Art and TV

I have a new painting instructor this semester who is challenging, very knowledgable... we have to do assignments even in the Advanced section. Our current assignment, which is just wrapping up, is to do a single-panel Expressionist painting. By Expressionist, he means: a piece that evokes some strong emotional response in the viewer. I will show all y'all the results in my next post.......

I have come to the conclusion (finally!) that I need to cut back on my TV viewing, especially RE:Ality TV. Oy Oy Oy! It was just getting to be too much. So I am just doing The Bachelor, American Idol, the end of Top Chef, and most likely SNL. Oh, and Survivor when it starts up again. Plus some brief TV news watching-- the national stuff mostly. (I heart Katie Couric ever since she took down Sarah Palin.)

So: no more Wife Swap, The Nanny, True Beauty, assorted sitcoms, Oprah, Dr. Phil. No Celebrity Apprentice! Sorry, The Donald!

How embarrassing are these lists? Sheesh!

Last night I listened to an opera music CD that a friend burned for me eons ago that was gathering dust in my Bachelor Pad. It was quite pleasant! Tenor Arias by Juan Diego Flórez.

Honing My Skillz

I now take my sketchpad everywhere I go. I've been sketching backstage at the Opera House-- which is new and challenging-- it feels quite exposed. There are lot of very creative people milling around down there. Some people walk by disinterested and some stop and look and are complimentary. I guess all art is experienced this way. For me, it's a challenge to accept all reactions/ non-reactions.

I like this self-portrait in my Samson et Dalila Acolyte drag. I've been told I look like Jesus, which is... interesting.

Maybe Jesus if he had lived to the age of 49?

One of my stranger opera costumes...

San Francisco Opera's new production of Wagner's Tannhäuser opened on Tuesday night. The reviews for the music, principal singing, orchestra, conducting and chorus were all superlative; the reviews for the directing and the production itself were mixed to bad.

My part consists of one scene during which I crawl across the stage on my knees as a repentant religious pilgrim/sinner-- to this gorgeously sublime Pilgrims' Chorus music. All of the chorus and super men have different sins scrawled on various parts of our exposed torsos. A partial list: Thief, Rapist, Addict, Sorcery, Waste, Spite, Doubt, Envy, Lust, Lazy... these are the ones I'm remembering; there are many, many more.

I've never shown this much flesh onstage before. I've been running on the beach and doing crunches so that I'll be a slim and attractive Sinner. Being middle-aged is not for sissies!

The accompanying photo was snagged from SFMike's blog-- he gets to play a Hunter in the opera, with a snazzy knight's costume and a (real) taxidermied wolf hung around his neck when he makes his grand entrance in his scene. Mike refuses to be a diva on his own blog and show off his look (He's so humble!), but I can tell you that he gets some beautiful Tyra Banks extensions that I am coveting!

The first of thousands of new Opera pics...

My life is All Opera All the Time these days, interspersed with some rushed art-making, a rushed personal life and the occasional rushed power nap. I must state here that I am grateful to be so busy, with less time to wallow in negativity...

Samson et Dalila is going well, and we're all enjoying running around Gaza in Palestine circa 1150 B.C., wearing our luridly colorful costumes-- which were designed circa 1980 A.D. by a costume designer named Carrie Robbins (I think she might have taken some '80s party drugs before she was set loose in the fabric store).

Pictured here is MOI and a fellow super, Carlos S. who is playing, if you can believe it from his get-up, a Philistine soldier. Ya gotta click on the photo to see details; it's worth it!

ps: changed my Profile Pic also, thanks Mike H.!!!

Latest Drawing, plus Opera Newz

Here it is, finished yesterday. A bit illustration-y. :-/ I was trying to do something with more of an actual pictorial landscape. This lounging clown sniffing a flower was inspired by one of my favorite scenes in Samson et Dalila, where the Philistine Princesses come out and lounge lasciviously on some stairs, thanking the Hebrews for coming along and conquering them--thereby setting up Delila's subsequent betrayal of Samson and his ultimate downfall.

The opera opened last night as the season's Opening Night Gala performance: it was great fun and all went well. Society ladies in their couture ballgowns with their tight shiny faces and their fancy coiffures promenaded in the lobby. The actual performance is a low priority for them compared to seeing and being seen (and photographed!). Little Albie from Queens, NY didn't know where to look first!

An unexpected perk: we got some tasty catered food and dessert in the basement canteen. Yay, we like free food!

More Moi

My pal Mike H. who is a talented photographer and fellow super took a bunch of photos of MOI for a *personal project* of mine. The files are thousands of pixels large. He's got a fancy-schmancy digital camera. I'm still trying to figure out how to use them-- there are technical issues I haven't figured out yet.

I'm so blonde sometimes when it comes to the Internets! (Yep, sure enough, image comes out fuzzy, goshdarnit!)

Be that as it may, here's MOI lounging on a red velvet setee in the Opera House lobby. Note the new Village People Gay-cial Hair, which I'm praying I can keep while performing in both Samson et Dalila and Tannhauser.

More Abundance

Opera and Art are my twin passions in Life. I've finally figured that out! However, I fear that being an opera supernumerary is distracting me from my progress as an artist. This is a limiting train of thought, Grove/Albert!! I have to remind myself that there are artists who end up designing opera sets and costumes. Opera is an extremely visual art form-- which is one reason I love being in the productions.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon in an Orchestra rehearsal of Samson et Dalila, listening to the wonderful Olga Borodina singing the role of Dalila... I wanted to be there but felt guilty for not being at home painting. (I stuck around for all three acts, even though I'm only in Act I.) I'm planning on putting in some hours painting today. I hope that my Muse is satisfied with that compromise.

ANYWAY, here's a first camera-phone pic of me as Unoffical Head Acolyte in the opera. Without the mushroom/flying saucer hat I look a bit like Jesus Christ Superstar. Um, btw, the beard is fake in case anyone was wondering, but that's my actual 'stache, grown in since Der Rosenkavalier.

Also, note the bling! The costume shop calls that necklace a "jewel box." I'm a Phillistine Acolyte and the Phillistines are all extra-glitzy and colorful and Pagan-y. The Hebrews are much more understated.

Happy Labor Day, all y'all... Grill a weiner for me!

"Tired of being the reason why the road has a shoulder..." --Rufus Wainwright

Well, the last entry landed with a resounding THUD. I obviously have to rethink my marketing strategy! :-O. It's okay though, I am learning, and two of you lucky cyber-pals are already in possession of GlinkArt4Sale masterpieces.

Meanwhile, the drawings are stacking up, I'm still trying to get in at least an hour or two of art-making a day, and I'm also in beginning rehearsals for two operas that are part of SF Opera's upcoming fall season. Tannhäuser and Samson and Delilah.

This 'n That

A photo of MOI taken by another super pal, David Norton. Acting goofy.

I'm thinking of changing my middle name to "Frozen Entree." I'm sure eating a lot of them these days...

My summer obsession is Big Brother 8, despite my better judgment. I'm also obsessed with Jackie's Live Feeds blog.

I have a costume fitting coming up for Samson et Dalila. Don't know what my role is yet; I think I'm gonna find out at the fitting...

AlbGlinka and his Magic Baton, plus: Musings on Life in 18th-Century Vienna

Another Rosenkavalier pic, this one of Moi posing with one of my props-- a baton that became increasingly bejewelled by the Props Department with each successive dress rehearsal.

I am not done processing this opera! I am currently viewing this DVD of it that I got from the library, a very lavish production from 1985 by The Royal Opera, London, directed by John Schlesinger (director of, among other famous movies, Midnight Cowboy). The Marschallin is played brilliantly by Kiri Te Kanawa. The production values are even more exxagerated than the one I was in, if that's possible.

I'm writing this next part for myself-- non-opera fans can zone out if they want... :-)

The weird thing about the plot of Der Rosenkavalier is that the Marschallin is portrayed in the libretto as a fairly virtuous and wise aging female aristocrat-- she visits church and an elderly uncle regularly, and yet she is also having an affair with a 17-year old boy while her husband, the Field Marshall (whatever that is) is off on a hunting expedition! She starts off the opera in bed with this boy!

Maybe that's just the way things were in the 18th-century amongst the aristocracy, both male and female? Maybe the sexual part of this relationship was not really consummated, and that a playful flirtation was considered okay? Or, maybe the composer and librettist were writing a story that was meant to scandalize polite society and show the dark underside of the ruling class? It does not seem like the Marschallin character experiences any guilt whatsoever for being unfaithful to her husband. The strong emotions she feels are over the passing of time, her own aging, and realizing that she has to give up her love for this boy so that he can be with someone his age. I guess maybe you could read into all that a realization that she should just stop her fooling around.

I'm reading this awesome novel by Balzac, Lost Illusions, which takes place in Paris and a smaller province of France in the early 1800s. A similar plot, with one of the aristocratic ladies and a young poet, Lucien, involved in a dalliance. Except that here, the character of Madame de Bargeton (gotta love the names!) tries to remain faithful to her husband while he is still alive, as to do otherwise would be to incite terrible scandal in society.

These are some of the thoughts that are floating around my head, when I am not catching up on the doings inside the Big Brother 8 house!

Taking a break from Tech Troubles

I'm going to share a bunch of other Der Rosenkavalier pics here... this one is of a group of us supernumeraries posing with our Marschallin, (princess/rich lady) Soile Isokoski. She's in her costume for her Act I morning toilette... of course you see moi, far left, in my forest green velvet!

I got cast in this fall's Samson et Dalila (English: Samson and Delilah, lol), a gorgeous opera by Camille Saint-Saëns. It's the seaspn opener which is always fun, plus there's a planned free hi-def simulcast that will take place at AT&T Park, site of the recent baseball All-Star Game. Our new General Director David Gockley is trying to bring opera to the masses with events like this.

I'm not sure of my role(s)/costumes yet; should hear this week.

It appears that I did not get into this other opera that I auditioned for, kinda pissed about that.

I Miss Der Rosenkavalier!

It ended last Sunday.

:*-(

I miss my wigs, costumes, the music, the cast, the Banda music offstage in Act III, dressing up like a hot 18th-century Viennese Policeman.

The one consolation: I get to grow back some (real) facial hair.

Photo: Moi, my fellow Policeman Ray S. and center, our fearless Police Commissioner, Adler Fellow Jeremy Galyon.

The Eyebrows that Invaded 18th-century Vienna

Gonna try posting this pic again in close-up; I have it saved on my desktop and am totally digging myself in my Fabric Vendor garb. Thank you to fellow supernumerary David Norton for this fantastic photo!

The opera got well-deserved rave reviews for its excellent cast, production and conducting, so everyone is happy.

There are thousands more great pics-- I don't know how many to share on here or who my blog audience is anymore, but thanks to those of you who are still hanging with me!

AlbGlinka as Fabric Vendor

Another show-stopping look...

Life was so much more genteel in the mid-18th century!

Can't Breathe, but Look Fabulous...

Opening of Rosenkavalier was last night, yay. It went well. Audience very responsive. It's a great cast of really good singers.
Mr. Mike Harvey has taken some awesome photos of us supers that I will be sharing here... this is my very favorite so far-- my policeman's getup in Act III.

I had three square meals yesterday and then tried to fit into my costumes; it was more difficult than on previous days when the dress rehearsals were in the afternoon. I think I need to hit the supermarket salad aisle for the month of June!

I wish I could look this butch in my everyday life!

Click on pic to see me in all my magnificence!

Rosenkavalier Razzle-Dazzle

Here's a great photo taken at our final dress rehearsal yesterday of all the supers, and one principal, who appear in the Presentation scene in Act II... (the Silver Rose is presented to the young and beautiful Sophie as a marriage proposal token). Couriers, Heyduks, Lackeys and the Major Domo.

I am fifth from the left, sans hat, avec mini-skirt.

Rehearsal went well, two friends came and one actually made it all the way through the fours hours and enjoyed it! Hurray!!!

Der Rosenkavalier Piano Dress Rehearsal

Long, long rehearsal yesterday. First time in our costumes. I have three costumes and three wigs for three different acts. Here I am as a late 18th-century Police Officer with fake mustachio and powdered wig. Better pics to come!

It's all been fun, but I have the Prop From Hell in the first act that I have to wrestle with-- three rolls of fabric that I have to unfurl and present quickly to the rich Marschallin aristocrat-lady in my role as Fabric Vendor. I have not found a way for it to not be awkward. I am doing my best, having to accept imperfection. Oy oy oy!

The production is unbelievably lavish. Great fun to be a part of-- shimmering period costumes and sets.

I'll post again when there are more (and better) photos to share, for whoever is still checking this blog out.

Der Rosenkavalier

I just got an email today offering me the chance to be a super in one of this summer's opera productions. It's a 4-hour long German comedy/melodrama by Strauss, which I must confess I've never seen, as I've usually shied away from 4-hour long German operas.

Parts were offered to me in all three acts, so that would mean long hours in the basement of the opera house waiting for my fleeting moments onstage in the spotlight. The glamorous roles are: Carpet Vendor, Courier#4 and Policeman. Really stretching my acting chops! ;-)

I jumped at the chance, silly me, even though I'm seriously anxious about a few relatively minor schedule conflicts and also about the overall extremely non-pragmatic and ambivalently conflicted choices I've been making in my work/money/career life.

I was led to reflect on how many years I've been facing this dilemma: since I first started supering back in 1995. I counted: I've been in 26 productions, sometimes the same opera in different years or different runs in the same season. Plus a couple of stray ballets, plays, film extra work and GlinkAppearances.

I like to play dress-up. NO, REALLY????!!!!????? We never realized that, Alb./Grove/Glinka! So I cannot say no when the oppportunity arises.

I just wish that I could figure out some flexible, decent paying work to do to support this avocation. Ahh, and one that doesn't involve trapping myself in some stuffy office...