2007.9.29. Seattle Symphony.

Bright Sheng: Tibetan Love Songs
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4

I arrived late. Luckily they started with National Anthem (why?), so I didn't miss anything on the program.
The Tibetan songs are very loud. Large presence of wind instrument. I don't like it, but I appreciate Gerard Schwarz's willingness of staging new composition. At least it's short.
Cecile Licad is wonderful: tremendous power yet delicate at places. I almost forgot how I love this piece.
Tchaikovsky composed 4th symphony after a brief and disastrous marriage. However it sounds more upbeat to me than his own description (in a letter to Nadezhda von Meck, copied from the program notes):

The introduction is the germ of the entire symphony. This is Fate, which prevents our hopes of happiness from being realized, which ... hangs over us like the Sword of Damocles, a constant, relentless spiritual torment. It is invincible, inescapable. There is no recourse but submission to suffering... Would it not be better to turn from reality and lull oneself with dreams? Little by little, dreams capture the soul. Despair and sadness vanish. There is happiness! But no, it is only a dream, which Fate dispels once more. So life swings constantly between cruel reality and ephemeral dreams of happiness.
The second movement expresses another aspect of suffering. It is the melancholy of evening, ... [when] memories flood the mind... How bitter yet sweet it is to sink into the past.
The third movement expresses nothing to definite. Rather, it is a succession of capricious arabesques that pass through the mind when one has had a little wine and feels the first glow of intoxication.
Fourth movement: If there is no joy within you, turn to others. Go to the people. They know how to lose themselves in revelry and pleasure... But no sooner do you abandon yourself to merriment than Fate reappears, reminding you of your suffering. The others pay no attention to your sorrow... They still enjoy simple, primitive pleasures; join them, and life will yet be bearable.

2007.9.23. Rachel Lake. 8 miles RT / 1900 ft gain. Took us 3 hrs up and 2 hrs down. Pretty slow for this. Only the 3rd quarter is a bit steep. Huckleberry leaves are turning red. Some minor creek crossing. Small waterfalls due to the season. Saw one cute woodpecker with a red highlight in his hair, many mushrooms (either wormy or poisonous). Very pleasant lake. Windy and chilly. Next to the lake provides a good view of the valley. More trails from here, lead to Rampart Lakes (snowed last night!), Lila Lake, or Alta Mountain.
Direction: I-90 exit 62, 4 miles to Kachess Lake Campground, then left 4 miles to a junction, then left 0.2 miles.
Another good link.

2007.9.20. Seattle Symphony and Vocalpoint! Seattle (a high school branch of Northwest Choirs) performs Sci-Fi movie favorites (Star Wars, Superman, E.T., Star Trek, Once upon a time)

Jack Everly, conductor
George Takei, narrator
Kristen Plumley, soprano
Mike Eldred, tenor

The soprano has a true opera voice, the tenor's is more for musical, Captain Sulu's is magnetic. The conductor wears white costume, black bow tie and black trousers, a bit too rush. He speaks before each piece. His baton turns to a green little laser stick at the end. Strong green laser beams synchronize with some numbers, but rather silly. Entertaining, nonetheless.

2007.9.18. Lone Star Love at The 5th Ave Theatre. Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor, set in Texas. Good music and dance, costume and stage design. Messy story. Some of the chorus pieces were fabulous, for example, the very first song: "cattlemen of Texas". Great violin playing, for example, the solo song by the doctor "the fatal dose".

2007.9.17. Twelfe Night at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Excellent acting and costumes. Simple yet well designed stage (didn't change during intermission). Clear articulation, witty and rhymed verses. S Very funny, even though I could only understand half of what's been voiced. Well, maybe some day I'll read Shakespeare.