Benson's Blog

Simultaneously - MEN



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"Another World" by Antony & the Johnsons

I don't usually listen to Christian rock, but I like this song. And the video is beautiful.

This song has been burrowing into my soul for several weeks now. The video below is from the Dutch Opera's version of Dr. Atomic. It has different sets from the Met version that I saw, but the glorious song is the same. There is another rendition on YouTube that shows more of this version's actual staging, but I find it more distracting than the very minimalistic interpretation of the Met.

The lyrics are from the Holy Sonnet XIV of John Donne:

                         Batter My Heart

Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town to'another due,
Labor to'admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly'I love you, and would be lov'd fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy;
Divorce me,'untie or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you'enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

On a theme of 'changing it up', I worked out at the gym at noon today so that I could attend the encore performance of Dr. Atomic this evening. And it worked out great! As a bonus, I wasn't as hungry after the workout, so I ate less. I will probably plan on doing this every now and then - it was a great energy booster for the afternoon as well.

Dr. Atomic was amazing the second time around. John Adams and Peter Sellars, who did the libretto, packed this opera with many complex themes, images, and ideas - too many to take in in one viewing. And I also got more out of the ending - I was able to just sit back and enjoy the incredible building suspense of the ending. The first time around, I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin waiting for the 'moment' to happen!

I saw Jay Brannan at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco with my friend Derek yesterday. Loved it! Here's a taste of what you missed, although this clip is not from last night's performance - and, of course, Terra Naomi was not there... I just wanted to share this duet with you!

This morning I saw the New York Metropolitan Opera's HD Simulcast of Dr. Atomic, John Adam's opera about the Manhattan Project and the creation of the atomic bomb. It was extremely moving - and terrifying - to delve into what it must have been like for Oppenheimer and his team to balance their duty to family, to country and to their work as scientists.

I'm really starting to appreciate the power that opera can bring to illuminate a subject. Each song is an exquisite jewel lifted into the spotlight to reveal amazing facets of emotional impact. At its heart it is pure story telling; and yet, the artistry, the libretto, the music, the costumes, the sets, and the 'pomp' - all work together like no other art form. It's magical.

The encore is on Wednesday, November 19 - "at a theater near you". I might very well find myself back for another look at this amazing work.

If you haven’t heard about this, I highly recommend it. The Metropolitan Opera (and soon the San Francisco Opera) are screening Live HD Simulcasts of some of their operas at local movie theaters. I just saw “Hansel and Gretel”, and it was superb. It’s a wonderful way to see great opera in a unique format that’s very enjoyable (and affordable - the tickets are under $20.)

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events.aspx
Ticket info: http://www.fathomevents.com/details.aspx?seriesid=610

Thanks to Qweerty, I can't get this song or video out of my head. Gwen Verdon and some '60s Bob Fosse moves to Unk's "Walk it Out".
And don't miss the Teletubbies walk it out, too.

On Towleroad, I found this amazing new instrument developed by music engineers at a University in Spain. The possibilities are mind boggling.

A friend and I saw the musical Rent last night at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco. It was great. It was the first time I had seen it live, and the first time D had seen it at all. All of the songs were good, many of them were just outstanding. We both thoroughly enjoyed it (as did the crowd, who gave it a standing ovation.) I got for the first time (!) the use of rent to describe love - 'you can't buy love, but you can rent it'. Like we can't hold on to this life, but only use it while we have it. Very glad we went.

Afterwards, we went to a party of fellow Landmark and other folks to celebrate some Leo's birthdays. Throughout the evening, I found myself in some very empassioned conversations (and it wasn't just the libations talking!). I'm always interested to hear what inspired people to take the first actions that led to their current projects. It's one thing to have a great idea, and quite another to act on it. Tres Cool.

Two weekends ago, I went to go see (hear) Christopher Taylor play a piano recital of Gyorgy Ligeti's complete piano etudes at Berkeley. First of all, I love Ligeti's work in such places as recent Wheeldon ballets and movies such as 2001:A Space Odyssey and Eyes Wide Shut. But I didn't know he was still living - apparently he's now in his late 80's and living and writing music in Hamburg and Vienna.

However, this recital was very different from the works that I have heard, but still unmistakably his. It was like a classical variation of the electronic 'wall of sound' of some alternative bands (think 'My Bloody Valentine'), but amazingly played on a piano by one person. The etudes had titles like "Der Zauberlehrling" (the Sorcerer's Apprentice) and "L'escalier du diable" (the Devil's Staircase). Because of the barrage of notes and the 'micropolyphonic' style, it was often like a sculptural experience as the sound washed over me. Brilliant!

Today I watched a little of the Live 8 concert coverage that MTV was showing. I caught Pink Floyd, and some of Stevie Wonder. Incredible entertainment.

I wonder, though, how the G8 can be responsible to their own constituencies by doubling aid to Africa when civil wars are still raging and corruption is the currency of the day.

From the Washington Times, Poverty that Defies Aid:
Foreign aid to Africa has also enabled government officials to embezzle large amounts of money and misspend much on loss-making projects. In total, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo estimated, "Corrupt African leaders have stolen at least $140 billion from their people in the [four] decades since independence." Large debt is all most Africans have been left.