2023.3.8-11 AWP conference in town

Association of Writers and Writing Programs hosts its annual conference in Seattle's Convention Center. There're many events held in different restaurants, bars, and meeting rooms all around town. I went to a couple of these off-site events. I didn't quite like them. Instead of one author talking about a book in-depth, these are mostly a bunch of authors (often by the same publishing house) reading a piece of their works, so not much Q&A can be had. Maybe I picked the wrong one to go to. This particular one is at Folio in Pike Place Market, which I had wanted to check out. I only liked the one poem by this lady whose birthday happened to be that day. Too bad, I forgot her name.

2023.3.8. Moth

3/8, International Women's Day. Gates Foundation hosts Moth for an evening of storytelling in the subject of motherhood, to accompany its exhibition. I missed the first story, because, as usual (and often practical), I arrived late. They wouldn't let anyone in until the first story is finished. That's a good policy.

The 2nd story is Hannah giving birth to her first child, a 10 lb boy, at the age of 41, at home. The 3rd story is Ryann's 3 births and becoming a midwife. The last story is Kenya's Roseline speaking of being childless. The panel discussion is too long, and got boring very quickly. Bio + recording of the event. Snack and canned drink (no alcohol) was provided, but not as half as good as at the openning reception of this exhibition.

2023.3.7. Between Two Knees - a play

3/7, Tuesday. Seattle Rep staged the first full-length play, Between Two Knees by the intertribal sketch comedy troupe The 1491s. It followed the story of one family from Wounded Knees, covering massacres, forced education, fighting for America in the wars. It's funny, but crass. I'd prefer they pick half of the stories and make them more developed. The lighting is cleverly employed. Actors are good.

2023.3.5. A series small performances around downtown

3/5 Sunday. Cloudy. Orquesta NW is hosting a 2-hr performance titled as "Roots Without Borders" at SCC's Broadway Performance Hall. Funny that I took "re-education" for 1.5 years here, but never went into this theatre.

Before the 2pm concert, a group of and an Aztec dance group CeAtl Tonalli danced, chanted, and drummed in front of the building. Thankfully, the weather held up. Very colorful, and energetic, but simple movements.

On stage, first was Lummi Nation violinist and storyteller Swil Kanim. He's pretty funny.

Then, early music artists Guo Ke, Gus Denhard and Antonio Gomez of Trio Guadalavin performed 3 songs, one each of Moorish (Lamma Bada Yathatana), Jewish (Ija Mia) and Catholic (Strela do día Cantiga de Santa Maria #100, by Rey Alfonso X, El Sabio, 13th century). Each song was prefaced by an intro. I very much enjoyed these 2 parts.

The 2nd hour is Ballard Civic Orchestra. First piece is Sensemayá (new to me), 2nd is a Haydn's No. 1 Symphony, when I took off. They are not the best orchestra.

Walked to Trinity Parish Church for a celebration of 15 years of Sine Nomine, a renaissance choir. The last concert with the current conductor Anne Lyman. A very young lady from Italy will lead the group from now on. I arrived, luckily, right before the intermission, as this new conductor was being introduced. All the songs are quite pretty, voices are arranged nicely. I especially like the last song If ye love me by Thomas Tallis (16th century). Again, I lived in Seattle for half of my life, and never visited this pretty church, nor heard this choir.

After the concert, I was pleasantly surprised to find an array of food and wine for the "celebration".

2023.3.3. Wold Premiere of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" at Seattle Opera

2/24, Friday, I went to an "opera talk" on the creation of this new opera A Thousand Splendid Suns, adapted from Khaled Hosseini's 2nd novel. From left to right in the photo:

• moderator: Humaira Ghilzai, Cultural Advisor
• composer: Sheila Silver
• librettist: Stephen Kitsakos
• conductor: Viswa Subbaraman
• stage director: Roya Sadat

I enjoyed hearing some inner works of making the lyrics, the many months of the composer attending an Hindustani music class, the challenge of conducting operas. Most surprising is hearing Afghan film director Roya Sadat talking about her first time watching a movie in a theatre is the screening of her own movie in Cannes Film Festival; as well as she has never watched an opera until this opera.

All of them praised how beautiful the music is, which really intrigued me. My last experience of a new opera was very disappointing.

3/3, Friday, Seattle Opera has a special sale for today's performance only, so I went to see the highly-anticipated production.
Yes, the music, at least the orchestra part, is indeed beautiful. Sounds like an epic movie score. Sounds definitely different from others.
The stage set is very nice: the market scene in this photo, the little shack in the mountain, the rooms of Mariam's and Leila's on either side of a wall (which, they are rotating it at least twice too many).
The costums, lighting, acting, the music conductor, all great.
The stage direction is excellent: the story plays out very well, dramatized like a movie. Audience were captivated by the plot development. However, it down played the political background, and emphasized the personal story.

Now the negative parts:
Unfortunately no memorable songs, except one (1) early in the 1st act, when the wives of Mariam's father take turns of urging the 15 year-old her marrying a mid-aged man. I don't like the libretto, maybe because it's in English. Even the one the librettist so proudly spoke of, that was borrowed from a Persian love poem, fell flat in the duet. English is really a terrible language to sing opera in. How can you pronounce "courage", "daughter"? No arias, duets or any other singing parts are pleasing to my untrained ears. They almost sound like shouting above the orchestra.

After the opera, I stayed on to listen to 2 singers talking about their experience. They praised Seattle opera a great deal for its support and planning. The culture advisor and Johnathan Dean were also there. I haven't seen Dean for ages. He has certainly aged. I was late for the pre-concert talk with the composer. Nothing interesting to report. I really like her: soft spoken.

There're posters in the lobby about Afghan history over the span of the story, photos and newspaper clips. Overall, a very good production. Treat it as a very slow movie, and you'll enjoy it.

As for the novel, I read it when the book first came out, because I liked Hosseini's first novel "The Kite Runner". I didn't like this 2nd novel, felt more engineered, more contrived. Even the title (taken from a poem) has little relation with any part of the story.