Ruminations

Lately I have been thinking weird thoughts.
Well, weird in the way that they are disjointed and disconnected from my daily life!

Rummaging around my CD library seeking out symphonies by Mahler, Schubert, Dvorak, Beethoven, who all died before completing a tenth symphony.

Then pulling out recordings by Callas, then Piaf.
And then it hit me:

Piaf's voice, to me, is possibly the only voice that can beat Callas's .

  

Both singers have that rare raw, heart wrenching deeply felt sound.

And when it comes to concert music, I’ve always enjoyed listening to recordings more than live performances, and I have attended live performances in St. Louis, Houston and elsewhere. But at home  I can close my eyes and just enjoy. Or I can listen to it with my ears, while reading a book. Or I can sit with legs up, glass of the bubbly beside me and enjoy it all in my own personal space!
I can get up if I have to, twist around if I must, and not worry I may disturb neighbors at a concert! Sure, CD's are polished and edited to create that perfect sound balance. But when it comes to concerts I say why not! Perhaps, because I do not play an instrument and so am not mesmerized by what players do on stage!

Now when it comes to opera. I am of the other opinion.
Opera, as Theater, MUST be experienced live. Flaws and all.
The voice is not a perfect instrument, the voice varies with age, experience, health.. and yet can produce sounds that awe, stun and transport. Nothing, IMO, beats a LIVE performance.
And soon I will have them at the OH and HGO. I may then blog on the performance I have seen!

In a dire emergency, I can watch a DVD, if I must just,  that I not suffer withdrawal symptoms ;-).

And as I also enjoy hockey, I say the same for that. LIVE is better than on Television, but if that's all there is, I will condescend to watching on the tube, as long as it is a very BIG one, lol!
And that is now again possible, albeit by a drive to San Antonio

Rampage vs Icehogs

, or elsewhere, since our Houston team was moved north.

Now, I do admit, that I may travel to see opera in Santa Fe

Loretto chapel, mystery staircase

,
Boston

Boston

and other cities.
But would not as readily do so for hockey. 
Well, I have been an opera fan longer than an hockey fan :-).

Of course, going somewhere where I can have both,
plus musea... that to me is the perfect holiday!
Which is coming up in December!

Tampa bay Lightning Home!

Florida, here we come!