Sunday, April 25, 2010

2010.4.25. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 + Bat Boy

Sunday noon. Ludovic Morlot conducts Seattle Symphony.
Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor
Part of the Musically Speaking series. The young conductor spoke about the music elements of the 2 pieces. He rearranged the layout of the musicians. I very much like his conducting compared to my last concert.

Dinner @ Ivar's Salmon House w/ D.M. (taking advantage of the new Seattle Restaurant Week promotion) before heading over to Meany Studio for Bat Boy by UW Drama School. Story of a savage found in a cave and taken to a home to be cared for, and hoping to be accepted by the community. An unexpected ending. Minimal stage set. Good costume. The kids acted well (a little exaggerated). Don't know if it's my hearing or the acoustics of the house, I couldn't get all the words. Single voice often was drown by the group accompaniment. Other than the Bat Boy and the mother, most of them spoke too fast and didn't articulate clearly. The Bat Boy is excellent.

Friday, April 23, 2010

2010.4.23. George Balanchine

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents 3 of Balanchine's ballets: Serenade (1934, music by Tchaikovsky), Square Dance (1957, music by Vivaldi & Corelli), The Four Temperaments (1946, music by Paul Hindemith). The first one is very pretty. Fun compositions, probably better viewed from above. The last one has some interesting yet awkward movements. No stage set, simple costume. The dancer are not as in unison as they should be.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

2010.4.18. Stravinsky's Pétrouchka

Gilbert Varga conductors Seattle Symphony:
Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody in D major, Op. 11, No. 2
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 (Horacio Gutiérrez on piano)
Stravinsky: Pétrouchka (1947 version)
Coincidently, both Varga and Gutiérrez wore clothes too big for them. Varga is almost dancing on the podium. Gutiérrez is more reserved. The 2nd movement of Beethoven's piano concerto is very pretty. Enuscu's rhapsody is very enjoyable. Cannot say that for Pétrouchka. Would be interesting to watch the ballet.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

2010.4.16. Urine Town

Cornish College presents Urinetown at Broadway Performance Hall. Music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Greg Kotis. A satire mocking everything, including musical as an art form. Plot is simple: the poor rebel upon a fee hike for peeing, while the authority is reaping profit instead of fixing the water shortage. Cleverly designed (the pantomime, the slow movement). The song "Run, Freedom, Run" is most enjoyable, in how it's presented.
The kids did a terrific job (especially the narrator), even though somewhat overacted, and dances were not synchronized. Good costume and makeup (the pregnant black), simple yet efficient stage set, good scores, good voices. The venue is a little too cramped for a troupe of ~20 actors. Amplifiers were tuned too high for a small house.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

2010.4.14. Shakespeare's Henry V

Henry V preview at Seattle Shakespeare Co. No stage. Modern clothes. Good acting.