The simulcast was wonderful, though I don't think I'll go to another Wagner opera: it was a bit much for me. Give me my Bizet/Puccini/Donizetti/etc., NOW!! There were no intermissions, which also intensified it. This simulcast was less hiccuppy than Turandot (there was only one major disruption, which was during the opening credits). The production design was really cool and innovative and I liked how the set was used as a backdrop and a second stage--and more.
When Maestro Levine walked into the pit I looked for Scott (my favourite hornist). I found him. The prelude was gorgeous and I teared up a bit when the horns started their part.
However, I found most of the rest of the opera to be rather boring and a bit too intense to be taken in all at one time. I'm definitely sticking to "lighter" stuff from now on (that is, if operas like Carmen and La Bohème qualify as "light"--at least they've got some catchy, memorable tunes and plots that draw you in).
At the end, some of the people in the theatre applauded, which was very different from Turandot (I was the only one applauding that time). And several of us stood against the wall after getting out of our seats and watched until the screen went dark and the Met's logo came on.
Mom and I drove home afterwards since it was Thanksgiving weekend.
I went to the show opening at the school gallery on the seventh--and was completely blown away. There was so much to look at! And not just in the gallery, either: the show extended out into the school lobby, which I thought was rather cool: if you came into the school that way, it could entice you to walk down the hall to see the rest of the show in the gallery. As I looked at Adam's work (he has several pieces in the show) I kept thinking, "I really love his work--but do I like it enough to call him a favourite artist?" I teetered on the answer, but I eventually took the plunge with a "YES!" I have yet to tell him, though (I meant to all this week, but my life was so crazy with two field trips and other things that I didn't get around to it).
Field trips! We had two in two days this week: one with Peter and one with Karen and Drew. Peter took us to a wooded area and a car junkyard (which was waaaayyyy too much fun--see below for two photos from each). Karen and Drew took us to Saint John, primarily to the New Brunswick Museum, though we visited Rod's studio as well. And we got lunch at the Saint John City Market.
Yesterday I went to Art Trek. This was my first time: I wanted to go last year, but the first semester was so crazy that I hardly had any time for anything other than homework and classes. It was everything that I expected it to be and more. I met several NBCCD alumni, which was really cool: we talked about both the artist's work and the school, what it was like when the artist in question was going there and what it's like now. I finished up at the home of Jane Geurts, who's one of the teachers. She was really happy to see me and gave me a hug. She was even more thrilled when I mentioned that I was now majoring in photography (she hadn't realized that I'd come back to the school to major in a studio--she just thought I was visiting or whatever). Harriet Taylor and Peter were also displaying their work there, but they couldn't actually be there. The student affairs coordinator, Gillian McLean, also displayed one of her paintings at Jane's place (she wasn't officially part of Art Trek).
This week is assessment week. Yesterday I read some of my blog entries from my first assessment week. My, how things have changed. Back then, even though everyone was telling me that I didn't have to be nervous about it, I was. This time, I know I have nothing to be nervous about: I've been through no fewer than four assessment weeks (this'll be number five), and it'll be less of a hassle this time around: I won't be rushing around grabbing stuff from various classrooms and lugging them to the third or fourth floor.
However, I wish the FVAs the very best this week and if there are any reading this blog (I got a comment from one ten days ago), what they say is true: unless you've been doing really crappy work, you don't have anything to fear--though I totally understand if you're nervous.
Here are some of the photos that I took during Peter's field trip:
 |
| Broken Windshield |
 |
| Cobwebs |
 |
| Forest |
 |
| Still Standing |
Glad to hear that Bizet and Puccini more popular than Wagner. That's a relief... - Tom
ReplyDelete