No Whistles At the Ballet

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:36 am

I attended my first ballet the other night, courtesy of my daughter - The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. I'm sort of in the middle of that beer/football - artsy/fartsy continuum (right about at wine/baseball) and wasn't sure whether I'd appreciate it. Well after the first 15 minutes or so when considering whether to sleep or hurl myself from the balconey, I really enjoyed it, especially the music, Tscaichovsky (I'm not leaving to look up the spelling); but alas no whistles in the orchestra pit.

Happy Holiday Season to All,

Philo

s1m0n · Post by **s1m0n** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:55 am

Most productions of the Nutcracker have to be designed to also keep an enraptured 7 year old's easy-to-bore five year old little brother's attention.

squidgirl · Post by **squidgirl** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:05 pm

PhilO wrote:Well after the first 15 minutes or so when considering whether to sleep or hurl myself from the balconey, I really enjoyed it[,

I have to admit, many of the "Art" experiences I remember with appreciation have begun with exactly this reaction! I think it's the grinding sound of my mind laboriously shifting gears...

MusicalADD · Post by **MusicalADD** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 10:09 am

Oh, phew -- when I saw the topic title, I thought it meant that security had confiscated your whistle on entry!

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:12 pm

The security was not that robust - a lovely elderly gentleman and a young lady looking in ladies' bags with a little flashlight...

Philo

I should note that once long ago I did have to play my way through airport security (I had several whistles in my carry on) and this was ok as "poor playing" is a lesser charge than terrorism...

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:47 am

I like going to symphonies and plays and that kind of stuff. I avoid Major League Sports. I received Nutcracker tickets from my friends a long time ago. My wife was thrilled. If I ever have to go see the Nutcracker again, I will schedule an appointment beforehand to have my eyes plucked out and my ear drums pierced by railroad spikes.

RainInEden_K · Post by **RainInEden_K** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:26 am

Safe to say I am the artsy type, but I understand how some of the arts can be a bit hard to adjust to. Very much like moving from easy to drink Rieslings to a dramatic Old Vine Zinfandel, takes some time to appreciate something more dramatic, but the journey getting there is filled with great steps and the end result is the ability to appreciate it all. Sounds like you are most of the way there. And the Nutcracker is a great starter.

Chiffed · Post by **Chiffed** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:28 pm

No whistle in Erwartung either. Trust me.

Anyone see the Nutcracker with sets by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are)? Scared the poop outa me when I was a kid.

Lotsa whistling in Mozart's Magic Flute, but it's fipple-synched.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:00 am

My sister didn't have enough cranberries for the Nut Roast and replaced them with plums. She was worried that plums were not Christmassy. "Sugar-Plum Fairy" I reminded her. She still looked doubtful. "Plum Pudding with brandy," I suggested, and she accepted that.

I like ballet. I took a bunch of people to see Coppelia, some years back. My wife was disgusted at the balletic gesture used to indicate beauty. "Why can't they just say it?" she grumbled. Maybe she missed the point.

squidgirl · Post by **squidgirl** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:44 am

Chiffed wrote:Anyone see the Nutcracker with sets by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are)? Scared the poop outa me when I was a kid.

Ooh, I'd love to see that!

riverman · Post by **riverman** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:44 am

mutepointe wrote:I like going to symphonies and plays and that kind of stuff. I avoid Major League Sports. I received Nutcracker tickets from my friends a long time ago. My wife was thrilled. If I ever have to go see the Nutcracker again, I will schedule an appointment beforehand to have my eyes plucked out and my ear drums pierced by railroad spikes.

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 11:02 am

I do enjoy classical music, but opera and ballet are lost on me. For some reason, the production doesn't jive with me and leaves me unmoved. It especially grates on my nerves when the sopranos screech and warble over a whole tone. I think the only opera I have enjoyed is "Old Man River".

Maybe it's because they require different combinations of skills that just don't appeal to me, even though I enjoy singing and dancing by themselves.

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 11:17 am

Before you have to go see this abomination again, I'll see if there is a two-fer sale on eye gouging and ear drum piercing anywhere.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

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