2007.6.30. Strawberry & raspberry picking at Driediger Farm. Perfect weather for this. Afterwards, 18 of us strolled around the little town of Fort Langley, the first city in B.C.

2007.6.28. Mahler's Third Symphony

Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Ewa Podleś, contralto
Northwest Boychoir
Women of the Seattle Symphony Chorale

My favorite is the adagio of the last movement (stolen from Beethoven?). Sublime. Podles' voice is rich, the boys' are sweet. The stage got very crowded when the voice started, and half of the choir had to stand in the first tier boxes.

2007.6.17. Henry Art Gallery is free for 80 days in celebration of its 80th birthday (until Sept 2nd). Two main installations: UW's MFA student exhibition and General Idea Editions 1967-1995. Here, the definition of art is up to interpretation. Some are plain gross, others are interesting, but nothing can be called beauty.

2007.6.14. Chekhov's Uncle Vanya at Intiman Theatre, adapted by Craig Lucas. Sad story (thesis: life is an endurance of unhappiness), funny & sophisticated dialogs, superbly acted, simple yet smooth stage sets.

2007.6.8. Seattle Symphony.

Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Joshua Roman, cello

Krystof Maratka: Trois mouvements concertants
Enescu: Chamber Symphony
Panufnik: Autumn Music
Lutoslawski: Funeral Music
Bacewicz: Concerto for String Orchestra

The recital hall is a bit too small for the sound. Enescu's piece is rather chaotic. Only Panufnik's Autumn Music is a beautiful piece.

2007.6.7. Seattle Symphony

Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Christine Goerke, soprano
Sarah Heltzel, mezzo-soprano
Gary Lakes, tenor
Patrick Carfizzi, bass

Levente Gyöngyösi: Verküdigung
Karel Husa: Music for Prague
Leos Janácek: Glagolitic Mass

The first piece was composed in 2001 by a young compose born in 1975. Very nice piece. I didn't like the second one. Janacek's mass sounds more down to earth than holy. All the lead singers except the tenor have beautiful voices.

2007.6.5. The 5th Ave. Theatre presents West Side Story.

Music by Leonard Bernstein
Choreography by Jerome Robbins
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Energetic, lots of dancing, well matched the music.

2007.6.2. Seattle Asian Art Museum. Temporary exhibition: Of Nature and Friendship: Modern Chinese Paintings from the Khoan and Michael Sullivan Collection. An impressive collection of the 20th century Chinese painting and calligraphy, including works from Zhang Daqian (张大千), Lin Fengmian (林风眠), and Wu Zuoren (吳作人), and some very nice modern paintings.
A free day (first Saturday). A symposium about 20th century Chinese paintings was held in the auditorium. I listened to one talk by a Chinese art historian about the formation and development of Chinese art school in 1920s till 40s, and another talk by a Japanese woman about the Japanese influences to the Chinese artist in the 1930s and 40s. A few groups staged tents outside in the park, including a Korean stall making lotus lamps for kids.

2007.5.31. Seattle Symphony.

Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Sally Burgess, mezzo-soprano
Charles Robert Austin, bass-baritone
Charles Simonyi, narrator

Martinu: Double Concerto with Piano and Timpani
Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle download audio sample

Chihuly designed 6 large pieces glass work for Bartók's opera. 6 doors reveiling weapons, armors, jewels, garden, territory, and a lake of tears. Brilliant colors.