some of these students not dropping or failing out of classes? Because they university is holding their hands. Most professors have the mentality that "we want you to succeed" without any mention or emphasis on "striving to succeed." The student's should be putting forth the effort, not the professors.
Now dismissing liberal education doesn't necessarily fix the ADD issue students have. What professors and universities need to understand is how this can be used as a tool to help students. It can only be used as such if the teacher forces a challenge on the students to keep to a certain par of performance, while using more enjoyable means of educating.
It sounds to me that Mr. Edmundson needs to stop whining and do something about it.
The Library
This compositional piece came about without any real thought or decision to create something filled with meaning. I was having a good day getting many things accomplished, and had the urge to finish off this assignment along with the others that had been checked off my list.
I wandered around my room hitting things and thinking about what I could use to create a piece. I fell upon my book shelf, and began thinking of the many sounds a book can make. Then I thought, that isn't enough. Paper and books. Scribbles, crumbles, etc. These are things you'd hear in a library or classroom. Wonderful, we have something here. Now how can I keep track of all these sounds in some organized way? I don't have a beat...or at least one that's interesting. Then I thought how perfect it'd be to have words keep the rhythm.
I found the instructions to a final essay and copied them into Word. Perfect.
I printed everything off and had fun drawing pictures and imagining how it'd all turn out. In the end it was alright. I'd prefer to compose with actual instruments in the future.
I wandered around my room hitting things and thinking about what I could use to create a piece. I fell upon my book shelf, and began thinking of the many sounds a book can make. Then I thought, that isn't enough. Paper and books. Scribbles, crumbles, etc. These are things you'd hear in a library or classroom. Wonderful, we have something here. Now how can I keep track of all these sounds in some organized way? I don't have a beat...or at least one that's interesting. Then I thought how perfect it'd be to have words keep the rhythm.
I found the instructions to a final essay and copied them into Word. Perfect.
I printed everything off and had fun drawing pictures and imagining how it'd all turn out. In the end it was alright. I'd prefer to compose with actual instruments in the future.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
!@#$%^&*()_-+=:;"'<,>.?/~
The compositions of Jean-Claude Risset can be best described as one or all of the following:
- The soundtrack to the year 2300 as represented by a 1970's SciFi film.
- The "Star Gate" sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The backing track to a Pink Floyd song/album sans vocals/instrumentation mixed in.
- A nightmarish experience for anyone "Rolling" or "Tripping".
- Interesting, but highly unnecessary.
Obviously this is completely subjective, as there is much to appreciate and look at in this genre of sound making. I can understand the complexity and time it takes to create such a piece as these presented tonight, and I can appreciate the creative process from Composer to Musician or Vocalist. This is not easy to perform, nor is it easy to listen to. Avante-garde is a word that's lost all meaning in nearly every sense that it used to be used. Nowadays it simply means, "weird, different, out of the ordinary" or any other term that lets you know it won't be within the confines or structure of what is stereotypical.
Listening to these pieces I remembered the experience of what it is to watch many of Samuel Beckett's short works. Being an absurdest playwright, many of his pieces serve no purpose of moral telling or entertainment value; however, they exist and are to be respected because of it. Such is the way with compositions such as Risset's, which at many times gave me an experience that is similar to the idea behind Beckett's piece "Rockaby" which gives the audience the feeling of watching an individual slowly and finally pass away on their death bed. You sit, waiting and wishing for it to be over, as terrible an experience it is.
I do not mean to belittle or be abrasive towards this mans hard work, career, or reputation. Again, this is all one persons opinion. It is, I'm certain, an opinion shared by many others; though, certainly not all.
The event did inspire me to create and compose works of my own, and hopefully be able to tell a grand story through the work. We'll see whatever happens.
- The soundtrack to the year 2300 as represented by a 1970's SciFi film.
- The "Star Gate" sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The backing track to a Pink Floyd song/album sans vocals/instrumentation mixed in.
- A nightmarish experience for anyone "Rolling" or "Tripping".
- Interesting, but highly unnecessary.
Obviously this is completely subjective, as there is much to appreciate and look at in this genre of sound making. I can understand the complexity and time it takes to create such a piece as these presented tonight, and I can appreciate the creative process from Composer to Musician or Vocalist. This is not easy to perform, nor is it easy to listen to. Avante-garde is a word that's lost all meaning in nearly every sense that it used to be used. Nowadays it simply means, "weird, different, out of the ordinary" or any other term that lets you know it won't be within the confines or structure of what is stereotypical.
Listening to these pieces I remembered the experience of what it is to watch many of Samuel Beckett's short works. Being an absurdest playwright, many of his pieces serve no purpose of moral telling or entertainment value; however, they exist and are to be respected because of it. Such is the way with compositions such as Risset's, which at many times gave me an experience that is similar to the idea behind Beckett's piece "Rockaby" which gives the audience the feeling of watching an individual slowly and finally pass away on their death bed. You sit, waiting and wishing for it to be over, as terrible an experience it is.
I do not mean to belittle or be abrasive towards this mans hard work, career, or reputation. Again, this is all one persons opinion. It is, I'm certain, an opinion shared by many others; though, certainly not all.
The event did inspire me to create and compose works of my own, and hopefully be able to tell a grand story through the work. We'll see whatever happens.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
What to Listen For in the World
Music has always inspired me. As an artist, more specifically an actor, I have always been extremely emotionally attached to music and the story or feelings it can represent. Something magical happens when lyrics are belted with full intensity over a swelling of sound and tears are brought to your eyes for the understanding of what's happening in the story of the piece or because you're simply so moved by the beautiful intricacy of it.
I can fully relate to what Adolphe tells us in this article, about being inspired by the things around us without need of understanding it. Music is something that doesn't always need an explanation, and I think is too often prefaced with such. One such as myself, an actor, I must find every possible detail of the representation of what I am portraying or it is meaningless and thus doesn't work. Music does not need this detail, but can merely happen. Many composers have simply written whatever came to their mind as they let their emotions and feelings pour through them. At times they don't understand what they are getting out, and other times it's clear what burdens are on their mind as they construct their work.
Music is so much based on structure and technique and simply cannot work with it. Musicians are pretty incredible creatures for what they are capable of doing at one given time. Their mind and body must work seamlessly to create, and the training to it takes to reach such a place is magnificent.
I can only equate to the likes of playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero, video game versions of instrumental manipulation. Where a real guitar has chords, the game controller has several button aligned to be pressed and strummed in the likeness of a chord. Playing these games often I have had many instances where I have blanked out mentally and yet my fingers have made the impossible formations flashing by work. I am always surprised when this instance occurs and think myself a God for that moment.
What true God like abilities do real musicians possess.
I can fully relate to what Adolphe tells us in this article, about being inspired by the things around us without need of understanding it. Music is something that doesn't always need an explanation, and I think is too often prefaced with such. One such as myself, an actor, I must find every possible detail of the representation of what I am portraying or it is meaningless and thus doesn't work. Music does not need this detail, but can merely happen. Many composers have simply written whatever came to their mind as they let their emotions and feelings pour through them. At times they don't understand what they are getting out, and other times it's clear what burdens are on their mind as they construct their work.
Music is so much based on structure and technique and simply cannot work with it. Musicians are pretty incredible creatures for what they are capable of doing at one given time. Their mind and body must work seamlessly to create, and the training to it takes to reach such a place is magnificent.
I can only equate to the likes of playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero, video game versions of instrumental manipulation. Where a real guitar has chords, the game controller has several button aligned to be pressed and strummed in the likeness of a chord. Playing these games often I have had many instances where I have blanked out mentally and yet my fingers have made the impossible formations flashing by work. I am always surprised when this instance occurs and think myself a God for that moment.
What true God like abilities do real musicians possess.
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