Party Fears, Tosca and New Zealand!

[tcpip]

Well, I've finally managed to get (nearly) all my things in the same place, thanks to the help of the superkind caseopaya. Part of this was the discovery of Party Fears - heads up reddragdiva. For those of you who don't know the reddragdiva is a long-term rocknerd. He used to produce a good quality independent music 'zine in Perth in the mid-80s to early 90s.

It even won an award. (No really, you must read this link).

Bar_bar_rella! The page is down ! Fix it please! For the sake of the relationship of musicians to gormet chefs! Please!

Anyway, the good Dr. is putting his olde journal online. If it's any help I have issues 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 17, 18....

The lovely severina242 took me to the opera on Saturday night - Puccini's Tosca. What a lovely story. What a excellent performance. What exceptional value for money. I mean, about 10 main actors, a few dozen extras, a full choral orchrestra, three magnificant sets... And less expensive than a "rave" party or some moderately popular international rock band.

This causes me some pondering. Popular culture is now more expensive than high art. Will pop eat itself? Quite possibly under those circumstances.

The other thought that ran through my head (a la Horkheimer/Adorno) was that only capitalism could debase the Enlightenment art of the opera to the musical (which I must admit does work when it's incongruous - "Dancer in the Dark" or parody - "Rocky Horror Picture Show").

Finally, I'm in New Zealand - country number six for the year!! Flew in via Emirates (haha, the day that Saddam was caught, how ironic), who did pretty well. Currently in Auckland, leave for Palmerston North tomorrow. About to head off to a warfside pub called "Lenin's Bar". If I can't find a decent full-bodied red there I'll eat my hat.

Speaking of Saddam, did anyone else notice how the news photos of "cheering Iraqis" vanished so very very quickly once it was discovered that they were cheering members of the Iraqi Communist Party?

Comments

[caseopaya.livejournal.com]

Well, I look forward to enjoying som "high" art with you on your return.

Take care and enjoy yourself

[shorxrore.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Saddam, did anyone else notice how the news photos of "cheering Iraqis" vanished so very very quickly once it was discovered that they were cheering members of the Iraqi Communist Party?

i totally saw them! it was crazy. they were on CNN.com and then it changed a few minutes later when i went back. friggin amazing. that kinda shit always scares me. i mention it in my post with the pic of saddam/george

oh and here are some feminist/marxist type authors (aside from emma goldman):

Angela Davis
Bell Hooks
Rosa Luxemburg
Zillah Eisenstein
Heidi Hartmann

those're cooooool.

[erudito.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Saddam, did anyone else notice how the news photos of "cheering Iraqis" vanished so very very quickly once it was discovered that they were cheering members of the Iraqi Communist Party?

Not being a watcher of TV news, no I didn't. But I can see how many in the media would find picture of third-world leftists who haven't given up their anti-fascism cheering something the Yanks did embarrassing :)

(There is a reason FOX has overtaken CNN.)

[angel80.livejournal.com]

You might be forgetting the state subsidies and corporate donations that keep the price of a ticket to the opera down.

The best operas all have completely silly stories. The difference between them and musicals is that the music is streets better.

Tosca on Toast with Mayonnaise. --- The Movie!

[jamesv.livejournal.com]

The story line (http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/579719.html),is that this sexy girl, in modern terms, a Jennifer Lopez, gets chased by this powerful old guy, Scarpia. - In modern terms, Bill Clinton [played by Richard Gere]. She happens to fall hopelessly in love with a prisoner of the state and rebel. - In modern terms, a Michael Jackson.
Then she does a deal so the old guy gets plenty of sexual gratification before she stabs him to death and the young rebel is to be set free after a mock execution. - In modern terms, a fair trial for Saddam. But then it all gets unhinged [like a badly made wooden box], when Michael jackson gets crucified. So JLo throws herself off the Empire State Building.


This will make a great movie musical!!