Stuff I like

Into Britcom, opera, religion, history, other stuff. Nerd. She/her but whatever. Queer ace/grey. Tumblr-oooold (40s).

[what-even-is-thiss]

Once in a while I dip into like fashion and fashion history YouTube and the things they talk about as if they’re common problems is insane, frankly.

I saw someone was doing a “challenge” to not buy any new clothes for 40 days.

I have bought like three shirts in the past year and all of those were because I got gift cards from my family who noticed that I keep my shirts for so long that they’re falling apart.

[leslieka]

I love receiving compliments for my spiffy "new" corduroy overalls ... that I bought in the 90s as a teenager.

[isaddeos]

opera stream alert!

what: rossini's 1828 comedy/farce "le comte ory", at the glyndebourne festival in 1997

when: saturday 25 april, 21:00 EEST/18:00 UTC (check your local time)

where: kosmi

language: french with english subs

duration: 2h 20min

cast: Marc Laho, Annick Massis, Diana Montague, Ludovic Tézier, Jane Shaulis, Julien Robbins. Conducted by Andrew Davis, directed by Jerome Savary.

plot:

the music is the real highlight, not the story, but the gist is this:

notorious libertine and spoiled brat Count Ory wants to seduce the hopelessly depressed Countess Adèle

figures that the best way to do this is to first give her therapy to awaken her repressed sexuality, and then dress up as a woman to awaken her repressed bisexuality

in true Rossini fashion, there is a thunderstorm and everyone is really scared

in true Rossini fashion, half the music was borrowed from one of his own earlier operas

very low/nonexistent bar to watch this stream! you don't need a kosmi account, and you can ofc join or leave the stream at any time. (the plot is very simple and vibes-based, so you can miss plot points without being terribly lost later!)

[leslieka]

I have to go to my housing co-op's clean-up day but might join late. And guess what DVD I coincidentally (no, really) picked up from the used bookstore weeks ago?

[parmandil]

Bogdan Roscic you might be the most annoying mf alive but ending your season announcement by having the orchestra play the Tosca finale, climb the steps, and dive off the set is without a doubt where I gotta hand it to you

[leslieka]

Amazing.

[leslieka]

So I'm (a Canadian) watching a NASA press conference, there's lots of high-minded talk about unity and all of humanity, people in flight suits with flags from 4+ countries, a Canadian flag amidst the American ones ... and I think "What's that Freedom 250 thing right behind the podium? Something about the anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence?"

WTF? W. T. A. F.

So that's a movement/organization partnered with Focus on the Family/FPA and Salem Media Group ... claiming:

(a) to invite participation by "the nation's diverse religious communities" and "all Americans, regardless of background or belief"

(b) continuity with MLK and Apollo 8's Christmas broadcast.

[ineffamelon]

Chris Hadfield saying that there's a guitar on the space station and that the astronauts play it almost every day. A lot of songs from their childhood. I'm gonna cry, music is everywhere

[leslieka]

Yeah. 🥲

Chris and Roberta Bondar are doing a great job on the CBC NN broadcast. Lots of interesting context and anecdotes.

[rustysnaddy]

imagine going the farthest a human has ever gone from earth, going the fastest a human has ever gone, and still having to ask if the person pulling you out of the spacecraft is remembering to hit push to talk. this is really such a human event

[dustywarbler]

over 3 million people dropping everything they're doing to watch the astronauts land and welcoming them home over and over and over again in multiple languages from all over the earthhgbdf oh fuck oh ssomething in my eyes ohh

[leslieka]

Bob McDonald is explaining raise burn on the CBC with a tupperware container. They and Jeremy Hansen make me feel proud to be Canadian for once. And yet also: "for all humanity" ... beautiful.

Good luck, Artemis crew!

[leslieka]

I am easily amused by typos

(meh bits but Hunt incredible)

[larkstonguesinaspicpart1]

Reading hitchikers guide for the first time was really funny because it was like ohhhh THIS the writing that every unfunny nerd has been trying to emulate from like ‘00-‘12 . But good.

[milkchuggs]

[leslieka]

To be even more Insufferable Nerd PLUS elitist hipster: the original 1978 first series of the radio show is the best form of Hitchhiker's Guide. You can feel the joy (mostly Adams's) gradually seeping away with subsequent iterations. Plus I prefer Geoffreys McGivern as Ford and Perkins as producer.

But the books and TV show are easier to find and good too.

[jonphaedrus]

it's almost easter so you know what that means: time to celebrate leporello being trapped in the fucking Horrors for his birthday!

in continuing my attempts to get everyone to see 1987 la scala don giovanni, i will be streaming it TWICE on easter. come join me and let's enjoy leporello's terrible horrible no good very bad eternal day together 💖💖💖

[leslieka]

My Sunday plans may still be going at that time, but enjoy! Seen it before and (would be) happy to see again.

[voi-gay-sapete]

thebridgesandtunnels replied to your post “i hope all of y’all know that in the libretto cherubino accidentally…”

Pardon

[leslieka]

Yep. That bit is at 1:05:40 here ...

Thank you, Pierre and Lorenzo, for even more homoerotic shenanigans than we usually see!

I just read Da Ponte's Wikipedia article -- what a rollercoaster -- and you should too. And while currently bogged down in 80 pages of academic Introduction, I will finish the Figaro plays eventually.

Btw I really like this whole performance (part one here), captured in a manner I prefer, i.e. mid-to-wide shots and boundary mics. Some nifty regie on a trad-ish base, terrific cast (Röschmann, Terfel, Hvorostovsky, Graham, Kringelborn), and I personally dig Harnoncourt's distinctive interpretation (over-explained here). Warning for rough treatment of Cherubino. I followed this English while watching.

[elierlick]

Tennessean Charlotte McLeod, 28, was the 2nd US trans woman to obtain gender-affirming surgery in Denmark after Christine Jorgensen. I love this 1954 photo with her father. You clearly see the love and support in his eyes. He adored his daughter and celebrated her for who she was.

At first, Charlotte McLeod's father didn't support her medical transition. However, after her surgery, he explained, "now that it’s over, I’m ready to accept Charlotte as my daughter[...] It's a little hard to get used to after all these years, but I will, you can bet on that."

Unlike present newspapers, nearly all reporting on Charlotte was positive and celebratory. A 1954 issue of the Nashville Banner noted her beauty and that all her friends, neighbors, etc accepted her. How cool would it be if they still did this (with some improved language) today?

[leslieka]

"... but I will, you can bet on that." 😭

[trigona-necrophaga]

one thing you don’t realize about opera until you get into it is how much is actually rpf

[leslieka]

Still on a Susan Graham binge now I've discovered how much I prefer her live performances to studio recordings (except Dido and Aeneas). Spent some hours on a quest for footage of her "sexy lady" excursions. Some good finds! But then instantly distracted by ... why hello there Prince ...

(Die Fledermaus, Houston Grand Opera, 2013)

[leslieka]

Speaking of classical singers acting or storytelling with their voices: Gerald Finley.

I listened yet again to "Erlkönig" from his terrific (and splendidly unpretentious) album The Ballad Singer. Holy shit, you guys. It's a lieder cliché I heard innumerable times growing up, and I can't guess how many times I've heard this rendition in particular, but it's still incredible. Julius Drake's playing also. I saw them in recital around this time too (~2011) -- engrossing.

Here's a more recent live video. No subtitles, unfortunately, but here's English translation.

P.S. obligatory Finley Papageno "hnng" (more vocal acting too)

[leslieka]

Finally watched the Met Fleming/Graham/Schäfer Rosenkavalier. Why was this bit so hot?