Yesterday, the radio opera was Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte”, which at least for me is a good opera to not watch. Yes, it has some very funny sight gags, and depending on what time frame the director decides to stage it is, it may also have great visual appeal, such as costumes. I dressed a production once, and while I don’t claim it was great – there’s only one of me and I can only execute so much – but it was pretty. And of course it is Mozart. The only sour notes he ever wrote in his life were deliberate jokes, and there are none in this opera. But it is so terribly sexist, the premise is grossly unethical, and the antics are unbearably cruel. More and more directors are learning how difficult it is to handle the ending. And I don’t know what else you’d expect from an opera whose title can be translated several ways, one of which is “Women are all alike”, but all of which are slanderous. And I noticed today there is also a subtler message in it, with which I must also disagree: “Never trust your employee(s); they do not have your best interests at heart.” Although Ana Maria Martinez, as the bribed maid, was clearly having the time of her life disguising her voice to go with her visual disguises. It’s not hard to hear why audiences love her. The new speaker works fine, and while it was a nuisance changing the old one out, it wasn’t as hard as I expected (I haven’t installed the second one yet.) I ordered them from “Wish,” which like “Temu” is based in China, but both have outlets all over the US, so one never knows where one’s order is shipping from. When I looked at the return address, it said it was from Ontario. Well, that’s one way to avoid or alleviate tariffs. I had to smile. Now I’m off to see Virgil. Of course I’ll check in upon return.
I did not see any follow-up on the Fat Bear contest, but Lona did, from an Australian media source. It was won by 32Chunk, and they think (and I agree) some of those votes were probably sympathy votes, because since last year, his jaw was broken, which made eating harder. But he also did get very fat. There are photos.
I’m posting this on Sunday because it is serious good news. News Outlets changing ownership is not generally good news, but this acquisition of The Root has the approval and support of one of the two original founders – Henry Louis Gates Jr. If he considers it good news, I say it’s good news.
It is amazing the things that the human body can do to itself – but also, perhaps even more so, amazing how good people can help individuals cope with and compensate for autoimmune conditions. I have one myself, and mine is annoying, and unsightly (but concealable), but at least not painful, or debilitating, or restrictive.
