I didn't exactly have the traditional Thanksgiving yesterday, but it was a wonderful day of experiencing the beautiful things in life. The things that make you forget, at least temporarily, all of the horrors in the world.
A: I had coffee with a facebook friend, who I had never really spoken to in real life. Kind of nice to overcome the apathy that facebook or other online networks can effect; I already knew a bunch of things about her by reading her profile, but it was nice to actually talk and get to know each other the old fashioned way!
B: I walked over toward the Musee Rodin, where I'd never been before and always heard it was fabulous. Well, it was. I don't know much about sculpture, and am not normally moved by it, but let me tell you that several of his pieces made me tear up. I don't know how he made marble and clay have such movement and intensity, but I'm sure glad he did. For stone to somehow capture human emotion (as in his piece Meditation) speaks to the power of the human mind, its creativity and spirit...
C: Walked to the Theater Champs-Elysees to get a ticket for a recital - Mattias Goerne singing Brahms' Die Schoene Magelone. He's not a household name like some of his opera-singing colleagues, but for people who like art song and oratorio, and especially German lieder, he's considered a current great [see here for some beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUvfkWxsxZY]. I didn't know this piece too well, and it's very different from a normal vocal recital. The songs are interwoven into narration telling the old chivalric story of the wooing of the beautiful princess Magelone. The whole performance, involving the narrator, the singer, and the pianist, was a perfect example of chamber music/performance; they all contributed to the miracle- bringing to life something that was written ~150 years ago, with a story several centuries old. It too brought me to tears. Funny thing about French audiences that I've experienced so far - they don't seem to be that into it, but then they demand multiple curtain calls and cheer for several minutes.
Today I had another coaching. We tried on a few more arias for size, and I continue to feel excited to keep exploring what to put on my list. I went to a market street nearby, got my bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau to try, some more delicious bread, and chocolates to give as gifts. Went back to the music shop, and yes, bought a few more things. This time, I found more used scores that were in good shape and heavily reduced, so I couldn't resist! Then walked down to the Xmas street fair again just to be out and about on this sunny afternoon. I considered going to the opera again tonight, but I've seen a lot of concerts this week, and frankly a night off seemed like a good idea!
