io, tutto cenere

I shall sleep in my royal cloak, when the last hour arrives for me

Mythological Figure, Orlando Furioso Reference, Guy in Location

Opera titles now:

Abstract Concept, Book You Should Have Read By Now, Evocative but Essentially Vague Phrase

Opera titles always:

1. Oh no The Horror

2. He’s doing it again 🙄

3. When in Transylvania do as the vampires do

Anne Carson (2009)

Arthur S. Way (1898)

George Theodoridis (2010)

Ian C. Johnston (2010)

E.P. Coleridge (1910)

Theodore Alois Buckley (1892)

John Peck, Frank Nisetich (1995)

R. Potter (1906)

M. L. West (1987)

William Arrowsmith (1958)

Philip Vellacott (1972)

Michael Wodhull (1782)

Kenneth McLeish (1997)

David Kovacs (2002)

Andrew Wilson (1993)

CHE INFERNO, CHE TERROR!

I fell in love with this scene when I first saw it on Amadeus. I was a kid, almost in my teens but barely. I was just starting out with classical music lessons -- I had wished to start earlier but my parents wouldn't allow me yet, until they were sure that I was -- and I was obsessed with all things classical music, I tell you. I went so far as to go to the local library -- something which up until that point I never really quite bothered to -- to look up books on the topic. One in particularly introduced me to the movie, Amadeus. At the time, I was also crazy about Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca (among many things) so, I begged my parents to get the movie for me, and they did -- bless them.

Needless to say I loved it a lot (still do), and I would put the film on repeat many times. And the Commandatore scene was what captivated and haunted me the most. It had led me down a rabbit hole of sorts, i.e. YouTube clips of live performance of that particular scene to compare which I liked for what reasons.

(Samuel Ramey and Kurt Moll version still tops for me, but I have recently found a recording with Bo Skovhus that I like a lot -- I like the way Don Giovanni's last scream is done)

And this was how I later learned to find other operas (clips or full) to compare and enjoy and experience. I haven't been doing much of that of late. Time for some revisiting.

what: puccini's la bohème, met opera (audience choice which year/cast!)

when: sunday, april 12, 2pm edt (utc -4), find your local time here

where: kosmi, link will be posted day of

who: everyone is welcome! no account needed, stay for as little or as long as you want!

𝕯𝖔𝖓 𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖑𝖔.

when: sunday 29 March, 7pm UK time / UTC+0 (check your local time)

where: kosmi

language: italian (english subs)

duration: 1h 50m

version: 1955 film

cast: heredia-capnist (tosca), corelli (cavaradossi), tagliabue (scarpia)

plot: see "Tosca in a nutshell"

🎶one from ye olde youtube. (note: recording quality reflects the standards of the time)