Pursuing Entertainment in 2010

In 2010, I pursued entertainment by attending over 100 events, a majority of which were live entertainment.    I try to keep track of everything I see - mostly just for my own journal although I admit I lose track a few and don't usually count movies. I was introduced to some performers who are quickly becoming favorites, particularly Marilyn Maye and Anne Hampton Callaway.   It's impossible to narrow my favorites down to a top ten, but all of the best included wonderful friends sitting next to me - Kari at Feinstein's to see Betty Buckley, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka and Tyne Daly, Kari and Noah at the Sondheim birthday concerts, Steve and Doug at Bernadette's concert with the Minneapolis Pops, Sally at the Tucker Gala and Lulu, Noah at Bernadette's first preview of A Little Night Music, Chelsea at La Cage aux Folles, my Mom at Der Rosenkavalier at the Met Opera, Kari at Women Beware Women at National Theatre in London, etc...

My 2011 list is already filling in with shows I plan to see and places I intend to visit, but half the fun is pursuing it all.   Thanks to all of the performers who shared their talent and to everybody who attended a show with me - I can't wait to see what the new year brings all of us!  

1. 1/2 Present Laughter, American Airlines Theatre, Broadway
2. 1/5 Carmen, Met Opera
3. 1/9 Der Rosenkavalier, Met Opera, Live in HD
4. 1/10 Angela Lansbury at Times Talks
5. 1/10 Carrie Fisher at Times Talks
6. 1/15 Der Rosenkavalier, Met Opera w/ my mom
7. 1/17 Finian’s Rainbow, St. James Theatre, Broadway w/ mom
8. 1/18 Beautiful Girls for Stephen Sondheim, Manhattan School of Music w/ mom
9. 1/19 Tyne Daly, Feinstein’s at the Regency w/ mom
10. 1/20 A Little Night Music, The Walter Kerr, Broadway w/ mom
11. 1/21 Tyne Daly, Feinstein’s at the Regency w/ Kari
12. 2/2 Betty Buckley, Feinstein’s at the Regency
13. 2/3 Renee Fleming, Met Master Singer
14. 2/4 Patti LuPone, interview with Leonard Lopate, 92nd Street Y
15. 2/2 Betty Buckley, Feinstein’s at the Regency
16. 2/7 Fanny at Encores!
17. 2/8 Drama League Gala for Angela Lansbury, The Pierre Hotel
18. 2/9 Tyne Daly at Feinstein’s
19. 2/10 La Fille du Regiment, Met Opera
20. 2/21 Ann Hampton Callaway, Dizzy’s Club CocaCola
21. 2/24 Looped, The Lyceum, Broadway
22. 2/25 Race, The Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
23. 2/26 Betty Buckley, Feinstein’s at the Regency
24. 2/27 Betty Buckley, Feinstein’s at the Regency
25. 3/1 first day at new job
26. 3/2 God of Carnage, Jacobs Theatre, Broadway
27. 3/8 Kate Baldwin, Birdland
28. 3/12 New York Pops Irish Celebration, Carnegie Hall
29. 3/15 Sondheim, The Birthday Concert, Avery Fisher Hall
30. 3/16 Sondheim, The Birthday Concert, Avery Fisher Hall
31. 3/19 Sondheim on Sondheim, Studio 54, Broadway
32. 3/20 God of Carnage, Jacobs Theatre, Broadway
33. 3/22 The Grapes of Wrath, Carnegie Hall
34. 3/25 Michael Feinstein & Dame Edna: All About Me, Henry Miller’s Theatre, Broadway
35. 3/28 RED, Golden Theatre, Broadway
36. 3/30 Hamlet, Met Opera
37. 3/31 Lend Me a Tenor, Music Box Theatre, Broadway
38. 4/1 Sondra Radvanovksy, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Carnegie Hall
39. 4/3 Porgy & Bess, Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center
40. 4/4 Sweeney Todd, Signature Theatre, Arlington, VA
41. 4/8 Madama Butterfly, New York City Opera
42. 4/9 Anyone Can Whistle, Encores!
43. 4/10 Anyone Can Whistle, Encores!
44. 4/11 Anyone Can Whistle, Encores!
45. 4/17 La Cage Aux Folles, Broadway
46. 4/18 Macbeth, West End Theatre, offoff Broadway
47. 4/22 Armida, Met Opera
48. 4/23 God of Carnage, Jacobs Theatre, Broadway
49. 4/25 Collected Stories, Friedman Theatre, Broaday
50. 4/26 Stephen Sondheim Celebration, City Center
51. 5/3 Bernadette Peters, book signing for Stella is a Star, Dylan’s Candy Bar
52. 5/4 The Forest, Classic Stage Company, offBroadway
53. 5/7 Bernadette Peters, Minneapolis Pops
54. 5/12 Lulu, Met Opera
55. 5/16 Deborah Polaski with Met Orchestra, Carnegie Hall
56. 5/18 Mitzi Gaynor, Feinstein’s at the Regency
57. 5/28 Le Grand Macabre, Avery Fisher Hall
58. 6/4 Paradise Found, Menier Chocolate Factory, London
59. 6/5 Women Beware Women, National Theatre, London
60. 6/6 Women Beware Women, National Theatre, London
61. 6/13 SarahB’s Annual Tony Party, The Regency
62. 6/14 Dame Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, Times Talks
63. 6/20 A Little Night Music, The Walter Kerr, Broadway, Final Performance of Angela
64. 6/24 Missa Solemnis, New York Philharmonic, Avery Fisher Hall
65. 6/27 Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Feinstein’s at the Regency
66. 7/10 Norma, Caramoor Festival
67. 7/13 A Little Night Music, The Walter Kerr, Broadway, 1st preview of Bernadette
68. 7/18 In the Heights, Rogers Theatre, Broadway
69. 7/31 A Little Night Music, The Walter Kerr, Broadway
70. 8/21 I Do! I Do! Westport Country Playhouse, Connecticut
71. 8/26 In the Heights, Rogers Theatre, Broadway
72. 9/11 Coco, Musicals in Mufti
73. 9/18 Brief Encounter, Studio 54, Broadway
74. 9/20 Our Betters, Red Bull Theatre
75. 9/25 Renee Fleming & Lang Lang w/ NSO, Kennedy Center
76. 9/30 Das Rheingold, MetOpera
77. 10/4 MacBeth, screening at the Paris
78. 10/13 Alto Rhapsody and A German Requiem, Collegiate Chorale, Carnegie Hall
79. 10/16 Betty Buckley, Town Hall
80. 10/17 Broadway Originals, Town Hall
81. 10/22 Christine Ebersole, Met Museum
82. 10/27 A Quiet Place, City Opera
83. 10/31 Queen of Spades, Opera in Cinema, Symphony Space1
84. 11/1 The Sondheim Birthday Concert, screening at NYIT
85. 11/3 Wings, Second Stage
86. 11/5 Scottsboro Boys, Lyceum, Broadway
87. 11/7 Lucky to be me: The music of Leonard Bernstein, City Opera
88. 11/9 A Free Man of Color, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway
89. 11/14 Tucker Gala, Avery Fisher
90. 11/15 Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Feinstein’s at the Regency
91. 11/17 Bryn Terfel, Carnegie Hall
92. 11/19 NYPops Sondheim Bday Concert, Carnegie Hall
93. 11/20 Elling, Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
94. 11/22 Sondheim & Frank Rich, Times Talks
95. 11/25 Adriana LeCouvreur, Royal Opera, London
96. 11/27 The Invisible Man, Menier Chocolate Factory, London
97. 12/5 Marilyn Maye, Metropolitan Room
98. 12/11 Don Carlo, HD Broadcast, Met Opera
99. 12/9 Susan Graham, Carnegie Hall
100. 12/16 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Belasco Theatre, Broadway
101. 12/17 La Bete, Music Box Theatre, Broadway
102. 12/18 A Small Fire, Playwright’s Horizon
103. 12/19 Pipes of Christmas, Madison Avenue Presbyterian
104. 12/20 Pelleas et Melisande, MetOpera
105. 12/24 Haunted, 59E59

That's DAME Harriet Walter to you!

It's a New Year miracle!  Harriet Walter is now Dame Harriet Walter!     Now we just need her to come do some Daming on Broadway again.

Nightline Sondheim

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

On Thursday the 16th, I went to Lincoln Center Theatre's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown with Noah.  After hearing so many negative reviews from my friends, I have to say I wasn't expecting much.  However, I found it very interesting and enjoyed it.  I loved the team of bookwriter Jeffrey Lane and composer/lyricist David Yazbeck for their work on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and I wanted to see if there was any of the same magic with this show.  Plus, I wanted to see Patti LuPone. 

Simply, this is the story of an actress who has been dumped by her lover.  A series of coincidences along with being stalked by his ex-wife who is not quite right lead to some comedy and angst, all while she is terribly depressed over the loss of her lover.   It's based on the Spanish film of the same title by Pedro Almodóvar.

I loved the stylized music and set of this show, even if there were some slow and head scratching moments.  The set is very cool - swanky scenery comprised of projections and 80s furniture.  There's some pretty spectacular stage magic as well.  However, I can sort of understand why it's closing early, this weekend.  Still, I'm also surprised that more fans of each of the ladies starring in this musical weren't behind the show more because there's plenty to like about Patti LuPone and Laura Benanti.  Sherie Rene Scott has some lingering moments as well.

Patti LuPone was marvelous and she stole show.  She was dressed in fabulous outfits by Catherine Zuber, campy but elegant.  Seeing Patti in this role is a reminder of the star she is, even if her character is a supporting role.    Patti has a haunting number in the second act, "Invisible" which is worth the price of the ticket.

The rest of the cast was fine, with Laura Benanti standing out.   Her character ditzy and cute and it's hard not to laugh at her - and she's got a number that rivals Sondheim's "Not Getting Married Today."  She's just so bubbly and you want a happy ending for her.   

Justin Guarini did well in his Broadway debut and he's really got a lovely voice - I'd like to listen more.   I admit that years ago, I went to hear him and Kelly in a Good Morning America concert.  I went because I took a young pre-teen friend and even though I'm not really in to pop music, I found him enjoyable.   Unfortunately, when he gets the chance to shine vocally in this show, he's curiously joined in a love song by two very weak singers, the wooden Nikka Graff Lanzarone and the corny and off-key Danny Burstein. I could have lived without Danny Burstein - he opened the show and I still cannot figure out why - this is how you want to set the tone of your show?    

Sherie Rene Scott was a bit wasted in this show - she's a comedienne but didn't get much of a chance here since her character is suffering from being left through out most of the show.  She did have a good moments - her natural, weird comedy was probably just right for some of the lighter moments her character did have - a running gag with gazpacho was killer.  My favorite moment came when she had a shared scene with lovely Mary Beth Piel, also underutilized in this show. 

Brian Stokes Mitchell was out, although I'm not sure he would have made a difference.  

There were some thrilling staging surprises and a few running gags kept things light.  The music had a wonderful Latin beat, keeping with the setting in Madrid.  It was hard to keep from dancing in my seat.  When it was all over, Noah and I both said this is one that we'd see again. 

Jerry's Girls

Every year, I look forward to the broadcast of The Kennedy Center Honors Gala.   This year was no exception, especially due to Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman being an honoree.   The morning after, I am very disappointed with the tribute for Jerry.   It was barely more than a truncated chorus of some of his greatest hits, with producers obviously saving extra time for a performer who isn't even an American citizen.

The highpoints were a regal Angela Lansbury giving Jerry his introduction and narrating his bio film, Carol Channing opening the performance segment with a brief line from Hello, Dolly, Sutton Foster singing a portion of "Before the Parade Passes By" from Hello, Dolly in a snazzy gold sequined mini-dress, and Chita Rivera singing and dancing a short portion of "I Don't Want to Know" from Dear World  (complete with odd choreography and male back up dancers). 

Matthew Morrison, with only a handful of shows on his Broadway resume, had the big song and dance number of "It's Today," the opening number of Mame.   (Why does this guy keep showing with big performance numbers? Stop!) Christine Ebersole and Christine Baranski, both veterans of playing the title role in Mame productions, sang a short "Bosom Buddies" from Mame.   Laura Benanti gave too much soprano to "Time Heals Everything" from Mack and Mabel, a number made famous by Bernadette Peters.  Kelly O'Hara and Matt Bomer (a soap star?) sang “It Only Takes a Moment" from Hello, Dolly. 

Finally, Angela and the rest of the performers joined a chorus of glee club kids and the Washington D.C. Gay Men's Chorus on "The Best of Times" from La Cage Aux Folles. 

This little video shot backstage during rehearsals, and uploaded by BHBPR, may be the best tribute of all - three grand dames of the musical theatre Angela Lansbury, Carol Channing and Chita Rivera.   It's priceless. 

Portobello Road vs. Avenue A

Angela Lansbury has found herself on some busy streets.  First was in the Disney movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  The Sherman Brothers provided the music and lyrics.   25 years later she was back on the street in Mrs. Santa Claus, a tv movie musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman. 

The first is set in London and the latter is Brooklyn.  Both are equally delightful and feature immigrant culture - and even while one is set during World War II and one early 20th century, it's striking how similar these scenes are.  

Lauren Molina on NPR All Things Considered

I was listening to All Things Considered this afternoon as usual when I heard a familiar voice: Lauren Molina!  

Lauren is one of my favorite performers - she can do anything, from ukelele to high soprano.  I got to know her work when she was "Johanna" in the Sweeney Todd revival.  She has two fantastic albums so far, doo-be-doo and Sea for Two, are among of my favorites and aren't anything like her Broadway work - smart, sweet, and surprising.   She's always delightfully showcasing her work on her youtube channel.

On All Things Considered, NPR's Robert Siegel talks to actor/singer Lauren Molina about her performance in the musical Candide by Leonard Bernstein, now revived in Washington, D.C. at the Shakespeare Theatre.

Brava Zheng Cao, Mezzo-Soprano

From Good Morning America: Opera Singer's Song of Hope about mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao who is fighting cancer.

Shaq conducts better than he free throws

7' 2" tall basketball star Shaquille O'Neal made his conducting debut with the Boston Pops Orchestra and Tanglewood Festival Chorus in "Sleigh Ride" last night Boston Symphony Hall in Boston.  

The next one is going to be about my cat

My nieces Cara and Camilla love their books, Broadway Barks and Stella is a Star, by Bernadette Peters.  I will love the next one Bernadette writes:  on the Today Show this morning, Bernadette said, "The next one is going to be about my cat."   Yes!  Equal time for felines!

Bernadette also talked about the current revival of A Little Night Music, her co-star Elaine Stritch and the upcoming production of Follies at the Kennedy Center.  

On Follies, Bernadette replied to Kathie Lee Gifford's question on whether it will come to Broadway, "We'll see, we'll see, it would be lovely, another Stephen Sondheim musical."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Four Last Songs as Wall Art

My colleague Sharon moved to a new space in our firm.   When I visited her new digs, my jaw dropped at the art the firm docent chose to hang in her space.  She had no idea what Four Last Songs are or who Kiri te Kanawa is.  Now she does.

DVR Alert: Stephen Sondheim on The Colbert Report

Stephen Sondheim will a guest on The Colbert Report, tomorrow December 14th.  It airs at 11:30 p.m. (ETD) on Comedy Central, with repeats on December 15th. 

Susan Graham with Orchestra of St. Lukes, Carnegie Hall

We saw Susan Graham with the Orchestra of St. Luke's under the direction of Maestro Edo de Waart at Carnegie Hall last night.   I love this orchestra - its sound is so intimate and luxurious without ever being overpowering.  The most delicate sounds float through intricately.   Susan's performance of Berg's Seven Early Songs was divine - and not nearly long enough.   I have loved this piece listening to her live Carnegie Hall album.   I could listen to her for hours and hours - the warmth, mirth and brightness in her voice is heavenly.   At under two hours and seated with Noah and Sally, this was exactly the evening I needed.

The program:
LISZT (orch. JOHN ADAMS) The Black Gondola
BERG Seven Early Songs - Susan Graham
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3, "Scottish"

TIPA COMES TO BROADWAY; FREE CHEKHOV READING

Toward International Peace through the Arts also known as The TIPA Project is moving to Broadway.  Tomorrow, Friday December 9th at 2:00 p.m. TIPA will begin a series known as "Matinees at Saint Malachy's."   Saint Malachy's is the Actor's Chapel on 49th Street, across from the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.  

TIPA will once again host a reading of Anton Chekhov's short stories,  honoring the 150th Anniversary of his birth.   Readers are Tony Award Winners Tammy Grimes, Frances Sternhagen and Fritz Weaver.  Also reading are stars Dan Lauria and Judith Light,  direct from the Broadway play Lombardi, currently at the Circle in the Square.   Actress and TIPA regulars Bess Rous and Betsy von Furstenburg will also appear.  

TIPA was founded by Stanley E. Tannen.   Stan is celebrating his 40th year as a peace advocate and activist dedicated to promoting the Humanities – Literature and the Arts – as an instrument for peace. The TIPA Project and its founder Stanley E. Tannen have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The TIPA Project began presenting programs at New York University in 1971, and adopted its present format of readings by the great stars of Broadway, film, and television in 1982.

The reading is scheduled from 2 to 3:30 pm and is free to the public.  No reservations are necessary.

Marilyn Maye's Kind of Broadway at the Metropolitan Room

I have heard Marilyn Maye sing three times in the last three months and I am now completely smitten.   First was at the Broadway Originals concert at Town Hall, then with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall (which turns out, was her Carnegie Hall Debut  - about which she said, "Lord know I've practiced enough"), and last night, we had the pleasure of seeing her own show at the Metropolitan Room.

I couldn't believe that she only made her Carnegie Hall debut only three weeks ago - this is a performer who could easily sell out that joint. Marilyn, smart and very funny broad with just the right amount of baudy, sparkles in this act called "Her kind of Broadway."   

Prefacing her evening with the self-acclaimed "too old to be humble," she shared stories from her fascinating career - from her failure to fit in with the happening 60s to becoming "a commitment singer" to regional theatre work which kept her a member of Actor's Equity to her record holding 79 appearances on the Tonight with Johnny Carson. 

Accompanied by Tedd Firth on piano, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Ray Marchica on drums, "Her Kind of Broadway" was a solid ninety minutes of jazzy and swinging arrangements of musical theatre songs.    With her warm, chocolaty contralto alternating between booming with fun and dripping with emotion, she turned these Broadway tunes into a rich and sparkling evening.

There was a thrilling Hello, Dolly set - a role she played in regional theatre in at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City and later in Galveston, Texas, during the sweltering summer about which she quipped "stars don't sweat, they exude."   She even recorded a whole album of Hello, Dolly.  

Marilyn sang a set of songs from her days as a "commitment singer" i.e., she would be contracted to record a Broadway song for airplay before the show hit the stage.  She originated "Cabaret" before a certain other singer won an Oscar for the movie role, quipping, "She knows that it's mine."   She was also the first to sing and record "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" from Promises, Promises, even if  "that Warwick girl had the hit on it."    She also sang an foot tapping rendition of "Step to the Rear" from How Now Dow Jones.  The song proved to be a bigger hit than the flop show ever had a chance, especially since Lincoln Mercury appropriated it and changed the lyrics as an ad for which Marilyn received four years of residuals, gleefully exclaiming, "That's where the bread is!"  

She sang a set to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Frank Loesser's birth too - Guy and Dolls (hysterically changing lyrics to "When a guy buys bling for a chic who can sing", Fugue for Tinhorn, Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game, Ask Me How Do I Feel on which she forgot a few lines and the audience happily helped her out, "I love it when the whole audience knows all fo the songs."   She also sang Loesser's Joey and Standing on t he Corner Watching All the "Guys" Go By, which she invited the audience to join in on, until she changed a line to "idolize my cougar ways" which brought the house down.  

Her rendition of Lerner & Loewe's "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "On the Street Where You Live" may be the coolest covers ever done from My Fair Lady, while her "Have you Met Miss Jones" by Rodgers & Hart was heartbreaking.   Her connection to this last number was that her cousin Joy Hodges was the first to ever sing that song in the 1937 Rodgers and Hart show "I'd Rather Be Right" opposite George M. Cohan.  Now that's a connection to a song. 

A revelation to me was that Marilyn played "Sally" in Follies at the Wortham Center in Houston.  Her "Buddy" was Harvey Evans, who was in the audience, while "Phyllis" and "Ben" were played by Juliette Prowse and John Cullum.   She later played "Carlotta" in a production in San Diego - the "good thing about Follies is that there are lots of parts the older you get."   She sang "Losing  My Mind," not maudlin but brightly.  She also gave us "I'm Still Here," which she definitely is.   The latter was a thrill to hear again after she brought down Carnegie Hall.  

She finished up the show with "It's Today" from Mame, complete with high kicks accentuated with cymbol crashes.     I found this particularly appropriate as I have a feeling that Marilyn Maye is a broad who loves and lives life to its fullest with an Auntie Mame attitude - she shimmers with life and love. 

There are several more chances to catch this show before the end of the year - she's at the Metropolitan Room tonight and tomorrow night.  On Saturday, she's teaching a Master Class - email marilyn7464@aol.com for more information on attending. She'll also play one more night with Billy Stritch at the piano on December 13th at 9:30 at the Metropolitan Room.  

Angie and Danny: The Danny Kaye Show

Oh!  I'm so excited!  I have seen this episode of the Danny Kaye show many times at the TV Museum officially known as the Paley Center for Media and now some wonderful person has finally uploaded them to youtube.

The Danny Kaye Show ran for 59 episodes from 1963 through 1967 and was a variety show with lots of low comedy sketches and a little song and dance.  Harvey Korman was a featured regular and numerous guests were on the show every week.  

My favorite episode, no surprise, is the one in which Angela Lansbury guest starred in 1964.  I love that she gets the chance to show of her comedic skills in two skits and some really high kicks in a riot of a dance number with Danny (and this is pre-MAME).

Spelling Bee at Wagner College, Staten Island

I took my first trip to Staten Island yesterday, that is to say I ventured past the ferry station.  

My motivation to take this adventure was to see my friend Kyle Everett Richard star as William Barfee in the Wagner College Main Stage production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  

I was charmed by this college production.  The production values were top notch, complete with body mikes, follow spots and a pit band.   The cast was also top notch, ranging from freshmen to senior actors.  Kyle is a freshman.   The cast was rounded out by Sal Pavia as Chip, Danielle as Loagainne, Tom McVey as Leaf, April Lavalle as Marcy Park, Brittney Santoro as Olive Ostrovsky, Michael D'Amico as Mitch, Sammi Cohen as Rona, and Patrick Heffernan as Panch.  

All acted and sang extremely well - I was impressed by the entire cast and believe that it was as good as anything I've seen off-Broadway in Manhattan.   They captured all of the fun and sweetness that is Spelling Bee.  The Pandemonium scene and Chip's Lament were absolutely hysterical, and Kyle killed on the Magic Foot.   I saw Spelling Bee at Second Stage and many times on Broadway and this production was just as much fun.  

To get to Wagner, I took free shuttle from the Staten Island ferry station.  The driver told me that he had seen the production and sees others as well.  My friend Newell also told me that Wagner is the Broadway of Staten Island.   I have to say that if their offerings are always this good, then he's right.

In fact, the production was directed by John Carrafa, who was Tony nominated for choreography for Into the Woods and Urinetown.  Music direction was by Dr. Laurie Young.  The faculty is staffed with many theatre professionals working Broadway and regional productions, including Tony winner Michele Pawk (who will direct Wagner's spring production of Seussical).

The campus of Wagner is beautiful and the view is unbelieveable - I don't know how any  of the students get any work done between the view and the proximity to Manhattan.

Produce these Sisters: A Filmmaker and a Diva

Kimberly Hawkins and Stacie Hawkins are two talented sisters helping each other out.  On February 13, 2011, Kimberly, a soprano, will make her Paris debut at  The American Church in Paris.  Stacie will be filming the concert, including documenting the behind the scenes.  

The sisters are raising money for their endeavor and have created a grass roots effort through Kickstarter - for as low as $2 you can help them produce something that will certainly be a personal and professional triumph for both of them.   

Adriana LeCouvreur at the Royal Opera, Convent Garden, London

Chelsea and I went to the Royal Opera in London!    It was verrrry royal indeed.   I loved the evening - dressing up, ice cream in the interval, the house was gorgeous amazingly friendly audience members with not  a cell phone to be heard, a gorgeous crimson velvet curtain with the Queen's initials on it and we talked to Jonas Kaufman!  

The opera itself was fine - aside from Jonas Kaufmann who was incredible, the performers were fine and story was typically silly.  I was unimpressed by the production itself - I'm used to the Met and I've seen bigger and better in Washington, Chicago and Paris, especially for the price of the tickets.   

However, I was excited at the prospect of hearing Angela Gheorghiu again.  Unfortunately, she took ill and decided to drop out about two hours before curtain, according to the woman who made the announcement from the stage.    Actually, that was part of the fun - the audience alternately boo'd and laughed loudly during the announcement.    Chelsea and I somewhat expected it as we're used to her missing performances at the Met...we were mostly hoping that she'd show up  just so Sally wouldn't tell us, "I told you so."  Argh! 

Of course, we wanted the experience of seeing an opera at the Royal Opera in Convent Garden, but Jonas Kaufmann was a big part of the draw.   Oh my goodness!   He's a tenor, but with a very rich timbre and it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes as well as the ears.   I mean he's majorly handsome and I think Chelsea is a complete goner over him.  

After the performance, we stood at the stage door freezing our arses off.  Finally, small groups were let in to meet Jonas so he wouldn't have to come out into the cold night air.   It was exciting meeting him and he's even dreamier than I imagined.

It was a wonderful evening and I'd go to the Royal Opera again in a heart beat...I'll have to save up my farthings though for that day to come again. 

Dame Joan Sutherland's Lucia costume