Politics Plus

Yesterday, the opera was a double bill – Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, by Mascagni and Leoncavallo respectively. One is one act (though I could make a case for it being in two scenes; there is no intermission, but there is an instrumental interlude) and the other is in two acts. They are so often perfomred together the duo is known to opera lovers as “Cav and Pag.” There have been some efforts to pair one or the other with something else, but while no audience ever spit in their eyes, none has been successful enough for anyone to try to repeat any of them. Both are from the early 20th century, both are in the style called “verismo,” and both exemplify my quip “Opera – sex, betrayal, murder – what’s not to like?” (And, now that I think of it, in both it is the cheating partner on the receiving end of the knife.) They were played from a single recorded historical performance, the only matinee that Bernstein ever conducted. I’m not sure why that’s so – it wasn’t that he didn’t like opera – he wrote more than one himself, and the recording of his conducting Carmen with Marilyn Horne and James McCracken is legendary. I’d guess he probably just preferred evenings. I can definitely see that. If you leave after a matinee performance, even if it ends as late as 5 ot 6, there is still a fair amount of day ahead of you in which the spell can be broken. The leading singers are again legendary (which makes sense – there are so many recordings in the Met archives, why look for one without legends when there are so many with them?) I don’t really want to start on them; there’s way too much to say, and I need instead to share first, that here is my Superb Owl for the day – this one because he is a ring made from precious stones and precious metals – how could he not be superb? And secondly, that I chose two Colorado stories for today, and at least one of them is not intense. (Also, I promise to greet Virgil from everyone and to check in upon return.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Daily Beast – How an FBI Informant Derailed Denver’s BLM Movement
Quote – “If you post something, a story about me saying supposedly I work for the FBI, I will sue the shit out of you,” Windecker told Aaronson in a voicemail. “I will take you to court and I will break you off in court for defamation of character and slander. I have already notified my attorney about this. My previous landlord notified me and sent me these papers that you put on the old door that I used to live at, stating that I work for the FBI. I do not work for the FBI. I’ve never worked for the FBI. You get proof of me working for the FBI, then I’ll say otherwise, but there’s no proof because I didn’t work for them.” Presented with documents and recordings that showed his work for the FBI, Windecker stopped responding to Aaronson.
Click through for story. I could make the point that in the summer of 2020 this was Trump**’s FBI – but the fact is, there are Nazis everywhere in law enforcement, even when there are sane people at the top.

Colorado Public Radio – ‘Loving nature drove the success of my photography’: John Fielder on donating his life’s legacy to History Colorado
Quote – The 72-year-old Fielder is now donating a gift of the best of those photographs to the state he has called home for nearly half a century. He is giving his life’s work to History Colorado and thus to the people of Colorado. It will be free for anyone who wants to see Fielder’s work digitally. It will also be part of rotating displays at History Colorado. Fielder’s gift includes more than 5,000 photos he selected from his vast trove. It also includes reams of narratives that are part of his 50 books, along with oral narratives explaining what it took to capture some of those photos and Fielder’s thoughts on what drew him to special places. Some of the equipment it took to get there, as well as some of his photography apparatus, will also be part of the display.
Click through for background and a breathtaking sample. Fielder is giving his legacy to Colorado, and I want to pass it on to all of you. The destination site is still under construction, but save the link for when it becomes available.

Food For Thought