The Cat Tree

Yesterday, lemur_catta found me reading under a pile of cats. Photography ensued.

bearjane112108_15, originally uploaded by jgilks@rogers.com.

bearjane112108_9, originally uploaded by jgilks@rogers.com.

The full set

It's a good day for videos

fearsclave brings you the world's luckiest penguin.

rhythmaning showcases the Fuhrer's take on the BNP's little local difficulties.

La Damnation de Robert Lepage

Today was the Met's broadcast of Berlioz' La Damnation de Faust in a new high tech production by Quebec superstar Robert Lepage. It was really good. Faust wasn't really intended as an opera and is more often done in concert than in a fully staged version so this really was a somewhat unusual event. Lepage's staging and direction stole the show. The set is a stacked series of cubicles forming a sort of wall on, in and through which the characters, including the chorus and large numbers of dancer and acrobats perform. At the same time, images are projected onto the 'wall'. These images are controlled by the music, the movement of the actors and even the actors' body heat. It's spectacular. The scene where Mephistopheles and Faust race off on horseback to save Marguerite was particularly memorable. If Lepage's upcoming Ring is this good it will be truly amazing.

The musical side of the production was solid to excellent. The music is very lush and the Met orchestra and chorus made the most of it. The principals were generally good, especially John Relyea as Mephistopheles. (He also had a costume to die for; red leather with an awesome hat). I was less impressed by Marcello Giordani. I thought his top notes were distinctly wobbly and harsh. I gather he's noted for the role so maybe he was just having a bad day. James Levine saw his shadow so I guess we are in for a long winter.