Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Mar. 13th, 2013 11:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyI’m not Catholic (or Christian) but I know a lot about Christianity because I’m a medieval historian by training. I definitely know more than my husband, who was born Catholic and grew up Catholic (He went to Catholic school until college and was even an altar boy. He is agnostic now). I’m even giving a lecture on early Christianity in my history classes on Monday (which is great timing). So I was following the whole Papal election with interest and I turned in on the Internet to see the new Pope first emerge from those balcony doors.
I find the ceremony of it pretty cool most likely because of such a long history of it. I could follow the Latin too, since church/prayer Latin at these ceremonies is pretty basic, and I was surprised by the new Pope choosing Francis as his name, since I could not remember another Pope by that name. And there wasn’t. Which is a very deliberate choice, I think. He looked a bit stunned standing there, looking at the giant crowd.
I’m home today because of Spring Break in Local College and I’m glad I got to see a historical event.
Another reason I’m happy it’s Spring Break at Local College is that I had Monday off too and I could have a very fabulous and awesome day. I love living in New York but it is not always easy. The rent is ridiculous and so is the commute to work and city taxes are pretty high. But there are days like Monday that remind me of why it is so wonderful to live in New York City and have access to great cultural things.
Last week, I entered the online lottery at Met Opera website for the Final Dress Rehearsal to “Traviata” and I actually won two free tickets. I called my Mom with the exciting news, since I was taking her with me, of course, and while talking to her I looked up the production and who was singing. And I saw that Placido Domingo is singing Germont (the father).
I didn’t want to jinx it, like if I got sick or anything, even when I went to pick up the tickets like Friday, so I didn’t allow myself to become too excited. But everything went without a hitch and my Mom and I got to sit in a box in Parterre (the most amazing seats I’ve ever had) on Monday morning and watch the most amazing version of “Traviata” I ever saw and Placido Domingo sing live, right in front of me. It was the first time he was singing Germont, he used to always be Alfredo. The other two main actors were incredible too. The main soprano, Diana Damrau, was so good. Not just her singing, but her acting too. Her body just made me believe her emotions. And Saimir Pirgu as Alfredo was right there too. I’ve seen “Traviata” before, just last May, but this cast just made me fall in love with this opera. And I loved that I watch the dress rehearsal too, with various directors sitting in the orchestra, checking the libretto and other performance detail. Really seeing it fresh. I felt like such a part of it. Two days later I still can’t believe that happened.
After the opera, Mama and I had lunch and walked in the Upper West Side for about an hour before she went home and I went to a café to grade before heading to tutor a student. The weather was nice and warm and it felt like the best Spring Break day. I had to grade a lot Monday night and Tuesday, but I didn’t mind.
While we were waiting in the morning for the opera, Mama and I also bought tickets to the Ring Cycle for April. Four operas in a week. I’m pretty much spending all my birthday money on this, but I wanted to try to see it for a few years now, so I hope it will be worth it. I’m not sure with Wagner but we’ll see.
And, for my last cultural spending spree, last Friday I also stopped by Radio City Hall and bought a ticket (and I don’t want to think about how much that cost) to Leonard Cohen concert on April 7th. I’m going to go by myself to that (see expensive tickets) but I’m really excited. I rarely go to live concerts but I heard so many good things about Cohen’s concerts and I love his music. I rarely go out, so all these outings feel very indulgent.
I find the ceremony of it pretty cool most likely because of such a long history of it. I could follow the Latin too, since church/prayer Latin at these ceremonies is pretty basic, and I was surprised by the new Pope choosing Francis as his name, since I could not remember another Pope by that name. And there wasn’t. Which is a very deliberate choice, I think. He looked a bit stunned standing there, looking at the giant crowd.
I’m home today because of Spring Break in Local College and I’m glad I got to see a historical event.
Another reason I’m happy it’s Spring Break at Local College is that I had Monday off too and I could have a very fabulous and awesome day. I love living in New York but it is not always easy. The rent is ridiculous and so is the commute to work and city taxes are pretty high. But there are days like Monday that remind me of why it is so wonderful to live in New York City and have access to great cultural things.
Last week, I entered the online lottery at Met Opera website for the Final Dress Rehearsal to “Traviata” and I actually won two free tickets. I called my Mom with the exciting news, since I was taking her with me, of course, and while talking to her I looked up the production and who was singing. And I saw that Placido Domingo is singing Germont (the father).
I didn’t want to jinx it, like if I got sick or anything, even when I went to pick up the tickets like Friday, so I didn’t allow myself to become too excited. But everything went without a hitch and my Mom and I got to sit in a box in Parterre (the most amazing seats I’ve ever had) on Monday morning and watch the most amazing version of “Traviata” I ever saw and Placido Domingo sing live, right in front of me. It was the first time he was singing Germont, he used to always be Alfredo. The other two main actors were incredible too. The main soprano, Diana Damrau, was so good. Not just her singing, but her acting too. Her body just made me believe her emotions. And Saimir Pirgu as Alfredo was right there too. I’ve seen “Traviata” before, just last May, but this cast just made me fall in love with this opera. And I loved that I watch the dress rehearsal too, with various directors sitting in the orchestra, checking the libretto and other performance detail. Really seeing it fresh. I felt like such a part of it. Two days later I still can’t believe that happened.
After the opera, Mama and I had lunch and walked in the Upper West Side for about an hour before she went home and I went to a café to grade before heading to tutor a student. The weather was nice and warm and it felt like the best Spring Break day. I had to grade a lot Monday night and Tuesday, but I didn’t mind.
While we were waiting in the morning for the opera, Mama and I also bought tickets to the Ring Cycle for April. Four operas in a week. I’m pretty much spending all my birthday money on this, but I wanted to try to see it for a few years now, so I hope it will be worth it. I’m not sure with Wagner but we’ll see.
And, for my last cultural spending spree, last Friday I also stopped by Radio City Hall and bought a ticket (and I don’t want to think about how much that cost) to Leonard Cohen concert on April 7th. I’m going to go by myself to that (see expensive tickets) but I’m really excited. I rarely go to live concerts but I heard so many good things about Cohen’s concerts and I love his music. I rarely go out, so all these outings feel very indulgent.