A+!! Yes my loyal and faithful readers yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader was totally mind-blowing, even better than I had anticipated ... so let’s get right to it ... with the usual ...
Billi Pod’s report card on DANCING AT LUGHNASA, about 5 unmarried sisters set in a small town in Ireland in 1936==>A+.
It is every bit as good as the critics said, plus some. It is amazing what they were able to stage in the cramped confines of The Irish Repertory Theatre. The acting was superb. Had very little difficulty with the Irish brogues.
My only problem with the show was that I had some difficulty in keeping the characters straight in some of the fast moving scenes and dialogue.
And yes, since it is Irish ... there was the usual “Irish Factor” (a phrase which Billi Pod just created) in the interaction between all of the characters. What do I mean by “Irish Factor” you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... this is it ...
"I friggin hate ye ... but I really love ye ... but I still friggin hate ye."
You are welcum.
It ends its extended run on January 29th, so if you haven’t seen this theatrical gem==>do it now!!
The show was over about 5:15 so I had to rush back to PHC to change clothes and have a quick fruit and cheese snack before heading uptown for the second part of the doubleheader ... which was ...
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall and it also gets the highest grade==>A+<==because of Lang Lang’s blazing performance of the extremely difficult Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2.
He didn’t appear to be as “animated” in this performance as he had been in others I had seen. When it was over he got a roaring ovation, but not a standing one, which was a bit of a surprise to me.
Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 2 was beautifully performed by the orchestra. I don’t remember ever hearing it before.
The only downside of the evening was the opening number, “Feria,” a piece of atonal dreck written by Magnus Lindberg, who is the orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence. Thank God it was only 17 minutes long. It got a very tepid response even when Lindberg came on stage.
When the concert was over I was really feeling good and happy and would have walked back to PHC while reliving the concert in my head ... except for the fact that it was 21º and windy ... no way.
Today’s entertainment event is certainly something different ...
8:00==>A TRIBUTE TO HOROWITZ @ Carnegie Hall. “A gala benefit for the American Cancer Society, hosted by Donald Trump and Julie Andrews, featuring Lola Astanova, who will play works by Chopin, Scriabin and Rachmaninov, all performed on the legendary Horowitz Steinway.” (complimentary ticket)
Now this time I am certain my comp. seat will be way up in the nosebleed section. Yesterday I received an email from my ticket service asking me to pick up my ticket at least 1 hour before curtain time.
I am confident that the reason is ... “they” don’t want the freebies rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous donors. I will, of course, honor the request.
Folks out there in the vast hinterlands ... Billi Pod has already scheduled some AWESOME entertainment events for the remainder of the month and he wants to share the basic details with you now ...
Jan. 19 - Thurs - 8:00==>A TRIBUTE TO HOROWITZ @ Carnegie Hall. (complimentary ticket)
Fri - 8:00==>AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall - Stravinsky Outside Russia (complimentary ticket)
Sat - 7:00==>CEMETERY GOLF (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket); 8:30==>HONOR AND FIDELITY (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket) - at the same theater.
Sun - 3:15==>FALL TO EARTH (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket); 6:30==>GIANTS/49ers on Fox
Mon - 8:00==>YOU ONLY SHOOT THE ONES YOU LOVE (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)
Tues - 7:00==>HOW TO SUCCEED AT BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket) - Nick Jonas and Beau Bridges join the cast.
Wed - 8:00==>THE NIGHTMARE STORY (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)
Thurs - 8:00==>RENT (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket) - FaceBook friend Josh Grisetti joins the cast
Fri - Jan 27 - open at the moment
Sat - open at the moment
Sun - open at the moment
Mon - 8:00==>STONE AND STONE (comedy show - complimentary ticket)
Tues - Jan 31- 6:00==>WAGNER’S GOTTERDAMMERUNG (Metropolitan Opera - full price expensive ticket) - gets out at 11:30pm
WOW!! How about this ... Nick Jonas, Josh Grisetti, Beau Bridges and Wagner ... WOW!!
The opera is part of THE RING SERIES being staged by The Metropolitan Opera Company. I have seen the complete RING SERIES twice and had no interest in doing it for a third time ... but ... I very much like the music from Gotterdammerung, the final piece in the series, so I thought I would give it a shot.
And yes ... it starts at 6:00pm, has two rather long intermissions and gets out, hopefully, at 11:30pm. No need to say any more.
In closing ...
As I write this posting my oldest grandson and new father Alex Falletta aka Army Guy is on his way back to Kuwait. Gina and Saylor were at Tampa International for an emotional farewell ... just the three of them.
Hopefully he and his unit will return in late April or early May to be deactivated. MAY GOD BE WITH YOU ARMY GUY!!
LOVE TO ALEX, GINA AND SAYLOR.
Bill aka Great-granddaddy.
ALEX-149
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