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Urban Shocker's Neighbourhood Watch

Was this coincidence? Quite the concentration of UT in one row...

Tosca was quite the foil to Love From Afar. I didn't realize it was the same production from 2008 until the curtain went up. Where Love from Afar took risks (apparently), Tosca was completely safe and text-book. My feeling is that most opera-goers prefe safe, literal productions like this, and do not want to be challenged for 3 hours after a long day at work. I'm sure Neef is mindful of keeping a good balance as he arranges his seasons.
 
Toronto's sex trade, "Now" newspaper exempted from controls?

Remember about a year ago when Kajiji and other internet sites were forced to drop ads for escorts (prostitutes)? I wondered why "Now" magazine, which derives 80% of its revenue from ads for escorts was exempted? Based on the fact so much of its revenue is derived from this, they are in-effect, "pimps." I'm wondering why print media was left out of this? Especially considering many of the ads are for Asian hookers who are often illegally in Canada or underage.
 
Roy G Biv said:
Was this coincidence? Quite the concentration of UT in one row...

Tosca was quite the foil to Love From Afar. I didn't realize it was the same production from 2008 until the curtain went up. Where Love from Afar took risks (apparently), Tosca was completely safe and text-book. My feeling is that most opera-goers prefe safe, literal productions like this, and do not want to be challenged for 3 hours after a long day at work. I'm sure Neef is mindful of keeping a good balance as he arranges his seasons.
Click to expand...


I would like to reiterate that at the start of things I was enjoying Love From Afar, for its music, which was luscious. Luscious indeed. It got bogged down in some ways and the production made the situation worse.

To repeat what I wrote yesterday, "Love From Afar uses novel and effective use of voice, orchestra and choral forces", in fact, that aspect of it was brilliant. I wanted to like the opera all the way through but I thought it got brought down - rather badly.

Do count me as one who loves new things and new productions. I don't like to "play it safe" in my musical pursuits.

Nice try, COC. Keep the new stuff coming!
 
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I'm almost tempted to experience it again, as with anything new that's a bit baffling to me. Almost ... but not quite. More than a few people cut out at intermission, I noticed, and Tony's point of view, as well as that of Roy's friend, are clearly shared. One thing I thought linked Tosca and Love From Afar was the excellence - specifically, as linked to the sheer volume of the sound they produced - of the orchestra; the hall can take it, as can our ears. I did pity Adrianne Pieczonka's Tosca having to do the murder scene in that long dress though. There's no ladylike way to kill someone in an outfit like that, though the great aplomb with which she kept flipping her train out of the way almost made it seem possible that there was.

It's not coincidence, Roy, I moved to Wednesdays, and up to Ring 4, specifically to throw my lot in with the rest of my people - Urban Toronto's operaqueens.
 
This afternoon, passing through Spadina and King on my tireless peregrinations, I found myself admiring how comfortable Hudson and Charlie are together, like a couple spooning.

Then, across the road to Nicholas Metivier, to see the portraits by Shelley Adler and Alison Lambert:

http://metiviergallery.com/current-exhibitions/shelley-adler

http://metiviergallery.com/current-exhibitions/alison-lambert-

After that, to 80 Spadina, and Flavio Trevisan's not-to-be-missed Museum of the Represented City at the Koffler Gallery:

http://www.kofflerarts.org/Programs/Event-Detail/?recordid=172

http://flaviotrevisan.com/category/work/
 
Upcoming at TSO (next week) - the best conductor ever to take the podium at the TSO, Gianandrea Noseda, returns in a guest engagement, with Verdi arias (Sondra Radvanovsky!), and Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony. I may attend both performances, actually. If you desire excellent symphonic conducting here, get tickets. You won't be sorry.

At the opera, my next thing is Tales of Hoffman. Can't wait.
 
RichA said:
Remember about a year ago when Kajiji and other internet sites were forced to drop ads for escorts (prostitutes)? I wondered why "Now" magazine, which derives 80% of its revenue from ads for escorts was exempted? Based on the fact so much of its revenue is derived from this, they are in-effect, "pimps." I'm wondering why print media was left out of this? Especially considering many of the ads are for Asian hookers who are often illegally in Canada or underage.
Click to expand...

Easy - they are a mostly print outfit. Their online sales are minimal to their print ads.
 
Went to ridiculously excellent TSO concert last night with the conducting marvel Gianandrea Noseda on the podium, Sondra Radvanovsky singing arias by Verdi and Tchaikovsky (and an encore by Rachmaninov). After intermission Noseda led the TSO in a blistering interpretation of Tchaikovsky's 6th. Am going to same concert again on Saturday, will furnish review. These concerts are pretty much sold out.
 
Good for you. I've been falling behind with my live concert-going lately, but have been enjoying the gallery scene. On Tuesday, I was to the ROM for a meeting, and to a Currelly Society talk afterwards ( with FutureMayor ) by Dave Hollands, head of the ROM's design department, about their new exhibition - Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants From Gondwana.
 
To Tales of Hoffmann last night, and to A Florentine Tragedy and Gianni Schicchi the night before. The singing was uniformly good at all three, though I found myself tuning out of Tragedy due to the banal music and the ludicrous incongruities of the staging, which didn't know if it wanted to be art deco era or Middle Ages ... and hedged bets by combining both, with a sword, and a lute, and a woman "spinning". The fetishism over fabrics was very odd.

The mechanical doll Olympia ( Adriana Chuchman ) was wonderful last night, and Cochenille looked a little like Boris Whatsisname, the Mayor of London.
 
This morning, to OCA(D)(U) - the graduate exhibition's on - for the alumni BBQ in Butterfield Park beneath the Sharp Centre.

Then, strolled down to Shangri-La for the unveiling of Zhang Huan's Rising.

Met interchange42, listened to grandees give nice little speeches, chattered to some art folk, sighted some local artists ... and watched the great reveal. Zhang Huan ( dressed entirely in grey - that most colourful of colours - which was entirely appropriate given the austere colour palette of his Ash Paintings and Memory Doors ) said a few words to breathe life into his work and set it loose on the art world.

We strolled to Lightbox to see James Carl's Thing's End, and then up to the AGO to see the Ash Paintings. Interchange and I discussed the demerits of putting some of the AGO's signature works of art in storage now and then. I particularly miss my old friend the Tintoretto, which I think has earned the right to stay on show permanently, but has ceded wall space to a temporary exhibition of art donated by Joey and Toby Tanenbaum.

Up to the fourth floor to see Iain Baxter's retrospective - especially enjoyed the Appropriation Works, such as the Donald Judd slip cover.

Rising is a screamingly accessible work. I was tempted to become the first to climb it ... and had to be restrained.
 
Urban Screamer

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Thrilled as I am by Rising, I'm approaching Semele with trepidation, given how dreadful the reviews for Zhang Huan's staging have been ...
 
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