Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays
The non-existent wall that prevents otherwise intelligent people from enjoying these delights of Opera and Shakespeare is sewn, here in America anyway, by the anti-intellectual brigade. Those usually sports-soaked numb-nuts that seem to be kewl in school and never really leave college for the rest of their lives. Ignorance is blissI guess. Actually, my opera wall (tee hee) was caused by living, when I was a child, next door to some opera fans. Not only were they generally unpleasant people, but every evening, they played opera music. LOUDLY. And three seasons of the year, they had their windows wide open, so the whole neighboorhood could enjoy their music. I got bettah.. :-) I've loved Shakespeare since the first time I encountered it. One of my most cherished books is the Complete Works of Shakespeare, which my parents gave me for Christmas when I was sixteen. Dianne ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays/opera/ballet
At 12:17 26/11/2005, you wrote: The non-existent wall that prevents otherwise intelligent people from enjoying these delights of Opera and Shakespeare is sewn, here in America anyway, by the anti-intellectual brigade. Those usually sports-soaked numb-nuts that seem to be kewl in school and never really leave college for the rest of their lives. Ignorance is blissI guess. Actually, my opera wall (tee hee) was caused by living, when I was a child, next door to some opera fans. Not only were they generally unpleasant people, but every evening, they played opera music. LOUDLY. And three seasons of the year, they had their windows wide open, so the whole neighboorhood could enjoy their music. I got bettah.. :-) I've loved Shakespeare since the first time I encountered it. One of my most cherished books is the Complete Works of Shakespeare, which my parents gave me for Christmas when I was sixteen. I too love Shakespeare, even though my first experience as a very young child, was watching an all female company do Merchant of Venice. I think I must have read Lamb's Tales From Shakespeare, as I waited with trepidation for Shylock to bare his breast in the trial scene!! Then my aunt took me to my first RSC production (1952) and I was hooked - we lived in Stratford on Avon, where you either loved it or hated it. And I saw some really weird versions I must say! Also in the winter there were productions of opera, and I mostly loved that, although now I prefer earlier rather than later (Last year was a French production of a Rameau opera date late 17th /early 18th century, with naked people, trampolines, and weeeird costumes, but the music was bliss.) But I cannot get over the ballet wall, even though I saw Nureyev and Fontaine in Les Sylphides. I hate the music, and don't enjoy the dancing. (And there are some seriously odd costumes in ballet too.) Suzi ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays
I'm with Dianne on this one, although my opera wall doesn't come with a set of rude neighbors! ;-D I just plain don't like most 19th century music (or a fair amount of 20th century music). I don't have much appreciation for any book or movie or art form that has a lot of over-the-top drama in it. Since I got out of adolescence, I've also not been much of a fan of musicals (liked them as a kid just fine, and there are a few I enjoy now, but it's not something I'll normally spend money on shrugs). I adore music from the Renaissance and Baroqe periods, though, and Mozart (does he count as Baroqe or Romantic?). The local university's in the middle of working on a production of _Marriage of Figaro_, and I'm going to see that. ;o) --Sue, who's musical prefernces pick up again in the 1960s, with exceptions for composers like Aaron Copeland. OCC: Currently sorting through in-house wool and linen stash for makings for some 10th c. (western) Norse outfits. What's everyon else doing? - Original Message - From: Dianne Greg Stucki [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Historical Costume [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2005 5:17 AM Subject: Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays The non-existent wall that prevents otherwise intelligent people from enjoying these delights of Opera and Shakespeare is sewn, here in America anyway, by the anti-intellectual brigade. Those usually sports-soaked numb-nuts that seem to be kewl in school and never really leave college for the rest of their lives. Ignorance is blissI guess. Actually, my opera wall (tee hee) was caused by living, when I was a child, next door to some opera fans. Not only were they generally unpleasant people, but every evening, they played opera music. LOUDLY. And three seasons of the year, they had their windows wide open, so the whole neighboorhood could enjoy their music. I got bettah.. :-) I've loved Shakespeare since the first time I encountered it. One of my most cherished books is the Complete Works of Shakespeare, which my parents gave me for Christmas when I was sixteen. Dianne ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays
Sue wrote: I adore music from the Renaissance and Baroqe periods, though, and Mozart (does he count as Baroqe or Romantic?). Mozart is considered classical, along with Haydn and early Beethoven. Classicism is between Baroque and Romantic. -Helen/Aidan (Who grew up not especially liking opera, since it was blasted in our house every waking moment my father was not at work. Of course, my opinion changed in my late teens. I'm also not a 19th c music fan for the most part (give me Bach and Mozart); most of it is too schmaltzy for my taste, except for some of the national/folkloric stuff. There's some good stuff in the 20th c, but definitely not that serial stuff.) ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays
In a message dated 11/26/2005 11:59:41 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: but definitely not that serial stuff.) ** Definitely NOT so... As 12 tone music becomes more historicalI find that it can not be so bad. In fact I like a lot of it. I 1st got it with Stravinsky's ballet Agon which is only partly 12 tone. [ Another great Balenchine ballet with no sets or costumes. ]Also his 12 tone Mass and another church piece called Canticum Sacrum, which has a divine tenor solo [sulge aquilo] and also a fantastic movement for bass and chorus. It's very dry music. But then Alban Berg's serial stuff is very lush and almost romantic [Lulu] and I like it too. Even Copland wrote some serial stuff! It's not all the same. What it all takes...Opera, classical, serial, jazz, zydecowhatever...is getting familiar with it and its vocab. The only way to do that is to be open minded and not dismiss it. Yes, some things one just doesn't like. But you should only decide that after repeated listenings. I remember in school I had to design Stravinsky's opera Oedipus Rex so naturally I went to the library and listened to it. I though Jesus! What a bunch of caterwauling! But of course on repeated listenings, I got it. It's now one of my all time faves. A great work of art. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays/opera/ballet
On Sat, 26 Nov 2005, Suzi Clarke wrote: But I cannot get over the ballet wall, even though I saw Nureyev and Fontaine in Les Sylphides. I hate the music, and don't enjoy the dancing. (And there are some seriously odd costumes in ballet too.) Oh wow. I'm just the opposite. I can barely tolerate opera music (though the costumes and the dramatic element, when it's there, can distract me sufficiently from the music). But if anyone's dancing, I'm *there.* I even like Olympic ice dancing and gymnastics floor exercise. Classical ballet is my least favorite of ballet styles, but it still shows off the sheer athleticism of the performers. And many ballet companies do non-classical works. I spent several months of my early career as an arts journalist covering the training team of the Joffrey Ballet ... wow. I'd still rather see Momix or Pilobolus, though. --Robin ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Modern interpretations of period plays
One thing that I found interesting about Baz Luhrman's 'Romeo and Juliet', was that he didn't change the dialogue to modern speech, but kept the language of the original script/play, and after the first realization of the fact that the characters are speaking Elizabethan English, you totally forgot about it - it was just a part of the movie. ( At least, I forgot about it - it just fitted the movie so well. ) Joannah. _ Sluggy.Net: The Sluggy Freelance Community! ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
