sigh ... Tuesday night at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst we saw violent, lecherous, murderous, deceitful, satyriatic singing puppets. (Puppet blood is not a pretty sight, splinters and string flying all over the place.) Yes, I'm talking about "Don Giovanni" performed by the Saltzburg Marionettes.
I felt so sad for these wonderfully talented puppeteers. Not only are they ambassadors for my beloved Mozart, but they are also ambassadors for Austria. The audience loved the magical performance, but I can't help but project that there was a bit of a chill dampening the applause when the puppeteers, all dressed in black, took their bows. I've wanted to go to Saltzburg all my Mozart-loving life to see the marionettes perform "Der Zauberflote" in their own theater. But I'm not going there this year. Maybe never, I guess that's up to the free democratic voters of Austria and their vision of future Austria.
I don't mean to get on a high horse. Our presidential candidate George Bush's incredibly naive and insensitive visit to Bob Jones University is nothing to wave any flags about, and bodes nothing but ill for 4 or 8 years if he wins. In all, we are having very bad weather in a lot of places, particularly bad for puppets and artists.
Bob Merkin
Elmer Elevator's Discount Prep:
http://www.javanet.com/~bobmer/
LesThom263@aol.com wrote:
Someone on the list recently stated that Andras Schiff has decided not to
play in Austria. I have family in Vienna who have been going to his recitals
for years. They have season tickets and have been told that there has been
no change. In fact Andras Schiff has become famous through his appearances
in Austria. He started
his own summer festival in Austria in the 80s when there was more political
problems than now.Has anyone heard anything else on this?
Tom Bivins
Orlando, Florida