Monday, October 24, 2005

2005.10.22. Museum of Glass at Tacoma. There's an exhibition of Paul Stankard's floral paper weights. Flowers completed with stigmas, leaves with veins, entangled roots, sometimes accompanied by bees with paper-thin wings. Exquisite. However some of the designs are too crowded. We also watched his demonstration. He talks a lot, tries to philosophy everything.

Went to Seattle Symphony's performance at 8pm. Another excellent concert. Soloist is Viviane Hagner. Beautiful playing and presence. Program is:
  • Mozart: Overture to La clemenza di Tito, K.621
  • Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K.216
  • Beethoven: Violin Romance No. 2 in F major, Op. 50
  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
Mozart wrote that wonderful concerto at age 19. Don't remember what I was doing when I was 19. I shall just go shoot myself.
King Stag 2005.10.20. A new play by Seattle Repertory Theater. A disappointment. They tried to involve the audience in the play, which was done reasonably well. However, stupid dialogs, simple stage design. Completely different style from last year. Just learned that they have a new artistic director. I guess I won't be coming here any more.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

the End of the Affair 2005.10.15. Seattle Opera.
Composed by Jake Higgies, libretto by Heather McDonald, based on novel by Graham Greene.
No chorus. A couple of quartets, pretty nice. The music is not very memorable. The foxtrot at the beginning and end of the opera seems to come from somewhere. I like the singers (except for the mother figure. I think she can be deleted. Her voice is coarse too.), Mary Mills for Sarah, Brett Polegato for Henry the husband, Philip Cutlip for Maurice the lover. Interesting to have the two leading voices in baritone. The stage design is not bad, however, it looks more like some town in France or Italy than London. Overall, a good attempt.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

2005.10.9. Heather Lake. 3.8 miles R/T, ~900 ft gain.
Direction: east of Verlot station, turn right as soon as crossing the bridge.
Drizzle at times. Beautiful lake. Green->yellow bamboo-like weed fill the edge of the lake. Quite a few trickles on the cliff.