Mid-Fall Miscellany

A few things that are rattling around in my brain today:

* I was recently reminded of the responsibility we have as artists to bring JOY into people’s lives. But the reminder didn’t come through a recital or performance or anything opera-related at all; instead, it came through the group Improv Everywhere. Someone posted their Grocery Store Musical on Facebook, and after watching that I spent a good hour going through their past “missions.” The High-Five Escalator and Rob! made me smile so much my face hurt, and I imagine there are hours more smiles on the site.

Their “mission statement claims that they cause “scenes of chaos and joy in public places.” How cool is that?! I’ve signed up to be an agent... Stay tuned!

* I chopped off all my hair! Well, six inches of it, anyway. It was time for a change, I guess, and I was tired of wrestling with it to get my long locks in pin curls. This should be much easier in that department. I’m still figuring out how to maintain my inner (and outer, I suppose) rocker attitude with a cut that many people are calling “cute,” but I’ll come up with something. When in doubt, add eyeliner..

* I have lots of thoughts about Maury’s latest post (and not only because he mentions again how much he likes Hillula). His idea of getting pop singers to give masterclasses to opera singers is brilliant, and reminds me of a conversation I had with a young student a few years ago. We were talking about music, and he mentioned that he loved Feist or Death Cab or some other wordy indie rocker. He then sheepishly “admitted” that he often sang along with the music, and that he knew he should stop and should only sing “correctly” all the time. I begged him not to do that! Good pop singers like Regina Spektor and Feist and Andrew Bird and John Legend are good because they communicate. The use the myriad colors of their voices to talk to you, to make you feel something. Maury is right: they “connect bodily with their music.” It’s not about the pretty sounds they’re making; it’s about the music. Would that more opera singers would do the same. More on this later, I think.

* I got to play around with a Sony Webbie HD video recorder this weekend, and oh boy did I love it! If Santa is good to me this year, expect to see some video blogs in the future! Or, now that I think of it, I could just use my Photo Booth on my Mac... I couldn’t go on location like we did this weekend (documenting our search for a tv airing the Giants game), but I could get some thoughts down. What do you think?

* And speaking of movies, a few weeks ago B and I went to a screening of this documentary: BRATS: Our Journey Home. I’ve mentioned my “brattiness” a couple times on the blog; it’s always been part of who I am. But I don’t think I realized how much I identified as a Brat, how much it influenced who I am today. I’m not “from” anywhere, but thanks to this film I’ve realized that I belong.

If you or anyone you know is or was a Brat, do not miss this film. Order a dvd if that’s the only way to see it. You will not be sorry.

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