Gratuitous Abuse of the Link Function, Ho!

So Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor played in class last night put me in a classics mood, and I rushed around this morning freaking out that I didn't have an Dvorak on this newish laptop. Also I gave in and finally just bought Ainadamar, this fabulous opera about Lorca (who I'm more than a little obsessed with the plays of) that won the Classical Grammy in 2007.

Sad discovery, b/c the opera's in Spanish: my Spanish has /really/ slipped in the past months. I'm sure I can get it back if I go teach there, but I used to be literate/conversationally fluent and now I'm...not. It doesn't help that it's an opera with random bits of Arabic and Yiddish, though. Or that it's a) about the region I lived in but b) by an Argentine speaker, which is bound to complicate things. Why the Yiddish influence? Osvaldo Golijov is like Kusher--can't do a damn thing without Jews. Remember Caroline or Change? Wtf. Civil rights narrative in the South. Unless it's SNCC members? No Jews, Tony. Not today. Go translate Dybbuk about it--seriously, please do so, that play is fiery hot and amazing.

Seriously, if you haven't read A Dybbuk (not 'the Dybbuk,' the Ansky original, which I haven't looked at, but 'a Dybbuk')? Time well spent.

But here's two songs from Ainadamar that rock face. Even if you dislike classical music, your face? Will be ROCKED. Though for a brief bit at the beginning of the first one he thinks he's Juno Reactor on the Matrix soundtrack, which is awfully funny.

Introduction of Mariana
Balada
Death of Lorca
Interludio de Balazos y Lamento Por la Muerte de Federico

Gratuitous Abuse of the Link Function, Ho!

So Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor played in class last night put me in a classics mood, and I rushed around this morning freaking out that I didn't have an Dvorak on this newish laptop. Also I gave in and finally just bought Ainadamar, this fabulous opera about Lorca (who I'm more than a little obsessed with the plays of) that won the Classical Grammy in 2007.

Sad discovery, b/c the opera's in Spanish: my Spanish has /really/ slipped in the past months. I'm sure I can get it back if I go teach there, but I used to be literate/conversationally fluent and now I'm...not. It doesn't help that it's an opera with random bits of Arabic and Yiddish, though. Or that it's a) about the region I lived in but b) by an Argentine speaker, which is bound to complicate things. Why the Yiddish influence? Osvaldo Golijov is like Kusher--can't do a damn thing without Jews. Remember Caroline or Change? Wtf. Civil rights narrative in the South. Unless it's SNCC members? No Jews, Tony. Not today. Go translate Dybbuk about it--seriously, please do so, that play is fiery hot and amazing.

Seriously, if you haven't read A Dybbuk (not 'the Dybbuk,' the Ansky original, which I haven't looked at, but 'a Dybbuk')? Time well spent.

But here's two songs from Ainadamar that rock face. Even if you dislike classical music, your face? Will be ROCKED. Though for a brief bit at the beginning of the first one he thinks he's Juno Reactor on the Matrix soundtrack, which is awfully funny.

Introduction of Mariana
Balada
Death of Lorca
Interludio de Balazos y Lamento Por la Muerte de Federico

Discussion on Steampunk Aesthetics/Politics, Military Fetishism in Fashion and Slash Politics

( I thought bits of this were interesting, maybe you will too? )

And then here's a really good answer to the steampunk question by prettyarbitrary.

Discussion on Steampunk Aesthetics/Politics, Military Fetishism in Fashion and Slash Politics

( I thought bits of this were interesting, maybe you will too? )

And then here's a really good answer to the steampunk question by prettyarbitrary.