catsandflowers

FUSCHIA

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 19:57:00 +0000

On my porch

Graduation Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 19:50:00 +0000

The day dawned bright & beautiful. Everyone was dressed for the occasion – summery dresses for North Carolina. The first part of the morning was very chilly, but after a while, we were all happy to be wearing cool clothing.

We arrived at the stadium at around 9:00 A.M., so Allie would be able to prepare for the processional. By the time we had taken our seats, the sun was starting to really beat down. Everyone was provided with paper sun shades and bottles of water.

The moment the Duke University Wind Symphony started playing and the graduates began filing down the steps in the stadium, I became all teary-eyed. I couldn’t believe my Allie was graduating, and that I was actually there witnessing this magnificent event. What a way to spend Mother’s Day!

I believe a few thousand young people graduated that day, and it was wonderful to see them massed on the field, after the very lengthy descent down the stadium steps. I had never attended a university graduation, and to me it was nearly overwhelming. We have great photos of Allie, and a video of part of the ceremony, to help us remember the beautiful and important day in her life.

After the speeches and Presentations of Candidates for Degrees, everyone left the stadium and proceeded to various locations for the actual Presentation of Diplomas. Allie received her diploma at the art museum, and we attended a reception at that location immediately afterward.

Allie was one of a small percentage of students from Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke to graduate summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. What a proud grandmother I am!

Food

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:35:00 +0000

We spent a good share of our weekend EATING. Saturday afternoon, we attended a reception on the East Campus on the lawn. This involved great food, some of which was served by Allie's co-workers from Trinity Cafe. I was putting some melon and cheese on my plate, when I heard someone say "That's Allie's Grandma!" It was Allie's close Trinity buddy and she was pointing me out to other personnel who were keeping track of the platters of food.

Allie's father arrived in the area later, and met us at a Greek Restaurant within walking distance of Allie's dorm. Allie, her grandfather, mother, and I walked there. Allie's father is Greek, Allie is half Greek, so a Greek restaurant was the order of the day. The food was good, and Allie's father treated us to dinner.

The next morning, we had to arrive at Duke early, as Graduation started in the Stadium at 9:30. Allie, of course, had to be there before that, to line up for the Procession. I will discuss this wonderful event in a separate post, as I am writing about food at this time.

After a reception following her receiving her Diploma in the Art Museum, we went to lunch at Elmo's, again a treat by her father. I ate strawberry pancakes and they were delicious. I don't remember what the other members of the party had. Allie recommended the strawberry pancakes, and that sounded good, so it was my choice - fresh strawberries and whipped cream heaped on the great flavored pancakes.

Dinner that evening was at an interesting restaurant in Durham, at an outdoor mall, a treat by Grandfather. Coral and I had pecan crusted trout - mmmmm. I have never had this, and it was a definite treat. Allie ate buffalo meatloaf. The restaurant was a Rocky Mountain Grille type of place.

A Dream Come True

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 17:21:00 +0000

It is possible to watch Duke Chapel webcasts to be a part of the services and wonderful music of the Chapel Choir. It is even better, of course, to actually be in the amazing Gothic edifice, and watch the Choir processional, to have the sounds envelope you to the point of having tears in your eyes and being hardly able to breathe because you are so choked up.

The best thing of all is to be in the choir section, where you are totally surrounded by the music; the huge sound of the massive pipe organs, the swelling voices of the choir members, the brass instruments and tympanies.

I was so lucky to be able to sit with the choir during Baccalaureate, along with Coral and Allie's Grandfather. Both the AEolian & the Flentrop Organs were used for the Anthem Kyrie eleison, sung in Greek. Allie had reported that in her years in the choir she had never performed when both organs were used.

We had entered the Chapel through a side door, just like members of the Choir, and worked our way through rooms and up stairways, where Allie opened the door to the Choir and Altar area, instructing us to take our seats in a specific section set aside for a few parents and some dignitaries.

The Procession of Candidates for Degrees was very impressive, even though it was one- third of the class. We stood while they were filing in to their seats, and had a great view of them doing so.

The Choir was in the areas near the front doors where they line up for the procession. A most beautiful piece was performed while they were in that area of the Chapel, behind the pillars, a Choral Adulation sung in Church Slavonic. It made me shiver.

After the Choir reached the Altar, we had a wonderful view of Allie in her Graduation Cap & Gown while she was singing. The Seniors in the Choir wore their Caps & Gowns.

I wish the service had been longer, because the time flew by, and I knew that I would never have another chance to be with the Choir, after several years of wishful thinking. It was absolutely wonderful.

Duke at Last

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 22:45:00 +0000

I was finally at Duke, after thinking about it for four years. The great part of it was that I spent the night in Allie's apartment on campus. She was RA and had a very nice apartment just inside the front door of the building. She was very gracious and actually let me sleep in her bedroom while she slept on her very short couch.

I had a great sleep, after all that I had been through on the trains. I did not get a sleeper on any train, so I did not get as much sleep as I usually do. In the morning, Allie attended a special luncheon with a professor, and I checked out East Campus. I found Trinity Cafe by myself, in the East Campus Union. Allie worked there for a good share of her time at Duke. I had a nice lunch and chatted with her friends. Then I took a shuttle to West Campus and spent a few hours walking through the wonderful Duke Gardens. Unfortunately, I had to dodge raindrops a few times, and was unable to complete the "tour" of the whole place. There were some sections that I didn't see, but I saw some great areas, beautifully laid out, with wonderful flowers.

Eventually, I went back to Allie's dorm, and she and I went out for dinner. We walked to Elmo's, a neat place which is very popular and has great food. After that I called a cab, at her insistance, and headed for my hotel. Allie felt that I definitely should not try to get there by bus, with all of my stuff. I had reservations for the next four nights in a decent place with a kitchenette, and a couple of shopping plazas next door. There were a few places to grab a bite to eat.

I had another great night's sleep, after watching some TV, did a bit of shopping the next day, and waited for Coral and Allie's grandfather to fly in from Buffalo. They arrived in the afternoon, and after eating together, we drove to Duke, where we met Allie in front of the Chapel. She was singing in the choir for Baccalaureate that day (Friday) at 5:00. We chose not to attend at that time, and planned to go to the Saturday morning service. The graduating class was so huge that Baccalaureate was divided into three sessions.

Friday evening was spent at Coral's friends' house in Durham, where we had a very nice dinner.

On the Road Again

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 22:27:00 +0000

On the railroad, that is. May 7, I left California to travel to Duke University for Allie's Graduation. That seems so long ago, that I can hardly remember what occurred on the trip. I had allowed an extra day for missed connections, but it seemed that I might actually miss Baccalaureate on Friday (I left home on Sunday morning). The train was very late arriving in Chicago, and the train that I had to catch to DC was waiting for us. Last year Amtrak had to provide hotel rooms for passengers on two trains that night, and I was 24 hours late arriving in Florida.

The next train was one from Washington to Raleigh, and it, too, was waiting for us. We were several hours late. We never went into Union Station, but walked across the platform straight into a car on the Southbound train.

I arrived in Raleigh late, and had to get a taxi from the station to Durham. That was certainly an expensive deal, but I basically had no choice. Buses between the two cities had ceased running, and I was dealing with heavy luggage. I made a deal with a couple of guys from one company and headed to Durham. Only one of the men went in the cab, and it turned out that he had no idea where he was going, of course. I was better at figuring it out than he was, and I have never been there.

We had called Allie on the driver's cell phone to make sure she was at her apartment in the dorm, then headed out. At some point, after we were on an expressway, he called Allie again to ask her what exit we should use. It was hard to understand him, and Allie couldn't help because she has had to remain basically on campus, or nearby, as she had no car.

Then I saw a sign that I felt led to the right exit, and I found the way to her dorm.

Why I Can't Sing

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Tue, 02 May 2006 06:15:00 +0000

I believe I mentioned a while back that I lost my singing voice after having my thyroid removed in 1961. Sometimes I thought perhaps I was just looking for something to blame, but I did totally lose my voice for months at the time and I have never been able to hit the notes right since that time. Singing was an important part of my life then – I sang to my babies. I had been in choral groups in high school. My children and grandchildren have carried on the tradition.

Today was the day of the diagnosis. I have been losing my voice for a few years, and it has been getting worse as time goes on. People have noticed that I am hoarse most of the time. Family members have mentioned it when I am on the phone. Last year I had a very difficult time reading my stories to patients at a nursing home. They couldn’t hear me, and I was unable to increase the volume. My writing “professor” told me that I obviously have a problem with my voice. I was beginning to be concerned, and the difficulty was annoying.

My heart doctor made an appointment for me to see an ear, nose, throat doctor. When I first mentioned my symptoms to the ENT doctor, he gave maybe three reasons that I would be having problems. As soon as he checked the back of my throat, he told me that my vocal chords are paralyzed on the right side and have probably been that way since my surgery in ’61. He stated that the left side would have compensated for the paralysis back then by stretching toward the right side, but as I have aged I have lost the elasticity and I am losing my voice.

One of the possibilities to cure this is surgery, but he said that he wouldn’t want to do it because I am on Coumadin, etc. I said “I don’t want you to do it, either. That is the least of my problems, so I’ll just deal with it!”

When I return from my trip east, I am to call him and he will make arrangements for me to go to Martinez for therapy. He told me the therapy would be difficult, but it should help me quite a bit. We’ll see. Therapy and I don’t do too well (knees, back). I am not very conscientious when it comes to that. I would never have made out well working out in a gym.

Sometimes when I think about the fact that I have been unable to sing for 45 years, I get upset. It makes me even more upset to realize that I was right all along about the surgery – that something had gone wrong and “someone” slipped. The doctor was telling me about a very famous opera singer many long years ago who lost her voice after thyroid surgery.

LOST

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:15:00 +0000

My garden path totally disappeared during our "wetter than Seattle" winter. This is a six foot wide flower pot garden.

Flowers of Another Color

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 05:28:00 +0000

Sterling R. DeRosa Pin I sold recently

Very Large Coro Pin also recently sold

I still own this beauty - a huge unsigned fur clip

1920's or 1930's basket pin I sold at a show in March. All Original with stones of many colors

Thank You for the Music

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:58:00 +0000

That is the name of the concert I attended last week at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. It was absolutely incredible! I thoroughly loved it, as I am a huge fan of choral music, especially when done by a very large group.

The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus performed, with the Community Women’s Orchestra and Stockholms Gaykor (Stockholm’s Gay Choir). Daughter-in-law Becky plays violin in the Women’s Orchestra, and it was her first major concert. The venue was definitely impressive. Anyone would want to perform at Davies.

I had a great seat, in right orchestra, ten rows back. Chris and two of Becky’s friends were in left orchestra. I was looking for Chris before the concert started, then saw a movie-star-handsome guy, distinguished-looking with grey streaks in his hair, dark suit coat, and decided it must be my son. He and Becky made a beautiful couple, with Becky in her black clothes – long black skirt, and her long dark hair flowing from the barrette she was wearing. She is a pretty girl, an asset to an orchestra. I guess I shouldn’t base her contribution on looks alone.

I didn’t know what to expect at a concert of the Gay Men’s Chorus. I was not certain what types of music I would hear, but I loved all of it. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to music, with classical and opera being my favorites, although music from shows and certain other music appeals to me also. I knew the reputation the Chorus has for being First Rate. Robert Seeley’s music from Naked Man, Exile and Metamorphosis was wonderful. This music spans the years from 1996 to 2004, and when I saw the dates, I thought it would be too modernistic for my taste, but the notes are absolutely beautiful.

Stockholms Gaykor is an impressive group. They performed many great pieces, and when they did the Village People Medley, the audience went wild. Talk about enthusiasm. The Gaykor, plus SFGMC Alumni combined voices with the Gay Men’s Chorus to totally fill the stage, along with the Women’s Orchestra, and totally fill the hall with a glorious sound that caused a standing ovation. I was so happy that I was there.

I had never been to Davies and it was way past time to check out that place. It is great. After all, MTT hangs out there (Michael Tilson Thomas). He was with the Buffalo Philharmonic, then went to Europe for a while before taking over the helm at the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He has made San Francisco his home for years now.

Fred's Iris

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:15:00 +0000

Fred is my neighbor.

The More I Am Here the Better I Like It

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 23:34:00 +0000

Yesterday found me at the de Young again. I have now been there, at least in the building, five times since October. Not bad, considering the problem of getting there in the first place.

I visited the Art & Crafts exhibit again, to concentrate more closely on the items, and the descriptions. I missed more of the small items than I thought I had. There are some really incredible pieces in the exhibit, pieces that I would love to have in my home. That is if I had a really nice place, like the house in Buffalo. Items in this show would have been wonderful in the Buffalo house, which had Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. It was around the corner from a documented Wright house, which is seen in at least one of the volumes on his buildings. I decorated with several Arts & Crafts period furniture pieces, although I believe none had the “important” labels.

Another reason I went to the de Young was in response to an email I had received from the Education Department notifying me of the Friday Night at the New de Young program for last night. I was so happy that I bothered to go to this event. Four Strings Tango (Quartet) entertained with an all Argentina Music event, including a lovely young couple dancing to some of the pieces performed. It was a cozy evening in a room filled with an attentive audience, a rather informal event with seating along the sides of the room, and on the floor, the Quartet playing against a wall of glass with the noiseless rain and wind a mere backdrop to the comfort of the interior.

Four Strings Tango, with Abraham Becker music director, used instruments made by Peter Van Arsdale of Berkeley, two violins, a viola and a cello. Mr. Van Arsdale also demonstrated violin making last night, in the Free Zone outside the individual galleries. There were several events happening in that area. The new building makes great use of its spaces, drawing in the public, getting them involved in many aspects of the art world. I was wishing that I could live in the city, further enabling me to make use of the fine arts facilities and becoming involved in things I love.

Today was a Fabulous Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 06:08:00 +0000

I took Allie to the new de Young. She decided that she would like to go there before returning to Duke tomorrow. I hope she had a good time, because I loved my day.

It was super being able to walk around in an art museum with a student who has chosen art history as her specialty. We enjoyed talking about various works that we saw, or at least I enjoyed it.

The traveling exhibit that opened last Saturday is “International Arts & Crafts”, organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum. There are many fabulous pieces in this particular exhibit. I had been looking forward to attending when the exhibit opened. Of course, I truly like the American Arts & Crafts Period, but I especially enjoyed seeing the beautiful work from Great Britain and Europe. The Scandinavian pieces were of interest, as were the Russian objects.

I am not certain which items in the whole of the museum that Allie liked the best, but she definitely seemed to show interest in many things. I was afraid that she was not able to “visit” the exhibits for as long a period as she would have liked, and I also feel that she would have wanted to see things that perhaps she did not see. It is always difficult to do a large museum justice in a few hours, and it is also not easy to ascertain which period appeals to a person other than oneself.

All I know is that I thoroughly enjoyed spending the hours with Allie, the little lunch we enjoyed in the café, our discussions of individual works and certain periods, and I even enjoyed her critique of the architecture of the building. She thinks it is ugly.

The huge flower arrangements in “Bouquets to Art” which were scattered throughout the museum were of interest to me. It was also an exhibit that I had wanted to see. Some pieces were very weird, some beautiful. Tomorrow is the last day for that exhibit, so I lucked out.

The weather was icky, rather dismal and rainy, therefore it was a good day for museum going. The only bad thing was that it was difficult to see much from the top floor of the tower. On a good day, the view is incredible – the old buildings scrambling over the hills of San Francisco, the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Pacific Ocean peeking through an area in the distance.

Allie, I will miss you when you return to North Carolina, but at least I will see you again in May when you graduate. I can’t wait to visit you and see Duke. I’ll be one proud grandmother when you receive your diploma. I am already a proud grandmother – you made Phi Beta Kappa.

Surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:43:00 +0000

Surprise! Chris called me yesterday afternoon and asked what I was doing last night. He wanted to take me out to dinner, so planned to pick me up at 7:30 and we would go to a local restaurant. When he got here and got out of his truck, he said "I brought a date." It was dark, so I didn't immediately see who it was and when she got closer to the porch, I exclaimed "What are YOU doing here?"

It was my ALLIE! Straight from North Carolina! She is here for a job interview next week. She told her mother not to tell me because she wanted to surprise me. All through dinner I kept looking at her and saying "I can't believe you are here! I can't think of anything to say." I managed to ask her all kinds of questions, though.

Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 06:18:00 +0000

I took the magnolia photos two years ago at FILOLI GARDENS, Woodside, California with my SONY Mavica FD73. Filoli is a Magical Place!

Magnolia

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 06:02:00 +0000

Never Prejudge

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 05:59:00 +0000

The weekend was great. I made fantastic purchases, had great sales, and it was great fun. Perhaps I'll elaborate at some point.

Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 03:54:00 +0000

I certainly have not contributed to the blog world lately. I spend so much time writing witty words to describe items I am listing on ebay, that my brain is totally fried by the time I think about doing anything on here. I have had ideas at times, but just didn’t get around to writing.

In January, my next door neighbors moved out. I really liked them, and I miss them. They are a young Mexican couple, and she was expecting a baby to be born shortly after they moved. They were very pleasant and friendly. She works at a restaurant where I eat Mexican food sometimes, and I always enjoyed going there when she was working. She told me she would bring the baby here so I can see her sometime.

Right after they moved out, neighbors from a few doors away came knocking on my door to tell me that they were going to be my new neighbors in the place the Mexican couple vacated. They are from the Fiji Islands – of Indian extraction. They are also very friendly people. The only problem is that they take care of people’s kids, so it can get rather noisy next door. At this point, they have already moved in.

My neighbor on the other side, Katy, suffered a mild stroke a couple of weeks ago. She is such an active woman, swimming and going to the gym everyday – going on cruises two or three times a year. She is definitely an older lady. I can not believe the stamina she usually has.

My grandchildren are doing marvelous things right now. I am very proud of all of them. Grace is going to Atlanta to sing at the end of the month. She is in a few groups. Allie just made Phi Beta Kappa. That is really great. I can’t wait to go to her graduation at Duke.

I should write everyday, and then I wouldn’t have to search for things to talk about. I am uptight right now, kind of at loose ends, because I have to go set up for a show tomorrow, and it will be a new deal to me. The promoter has combined the antique show with a doll show, and took my large space to give it to a doll dealer. I had a wonderful space, because it was large, and I could set up many tables, with room for customers to walk all the way around them. They were able to see in the cases very easily that way. Now I’ll have a tiny space that will be difficult for display, and it costs the same amount. I may never do this show again after this weekend. I have been doing the show four times a year for many years now. Nothing ever stays the same.

I feel very ready to retire. That is why I am really blowing out a good share of my signed jewelry on ebay. The prices on some items have been satisfactory, but many things have basically just been there as a way to get my money back that I spent in the first place.

Time to cook. The blueberry pie is out of the oven, so now I’ll think up the rest of the supper.

Chip

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 01:59:00 +0000

For Chris & Craig

Singing the Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 06:44:00 +0000

Today was interesting and enjoyable. I went to the Richmond Health Clinic for a lunch hour presentation for Black History Month. There is a great art exhibit of portraits of Blues artists. The work is wonderful and is done by a couple of artists. Both men were at the clinic and gave interesting speeches.

A local poet read one of her poems, and there was live music by two different keyboard musicians and a woman singing the Blues while accompanied by one of the musicians. She apparently recently retired from working at the Clinic. Her voice is great, and the whole audience loved her lively renditions. It was standing room only, and I was really happy to see how many of my acquaintances from the Clinic were in attendance.

The audience consisted of mostly employees of the Clinic: nurses, doctors, technicians, pharmacists, office help, and all of the other people that work to keep this wonderful clinic in great running order.

Lunch was served – a potluck for the employees, food that they retrieved from their lunchroom, and a couple of tables full of meats, cheeses, fancy crackers, and fruit for the rest of us.

There have been many great exhibits on the walls and in the showcase at the Clinic, on a variety of topics. The main purpose is to educate the patients, and to laud the accomplishments of the local residents, whether it relates to the history of the area, or the contributions brought to the area from the residents’ homelands. This area truly has a multicultural makeup. Employees and patients are from all areas of the world.

Hatshepsut

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 02:43:00 +0000

I finally had a chance to return to the de Young yesterday. It had been in the back of my mind for a long time. I truly needed to get there and check the exhibits I didn’t see in October.

The Hatshepsut : From Queen to Pharaoh exhibit had not yet opened when I was there, and it was a must. I am totally thankful that I was able to see this great installation before its end date of February 5.

The unprecedented exhibition of over 260 objects from twenty-three museums throughout the world highlights the reign of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, who shared the Egyptian throne for nearly two decades (1479 – 1458 B.c.); first as regent for, then as king and senior co-ruler with her nephew, Thutmose III. It is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of art focusing on Hatshepsut and her time ever staged: presenting a vast treasure of monumental royal statuary and relief; superb sculpture representing members of the royal court; and a wide variety of ceremonial objects, finely crafted furniture and boxes, dazzling jewelry, and other exquisite personal items that tell the fascinating reign while revealing the diverse and exquisite production of the early Eighteenth Dynasty.

There were so many items that I really loved, but I believe I liked the gold jewelry best of all. It was very amazing. I had a gold ring that I recently sold, made in an unusual way, with a scarab in a setting that revolved. The gold was done in a rope-like method near the part with the swiveling scarab. In the jewelry exhibit yesterday, there were a couple of rings made the same way. I knew my ring came from Egypt, and it was hallmarked, but I obviously don’t believe that it was of the same age.

I saw so many items that made the old brain of mine start working in high gear, soaking it all up. Many artifacts were in such pristine condition that it was hard for me to fathom their age.

After I spent a few hours checking out the Hatshepsut exhibit, which is on the lowest level, where, apparently, traveling exhibits will be located, I had lunch in the café. Then I went to the second floor, to check out the Oceania and Africa sections. There were many very interesting items in that area, and I actually liked a lot of the pieces from New Guinea.

I saved my favorite American paintings for last. I had to visit them again, of course. I realized as I was walking through the galleries that I acquired a sense of peace and tranquillity when surrounded by paintings of the American masters. It was as if I was home again. It is where I belong, with art that is totally pleasing to me, with magnificent paintings of the Hudson River School and earlier. California paintings in the deYoung are truly beautiful. I can never soak up enough of this art.

Of course, when I go to the Legion of Honor, I have a chance to see European art, of which I am also a great admirer. Then I have to spend time soaking up those paintings, too.

I finally left after spending many hours at the deYoung. My feet and legs were protesting. I would have to wait for another time to visit my paintings again.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 18:26:00 +0000

I decided to come out of hibernation long enough to attend dress rehearsal of a play at Contra Costa Civic Theatre again.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” showed the talents of the variety of actors who perform at the Civic Theatre. It was witty and well done. I was kept entertained through the whole performance.

It seemed to me that the actors chosen for the various parts were well suited to the people they were to play. Some of them were rather outstanding, and I will remember them for a long time.

The Civic Theatre is a “cozy” venue, and you become totally involved with the characters. Sometimes they jump offstage practically into your lap. That makes for “in your face” acting. That only happened once last night, while chasing an errant basketball, but in previous plays, the audience area was an integral part of the setting. During “Annie” a couple of years ago, the dog decided to take a walk.

I always love going to the dress rehearsals. Upon arrival, I settle into my seat, waiting for the gift of the presentation – waiting to see what surprises are in store. It is like “here, we present you with this performance, to have and to hold, for your contemplation, for your joy for the evening”. It is such a wonderful feeling to soak in a live performance, whether it be a play, a concert, ballet, or the opera, and I wish I could partake more often.

I am unable to do so. The price of tickets these days is prohibitive. Once upon a time, in Buffalo, I was able to attend anything I wanted to for zero money or a mere pittance. Of course, the main reason was that I worked for the various “companies”, as a volunteer in most cases. I only had a paid job with the Buffalo Philharmonic. More on that at a later date.

Anyway, it seemed strange getting away from ebay for a bit. I have been working so hard trying to sell all of my signed jewelry, from the 30’s to the 60’s. I am doing quite well right now, and want to continue until the bubble bursts again, as it has in the past for me. That is why I have not been writing on here. I spend all of my creative energy writing descriptions for the many wonderful and great items I am listing. By the end of the day, I am brain dead.

I Give Up

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 01:34:00 +0000

I can not work while listening to this recording. I can't concentrate on anything else, like ebay & amazon listings. I have to stop what I am doing all of the time and listen to all of the parts of the music. I find myself holding my breath during the especially magnificent parts.

More on Verdi

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:52:00 +0000

I actually listened to the Requiem for a third time yesterday. I took my CD player to bed with me and laid there with the headphones on, mesmerized by the music. It is basically impossible to tell you how magnificent this performance was - how it makes you feel when listening. Rodney is right - I have never heard a better performance of this piece. (And the huge audience was so quiet!)

Incroyable

noreply@blogger.com (Rita Xavier) — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 02:42:00 +0000

So we had our last Wednesday rehearsal of the semester for Chapel Choir today, and since we only had two songs to rehearse in two hours, Rodney (our director) let us spend the beginning talking about the Requiem. Patty, one of our star sopranos, said she's had nothing but Verdi stuck in her head for months (this made me feel better, because I thought I was the only one...I've been singing in Latin down the hallways for a full 10 days). Rodney said - get this - it was the BEST VERDI REQUIEM HE'D EVER HEARD (in person).

The only way for you to understand the way this made me feel is to also understand how I feel about Rodney. I am in awe of Rodney. I can't decide whether to love him or be terrified of him. The image that springs immediately to mind is the apes and the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey, though I know that's not right for many many reasons. If Rodney told me I had a good voice, I'd go audition for American Idol. If he told me I had a bad voice, I'd go pretend to be a lemming and drown myself. That's just the way it is. (As it is, he tells me I can't read music, but that's a skill failing. So I've just stopped auditioning for stuff because of it.) I'm afraid to talk to him, because I might annoy him (which in turn makes me annoy him even more, I think, because it means I sleep through a lot of Sundays and never apologize for it, but, uh, that's just part of what makes me...crazy?).

Anyway. BEST VERDI REQUIEM. And that we were so good the orchestra and the soloists drew emotion off us. That you could hear every consonant in every part of the Chapel (you try enunciating in a building with a 7-story-high vaulted ceiling and then MAYBE you'll understand how big a deal that is). That it was the most emotional and best-felt oratorio Chapel Choir'd done.

But now, after that, I don't know how I can buy recordings. There won't - you can't - you don't feel a recording. You'll only hear the bad and superficial parts. The part in the last Libera Me, where I was singing so hard my chest was vibrating and I still wanted to put out more sound because I wanted to make it better, greater, more glorious - you can't hear that. The whole Chapel full of people leaning in and holding their breaths at the first sob of the cello - that'll just register as so much less ambient noise. The part in the Agnus Dei where at least one of us was so moved she burst into tears - can't hear that either. The fact that I, normally the town fuckup, was so carried along by the flow that not only did I not make a single mistake or wrong entrance (!) but didn't even need to look at my score for a good 75% of the oratorio (!!) - well, nobody knew that but me. And you, now.

But I -- oh god, you guys, you don't know how depressed I was that no one came, because I was so tired and so sick and had sung two services that day and we still managed to do the most beautiful, beautiful thing I've ever been a part of, and no one was there to see it.

I went out to the bus stop, hung my head, and tried not to cry. posted by Allison @ 8:27 PM 18

I am listening to the Verdi Requiem on headphones. I have to stop at points and just listen, shivering with the magnificence of it all. This is the most fantastic recording and I have awaited it with anticipation for a long time. This is a 2 CD set from a live performance at the Duke University (North Carolina) Chapel, April 2005. It is with the Duke Chapel Choir, the Duke Chorale, the Chamber Choir of the Choral Society of Durham, and Duke Orchestra with Rodney Wynkoop, Conductor. This consists of a few hundred voices, and they fill the chapel with an incredibly resounding, almost overwhelming performance.

Allie is in the Chapel Choir, and she took this CD set home to NYS for me at Christmas time. I just received it in the mail today from her mother. I had wished at the time of the performance that I could go to Duke, and now I finally have a chance to at least hear the results. Usually I watch and listen to the Chapel Choir on the Chapel website, when they record the Sunday morning services. I have also seen the Messiah, before this past Christmas season. One time I happened to catch it live, and that was a great feeling, watching something that Allie was singing in and seeing them all in “person”. The Messiah is not available from December 2005. But, Allie was sick and could not perform anyway. She didn’t want to spread her germs to the other singers, and she also did not want to damage her throat.

This is the second time that I have listened to the Requiem today. The first time I had it on the small stereo with no headphones. I had to check it out now and see how it sounds. It is absolutely splendid, and it has made the tears flow so far. I get goosebumps. I am still on the first disk. I wish many people could find out about this recording.

Maybe I’ll contact my local classical music station. I listen to that station every day. If any of my very tiny audience out there could find a copy of this recording, I highly recommend it.