![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
May. 11th, 2008
Barnard, Bach and other things
May. 11th, 2008 09:41 amYears ago, I was quite active in the Barnard College Club of Chicago, but, as with many organizations, a few people did most of the organizing, and as life moved on, so did they (we), and the Club became moribund. A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a couple of alumnae who want to revive the Club, so I went to an organizational meeting on Thursday evening. There was quite a good turnout - about a dozen people, including a couple of women who were also active back in the day. It sounds as though there is more communication and support from the College than was true in the past, so I am hopeful that this will get off the ground.
Friday, I rented The Golden Compass, which I enjoyed very much, and I still want every outfit Nicole Kidman (Mrs. Coulter) wore! I do think that they should have used the "Battle on the Ice" music from Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky for the final battle scene!
Yesterday, I got much accomplished. I took my car in for an oil change, which was quickly done. In fact, the car was washed and delivered before I'd finished up with the cashier. Should I, however, blame the wash for the fact that it is now pouring rain? Then I: paid bills, picked up books at the library, went to the bank, dry cleaners, grocery store, post office (bought a bunch of "forever" stamps!), and drug store, returned the movie to Blockbuster, came home and did a couple of loads of laundry. Whew! Then I went across the street to a Style Central, a local home décor store, where the owner was having a special Mother's Day event, with champagne and munchies.
Last night was the performance of Bach's Coffee Cantata that I'd mentioned in a previous post. It was tremendous fun! Turned out, it was more than just a performance of the cantata. I got there shortly before the listed starting time, only to discover that the first half-hour was a coffee service! They'd laid out pastries and strawberries, and coffee and tea, and actually encourage people to take them into the recital hall. Then, the members of the ensemble, singly and in various combinations, played bits and pieces of other Bach works. Then on to the main event, which I enjoyed very much. It was cleverly staged, beautifully costumed, and the performers were clearly having the time of their lives. The soprano was in particularly good voice. After that, the three singers and the harpsichordist treated us to operatic selections from Gluck and Mozart.
The performance was by the University of Chicago Cantata Collegium which, according to the program (by the way, whoever did the program obviously has a great sense of humor, because on the back there is a brown splotch and ring, like someone spilled coffee on it!), has a goal of "implement[ing] the University's interdisciplinary curriculum as a model for artistic collaboration, and poulariz[ing] the art of opera through free public programming." I'd say they are off to a good start - the room was full. And what an interesting group it is! The stage manager is off to Paris this summer, "where she will be designing parts for jet planes", the second violin will be in India at the Centre on Micro Finance, the set designer is a philosopher, and the flutist is a post-doc in biophysics!
After the concert, I decided to try a new restaurant in the neighborhood. It's actually been open several months, and is owned by the same people who have a very good Thai noodle place. This one, Chant, is advertised as "Asian Inspired Global Cuisine". I am sorry to say that I was disappointed. I had a chicken curry, which, while decent, was not as good as the one at the noodle place. The service was not very good; I had quite a wait for the menu, and later for the bill. And it's noisy! I really don't like noisy restaurants. It's bad enough when you are alone, but I hate going out with friends and being unable to carry on a conversation without shouting. Unfortunately, this is a problem at too many restaurants these days, including so-called "upscale" ones (in fact, it's rather more of a problem with those, I think).
This afternoon, I'm off to hear Don Giovanni!
Friday, I rented The Golden Compass, which I enjoyed very much, and I still want every outfit Nicole Kidman (Mrs. Coulter) wore! I do think that they should have used the "Battle on the Ice" music from Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky for the final battle scene!
Yesterday, I got much accomplished. I took my car in for an oil change, which was quickly done. In fact, the car was washed and delivered before I'd finished up with the cashier. Should I, however, blame the wash for the fact that it is now pouring rain? Then I: paid bills, picked up books at the library, went to the bank, dry cleaners, grocery store, post office (bought a bunch of "forever" stamps!), and drug store, returned the movie to Blockbuster, came home and did a couple of loads of laundry. Whew! Then I went across the street to a Style Central, a local home décor store, where the owner was having a special Mother's Day event, with champagne and munchies.
Last night was the performance of Bach's Coffee Cantata that I'd mentioned in a previous post. It was tremendous fun! Turned out, it was more than just a performance of the cantata. I got there shortly before the listed starting time, only to discover that the first half-hour was a coffee service! They'd laid out pastries and strawberries, and coffee and tea, and actually encourage people to take them into the recital hall. Then, the members of the ensemble, singly and in various combinations, played bits and pieces of other Bach works. Then on to the main event, which I enjoyed very much. It was cleverly staged, beautifully costumed, and the performers were clearly having the time of their lives. The soprano was in particularly good voice. After that, the three singers and the harpsichordist treated us to operatic selections from Gluck and Mozart.
The performance was by the University of Chicago Cantata Collegium which, according to the program (by the way, whoever did the program obviously has a great sense of humor, because on the back there is a brown splotch and ring, like someone spilled coffee on it!), has a goal of "implement[ing] the University's interdisciplinary curriculum as a model for artistic collaboration, and poulariz[ing] the art of opera through free public programming." I'd say they are off to a good start - the room was full. And what an interesting group it is! The stage manager is off to Paris this summer, "where she will be designing parts for jet planes", the second violin will be in India at the Centre on Micro Finance, the set designer is a philosopher, and the flutist is a post-doc in biophysics!
After the concert, I decided to try a new restaurant in the neighborhood. It's actually been open several months, and is owned by the same people who have a very good Thai noodle place. This one, Chant, is advertised as "Asian Inspired Global Cuisine". I am sorry to say that I was disappointed. I had a chicken curry, which, while decent, was not as good as the one at the noodle place. The service was not very good; I had quite a wait for the menu, and later for the bill. And it's noisy! I really don't like noisy restaurants. It's bad enough when you are alone, but I hate going out with friends and being unable to carry on a conversation without shouting. Unfortunately, this is a problem at too many restaurants these days, including so-called "upscale" ones (in fact, it's rather more of a problem with those, I think).
This afternoon, I'm off to hear Don Giovanni!
Sunday afternoon
May. 11th, 2008 09:35 pm
I actually went to the Art Institute before the opera, intending to see the Hopper/Homer exhibition again. In the event, I didn't, because by the time I got there, the next available time would have been just about when I would have to leave to go to the pre-opera lecture. So instead, I just wandered about taking pictures.
On the way to the Harris Theatre, I stopped to watch the installation of the Nichols Bridgeway, which will connect the Art Institute's new Modern Wing to Millennium Park. (This has been going on all weekend; I don't know how long it will take.)
So, the opera. Aaaarrrgghhhh! My favorite opera, and they ruined it! I actually walked out at intermission (some people left even earlier). See, I don't mind updating, when it has a purpose, and when it fits with the psychology and relationships in the libretto. Don Giovanni in a sex club doesn't. What are Donna Anna and her father doing there? If Musetto brings Zerlina to a sex club, he certainly shouldn't be upset if someone tries to seduce her. And ex-nun Donna Elvira in dominatrix drag? The whole thing was ridiculous. So I came home and made a spinach and mushroom quiche for dinner and did my Italian homework.