Yesterday, The radio opera was Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Of course everyone knows the legend of Don Juan, the great seducer, and that the story has many variations, including laughs in some (Mozart called it a “drama giocoso,”and yes, that’s “joke” in the “giocoso.” It’s one of the operas studied in “Music Appreciation” classes, and it’s frequently performed, and I really thought I knew it until a week or two ago the broadcast had a “Singers’ Round Table” – a feature in which singers discuss how they appraoch their roles, how they prepare, what the latest director has come up with, and the like. Two of the singers were two of the sopranos in this broadcast, and one of them caught my attention by saying (of course I paraphrase) “It’s not just that Giovann’s a bad man – its that he ruins everything. He comes into a room and cjaos comes with him.” Prior to this, I had not thought of Don Giovanni as a Republican. Now that it’s been pointed out, I definitely see it. Seeing Giovanni as a Republican gave me an additional new insight – at the end when he defies the Commendatore’s ghost, he’s often portrayed as “Well, he’s awful, but atleast he’s brave.” No, he’s not. To be bravr, one needs to overcome fear, and the only thing he’s afraid of is looking weak, which he thinks he would if he admits he’s wrong or even just not perfect. So he caves in to that fear and just doubles down. And incidentally enters the “find out” stage of FAFO. Incidentally, I learned of a new job in the world of opera. In addition to the Director, most operas require a chorus director, and many require a fight director. But this is the first I have heard of an “intimacy director.” I wonder what the qualifications are. Well, I’m off to see Virgil. I’ll report my safe return as soon as I can.
Cartoon – 21 Alexander Nevsky
Short Takes –
Crooks & Liars – George Santos’ Comms Director Roots For His Expulsion, Resigns
Quote – She resigned by email, writing “Unfortunately, you never took one point of professional advice given.”… “With respect for my colleagues, the people of New York, and most importantly, myself, I am honored to tender my resignation,” Woomer said in her resignation email.
Click through for story. Oddly, she doesn’r seem to have said anything about not getting paid. But I doubt she did. At least not in full.
Wonkette – Of Course The ‘Homeless Vets Displaced For Immigrants’ Story Is A Hoax
Quote – At no point did any of these people take a moment to ask themselves, “Why would anyone do something that would obviously garner so much bad publicity by kicking unhoused veterans out of those specific hotels when there are obviously many, many other hotels and motels throughout New York state?” Clearly, not one of them considered the wise words of the great American jurist Judge Judith Sheindlin here — “If it doesn’t make sense, it’s usually not true.” It did not make sense. And it wasn’t true, which was quickly discovered after the hotels in question were asked about it. The whole thing was a hoax cooked up by Sharon Toney-Finch, whose only excuse now is that she thought it would help the imaginary veterans who were kicked out of their imaginary hotel rooms in order to be cruelly displaced by imaginary immigrants.
Click through. I’d seen this a couple of places and decided to share it from Wonkette, which gives it the sarcasm it deserves.
Food For Thought
