Housekeeping and a Promise

Duty calls me away from my brand-new blog which is surely agreeing with me so far. I am going to be wandering ruins in Greece with undergraduates for five weeks talking about Mycenae this, Minos that--Dark Ages, Golden Ages, Bronze Ages. (They will party at night big time like the Kiwi youth like to do. I will be getting my rest. In the early the very early 80s on the other hand, I lived in SF and well...)

After Greece it is on to the US where I will be doing the family thing and will be reunited with the husband. Also, I will be away from the dog for two months. That is not making me happy but, as I said above, duty calls (and he has a good situation while I am away, so there is not an issue there at least).

Anyway, as you can see, a portrait of Amilcare Ponchielli the Divine heads this entry. All this talk of La Giocondas in NY, of B flats falling flat in cf. to memories of la divina Kunc or honest-to-god falling flat and winding up on, if I remember correctly from a most amusing blog, "a perfectly comfortable A natural"-- all this made want to do SOMETHING. I felt left out. But what could I do? I was in a quandry. Anyway, when at dinner tonight with the husband, I asked what rarity I should talk about next and he said, not missing a beat, "what about I Lituani by Ponchielli?" I said, "well I have to listen to it first" (cuz, people, I don't know it). But I have always wanted to know it better and in fact read a reprinted thesis on late 19th-century Italian opera that talked a good deal about this opera about 20 years ago. I have been curious about it ever since. And besides, I love love love La Gioconda and Ponchielli! He's great.

Anyway, we have what I hope is a good recording--- Gavazzeni is conducting and that is a good good sign--- it's live of course--- and it is the perfect thing to bring into the mix-- and still keep with the theme of rarities. Gonna fight B-flats with Lithuanians. Yes! I will be listening while I am on the road and hope to have something on this in December or January.

I may post a bit more but I probably should not. I have to write some lectures on Cretan "palaces" and, honey, those lectures are not going to write themselves. Not even if you ask nicely.