Thursday, September 6, 2007

Going and Coming

Adio, Maestro. Luciano Pavarotti died this morning. I remember talking about him, comparing him with Placido Domingo, with my boss in Dallas in about 1981. That was also about the time I heard Dame Kiri te Kanawa sing the Strauss song in The Year of Living Dangerously. I'd played a lot of classical music in our high school orchestra, but had never been strong into opera. Te Kanawa and Pavarotti opened the doors for me. I still don't like Wagner, but I love the Italian operas and Mozart operas.


And what an incredible voice he had. I can't even attempt to describe it. I'll give it to Domingo as being the stronger actor and more intellectual singer, but he can't make me cry with the sheer beauty of an aria. Pavarotti could. Can. There are so many videos and CDs of him that his voice and charisma will live on for many years to come.


Coming: The September Sock Yarn arrived today.


It's merino superwash dyed by Spunky Electric in a colorway called "The Berry Brigade." The photo is pretty close accurate. The suggested patterns are Feather and Fan (http://wendyknits.net/knit/featherandfansock.pdf ), Kaibashira (http://www.magknits.com/sept07/patterns/kaibashira.htm ), and Monkey Socks (http://knitty.com/issuewinter06/pattmonkey.html ) I'm thinking of Deby Lake's Tidal Wave Socks (http://soysilk.com/mrcfiles/mrc-patterns/tofutsies-patterns/tofutsies-tidalwave.pdf ) Probably about January... Really, 6 pairs of socks OTN is enough for anybody, don't you think?


Current reading: Plot It Yourself, Rex Stout (1959 - nearing the end of the series, alas)


Current music: La Boheme with Pavarotti, what else?

2 comments:

Monika said...

I played the piano for seven years, so was exposed to classical music. My brother plays the Violin, he still does. I find classical music soothing, but never got to listen to Operas a lot. That said, I just remember, that when I was young, there were movies on TV where they sang Mozart's and other Austrian composers' works. I loved those movies, especially where Romy Schneider played Kaiserin Sissi.
I'm in Spunky Eclectis' Fiber Club. The last installment was a very nice dye job, but the fiber is Lincoln, very scratchy. I don't know what to do with it. I have so many nice soft fibers to spin first. IT's a shame, really. But I like to get those fiber samples, so I know what they feel like, and not buy any I don't like because I'm ignorant.
I have to go, knit on my secret socks, for my son, now that he's out of the house for a few hours. ;o)

T-Mom said...

I played 4 instruments when I was younger, and sang. Every once in a while I miss it, and I would love to get my piano fixed up and tuned some day, and take lessons again. Do you still play, Monika?