URBivore

San Gennaro poster

San Gennaro poster
Originally uploaded by BKMD

Have to check out opera night. Will skip the cannoli eating contest, though.

Opera Chic's tribute to L. Pavarotti

From Opera Chic:

As a New Yorker, Opera Chic wants to remember Big Luciano, a huge NYC lover, walking down Central Park South  -- where he still keeps an apartment --  in the wintertime, right before Xmas, his golden voice wrapped in layer upon layer of the silk scarves he loved so much and he considered his lucky charms, a smile on his face, and all that wonderful music ready to be created by his voice.

"Redacted" ends with a bathetic aria

Opera chic is reporting that opera fan Brian DePalma has chosen the Puccini aria E Lucevan Le Stelle (And the stars were shining) for the closing montage of his recent, very controversial film Redacted.

Quoting DePalma:

"The pictures are what will stop the war. One only hopes that these images will get the public incensed enough to motivate their Congressmen to vote against this war."

Regarding the use of this aria, I think we can forgive Puccini for the bathos, but not DePalma.

One of the Opera Chic's commenters:

That could work.  Don't know how Cavaradossi singing about Tosca's caresses really fits, but the last two lines:

L'ora e fuggita e muoio disperato!
E non ho amato mai tanto la vita!

[I die hopeless, despairing
And never before have I loved life like this!]

would seem to be apt.

Here is the full text which "is sung by Tosca's lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi (tenor), when lamenting his coming execution."

And the stars were shining,
and the earth smelled sweet,
the garden gate scraped,
and a step brushed the sand.
She came in, fragrant,
and fell into my arms.

Oh! sweetest of kisses, oh! languorous caresses,
while I trembled as I loosed her lovely features concealed by her mantle!
My dream of love has vanished for ever,
The moment has passed, and I die in despair!
And I never have loved life so much!

Speaking of cover songs: "Hey Ya" as a folk tune

Posted just over a year ago by Mat Weddle of the Obadiah Parker. Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS2PRP89eqM

What's cooler than being cool? Ice cold.

Speaking of Yelp...Alizee video

This is a recommendation for a non-English pop star from one of the discussions on Yelp (although in this video she's singing a Madonna song). Alizee is French and has some other videos on YouTube. Puts Brittany and the rest to shame, IMHO.

West Indian Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn

The Children's Carnival is tomorrow starting at 8am, and then the parade on Labor Day. I don't know if they have j'ouvert, but it's worth checking out.

From Wikipedia: "J'ouvert (pronounced 'joovay' locally) involves calypso/soca
bands and their followers dancing in the capital cities of the various
islands. The festival starts well before dawn and peaks a few hours
after sunrise. Part of the tradition involves smearing paint, mud, or
oil on the participants known as Jab Jabs. This is done in remembrance
of a civil disturbance in Port of Spain, Trinidad, when the people smeared themselves with oil to avoid being recognized."

I was at the carnival in Trinidad one year. The whole island shuts down for two weeks or more in preparation for this very elaborate event. It supposedly is the second best behind Rio.

WIADCA - The Official Website of The West Indian American Day Carnival Association - HOME

UPDATE: Here's a good description of this event from a Yelper, David M:

The West Indian American Day Carnival is the biggest parade in New York with over 3 million participants each year. The parade depicts elaborately designed costumes, illustrating beauty and pageantry. There are many masqueraders and huge sound trucks, some with live performers. The service roads have stands of vendors lined up selling foods, crafts, books, clothing, art, jewelry, and much more. The parade begins at 11am and ends at 6pm. There will be live performers in front of the viewing stage at the Brooklyn Library. The parade rout begins at the corner of Rochester & Eastern Parkway and ends near Grand Army Plaza where non-masqueraders can jump up with the bands.

There will be plenty of food to taste on Carnival Day. All of Eastern Parkway will be host to various dishes from every Caribbean island. There will be stands lined up along the service roads selling jerk chicken, chicken stew, fried chicken, beef stew, oxtail, rice and peas, salad, macaroni pie, fried flying fish, curry goat, roti, callaloo, souse, salt fish, fried bake, coconut bread, and much more. There is plenty to choose from, whatever your diet may be.

 

Powered by ScribeFire.

Japan's best-selling Xbox 360 videogame features Frederic Chopin

"the best-selling 360 videogame in all of Japan has Frederic Chopin as its lead character."

Opera Chic: Chopin Will Pwn You At The Xbox360: "Trusty Bell: Chopin no Yume"

And some think that video games are all about Grand Theft Auto and Halo.


Technorati Tags: chopin, classical music, xbox,

Powered by ScribeFire.

I don't know if it's worth it to go for the rehearsal, but they're offering a discount for a future performance. I don't think I would go to sit outside and watch the performance on a jumbotron. Probably will settle for listening to the performance on WQXR.

FREE OPEN REHEARSAL   AND PLAZA-CAST OPEN THE PHILHARMONIC’S OPENING NIGHT TO ALL   

 

Free Events Are a Gift To New York from the New York Philharmonic and Credit Suisse To   Celebrate the Launch of Global Partnership

 

We'd like to share two great opportunities for you to enjoy the glorious music of our sold-out Gala Opening Night Concert with Yo-Yo Ma on September 18, thanks to a unique partnership between the New York Philharmonic and Credit Suisse, the Orchestra’s Global   Sponsor. 

 

The day begins with a free-to-the-public Dress Rehearsal featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Lorin Maazel and the Philharmonic as they prepare the evening’s program.  Then, at 7:30 p.m., bring your favorite refreshments to Lincoln Center and enjoy a live broadcast of the concert itself on our huge   plaza screen.