NYC Perspectives

Old News

2010-05-30T13:49:00.003-04:00

How can it be "news" if it's old?

What if it happened a couple of years ago, but only got assembled into a different medium recently? There are a couple things that could fit in that category.
First, there is a performance by The American Mime Theatre from 2008. I received still pictures several months later, and after a year or so, I decided to make a "movie" from the stills. Earlier this year a version of this was posted on YouTube. Here is the link:
PeepShow

Holiday Fun

2010-01-12T22:04:00.010-05:00

We had an early winter snow storm! "I'm Dreaming of a White . . ." got to be more than a dream.

My Birthday present from my sister was the funds to go to a Harmony Workshop with Emily and Don. Here they are in their element . . . what is Emily doing? Is it the church, people, steeple thing?

Then my Gift for the Solstice and Holidays was boarding Sambuca (the one in the tuxedo) and Charley!
Their element is where they find themselves . . .

The Bacchae

2009-08-24T17:56:00.012-04:00

Last night I joined a group of friends for a performance of Euripides’ rarely produced The Bacchae, directed by JoAnne Akalaitis. It was an impressive feast for eye and ear, we were very glad we saw it. That being said, volumes could be added.

Pentheus being torn apart by Agave and Ino, Attic red-figure vase.

First, thanks to the Public for doing this 2400 year-old "masterpiece" which I think may be impossible for a 21st century audience to grasp in any way near the way Euripides intended. JoAnne Akalaitis made her first brilliant move when she got Philip Glass to compose an original score. The music not only serves as a "sound score" in the contemporary Broadway sense, but also provides beautiful choral music for the chorus and some almost operatic solos for Dionysus.
    There are things that make this tragedy almost undoable today. One is the long speeches by the chorus that are essential for the narrative and thematic lines. The chorus in this production (an ensemble of 12 women) is comprised of the women who have followed Dionysus back from Asia minor. They are called on to sing the words Euripides has given them—in the resonant harmonies Glass has provided—and also to dance/mime the action and themes. This collaboration with Glass's music is one thing that saves this production from boredom and propels it toward a mesmerizing beauty. On the other hand, there are times when the ensemble’s gestures border on the mundane. There is an unevenness in the ensemble. Some are better singers, and some are better movers. And sometimes they don't all equally support the visual image.

Both Dionysus and Pentheus are very young men, prematurely full of themselves. Teiresias and Cadmus are very old men (well-played by veterans André de Shields and George Bartenieff). There is no one in the play that we can truly identify with.
    Dionysus should be that personage. But he is forever proclaiming his god-ness, while impersonating a mortal. Here is where the production might have employed some distancing device, like a giant mask in his early scenes. As played by Jonathan Groff (of Spring Awakening fame) with energy and swagger and an impish disposition, the young and young-in-heart in the crowd can side with Dionysus as a sexy young man who has a sense of humor and makes fun of Pentheus' narrow vision. But in the end, Dionysus shows no mercy and no compassion in precipitating the tragic horror. And the Olympian aspect is seen only as miraculous powers. The divinity of Dionysus represents the flowing life-force itself, whether bubbling out as blood, water, wine or honey. It is a primal, chaotic eruption of nature—uncontrollable and amoral.
    The great horror of the play, Agave's realization of her own brutality, is almost too big for human understanding. Again, I think we need a device to accommodate the emotion. I would have preferred a silent scream, perhaps supported by some of that wonderful Glass music—or percussion. But here the talented Joan Macintosh is made to actually scream and sustain it for what seems like two minutes.

This is a play about wisdom and seeing and understanding. None of the characters have clear understanding and self-awareness, and in the end, none are wise. Teiresias with his fawnskin cloak, ready to dance to Bacchus says, "we are the only men right minded; the rest are perverse." Pentheus in drag says, "Women are not to be subdued by brute force. I will hide among the pinetrees." Even the chorus suffers at the enormity of Dionysus' vengeance.

Akalaitis knew what she was getting into. She is quoted in the program, "maybe there's catharsis in Twelfth Night because at the end, you say, I had a great time. I always feel the kind of theater I'm interested in doing is when the audience leaves feeling disturbed and nauseous."

She got the desired effect.

Midsummer Grandness

2009-07-13T23:48:00.009-04:00

I was given the opportunity to benefit my community by serving on the Grand Jury of Kings County, New York from June 26th until July 10th. This service provided me with the chance to earn a small stipend while performing a necessary function in society. The Grand Jury is made up of 23 persons residing in the community. In my case, and I warrant in many cases, it was a wonderfully diverse and inclusive collection of individuals.
Because of security screenings, I was not allowed to bring a camera into the court. But because jurors were allowed certain lenience, I was allowed to bring my phone, which has a camera. I did not violate the principle of this privilege, so I have no record of my fellow jurors, whose names I don't even know. One of the Jurors I knew as E-10. Our Jury was E, and he was E-10. I was E-8. (E-9 was really nice: closest to me in proximity and culturally, and I know her name, but I will not divulge it) HOWEVER, I did get to experience the wonderful tradition (not previously known to me) of "Lunch Hour". It was like a mid-day meditation. I found here the opportunity to take pictures of what I was attending to in my meditation.

This last image was arresting (apropos of jury work). On a sunny day in a metropolitan forest, the sun cast a shadow with gothic resonance. So I took another look. What do you see . . . ?

On the penultimate day of my service we had the luxury of a 2-hour lunch. So I walked to the Promenade and took pictures of New York harbor.

Jalopy showcase

2009-07-12T23:42:00.003-04:00

June 14 was the Jalopy Showcase. Deborah, Elaine and I performed Angel Band. It was rather a fun day! All the groups were good, and the audience was enthusiastically supportive.

Elaine's son Cole took the pictures from the back of the house. Deborah's son Cody took the pictures from down front, and her husband Jim made a video of our performance which can be seen on YouTube.

Summer is a Comin' In . . .

2009-06-23T16:31:00.009-04:00

. . . So are more lakes, ponds and puddles; as well as turtles and geese. It has rained for 39 days and 39 nights and one begins to wonder if Noah junior is progressing well with Ark II. On the upside, Prospect Park has never been so green and verdant.

Music Matters

2009-06-16T17:44:00.008-04:00

Having joined the growing percentage of the world's population being recently un-employed, I have been experiencing some re-adjustments. Now I suddenly find myself sleeping when it's dark and waking when it gets light. Daytime activities aside, I have found myself free to participate in some social endeavors in the evening hours. On June 8, I participated in the Slow Jam at Paddy O'Reillys, playing guitar and singing with twenty-something like-minded people. In the picture one can see Deborah Monlux far left on the fiddle, Gary on guitar, Sue on banjo and Rob on guitar in the foreground. Behind them are two mandolin players and a dobro player.

Then on the next Thursday, I got to see the legendary Danny Kalb playing at Jalopy with his bass player, Bob Jones, and drummer Mark Ambrosino. Danny was amazing. His (electrified) acoustic guitar carried instrumental solos and rhythmic accompaniment to his raspy blues vocals. Bob Jones sang bits of harmony on 30 Years and Who Put a Ring, and finished off several numbers by bowing his bass. Danny pleased us with some of the old favorites like Baby Please Don't Go, Alberta and Jesus Met the Woman at the Well. But also mixed in some really great tunes I had not heard before. Another audience member suggested that the song Got to Get Goin' Again sounded like a very autobiographical sentiment for where Danny is now. There were times when Kalb's bluesy improvisations on the upper strings almost flew off into another world, but his wonderful rhythmic thumping and running base strings always brought us back to the Blues that we can't help but love.

Danny was joined by young guitar wizard, Randy Johnson, for 3 tunes including Good Morning Blues and an incredible instrumental version of Lullabye of Birdland. Kalb finished his set with Big Bill Broonzy's Hey, Hey. But the audience wanted an encore, and Danny satisfied with the sweetest jazz/Blues instrumental on guitar.

KL's Sonoran Bobcat

2009-05-08T13:05:00.003-04:00

Got fauna? I guess . . .

found a picture of a bobcat . . . not quite the mountain lion, but far different than a pigeon.

April 19th . . .

2009-04-24T05:20:00.008-04:00

. . . was a big day!
I registered as a participant in the Run As One 4 Mile Race in Central Park. My friend, Joe, talked me into it against my better judgment, as I had a big "reunion" event later in the day. But the Run As One race is to benefit and increase awareness of Lung Cancer. It was this cause which motivated me. I ran for Janet Ward, who died from Lung Cancer before she had a chance to play the part of her life. There are thousands more like her, and little is known about the causes of this particular cancer.

Here is Joe at the starting corral:

Here I am before the race:

I came in 7,450th! But I ran the entire 4 miles.

So a few hours later, I went to see Exit the King. Nan and I had talked about going months ago, and she ultimately got the tickets (great seats—thanks Nan). But after the tickets were bought, I had the idea to invite all the people from the Shade Company that produced the play back in 1971, and then made a 35mm film of it in 1972. So I did. All of them responded! Patricia was in Dubai, Hal was in a production of La Cage aux Folles in Charleston, Toni was in Yale directing an Italian opera, and Justine couldn't make it. But three of us—half the cast—did show up at the same performance. It was great! Geoffrey Rush was wild and funny, Susan Sarandon was very good, but Andrea Martin almost stole the show as Juliette. Michael Moody, who played the guard in the Shade film came with his son. He was a old friend of Andrea's so he talked to her after the show. She was really interested in seeing our film, so a DVD was sent to her yesterday. Diane Quaid, who played Marguerite, came all the way from Woods Hole despite a very busy schedule. And after the play, we all went to Pietrasanta for drinks and dinner.

Harbingers of Spring

2009-04-14T02:14:00.008-04:00

The first harbinger is the cormorant who visits Prospect Lake early in the spring each year.

Next, is the brilliant yellow of the forsythia:

Then, more yellow appears as the daffodils rise up with all their strength and delicacy:

White has been introduced, and the plum tree in front of my building provides an impressionistic cloud of white when it bursts into bloom:

Overnight there is an explosion of pink right at the entrance to the park:

Breathing

2008-11-24T09:03:00.004-05:00

On election day, I stood in line at the polling center with a woman who was close to a nervous breakdown. She was so agitated about the vote. She poured out her anxieties after brazenly asking if I was voting for the new savior. She hugged me after she voted. There was a general feeling that we could all exhale finally in the days after the election. Those who were talking about moving to Canada if Obama did not win, were ecstatic, floating on a cloud of optimism and renewed hope. Even two weeks post-election, when I went jogging in Prospect park, the beautiful fall colors could not have been the only reason I saw smiles and good will on the faces of every person I passed. . . . There has been further cause for abated breath in recent weeks as we face economic realities that represent greater obstacles than most of us thought possible. Nevertheless, we continue to go through our daily patterns while watching +400 points and -400 points corresponding to the rotation of the earth on its axis—if nothing else. Let us continue to breathe . . . in and out, with presence. If you would take a break from your daily habits, and like to see some more fall colors, visit Autumn in the Park.

Agua Caliente

2008-10-29T10:20:00.008-04:00

Having heard no protests, I present a most unusual view of the desert. On the northeastern edge of the Tucson valley is the natural springs called Agua Caliente. In my years growing up in Tucson and then while in graduate school at the U of A, I had not been aware of this fount. I found out about it from KL's Sonoran Blog. So I visited it myself.

To see a SlideShow of images from Agua Caliente, click Here.

We are governed by our associations. For someone growing up in the New York area this juxtaposition of natural flowing water, water fowl and lakes(!) with desert and rocky mountains may seem to just fit their imagination. But for someone who knows the dryness of the desert, the hardness of caliche, this is unexpected and thus more wondrous.

What is an NYC perspective?

2008-10-28T11:23:00.010-04:00

So we have words and images originating in Brooklyn, or New York City in general. But perhaps an NYC perspective includes how a New Yorker sees other parts of the world.

Credit goes to KL as the inspiration for my blog. Her Sonoran journal is much more focused (so to speak) than mine has been. And her observations of the (mainly fowl) fauna of the desert southwest are educational while being anecdotally inspiring.

On my annual pilgrimage to Arizona I took some pictures. Might these qualify as NYC Perspectives?

NYC Perspectives: The Center of Being

2008-09-15T23:53:00.000-04:00

NYC Perspectives: The Center of Being

For blossoms of a different ilk, check out KL's Sonoran Nature Journal

The Center of Being

2008-09-14T11:52:00.006-04:00

What amazes me about the Ipomoea purpurea (Morning Glory), is that provided with the ability to look closely into the core of the blossom, I feel I am looking into the source of life. There is a mystery there. Especially with the purple blossoms, the closer in one gets the less one comprehends. Is this just me? Check out the slideshow. I like the reverse purple, the one which is mainly white with faint purple stripes.

As the bee takes the essence of a flower and flies way without harming its blossom, color or fragrance, so let the sage wander in this life. ~from the Dhammapada.

Worlds in a Drop

2008-09-04T03:39:00.006-04:00

Just after a heavy rain the air feels fresh and clean. One walks about watchful of puddles, but so often I am unaware of how all the living flora holds the water. Last Saturday I got a close-up view of worlds in a drop of water.

8th Avenue Redux (click on images to enlarge them)

2008-08-31T00:11:00.011-04:00

After I saw the butterfly, I began trying to see with his eyes . . .

How do they keep their wits about them?

This one is really close to the meaning of life

8th Avenue Flora and Fauna

2008-08-30T06:20:00.006-04:00

After a harrowing night at work, I almost didn't feel up to a scheduled rehearsal with my singing partner. But I went and it was very rewarding. Not only did I leave feeling much better and humming with harmonies, I began to see all the color of the world along 8th Avenue.

First up was a beautiful Danaus plexippus (monarch butterfly) in the same spot where I had got the image of the butterfly last year that appears in the title of this blog. I am pretty sure this is a male. Is he not handsome?

Gold in New Jersey

2008-08-29T13:34:00.004-04:00

From the 15th floor of Hudson One at about 6:45 a.m. Lower Manhattan and New Jersey shimmer and dazzle.

Hark

2008-08-29T13:28:00.002-04:00

Eloquence like this might be found elsewhere, but it is a signature of New York. So the challenge for all of you out there is to guess on what this appears.

young Beckett

2008-08-29T12:48:00.004-04:00

This is from Dream of Fair to Middling Women, about half-way through. Early Beckett is sometimes more difficult than the later work, because it preceeds "the day I became aware of my stupidity." The multiple languages, obscure references and wordplay can be very hard to decipher. Here I was very excited when I was able to recognize the reference immediately. The bracketed text mimics Sonnet #116.

Hello All

2008-08-29T01:59:00.005-04:00

These days of late August have been beautiful in New York. Jogging in the Park, visiting the farmers' market, preparing the fresh fruits and vegetables there purchased occupy my days. The nights follow the adventures of the Mets. Then at work, after completing whatever assignments await me (and thanks to the miracle of online video), I have been following the Democratic Convention in Denver. Michelle Obama's heartwarming and charming sweetness, followed by Hillary's very powerful speech, followed by Bill Clinton's clear and enthusiastic message were all very inspiring. I was overwhelmed with admiration as Bill recommended that America needs "to lead by our powerful example, rather than examples of our power."

Tonight, I was able to see Senator Obama as he began his speech, and listen to the rest of it on the radio coming to work. He did not let us down. Clearly he has the vision that is needed, the wisdom to know it will not be easy, and the resolve to do whatever it takes to begin solving our many serious problems.

So tonight I begin this public journal. May the fruits of all of our work benefit all living beings.