30 Before 30 #8 - BOSE!

I'm not really sure at what point I fixed on the idea of getting a pair of Bose Noise-Cancelling headphones. I think it was probably sometime during 2007 or 2008, aka the Airmiles Years, in which I was back and forth - lucky me - to London, Budapest, Athens, Tokyo and LA with quite substantial frequency, and seemed to see people everywhere with these wonderful headsets. And for Christmas last year I got a pair, at last! They are everything one might dream of, and more.

I think they make a rather strange status-symbol, though. Wearing them on a plane really is tantamount to being able to switch off completely, and ignore safety announcements, flight attendants, children, drunks etc. Admittedly the technology is such that the headphones are not in a position to block fully the sound of someone talking to you - probably just as well - but the reduction in low-level hum is little short of miraculous.

As for the sound quality - the first thing I played through them was Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto, and it was quite an experience. This is a piece I know pretty well, but it was like listening to it entirely anew. The colours that these babies bring to your ears are astonishing!

Wild Card Wednesday - The Beatitudes

Yesterday in rehearsal we had a quiet moment during a particularly emotional scene, and for some reason I was moved to read The Beatitudes to our assembled company. Regardless of one's faith or denomination, they are very beautiful blessings, and certainly words that anyone could take comfort from and live by.

There's a really beautiful setting of the text by Arvo Part from 1990 - video below :)

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Tuesday Tunes - Chopin Piano Concerto

I grew up listening to Chopin. Much as I hate the idea of having - or listing - a 'favourite' anything, I think he has to remain my favourite composer. There are so many memories woven into my experience of this music. Apparently when I was super sick as a baby, my parents found that only Chopin would put me to sleep. The best song we sang in our school choir has to have been an arrangement of 'So Deep Is The Night' - from the 'Tristesse' Etude. Through my few short years of learning the piano, it was always in the hope of playing Chopin that I practiced. One afternoon my brother heard me playing the Raindrop Prelude and didn't believe that it was me playing - what a great compliment! (Second only to the examiner who, after my performance of the same piece for the Leaving Cert, smiled and said "wow. You must really love Chopin.") In Japan, I spent a number of rather homesick evenings banging on the grand piano we had in the basement of the dorms, trying to get back into piano shape - again, with Chopin - turning negative into positive.

By chance my iTunes shuffled its way to the second movement of the first piano concerto this morning. I don't know it nearly as well as the first, but it was so beautiful I played it twice. Quelle surprise. I hope you have a beautiful day.

Movie Monday - Don Giovanni

OK, so this isn't strictly a 'movie', but the only thing longer than a YouTube video that I've had time to watch of late is Peter Sellars' production of Don Giovanni, featuring a pair of identical twin brothers as Giovanni and Leporello. As ever, there is much probity to the interrogation of the text - the champagne aria, for instance, becomes a paean to heroin - and P.S. does a blistering job of breathing a comtemporary life into the libretto and the score. Marvellous stuff - and the casting of the Perry twins really heightens the analysis of the connection between the two men. Go Peter!

He's also on the cover of Opera News this month, in recognition of the arrival, at last, of Nixon in China at the Met. And I am going to see it on Saturday! So it's a very Peter week.

And here's the man himself, on the importance of financing culture.

Saturn-alia

And eventually, God created Saturn. And he liked it, so he put a ring on it.

(Courtesy of Tanya Dean and Becca Frere. This made my day!)

Spiced Sundays - Marjoram

Marjoram has always sounded vaguely Biblical to me - along with those phrases referring to Mustard-seeds, Marthas and Miriams, for some reason. Apparently its country of origin is Egypt, although it now features heavily in cuisines from as far off as Mexico and Romania, France and Poland. There's something very pleasing to me about this list of countries, because we have representatives of all of them in our production of Dialogues des Carmelites - whose opera likewise features a reference to this obscure spice!

Apparently it's closely related to oregano, and must likewise be added rather late in the cooking process for best flavour bouquet. (...) It features often in the spice mixes Herbes de Provence, and indeed Za'ataar - a middle-Eastern blend of various spices, sesame and salt. Delicious.

Seasonal Saturday - Chinese New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Apparently people born in the Year of the Rabbit and those born in the year of the Rooster (like me) wind up being thoroughly incompatible and unable to stand each other. Who knew?

Within the realm of Chinese astrology, the Rabbit (and I'm assuming, therefore, its year, 2011...) is "most stylish, finds interest in different cultures. Classy and sophisticated, and can be found adorning one of the latest fashion magazines... Plenty of artistic ventures, generally quite present in such worlds. Loves to express themselves - lots of flair either entertaining at home or sharing a cup of coffee with friends". If that's what this year has to offer, I'll take it!