That's just unbelievably amazing!! I'm stunned. Your father's book is excellent; he explains things very clearly -- Wagner's theory and his practice.
Fascinating about your early childhood. And after your dress-up as a child, you've remained a Brunnhilde ever since, a true warrior, FFL's own Valkyrie! I have to go out now but will answer your question later, either here or via email. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <feste37@> wrote: > > > > Oh my gosh! Judy,could it possibly be that your father was Jack M. > > Stein, author of Richard Wagner and the Synthesis of the Arts, > > published in 1960? I have it right in front of me. I've been > > reading it for several weeks! > > No kidding! Yup, that's me dad. Man, is that neat! > > > I am a Wagnerite too. Have been for over 30 years. > > When I said I was steeped in Wagner almost from > the cradle: > > A recording of the first act of Die Walkuere (I'm > using "e" for umlauts) with Lehmann and Melchior, > Bruno Walter conducting, came out shortly before > my third-and-a-half birthday, and my parents used > the date as an excuse to get the recording as a > "present" for me (they were very hard up at the > time). > > They proceeded to play the records for me over and > over, narrating a blow-by-blow of the stage action. > I loved it--a glorified fairy tale set to exciting > music, complete with handy little musical themes to > identify the characters and ideas. > > They got me a set of beautiful picture books of > the Ring operas that the Met published, which I > practically wore out. > > For Christmas that year, my grandmother, hearing of > my fascination with the opera, made me a convertible > Bruennhilde-Sieglinde outfit: a long blue dress, with > a shawl for Sieglinde; and a red cape, armored vest, > shield, winged helmet, and spear for Bruennhilde, > modeled after the pictures in the Met books. > > Talk about a thrill! > > There are family photos of me sitting on a pillow > astride the piano bench en costume, waving my spear > and shouting "Ho-jo-to-ho!" > > I wore the costume to a Halloween party that year > and was just crushed when nobody knew who I was. > > Anyway, Wagner is really in my blood. How did you > get introduced to Wagner, and what led you to get > hold of my father's book, if I may ask? >
