Monday, Monday

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.

Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is FINEEEEE, YEAHHHHH
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time

Unlike last weekend, when I spent my time and energy cursing the gods of coughing and sinus problems, this past week has been both busy and highly entertaining. A week ago, I attended Madame Butterfly with my friend as part of our Lyric subscription. And I have to say, I have the same relationship with this opera that I have with Othello (both the opera and the play), and that is a love/hate relationship. I love the music and the drama and the tragedy, but I find myself saying to Pinkerton (Madame Butterfly's love interest), "You idiot!! You jerk!! You a**hole!!!!" (Sorry, mom, but I do.) At the end of Act I, he sings this beautiful duet with MB, and the whole time he knows he's going to leave her. And you know this whole thing isn't going to end well. It's like a car wreck that you just can't look away from. That said...still some of my favorite music.

Fast forward two French classes and four work days, and I'm out with some friends going to see one of my favorite things in Chicago - IO's Improv Shakespeare. Picture six dudes, one audience suggested title, and then a long-form improv show in Shakespearean style. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard.

Saturday was House of Blues to see Superdiamond - a Neil Diamond tribute band. One of the best concerts I've ever seen...the singer moved and sounded just like the real Neil Diamond...it was so freaky at first!! But the band was incredible and some of the traditional songs got some added funkiness - making for a rocking concert that I can't not WAIT to see again.

By last night, I had completely fallen from the high art that is the Lyric Opera of Chicago to see My Bloody Valentine 3D. It probably won't add anything major to the genre of horror films, but the use of 3D was pretty sweet and it's always fun to be part of an audience that reacts to the film. Plus, I saw a preview for this movie which looks really inventive and interesting. Plus, my Hyde Park peeps introduced me to this show afterwards, which is freaking hilarious - particularly the David Bowie episode.

Altogether a rather brilliant weekend...

And today, well, back to reality with cleaning, laundry, and the like...no cryin' however, despite what the Mamas and the Papas say.

Miraculous Manon

Whoops!! A little late on my opera blog post...my sincerest apologies dear readers. One week ago, I once again graced the Lyric Opera with my presence in order to witness the brilliancy that was Jules Massenet's Manon. The Chicago Tribune had the following to say about this production:

"She came, she saw, she conquered...the ovation Dessay received was one of the longest and loudest in recent Lyric history."

Yes, Tribune, I concur.

Manon was amazing...I had heard others raving about it before I went, and that always makes me suspect. But alas, true to their word, I was entranced from the moment the curtain went up. Natalie Dessay was truly spectacular, and even a last minute tenor swap didn't alter the soring beauty of the opera. The set was multi-faceted and with the movement of just a few props, the mood was completely altered.

While this probably won't end up in my Top 5, I definitely enjoyed it and will continue to. Favorite part? Understanding the French that was being sung WITHOUT the surtitles...oh, yeeeahhh...

Bizet's Beefcake...

...or how I learned to stop worrying and love Nathan Gunn's bare chest.

Kidding.

Sort of.

This year, a friend and I have season subscriptions to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. While I know that we're currently in an economic downturn and I should be cutting back on spending, I see opera has a "need," not a "want." So, last night, off we went to see Les Pecheurs de Perles, or The Pearl Fishers.

Admittingly, the only thing I knew about LPP before going to see it last night was the famous Act One duet between Zurga and Nadir (two of the main characters).

What I also didn't know was that Zurga, played by baritone Nathan Gunn, is required to remain half-dressed for the duration of the opera. At first, I could see right through the obvious staging that resulted in his stripping - does he really need to offer his shirt to the other fisherman in order to confirm his leadership? But then, cursing my lack of opera glasses, I decided to sit back, and just enjoy the view from my upper balcony seats.

I know the woman sitting next to me was also enjoying the half-nekkid Zurga as she made the brilliant decision to wear approximately 82 bangles on her arms, so every time she lifted up her opera glasses for a better view, I got to hear my own petite percussion section.

The other thing I noticed was that while there is much gnashing of teeth over keeping one's vow, in practice, I'm not sure any of the characters fully understood the concept. Or, in the words of the brilliant Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Let me explain further: Zurga and Nadir had vowed several years before to never act on their love for Leila so as not to ruin their friendship - Oops, Nadir lied and went back to woo and love Leila; Leila took a vow to stay a virgin and pray for protection day and night for all of the fishermen - Oops, she has sexy times with Nadir instead. And then out of nowhere Zurga has some other vow in Act Three that hasn't been mentioned, but I'm pretty sure that he broke it, so in the end he saves the lovers Nadir and Leila to keep a vow that was really a hazy one in the first place. Good times.

Up until now, I might be giving the highly critical impression that I did not enjoy the opera.

Au contraire mes amis!!

The music was absolutely gorgeous. Plus bonus points for this girl!! I totes recognized the reoccurring musical theme that was initiated during the aforementioned Act One duet. All thanks to the extremely demanding professor I had in grad school for the hysterically difficult 500-level opera literature course.

Plus more bonus points for all of the French classes paying off. I didn't understand everything, and the surtitles definitely came in handy, but I actually could follow the opera pretty well. It only became a real problem when I started thinking things like, "Ooh, that verb was the plus-que-parfait tense, " or "Huh, that translation isn't really close to what he's singing."

But overall, I have to say I was pleased with a) remembering some importants things from a class I had three years ago and b) remembering some important things from a class I had three days ago. Alas, high-fives all around were not appropriate...plus bangle-woman might have injured me during the course of said high-five.


Lastly, I have to mention that LPP was the fourth opera I have seen at the Lyric since moving to Chicago, and for every single one I have had a tiny 3-hour love affair with the stage design: the richness of La traviata, the ingenuity of Falstaff, the starkness of Eugene Onegin, and this year's incredible use of space for LLP.

And yes, in case you all are wondering, you will be subjected after each of the seven more operas, to my slightly erratic "reviews" of each one.

Bon chance!