Yesterday, the radio opera was “Dialogues des Carmélites” by Poulenc. It’s based on a historical incident from the French Revolution – a group of nuns were executed for refusing to give up their faith. They went to the guillotine singing hymns. One survived and wrote a memoir, which in the 20th century was turned into a screenplay, in which the central character is not historical, so I really can’t say how far the libretto is from reality, especially as to the detail which must have really attracted Poulenc to the story – he was not only devout but a bit of a mystic. In the first act the Prioress dies, a difficult and dramatic death during which she expresses fear and agony. This seems so out of character that another novice remarks that she must have died someone else’s death, and that some day someone will have an unexpectedly easy death, because that person will die the death she would have had if she’d had her own. The main character, Blanche, responds “What nonsense you talk,” but actually, Sister Constance has nailed it, and Blanche herself is the one who will die that peaceful death. The tessitura (that’s the term for the range between high and low notes in a particular part or a song) sits in the middle for most of the characters, so that several of the roles can be sung equally well by a soprano or a mezzo soprano. The people who take part in the “Opera Quiz” intermission features, who can listen to recordings of four different people singing the same phrase and name each one accurately every time can probably tell the difference, but I can’t. For one thing, I can’t help getting caught up in the story. I defy anyone with a heart not to be moved by the last scene, when the nuns awaiting execution are singing “Salve Regina,” going to the (thankfully off stage) guillotine one by one, and every time the guillotine drops with a thud (maybe not the best word as there is a clash of metal in it) there is one less voice, until finally there is only one voice, and then silence. And after that – I felt I’d better share some good news.
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Short Takes –
Mother Jones – To New Yorkers’ Delight, Dolphins Return to the Bronx River
Quote – “It’s true—dolphins were spotted in the Bronx River this week!,” the [New York City]parks department gleefully tweeted. “This is great news—it shows that the decades-long effort to restore the river as a healthy habitat is working. We believe these dolphins naturally found their way to the river in search of fish.”
Click through for story. Not a destination, but a step in the right direction.
PolitiZoom – Right Now, The Democrats Are Unified, And Pitch Perfect On The Debt Ceiling
Quote – And what are the Democrats doing? Smiling at each other and high fiving in the cloakroom. They’re doing it perfectly by letting Joe Biden run point. Especially effective since Biden is embarking on a multi week national tour to tout his accomplishments, and highlight the accomplishments from last year that will only start to show up this year.
Click through for details. Of course we are not going to agree all the tie over everything, because we are not mindless morons – we can think. But those disagreements don’t mean we can’t come together in order to get something done.
Food For Thought
