Thursday, February 12, 2009

Louis plays a round with himself



Louis is one of the Maestrosities--I've seen several of their shows, and I love them. I hope they start performing again soon.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

50,000 visitors!

Sometime yesterday this blog received its 50,000th visitor! The last couple days have seen a bit of a spike in readership, due to Mary Carillo, as usual. I wonder what she did that made so many people question whether she's transgender. (She's not. Absolutely. Positively. Definitely.)

Anyhow, thanks to all of you. Come back soon.

Plat du jour















What did they win?

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Weekly free associations

  1. Cups :: Saucers

  2. Brilliant :: Light

  3. Disobey :: Obey

  4. Abstain :: Present

  5. Daily :: News

  6. You make me :: want to shout!

  7. Hurl :: Throw up

  8. Intensify :: Strengthen

  9. Fuck! :: You!

  10. Race :: Walk
HT to Unconscious Mutterings.

Anne-Sophie Mutter at the NY Philharmonic

I haven't been posting reviews lately, but this time I have to make an exception. Last night we went to the NY Philharmonic, where Anne-Sophie Mutter was the main soloist. She wore the most fantastic dress I have ever seen on a classical concert stage. These photos I found on the internet do not do it justice.
To get the full effect of the dress you have to see it directly from the front. Mutter always performs in a strapless gown, but this one is just magnificent. She was, as the hackneyed expression goes, poured into the dress. It showed every curve of her perfectly proportioned body (She's a 45-year old mother of two!). I have to wonder if she can sit down in it. It is beauty like this that keeps me returning to the NY Philharmonic year after year.

Oops, I almost forgot: This was a concert, not a fashion show. It's the beauty of the music that keeps me returning. Mutter played Mendelsohn's Violin Concerto superbly. I could not believe how fast she went, and sometimes I was amazed the orchestra could keep up with her. The rest of the program, two other Mendelsohn pieces, were almost superfluous, though conductor Kurt Mazur did his best. The former music director of the Philharmonic received ovation after ovation, for what might be his final time conducting his former orchestra.