Category Archives: Moview Review
Norma
I saw Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma on DVD last night: another utterly enjoyable opera which moved me by its music and fascinated me by its story too. This is an ancient tale long Before the Common Era when the Romans were in Gaul as occupiers. At the time the Druids were practicing their religion in Gaul, …
Vienna and Die Zauberflöte
Many decades ago I was in the Austrian capital Vienna with a group of friends, all fellow students from the Sorbonne. We did the usual tours like the Schönbrunn Palace with its Baroque splendor, reminding us a little of Versailles, admired the Donau, even went as far as Grinzing. At one point one of us …
On Philip Glass’s Opera: Satyagraha
I enjoy operas . I have been seeing practically every HD transmission of the MET. So I couldn’t possibly miss Satyagraha although my ears are not quite attuned to 20th century operatic efforts. But I realize that the era of Verdi and Rossini, Bizet and Puccini are over, and I must learn to appreciate modern …
On the Opera Nixon in China
I have been wanting to see this opera for a long time. I was glad that finally the Met presented it yesterday. It was in many ways a delightful experience right from the start. The chorus and the ballet, the music and the décor, the singing and the libretto were all wonderful. The major personages: …
The King’s Speech
My interest for modern films is not very great, since foul language, explicit sex, and gory violence never entertain me; and the most movies, whether magnificent or mediocre, incorporate these elements as apparently necessary spices to attract the crowd. Now and again an extraordinarily fine movie comes on the screen. The King’s Speech is one …
Thoughts provoked by the movie Avatar
Like millions of others I succumb to peer pressure when it comes to seeing movies: Not just the media and reviews, but a goodly number of friends exert subtle pressure on me to see the movies I decide to see, and this was no exception. I did not regret the three hours of my life, …
