No doubt everyone has heard about the man who, seemingly without his wife's knowledge, imprisoned his adult daughter in his soundproof basement for 24 years and fathered 7 children by her — three of which remained in the basement, away from all contact with the rest of the world until recently.
This story is bad enough, but there have been a few others lately, notably the story of Natascha Kampusch, abducted and kept in a man's basement for 8 years.
In Germany there was a story of a woman who kept her children in the house and starved them to death. Neighbors remembered having seen them at the window, beating spoons on the glass panes. No one realized what was happening to them. No one wanted to get involved.
Just after this most recent, heinous story came to light, I watched a roundtable discussion on television, which included Austria's Interior Minister, a psychologist, the head of Social Services, etc. To a man they all wore the expressions of people who had no idea how this could have happened, nor any idea what they should have been doing in order to prevent it. Anyway, this article in the Daily Mail discusses Austria's love of secrecy and privacy, and the author is not completely off the mark.
"On the one hand, the concept of good neighbourliness is utterly alien to many older Austrians. They are so wary of over-familiarity that they rarely socialise in each other's homes - preferring to meet in "heuriger" (communal wine-drinking areas) - and avoid making small-talk over the garden fence. For this reason, they usually have no clue what is going on next door, and have no wish to find out.
On the other hand, they are a nation of habitual petty sneaks who will report even the smallest transgression, such as litterdropping, to the authorities.
No one exemplified this Austrian national trait better than Wolfgang Priklopil, Natascha's kidnapper. He would often call his local council in Strasshof, near Vienna, to complain that his hedge had been cut too short or his neighbours were parking their cars badly, regardless of the danger that Natascha might be discovered in the course of any official visit."
Well, this is overdoing it a wee bit (the younger generations are not so much like this.) The author is on to something when he blames it on the years of the Third Reich making Austria's citizens wary and happily uninvolved in their neighbors' doings, he just didn't go far back enough; it has it's origins in the Dollfuss regime, methinks, if not farther back into the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Weend Rooftop Bloggging: Garden Edition
The little red stalks have grown into a peony bush, and the leaves have taken on more green. It's amazing what two weeks' time will do.
The bleeding heart (tränendes Herz) has begun to flower. It's one of the first to do so, and when it's done the plant is pretty much done for the season — we cut it back and let it sit out the rest of the year.
Two new tomato plants from the local Gärtnerei. The one on the right already has fruit. It's too early to plant them outside but I'm letting them soak up some morning sunshine. In these parts, local wisdom dictates that you wait until the Eisheiligen ("Ice Saints") have passed until you plant annuals or put out anything that won't survive a late frost. These are the saints' days of Pancras, Mamertus, Servatus, and Sophia "Die kalte Sofie", and they fall on May 12-15. The reason for this is that there seems to be a frequent drop in temperature in mid-May, observed by gardeners over the centuries.
One becomes a little more in tune to saints days as it's a predominantly catholic country, and the church lore has mixed in and become part of local lore. After Easter there is a nice stretch of almost weekly catholic holidays: May Day (our Labor Day), Ascension, Pentacost (Monday holiday), Corpus Christi. Unfortunately for us, the first two fall on the same date this year.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
That cube on Theaterplatz
I was waiting for a friend on the steps of the theater, and just decided to take a picture. This cube thing has a cafe on the ground floor and a small, very pricey restaurant upstairs. On the other side is a Tabak, where you can buy cigarettes, newspapers and other small sundry items. Beyond that is the entrance to the Hofgarten, our city park.The snow line on that day was about 1700 meters. Gorgeous day.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Why We're In Europe
Although it would be nice to be able to say so, American singers are not working over here because we love the European Life or because we're protesting the catastrophe that is the Bush administration. The fact is, there's more work here. Tons more. That and the relatively open immigration policies of the Germany and Austria is a big lure for singers who, like me, got fed up with day jobs and the incomprehensible singer management "system" in the US.
In a recent article for the Tampa Tribune, Kurt Loft writes about the crisis an American opera house must face when a singer gets sick, citing a recent occasion at Opera Tampa and the need for covers (who get paid to wait around in the general vicinity of the theater before each performance, just in case.) Now, it's possible that Mr. Loft exaggerated the dire situation an opera company finds itself in when illness strikes, but I think he's pretty much on the mark in that a company will then have to make some quick phone calls, almost all long-distance, in order to find a last-minute replacement. As I read the article, I found myself taking for granted that for Tampa to find an available Tosca within 500 miles would be almost out of the question.
Then I made a comparison. My theater also has performances of Tosca this season (16, in fact.) If a prima donna were to cancel, what then? Well, first, we've got 3 sopranos alternating in the role. Should, god forbid, they all be unavailable, I checked on the handy website Opera Base to see what theaters within, say, roughly 500 miles, would also have productions of Tosca going on.
Starting after April 1 (for new productions), I found ten houses. When I backed up to look at all the houses doing Tosca in the last 12 months, I found 12 more. That's 22 recent productions to pick from, in an area roughly the size of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland put together.
And that is not even counting all the opera houses who didn't stage Tosca within the last year. Who pays for all this culture? Opera, symphonies, art museums, theater, dance; it's heavily subsidized by the government. Which of course means that taxes are higher. Do people complain about high taxes? Sure they do. But the arts are a very big part of European cultural life, and a social democracy supports its culture. Thank god for that.
In a recent article for the Tampa Tribune, Kurt Loft writes about the crisis an American opera house must face when a singer gets sick, citing a recent occasion at Opera Tampa and the need for covers (who get paid to wait around in the general vicinity of the theater before each performance, just in case.) Now, it's possible that Mr. Loft exaggerated the dire situation an opera company finds itself in when illness strikes, but I think he's pretty much on the mark in that a company will then have to make some quick phone calls, almost all long-distance, in order to find a last-minute replacement. As I read the article, I found myself taking for granted that for Tampa to find an available Tosca within 500 miles would be almost out of the question.
Then I made a comparison. My theater also has performances of Tosca this season (16, in fact.) If a prima donna were to cancel, what then? Well, first, we've got 3 sopranos alternating in the role. Should, god forbid, they all be unavailable, I checked on the handy website Opera Base to see what theaters within, say, roughly 500 miles, would also have productions of Tosca going on.
Starting after April 1 (for new productions), I found ten houses. When I backed up to look at all the houses doing Tosca in the last 12 months, I found 12 more. That's 22 recent productions to pick from, in an area roughly the size of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland put together.
And that is not even counting all the opera houses who didn't stage Tosca within the last year. Who pays for all this culture? Opera, symphonies, art museums, theater, dance; it's heavily subsidized by the government. Which of course means that taxes are higher. Do people complain about high taxes? Sure they do. But the arts are a very big part of European cultural life, and a social democracy supports its culture. Thank god for that.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
CSI: IBK part two. Oh My.
This is just too weird. Some individual(s) with a lot of perseverance has compiled a site dedicated to outing the cyber-antics of the David Caruso stalker, and what a mother lode they've hit. Dozens of sockpuppet nyms at dozens of celebrity/entertainment sites. Kinda creepy, actually, obsessing over someone enough to get onesself banned from several sites. And this person lives here in Innsbruck?
Actually I find the site itself a little disturbing as well. But I guess the nets are full of this sort of thing.
Actually I find the site itself a little disturbing as well. But I guess the nets are full of this sort of thing.
What I've Been Saying (Plus Some More)
Business Week has published an article from Spiegel Online on the Environmental Perils Of Artificial Snow manufactured for the Alpine ski slopes.
'Increasing numbers of ski resorts in the Alps have installed snow cannons so that the euros keep rolling in during snow-poor winters. In Austria, artificial snow is already used on 50 percent of slopes, says Christian Rixen of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos, Switzerland. In southern Tyrol, the figure is even higher, at 59 percent, while in the Alps as a whole it's 30 percent.
Artificial snow and its consequences is one of the many climate change-related topics that scientists are currently discussing at the European Geosciences Union annual conference this week in Vienna. Researchers have been aware of the problem for some time. A year and a half ago, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a study on the consequences of global warming on the Alps. The worrying conclusion was that, in a worst-case scenario, two-thirds of all ski areas would be threatened.
Bavarian areas could be hit the hardest: Even a rise in temperature of just 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) would mean that 87 percent of slopes would no longer be classified as "snow reliable." The OECD defines snow-reliable areas as those that have around 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow cover on at least 100 days in the year. In the Alps there are currently around 600 such areas. But an average temperature increase of just 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) could reduce that number to 500, the OECD warns. Every 1-degree Celsius increase after that would spell doom for a further 100 ski resorts.
"Everything under 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) is hit first," says hydrologist Carmen de Jong of the University of Savoy in France. Then areas above 1,200 meters start getting problems, she explains. Winter sport resorts don't have many options for coping with climate change. "The entire infrastructure, for example the lifts, would have to be rebuilt higher up the mountain—and that's extremely expensive," de Jong says.
At lower altitudes, the only hope is snow cannons, which in some areas run non-stop as soon as the temperature hits minus 3 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit). To avoid running out of snow, they pump out as much of the white stuff as possible.
(snip)
But the effects of the massive artificial snow output are worrying scientists. "Artificial snow melts two to three weeks later (than normal snow)," says Christian Rixen of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. Adding to the worry is the fact that artificial snow melt contains more minerals and nutrients than regular melt water. One consequence of the different composition is an alteration of the natural ground covering, as plants with higher nutritional requirements suddenly begin to dominate.
The use of artificial snow also interferes with the millennia-old Alpine water table. Water for snow production has to be collected in manmade reservoirs over the course of the entire year. A considerable amount of that water evaporates over time or when the artificial snow is produced—and is therefore lost. Moreover, manmade reservoirs created in the mountains change the underground water table, as their bottoms are watertight and do not allow water to seep back into the ground. Not only this, but because artificial snow takes longer to melt, the flow of water into the valleys is postponed.'
The appearance of the slopes will also affect tourism, as '(t)he only snow in some areas would be white strips of piste running down from the top of an otherwise green mountain to the ski lift base station at the bottom.'
You mean, like this?
'Increasing numbers of ski resorts in the Alps have installed snow cannons so that the euros keep rolling in during snow-poor winters. In Austria, artificial snow is already used on 50 percent of slopes, says Christian Rixen of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos, Switzerland. In southern Tyrol, the figure is even higher, at 59 percent, while in the Alps as a whole it's 30 percent.
Artificial snow and its consequences is one of the many climate change-related topics that scientists are currently discussing at the European Geosciences Union annual conference this week in Vienna. Researchers have been aware of the problem for some time. A year and a half ago, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a study on the consequences of global warming on the Alps. The worrying conclusion was that, in a worst-case scenario, two-thirds of all ski areas would be threatened.
Bavarian areas could be hit the hardest: Even a rise in temperature of just 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) would mean that 87 percent of slopes would no longer be classified as "snow reliable." The OECD defines snow-reliable areas as those that have around 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow cover on at least 100 days in the year. In the Alps there are currently around 600 such areas. But an average temperature increase of just 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) could reduce that number to 500, the OECD warns. Every 1-degree Celsius increase after that would spell doom for a further 100 ski resorts.
"Everything under 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) is hit first," says hydrologist Carmen de Jong of the University of Savoy in France. Then areas above 1,200 meters start getting problems, she explains. Winter sport resorts don't have many options for coping with climate change. "The entire infrastructure, for example the lifts, would have to be rebuilt higher up the mountain—and that's extremely expensive," de Jong says.
At lower altitudes, the only hope is snow cannons, which in some areas run non-stop as soon as the temperature hits minus 3 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit). To avoid running out of snow, they pump out as much of the white stuff as possible.
(snip)
But the effects of the massive artificial snow output are worrying scientists. "Artificial snow melts two to three weeks later (than normal snow)," says Christian Rixen of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. Adding to the worry is the fact that artificial snow melt contains more minerals and nutrients than regular melt water. One consequence of the different composition is an alteration of the natural ground covering, as plants with higher nutritional requirements suddenly begin to dominate.
The use of artificial snow also interferes with the millennia-old Alpine water table. Water for snow production has to be collected in manmade reservoirs over the course of the entire year. A considerable amount of that water evaporates over time or when the artificial snow is produced—and is therefore lost. Moreover, manmade reservoirs created in the mountains change the underground water table, as their bottoms are watertight and do not allow water to seep back into the ground. Not only this, but because artificial snow takes longer to melt, the flow of water into the valleys is postponed.'
The appearance of the slopes will also affect tourism, as '(t)he only snow in some areas would be white strips of piste running down from the top of an otherwise green mountain to the ski lift base station at the bottom.'
You mean, like this?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Thank You res ipsa loquitur...
...for being the 5,000 visitor to The Practice Room! res ipsa is one of several fine contributors to Rising Hegemon, an excellent and funny place which will now be found on the blogroll.
She's also a very funny Eschaton commenter, who once set out to live-blog Brooke Astor's funeral. I look forward to actually meeting her one day.
She's also a very funny Eschaton commenter, who once set out to live-blog Brooke Astor's funeral. I look forward to actually meeting her one day.
Moving right along in rehearsals, pt.2
I was out of a lot of rehearsals last week for the production I've been walking you through, because I was involved in another piece which opened on the weekend. That's over now (it went very well!) and now I pull my concentration back into this piece. I've had my second appointment with the costume department for some final alterations, and we've had a run-through on the stage, testing out the scene-changes (which involve a revolving stage, which I love. I can never get enough of 'em!) and the basic technical outline needed to get though from points A to Z. Musically, one can hold back for a while, because there will be time to work on that later. Right now it's text, dramatic motivation, and sometimes just being in the right place at the right moment.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Vollmond
I couldn't resist trying this. The full moon was casting such an eerie glow on the clouds and the snow-capped mountains, you couldn't always tell where mountain ended and cloud began.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Weekend Rooftop Blogging: Spring Is Here
Now, if only my allergies would play nice, I might be enjoying it more.
CSI: Innsbruck
Quiet little Innsbruck is the location for a Hollywood stalker drama. A 41-yr-old local woman has been charged with sending death threats to CSI: Miami star David Caruso, vowing to do him in and his "ugly Latino tramp" too (one assumes she meant his on-screen partner Alana De La Garza.) The woman had sent over 100 letters to Caruso, asking for an autograph. When she got no response, the letters started to get mean. She was supposed to appear in court last July, but was out of the country at the time and so the court date was moved to last week and, despite assurances from her lawyer that she would come, she's skipped town with her laptop.
I think the last time we'd made news of this sort was when a worker found the remains of five newborn babies under the concrete basement floor or an apartment house.
I can't say that this is making any kind of impact in Innsbruck, although it's been on the local news and in the papers.
I think the last time we'd made news of this sort was when a worker found the remains of five newborn babies under the concrete basement floor or an apartment house.
I can't say that this is making any kind of impact in Innsbruck, although it's been on the local news and in the papers.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
What Aamir Said.
The Olympic Torch relay in New Delhi turned out to be a bit of a farce, with thousands of police and other security forces far outnumbering the runners and the spectators combined, and a lock-down over the city center well before the event.
Aamir Khan, Indian film star who participated in the run, writes on his blog why he went ahead with the relay despite much pressure to bow out:
"I categorically state that I am absolutely against any form of violence, and certainly I am deeply upset whenever the basic rights of human beings are violated anywhere in the world.
However, I feel that the Olympic Games do not belong to China.
In fact if we were to try and find on this planet a place to hold the Olympic Games where the government of that place has not been responsible for human rights violations (in one way or the other), then I suspect that we would be left with very few options, if any at all. If I am not mistaken almost all societies have been responsible for human rights violation either directly or indirectly, sometimes in seen ways and sometimes in unseen ways, sometimes physically, sometimes economically.
The Olympic Games represent for me the coming together of different people across the world despite their differences and difficulties. It is an opportunity for sportsmen and women across the world to showcase their talent, to challenge themselves and others, and for others to watch and marvel at the achievements of the human body, mind and soul.
Are human rights violations continuing across the globe while all this is happening. I’m afraid so. And I hope and pray for the day that we can one day live in absolute peace and harmony, where human suffering is done away with."
I'll be interested to see if he blogs about the experience.
Aamir Khan, Indian film star who participated in the run, writes on his blog why he went ahead with the relay despite much pressure to bow out:
"I categorically state that I am absolutely against any form of violence, and certainly I am deeply upset whenever the basic rights of human beings are violated anywhere in the world.
However, I feel that the Olympic Games do not belong to China.
In fact if we were to try and find on this planet a place to hold the Olympic Games where the government of that place has not been responsible for human rights violations (in one way or the other), then I suspect that we would be left with very few options, if any at all. If I am not mistaken almost all societies have been responsible for human rights violation either directly or indirectly, sometimes in seen ways and sometimes in unseen ways, sometimes physically, sometimes economically.
The Olympic Games represent for me the coming together of different people across the world despite their differences and difficulties. It is an opportunity for sportsmen and women across the world to showcase their talent, to challenge themselves and others, and for others to watch and marvel at the achievements of the human body, mind and soul.
Are human rights violations continuing across the globe while all this is happening. I’m afraid so. And I hope and pray for the day that we can one day live in absolute peace and harmony, where human suffering is done away with."
I'll be interested to see if he blogs about the experience.
Olympic Torch Relay
I'm of two minds, or perhaps several, about the protests dogging the Olympic Torch relay before it homes in on China. Yes, there are very valid reasons to protest what China has been doing. However, for me the Torch Relay is much more about the world's participation in something together. I don't see it as the the world's participation in turning a blind eye to China's human rights abuses. If there's a wedding in your family, and the reception is going to be hosted by someone you find odious, should family members refuse to go? Scorn the bride and groom? Who are the Olympics for?
We Americans have been scoffing at the Olympics lately, mainly due to the telenovela-style media coverage that America's been subjected to for the past decade or so. Lots of hype, lots of human-interest drama. If an American athlete has battled cancer, or has recently lost a family member, s/he is virtually guaranteed non-stop coverage of her/his "struggle." (of course, if an athlete has lost a limb, and now wins a gold in the Para-Olympics, well, yawn, we don't care about that.) No wonder so many of us hate the circus when it comes around again.
But the rest of the world doesn't seem to get beaten over the head by all that. I get stations via satellite from Austria, Germany, a few from Italy and France, and the English-language cable news stations (CNN International, Sky News, BBC World, NBC Europe.) Mostly I watch the German stations, and their Olympic coverage, like all their sports coverage, is fairly matter-of-fact and free of the droning on about someone's personal problems (you can get all that in the tabloid newspapers, don't worry.)
So I've been following the relay and the protest route, and today there's a lock-down in India as the torch moves through New Delhi. 15,000 police have been dispatched to keep order. A parallel protest torch relay will occur while the relay is underway.
One of the participants in the relay through New Delhi will be Indian film superstar Aamir Khan, one of my favorite screen heartthrobs (the other being Alan Rickman.) Go Aamir!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Do You Really Want To Know How Many Seconds You've Got Left?
The Death Clock site was brought to my attention today. If you click on it, you'll see that it's not very scientifically done, but it did give me a few ideas on longevity and what we do to influence it. Now, justified or not, I tend not to worry too much about illness and death because I come from a line of long-living people (little in the way of cancer or Alzheimers in the family, their hearts gave out in their nineties) I don't smoke, I don't drink much alcohol, I work out, and bike or walk to my place of work. I am also incurably optimistic, and feel good about myself and my life even when things are less than wonderful (I always figure, it could be a lot worse, hey?) Singing and laughter on a daily basis has got to be adding years to my life as well.
Anyway, according to the Death Clock I'm scheduled to make it past ninety. Which is pretty much what I'm expecting, provided a bus doesn't take me out in the meantime.
Anyway, according to the Death Clock I'm scheduled to make it past ninety. Which is pretty much what I'm expecting, provided a bus doesn't take me out in the meantime.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Weekend Rooftop Blogging (Garden)
Mid-April, and spring is showing itself in earnest. The trees have buds, the daffodils are coming up, the birds are building nests. On my terrace, the perennials are looking good. Below are lilies of the valley (Maiglöckchen).
This is a peony, or Pfingstrose ("Pentacost rose") which has yet to ever flower, but neverthless gives leafy greenery to the terrace. Next to it are phlox (Phlox).
Last month I helped a colleague move into a new apartment, and came home with a potted tree for which he no longer had room on his new, smaller balcony. I think it's a magnolia. In any case it's just putting out new leaves, so it seems to be happy enough in its new home.
This is a peony, or Pfingstrose ("Pentacost rose") which has yet to ever flower, but neverthless gives leafy greenery to the terrace. Next to it are phlox (Phlox).
Last month I helped a colleague move into a new apartment, and came home with a potted tree for which he no longer had room on his new, smaller balcony. I think it's a magnolia. In any case it's just putting out new leaves, so it seems to be happy enough in its new home.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Anyone up for a game?
It's EM fever!!! Well, not yet, or at least I haven't seen any.The European Cup (football, or soccer to the Amerikaner) will descend on Austria and Switzerland in 57 days. And hey, there are still some tickets to be had, if you're willing to shell out about 500 Euros.
I'm not a soccer fan but I love to watch the games between countries. Here is where you see grand opera on the field at its finest.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Balance
Blogger Yankee Diva (who happens to be the very successful mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato) wrote this the other day, and it resonated with me:
"I try not to think of it too much, but it truly is a bizarre existence for us musicians who make a life out of window seats on the plane and airport “nutrition”. We must function normally and comfortably on the stage in front of thousands of people, greeting many of them - from all different walks of life - after the performance, expending vast amounts of energy in service, and at the center of the momentary, often ecstatic attention. And then: utter solitude. This jagged transition used to confound me as I was thrashed back and forth between the two extremes; however with experience and (I suppose there’s no denying it) age, a certain perspective takes root and begins to supply comfort. I could write for hours on this subject, but I’ll save that for a rainy day – suffice it to say, the balance feels great, and allows me to enjoy both of these elements all the more."
While she was writing from her viewpoint, which is traveling to singing engagements, I'd like to add that much of this pertains to us "fest engagierte" singers as well, those who are singing all sorts of roles in a repertory house, particularly right after an opening night. You've been working long hours with the same cast, finding a way to get into your character's psyche and bring your own personal emotions and memories into it, dealing with the pressure of dress rehearsals, basically living for the premiere, and then it happens, and it's over. Maybe there will be a second performance within the following week, and you've got to bring yourself back up for that, but in between you need to come down.
Sometimes one is able to enjoy the quiet in one's head; sleep in, pad around in pajamas all day, be luxuriously lazy. Sometimes one goes into a funk. A German stage director once said to me, "There's a reason you find the word "premiere" in "Deprimierung (depression)" (OK, it only works when spoken). It helps greatly to have a partner who understands this and will give you the time you need to come out of it. It can't be easy being married to a singer!
"I try not to think of it too much, but it truly is a bizarre existence for us musicians who make a life out of window seats on the plane and airport “nutrition”. We must function normally and comfortably on the stage in front of thousands of people, greeting many of them - from all different walks of life - after the performance, expending vast amounts of energy in service, and at the center of the momentary, often ecstatic attention. And then: utter solitude. This jagged transition used to confound me as I was thrashed back and forth between the two extremes; however with experience and (I suppose there’s no denying it) age, a certain perspective takes root and begins to supply comfort. I could write for hours on this subject, but I’ll save that for a rainy day – suffice it to say, the balance feels great, and allows me to enjoy both of these elements all the more."
While she was writing from her viewpoint, which is traveling to singing engagements, I'd like to add that much of this pertains to us "fest engagierte" singers as well, those who are singing all sorts of roles in a repertory house, particularly right after an opening night. You've been working long hours with the same cast, finding a way to get into your character's psyche and bring your own personal emotions and memories into it, dealing with the pressure of dress rehearsals, basically living for the premiere, and then it happens, and it's over. Maybe there will be a second performance within the following week, and you've got to bring yourself back up for that, but in between you need to come down.
Sometimes one is able to enjoy the quiet in one's head; sleep in, pad around in pajamas all day, be luxuriously lazy. Sometimes one goes into a funk. A German stage director once said to me, "There's a reason you find the word "premiere" in "Deprimierung (depression)" (OK, it only works when spoken). It helps greatly to have a partner who understands this and will give you the time you need to come out of it. It can't be easy being married to a singer!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
St. Johann Nepomuk
There are thousands, if not tens of thousands of St. John Nepomuk statues on or near bridges throughout central and eastern Europe. He was the vicar-general to the Archbishop of Prague, and legend has it that he was martyred for refusing to divulge details of the Queen's confession* to the King, Wenceslaus**, who had him thrown from the Charles Bridge into the River Vltava. He is the patron saint of rivers and protector from floods.* There were of course more complicated reasons, involving the King's support for the Avignon Papacy, and the growing Hussite reform movement in Bohemia.
**This is Wenceslaus IV. The "good" one mentioned in the Christmas carol is Wenceslaus I, IV's great-great-great grandfather.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Belated Weekend Rooftop Blogging
We woke up this morning to fresh snow, but the sun melted most of it away by the afternoon. It's a bit on the cold side for April, but that's the way it is in the Alps — you get all kinds of weather, all year 'round.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Künstlergespräch; Christa Ludwig
This morning I had the opportunity to hear two living legends talk about their careers — Brigitte Fassbaender interviewing Christa Ludwig, who turned 80 recently. She's in fine form, and was a joy to hear as she reminisced about her early career (which began with standards like "Stormy Weather" for American G.I.s in bombed-out Germany); a crisis period which included a divorce, menopause and a burst capillary on the vocal chords all at the same time, and how she felt about ending her career while still in top form (just fine, apparently. She went outside, opened her collar and thought, "At last, I can just catch a cold and not fret about it!")
Between topics, we got to see and hear a few of her greatest moments on film, including a clip of a concert performance of Bernstein's "Candide", with Bernstein himself at the podium and Ludwig singing the Old Lady's "I Am Easily Assimilated." It was wonderful, and especially meaningful to me because I had sung that very role on that very stage where she was now sitting, a few years back.
She was wittily honest about what her future plans are ("Nothing!") and why she doesn't give many voice lessons ("I'm too lazy") brutally self-critical at times but not in a self-flogging way, but rather in the way one sees her own "flaws" objectively and strives for improvement. There was a special moment right after a film clip was played of her singing Leonore in "Fidelio"; beforehand she had mentioned that there was a certain note she was never quite happy with. As the clip ended, Fassbaender turned to Ludwig with a silent hand gesture of "Na? What was wrong with that?", and Ludwig returned with a hand gesture of "Eh, it was so-so!"
I was particularly attentive to her discussion of getting through menopause, at it requires a great deal of re-figuring things out for singers, and every women experiences it sooner or later, although it's not something that everyone talks about openly. Back in my student days, someone told me that Christa Ludwig is a "real mensch", and this morning confirmed that for me — a warm, funny, feet-on-the-ground kind of artist, and a very special musician. A real living legend.
Between topics, we got to see and hear a few of her greatest moments on film, including a clip of a concert performance of Bernstein's "Candide", with Bernstein himself at the podium and Ludwig singing the Old Lady's "I Am Easily Assimilated." It was wonderful, and especially meaningful to me because I had sung that very role on that very stage where she was now sitting, a few years back.
She was wittily honest about what her future plans are ("Nothing!") and why she doesn't give many voice lessons ("I'm too lazy") brutally self-critical at times but not in a self-flogging way, but rather in the way one sees her own "flaws" objectively and strives for improvement. There was a special moment right after a film clip was played of her singing Leonore in "Fidelio"; beforehand she had mentioned that there was a certain note she was never quite happy with. As the clip ended, Fassbaender turned to Ludwig with a silent hand gesture of "Na? What was wrong with that?", and Ludwig returned with a hand gesture of "Eh, it was so-so!"
I was particularly attentive to her discussion of getting through menopause, at it requires a great deal of re-figuring things out for singers, and every women experiences it sooner or later, although it's not something that everyone talks about openly. Back in my student days, someone told me that Christa Ludwig is a "real mensch", and this morning confirmed that for me — a warm, funny, feet-on-the-ground kind of artist, and a very special musician. A real living legend.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Feminist musings on what's "typically" female
I'm doing a piece right now which is by, about, and mostly performed by women, and as an exercise in character development we congregated last night to discuss what things we considered "typical" about women, including stereotypes and cliches. We came up with more than enough to discuss (driving, shoe shopping, communication, hysteria, chocolate, body image, rivalries among friends, sense of direction to name a few) but it wasn't so easy, being women ourselves, to think of stereotypes about ourselves. We came up with stereotypes about men very easily, however, as we ran through all the traits that make men different from us. Interesting to note that of the 6 women present, not one of us is what you might call a "typical" woman in any way, although we are all very different from one another. The "typical" woman seems to me as elusive as the "average" woman, that is, the female composite of all averaged-out traits, who ends up representing no one at all.
Some of the "conventions" we discussed, such as the dearth of women in certain fields (comedy, for example) led to the question of whether the problem lies with women doing things differently, or with the public's inability to view them in that way. I myself wonder about this very question regarding orchestra conductors. There are a few women out there, but really, a few. It's still very much a man's world up on the podium. And why is that? It certainly has nothing to do with women's musicalities or ambitions. A lot of it has to do with a certain wish for a male authority figure in charge, not only from the men in the orchestra and the audience but from the women as well, I'll bet you. A woman in charge, or rather, the idea of a woman in charge, seems to make a lot of people uncomfortable.
And I qualify that with the words "the idea of a woman in charge" because in my experience, once you've got a woman in charge, you quickly find that it's by and large the same as having a man up there. All those things you thought you should have been worrying about turn out not to be true at all. I have to consider myself incredibly lucky to be working with other women in a such a creative and supportive atmosphere, to have had the chance to chuck those stereotypes out the window for a while.
Some of the "conventions" we discussed, such as the dearth of women in certain fields (comedy, for example) led to the question of whether the problem lies with women doing things differently, or with the public's inability to view them in that way. I myself wonder about this very question regarding orchestra conductors. There are a few women out there, but really, a few. It's still very much a man's world up on the podium. And why is that? It certainly has nothing to do with women's musicalities or ambitions. A lot of it has to do with a certain wish for a male authority figure in charge, not only from the men in the orchestra and the audience but from the women as well, I'll bet you. A woman in charge, or rather, the idea of a woman in charge, seems to make a lot of people uncomfortable.
And I qualify that with the words "the idea of a woman in charge" because in my experience, once you've got a woman in charge, you quickly find that it's by and large the same as having a man up there. All those things you thought you should have been worrying about turn out not to be true at all. I have to consider myself incredibly lucky to be working with other women in a such a creative and supportive atmosphere, to have had the chance to chuck those stereotypes out the window for a while.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Moving right along in rehearsals
It’s week 2 of one new production, and week 1 of a second new production, in both of which I am involved. At the same time, there’s an opening night this weekend, and another opening night next weekend, and so performers are often involved in simultaneous rehearsal periods in repertory houses. It’s all worked out who goes where and which production has more importance at any given time. In between are costume fittings, music coachings for the songs, and of course performances of other shows. I used to say that sometimes, in periods of particularly "heavy rotation", I wouldn’t know what show was playing until I saw which costume was hanging in the dressing room.
One is in staging rehearsals daily, getting to know the abilities and personalities of one’s colleagues. Watching the show slowly take shape in the rehearsal space. This is the time to try things out, to play around with a role until one begins to get a feel for the character. I begin rehearsals with a general idea of the role, but there are plenty of things left to discover about her psyche, her background, her way of interacting and reacting to others, how she moves, how she feels about herself. A good stage director will have his own ideas, yet will allow a little give and take according to his cast. If two singers are double cast in the same role, for example, they may not have to see their roles, their characters, in exactly the same light. Certainly, they need to be located on the same place on the stage, and do the necessary action, but they might come up with completely different motivations for doing what they have to do.
There is an old story (possibly urban legend) that Leonard Bernstein, when he was casting his last "West Side Story", had said "Get me that Spanish tenor", meaning Domingo. (Domingo is Mexican, however, and Bernstein's people assumed he meant Carreras. Anyone who has seen the "Making Of" documentary about the recording sessions knows it was not a happy working relationship.)
This too can happen, that a director has a specific "type" in mind for a certain role, but is thrown together with someone with whom he or she doesn't really know how to work. A good director will keep an open mind and work with what he or she's given, and that's been my experience 99% of the time.
One is in staging rehearsals daily, getting to know the abilities and personalities of one’s colleagues. Watching the show slowly take shape in the rehearsal space. This is the time to try things out, to play around with a role until one begins to get a feel for the character. I begin rehearsals with a general idea of the role, but there are plenty of things left to discover about her psyche, her background, her way of interacting and reacting to others, how she moves, how she feels about herself. A good stage director will have his own ideas, yet will allow a little give and take according to his cast. If two singers are double cast in the same role, for example, they may not have to see their roles, their characters, in exactly the same light. Certainly, they need to be located on the same place on the stage, and do the necessary action, but they might come up with completely different motivations for doing what they have to do.
There is an old story (possibly urban legend) that Leonard Bernstein, when he was casting his last "West Side Story", had said "Get me that Spanish tenor", meaning Domingo. (Domingo is Mexican, however, and Bernstein's people assumed he meant Carreras. Anyone who has seen the "Making Of" documentary about the recording sessions knows it was not a happy working relationship.)
This too can happen, that a director has a specific "type" in mind for a certain role, but is thrown together with someone with whom he or she doesn't really know how to work. A good director will keep an open mind and work with what he or she's given, and that's been my experience 99% of the time.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Better go see the glaciers before they melt away.
The Miami Herald has a story on travel destinations to see before it's too late. Naturally the Alps are included:
A lot is in store for the parts of Europe many Americans like to dream about, at least according to some reports. The Swiss Alps are already less snowy; and malaria is reappearing in Spain and could become more prevalent as warmer temperatures create a better habitat for certain mosquitoes, according to a 1999 Wildlife Fund report on climate and tourism.
A lot is in store for the parts of Europe many Americans like to dream about, at least according to some reports. The Swiss Alps are already less snowy; and malaria is reappearing in Spain and could become more prevalent as warmer temperatures create a better habitat for certain mosquitoes, according to a 1999 Wildlife Fund report on climate and tourism.
The lack of snow in the Alps is forcing smaller operators who can't afford large investments in snowmaking equipment out of business. Glaciers there are melting as well, so both the ski scene and the scenery will be changing in the next several decades.
Read the whole article (it's not long); there are interesting reports on New England, western U.S. pine forests, Australia's Great Barrier Reef, and many more.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Green Technology
Little Austria is, in comparison to other western countries, near the top in environmental awareness, although far from perfect. This was in CNNMoney.com, of all places.
IBM (NYSE: IBM) and kika/Leiner today announced the construction of a new energy efficient "green" data center which will reduce electric power consumption by up to 40 percent. The new data center offers kika/Leiner a way to extend their environmental vision beyond traditional business areas.
As kika/Leiner expands throughout central Europe and the Middle East, their need for information technology (IT) services has increased considerably. To meet this demand, the market-leading furniture retailer in Austria turned to IBM to design an energy efficient data center using new "green" technologies that are part of IBM's Project Big Green. The new data center is planned to begin operation in May.
There's a whole job market opening up in the environmental "business", as more and more businesses and governments see the need to deal with putting the brakes on the world's consumption of fossil fuels. Because where one person sees a way to make the world a better place, another person sees a way to make money from the idea. It's what makes the world go 'round.
IBM (NYSE: IBM) and kika/Leiner today announced the construction of a new energy efficient "green" data center which will reduce electric power consumption by up to 40 percent. The new data center offers kika/Leiner a way to extend their environmental vision beyond traditional business areas.
As kika/Leiner expands throughout central Europe and the Middle East, their need for information technology (IT) services has increased considerably. To meet this demand, the market-leading furniture retailer in Austria turned to IBM to design an energy efficient data center using new "green" technologies that are part of IBM's Project Big Green. The new data center is planned to begin operation in May.
There's a whole job market opening up in the environmental "business", as more and more businesses and governments see the need to deal with putting the brakes on the world's consumption of fossil fuels. Because where one person sees a way to make the world a better place, another person sees a way to make money from the idea. It's what makes the world go 'round.
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