The View from Greater Downtown Meridian

July, 1863. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

2010-03-14T16:34:00.002-04:00

I was fortunate to come into possession of Civil War account written by a man from Meridian in the 111th N.Y. Newman Eldred wrote down his memories in April, 1909. The 111th N.Y. repelled Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg and their involvement was crucial to the Union victory. Here's an excerpt from his memoir, dealing with his experiences as an 18-year-old soldier in the thick of things: _________

Why Writing My Book is So Much Fun

2010-02-12T17:33:00.000-05:00

Newspaper research has yielded two rather cute items: To nervous people, Meridian is a mecca. The stillness startles strangers. Horace Wilson lost his voice after years of speaking in a whisper. An accident cannot happen there. The staid decorum of that sedate community has never been startled by seeing a man on a run since W. Smith Ingham moved away. They retire at sundown and rise any time

New Year's Eve at the Know Theatre's Speakeasy Party

2010-01-01T10:41:00.000-05:00

Star Wars in Concert - Cincinnati

2009-12-12T11:31:00.000-05:00

Last night 60 members of Cincinnati's May Festival Chorus provided the vocals for the local appearance of the touring company of "Star Wars in Concert" at the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati. It was a lot of fun. (Apologies in advance for the quality of the photos. All I had with me was my iPhone.) Backstage, Anthony Daniels, the actor who portrayed C3PO in all six Star Wars movies (and who

Family documents lead to architectural exploration

2009-11-24T10:54:00.001-05:00

The book research sends me on so many interesting paths. I had one very fascinating discovery yesterday. I was wandering through some old family documents, and found the building specifications for the house my great grandparents built outside of Meridian in 1875. I was looking it over as background material for the book, as illustrative of the economic boom in the area after the Civil War, when

Billboards and the Flushing Remonstrance

2009-11-21T15:02:00.005-05:00

The recent brouhaha in Cincinnati concerning the billboard on Reading Road has inspired me to go back to some family history, hoping to remind Cincinnatians (and others) about what the American tradition really is. The controversy began when a local chapter of the United Coalition of Reason spent $3,875 to erect one billboard in Cincinnati: The owner of the building upon which the billboard

Chapter 3 – Europeans Arrive: The Dutch and the French

2009-11-16T14:39:00.002-05:00

Europeans first arrived in New York State as early as 1524, when Verrazano sailed into New York Harbor, and on that occasion the Native Americans of that area saw European ships for the first time. There appears to have been no actual contact then, however. Later, in 1609, Henry Hudson’s expedition sailed up the river that would later bear his name, and residents of the Hudson Valley met and

Chapter 2 - The foundation is laid

2009-11-04T09:38:00.003-05:00

As the glaciers retreated, the landscape around Meridian was similar to the Alaskan tundra landscape of today. The only trees were small willows and birches, and the predominant plant life consisted of grasses. As the climate warmed, conifer forestation began and these trees were dominant for about 2,000 years. Slowly, deciduous trees began to proliferate, and by about 9,000 years ago the area

A Tribute to Erich Kunzel

2009-10-20T10:34:00.001-04:00

Last night’s memorial concert for Erich Kunzel was both a sad, moving experience and an exuberant celebration of Erich’s own exuberance. All 3500 seats of Cincinnati's Music Hall were full, and another 1300 were in adjacent ballroom watching on jumbo screens. Another crowd watched from Fountain Square downtown. It opened with Bach’s Air from Suite No. 3, played beautifully by the orchestra on

History of Meridian, Part 1 -- In the Beginning

2009-10-18T17:35:00.000-04:00

In the beginning… That’s the usual place to start a history of just about anything, so it seems appropriate to begin this one the same way. Meridian’s beginnings, like any place on Earth, started with the condensation of a ring of dust and debris around the sun. That ring of dust and debris became the series of planets that make up our solar system. However, that beginning is covered in a lot

2009-10-08T09:12:00.002-04:00

Know Theatre's production of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's Boom opens Saturday at the theatre's Mainstage on Saturday, October 10. Boom is a comedic tale of the apocalypse, and continues in the Know's tradition of slightly off-center theatre. The production is directed by Drew Fracher and features Joshua Murphy, Alison Vodnoy, and Liz Vosmeier. I'll be there. Will you? Visit Boom online for more

Cincinnati City Council is recognized for the ineffectual non-entity it is

2009-09-27T17:15:00.001-04:00

Today's Cincinnati Enquirer had two very interesting things in it today - a letter to the people of Cincinnati from a local restaurateur, Jeff Ruby, and an editorial that says a lot that has needed to be said. Here are both of them, for your edification: _______________________________________ To the Great People of Cincinnati, Our elected “leaders,” Harris, Thomas, Cole, Crowley and Qualls

Some people dance in the rain

2009-09-26T13:13:00.003-04:00

The MidPoint Music Festival (a midwestern version of the South by Southwest festival with 200+ bands performing all over town) kicked off Thursday night in pouring rain on Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. The unfortunately rather sparse crowd was surprised when about 200 people connected with Cincinnati's arts organization, including Alex, erupted into what's being called a "splash dance.

Getting Started

2009-09-07T20:29:00.006-04:00

It's beginning. I started out by wandering through my library, developing a bibliography. I found so much --3 Histories of New York State and one of Central New YorkAn 1836 New York State GazetteerThe Encyclopedia of New York StateThree (count 'em, three) books about place names (two specific to New York, one to the whole country)A regimental history of three New York Civil War regiments (

Sharpening My Pencil

2009-09-05T14:22:00.003-04:00

I am embarking on a new project.Last night I got an e-mail from an old friend from back home with an interesting request.Sue and I had reconnected recently on Facebook and spent some time together at the class reunion (her husband was in my class, although she's a couple of years older) and alumni banquet last month. Growing up together in the same village, we share a lot of memories of that

Letter to City Council

2009-09-04T17:51:00.004-04:00

To Mayor Mallory, City Manager Dohoney, and Council members Cole, Harris, Crowley, Thomas, and Qualls:Today I am ashamed of my City Council for doing today something that they could have done weeks ago. When the unions were first asked to take furloughs to save jobs, they might have responded positively had they been told exactly what those furloughs would have bought. Did it not occur to you

Our Very Own "Music Man"

2009-09-02T11:23:00.003-04:00

Having sung with him in many Pops concerts since I joined the May Festival Chorus in 1981, I can now only sing his praises. While sometimes his concerts were a bit kitschy, and sometimes over the top, they were always energizing and fun.I will never forget the concert that celebrated his 40th anniversary with the Symphony. He chose the works of his favorite composer, Brahms, and a small group of

The Antioch Struggle Vindicated

2009-09-01T10:50:00.002-04:00

Today's press release from the American Association of University Professors:The Near-Death Experience of Antioch College: A Cautionary Talefor Release: September 1, 2009.Contact: Anita Levy. Washington, D.C. — What happens when a university’s corporate management betrays the institution’s core educational mission; when it abandons its key constituencies; when it hides its intentions and plans;

The politicking continues

2009-08-14T09:24:00.008-04:00

Pink slips go out today, with some part-time jobs being eliminated immediately, and other layoffs beginning on September 6.Meanwhile two unions (the Fraternal Order of Police and CODE - Cincinnati Organized and Dedicated Employees) are suing the City for more information.From the Cincinnati Enquirer:Union officials say the city's deficit isn't nearly as high as Dohoney claims and that employees

More City Council Stuff

2009-08-13T09:44:00.008-04:00

Concilwoman Laketa Cole (she of the bovine-like gum-chewing at the council meeting last week) has spoken in today's Enquirer. What she has to say is pretty much the same thing she said in the letter I included in an earlier post.She accuses the council minority of "playing politics" but that she and the rest of council majority "took action" and "passed $16.6 million in savings to provide

The debate moves to Twitter

2009-08-12T08:49:00.009-04:00

As of this morning, the debate has moved to Twitter. Below are tweets between me and two members of council, Leslie Ghiz and Greg Harris.I have rearranged the order of the tweets to show them in logical, rather than chronological order, so that comments and responses are together.Leslie_GhizThanks for the wonderful letter. I posted it on my twitter. Leslie.Leslie_GhizWoke up to my op ed piece in

The debate continues -- City Councilwoman's Response

2009-08-10T12:45:00.005-04:00

Dear ****,Thank you for your email.I, along with Councilmembers Crowley, Harris, Qualls, and Thomas, voted in June to cut $16 million from our City's Budget which saved jobs as well as delayed layoffs. We also asked the Administration to report back on the feasibility and any savings that could be reached by merging some City and County services, eliminating take-home cars, and other suggestions

Cincinnati City Council Needs to Pay Attention to Citizens' Safety -- Above All Else!

2009-08-07T22:28:00.014-04:00

To the Mayor of Cincinnati, members of the Cincinnati City Council and the Cincinnati City Manager:I have lived in the City of Cincinnati for the better part of 29 years. Here in Cincinnati I have trekked to Music Hall every week since 1980 as a member of the May Festival Chorus. Here in Cincinnati I raised my daughter, who attended Cincinnati Public Schools. Here in Cincinnati is where she

A trip back in time

2009-08-06T08:31:00.004-04:00

Some photos from the Genesee Country Village Museum in upstate New York, taken last month.For more information, you can visit the museum's website at: www.gcv.org/Click on the photo below, and then click on the "slideshow" button at the left above the photos.Genesee Country Village

Third of July in Central New York

2009-07-03T18:02:00.013-04:00

In the village where I grew up, the 3rd of July was a very special day, sort of a village homecoming. I can't help but feel that something is missing when nothing happens on July 3rd. There are a couple of errors in the story below -- the July 3rd celebrations lasted in to the early sixties, and then were resumed in 1975. The Presbyterian Church closed in 1965, but the building remained in use by

Over-the-Rhine isn't as awful as they say

2009-06-23T13:23:00.007-04:00

Recent articles have been citing a study by neighborhoodscout.com (who the heck are they, anyway?) that seems to think that Cincinnati's Over the Rhine neighborhood is the most dangerous neighborhood in the U.S.Words escape me. I've been going there weekly (at night) since I moved here in 1980. One rainy night in 1991 while I was at the symphony, someone smashed a car window and stole something I

What Happens When You Work From Home

2009-06-18T17:52:00.001-04:00

Festival Deprivation

2009-06-10T08:48:00.003-04:00

Free evenings! What to do with them?After three weeks of non-stop festivals, I’m ready for the downtime. The problem is that the days seem to last forever when I don’t have to leave the house.I did leave yesterday after work, to retrieve Pekoe from Alex’s house. Alex and Justin are heading for Florida today to see Alex’s college roommate, Rachel, so Pekoe is here until next Thursday or

From One Festival to the Next

2009-06-08T09:26:00.001-04:00

Well, after May Festival was over, I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I volunteered to help Alex out at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. I did that for four evenings – helping with tickets, answering the phones, signing in some actors who were auditioning for another company that was using the Know Theatre’s space (the Know Theatre sponsors the Fringe). I set up a spreadsheet to tally

The Best of the Rest - The Cincinnati May Festival Wraps Up

2009-06-07T21:26:00.014-04:00

Days Eight Through SixteenThey were crazy days.Day Eight began with a 9:30 am rehearsal for that evening’s concert performance of Verdi’s opera, Luisa Miller, and ended, of course, with the performance.Day Nine gave me a chance to sleep in, thankfully. There was a dress rehearsal at Covington, Kentucky’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption that began at two, with the concert at eight. We (the

Day Nine - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-26T16:46:00.002-04:00

Covington, Kentucky'd Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, along with the May Festival Youth Chorus during warmups.There will more video and some stills of the Cathedral in a later entry.

Memorial Day -- Taste of Cincinnati 2009

2009-05-26T08:53:00.001-04:00

(with apologies for its shakiness -- Dramamine may be required)

Day Seven - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-24T10:46:00.012-04:00

After all the rehearsing, it was about time for a concert. We were joined by the May Festival Youth Chorus for Mozart's Requiem.Just prior to going on stage, it was also time for service awards. The two big boxes were for a soprano and a tenor who had each achieved 35 years of service in the chorus. The little boxes were service pins for those have served 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years, and there were

Day Six - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-22T08:54:00.007-04:00

Day Six (Thursday) was the dress rehearsal for Friday’s opening night. Both choruses (youth and adult) assembled on a crowded stage (there were over 200 of us in total) and Conlon ran through the entire Mozart Requiem without stopping – which may be a first in the 27 festivals I’ve sung in). He apparently was pleased.Apparently Patti LuPone “graciously” acquiesced to let us sit in on her

Day Five - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-22T08:51:00.006-04:00

Wednesday was the first orchestra rehearsal of Luisa Miller. It was pretty uneventful. Conlon was considerate enough to do the choral parts first,so we were done very quickly.The soloists for the production are excellent. They are Annalisa Raspagliosi, Stefano Secco, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Rodrick Dixon (one of the “Three Mo’ Tenors), James Creswell, Stephen Powell and Catherine Keen. Secco and

Day Four - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-19T22:21:00.007-04:00

No photos today. The rehearsal was a shorter one, although pretty intense.The youth chorus joined us on stage for the first orchestra run-through of the Mozart Requiem. We ran it, with only a couple of repeats. Conlon wanted to move on the second half of the program, with Patti LuPone's stuff -- Kurt Weill's Seven Deadly Sins.As Conlon told us the other night, her manager won't permit anyone to

Day Three - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-19T08:46:00.017-04:00

There was only one three-hour rehearsal on Day Three, so there's a little less fodder for blogging than the first two days offered.It was Miller time again, and we worked through the entire opera. In the first chorus, an entire Italian village is somehow in the tiny house of Luisa and her father, wishing Luisa a happy birthday. We play the village. After we finished the section, Conlon's comment

Day Two - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-18T08:25:00.049-04:00

Day two got under way with a Chamber Choir rehearsal of the Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor. Bob tried out various combinations of voices for the solo parts. One young soprano had a laser-like focus and would be perfect, although I think Bob may prefer one of the older sopranos with a little more warmth in their tone. We'll see.We also worked on the "solo" part of the Schubert Hirtenchor, from

Day One - Cincinnati May Festival

2009-05-17T08:42:00.007-04:00

The first day went rather well.In the shower, I listened to Robert Porco's interview on WVXU, during which he said nice things about our chorus and told a little of his interesting life story. I had to wait to rinse the shampoo out of my hair so that I didn't miss a word. At Music Hall, the morning began with coffee and donuts (my favorite: custard-filled and covered with chocolate).The group

It's about ready to begin again

2009-05-15T08:37:00.004-04:00

OK, folks. Tomorrow is the first day of the 16-day marathon known as the Cincinnati May Festival. As a member of the May Festival Chorus, I will have no more free time (after tonight) until June. We will prepare for five performances on May 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30 by giving up every evening and all our weekends, dedicating ourselves to choral music.As I did last year, I'll keep you all

Final Round of Photos

2009-05-09T20:24:00.008-04:00

The Roman Baths at Bath Longdon on Tern, Shropshire Ironbridge, Shropshire Bridgnorth, Shropshire

Round Three

2009-05-09T18:41:00.010-04:00

The City of Bath Bath Abbey Salisbury Salisbury Cathedral Stonehenge

Second Round of Videos

2009-05-09T09:12:00.012-04:00

The Tower of London The Imperial War Musem The Houses of Parliament

First four videos - London

2009-05-08T17:13:00.017-04:00

Around London Westminster & Vicinity The City The British Museum

Just got back from the UK

2009-04-28T11:36:00.003-04:00

UK, April 2009

A theatrical weekend

2009-04-12T22:01:00.005-04:00

Friday: Imagine a really, really bad 1950’s science fiction movie.No. Imagine a SPECIFIC really, really bad 1950’s science fiction movie: Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space (often called the worst movie ever made).Now, imagine you’re sitting in a lovely theatre, waiting for a production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors.OK. Now imagine this: a man in a suit, riding on some sort of rolling cart

Bat Masterson, Job Re-org, Fixing the Garage Door, and Daughter in Career Crisis...

2009-03-29T13:28:00.005-04:00

As Bat Masterson rides off into the sunset (isn’t the THIS network fun?) I’m sitting here in peace and quiet, just me and the cat. It’s been a busy week, and I’m glad to have some alone time.My boss is no longer my boss. The reorg is afoot, and Matt, who was my boss the last time, is my boss again – and he’s here in Cincinnati (what a concept). I really like him, so it’s all good.My garage door

------ In The City (Fill in the blank)

2009-01-31T20:33:00.004-05:00

Sex? Crime? Business? Overcrowding?No, no, no and no.Give up?How about eagles? American Bald Eagles?Yup. Whodathunkit? There is a colony of 12 American Bald Eagles in Syracuse, New York, of all places.See them here.They're the revered bird of the Onondaga Nation, and they're back at Onondaga Lake.Onondaga Lake abuts the city of Syracuse and was once the most polluted body of water in the

What a mess...

2009-01-19T16:30:00.001-05:00

was my garage. David was a trooper, helping me to destroy and recycle the myriad carboard boxes ("Save the box in case you have to send it back, or to transport it when you next move" was the mantra, and of course the things that came in those boxes are long gone). The recycling truck will be busy -- we filled the recycling bin and two trash cans with cardboard, plus one trash can with trash.

Hope for Antioch College

2009-01-13T15:42:00.001-05:00

From today's Dayton Daily News!Another step taken towards a new Antioch CollegeBy Dave LarsenStaff WriterTuesday, January 13, 2009DAYTON — A newly independent Antioch College moved one step closer to reality on Tuesday, Jan. 13, with the approval of a letter of intent by the boards of Antioch University and the Antioch College Continuation Corporation."This letter of intent seeks to protect the

Seeing More Clearly

2009-01-10T18:00:00.004-05:00

The Champion Window installers came on Monday, and I was impressed. They replaced the window in the living room, the two windows in the front bedroom, and the patio door (the new one has little blinds between the panes of glass).All that remains is the 8-foot wide window in my bedroom and the 4-foot wide window in the kitchen. That's another $1500, so will have to wait until I see that the tax

Romantic Off-Broadway Musical Brings Love to OTR

2009-01-07T15:21:00.001-05:00

Play about finding love where it’s least expected to show at Know TheatreKnow Theatre of Cincinnati is excited to announce the regional premiere of Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham’s hit Off-Broadway musical I Love You Because. I Love You Because will open on Saturday, January 17 and close February 21 with two performances on Valentine’s Day.I Love You Because is a modern day telling of Jane

Graduation Day

2009-01-03T12:47:00.011-05:00

On December 19, 49 graduates of the Cincinnati Police Academy threw their hats into the air and you could see the relief on their faces, as well as their pride. They had just completed 26 grueling weeks at one of the most rigorous police academies in the country, and this time, every single person who started the program finished, which is unusual. At the academy, they learned about law,

Winter Wonderland

2009-01-03T12:24:00.005-05:00

In mid-December we had a delightful weekend in Kentucky at the Pine Mountain State Resort Park. The storm that came up from the south the day before we arrived gave the south side of the mountains a glorious snowfall, while on the north side it was warm enough for David to get in 18 holes of golf.

Gilbert Kaplan and Mahler 2

2008-10-22T10:12:00.003-04:00

Friday and Saturday night we (the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus ) performed the Mahler 2nd Symphony with Gilbert Kaplan and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.The concerts went well. It was a fun experience to work with Mr. Kaplan. He's a little stiff as a conductor, but his obvious passion for the work carried him through. The orchestra was little ragged here and there, but by and large, they

Knitting, Mahler 2nd, other miscellany

2008-10-15T21:09:00.006-04:00

I finished the vest illustrated here the other night, in slightly different colors. It looks awesome over a white long-sleeved shirt. Can't wait for the weather to cool off so I can wear it. I also finished another vest , that one a pullover, that's been sitting in the knitting basket waiting for the neckline ribbing for about six years. It's made in a celadon green twisty yarn with narrow

Celebrate!

2008-10-05T15:18:00.011-04:00

Thursday was a busy day of dining out experiences. David was downtown singing for the Rotary luncheon of bigwigs at the Hall of Mirrors at the Netherland Hotel (nice work if you can get it -- he shows up, sings, leaves, and gets paid for a full shift). He blew off lunch there to meet me.Hall of Mirrors: We met in my building's lobby: (While it says PNC bank on top, I don't work for them). I work

My Sister

2008-10-05T15:04:00.004-04:00

It's hard for me to think about Connie without tears. It has been just thirty years since she died, but I still miss her terribly. She was my role model, my ideal.She was 17 when I was born. She graduated from high school a month after my birth, and went off to Alfred University (the school of Ceramic Design) that fall. She was a bit overwhelmed at Alfred, and thought she didn't have the talent

Taking a Class on the Qur'an and People Who Ask Why

2008-09-21T10:15:00.006-04:00

Why? People are asking why I would be taking a course on the Qur’an.First of all, I’m taking the class because it’s being offered by the Nonstop Liberal Arts Institute, the little do-it-yourself college being set up by the alumni and former faculty of Antioch College. Its efforts are intended to keep the unique spirit of Antioch alive. I want to be some little part of that effort because Antioch

More about Palin

2008-09-07T15:21:00.005-04:00

What follows is an open letter written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska named Anne Kilkenny.I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents

Oops, wrong Palin!

2008-08-30T12:05:00.007-04:00

Well, the pot can no longer call the kettle inexperienced, after his recent choice of a vice-presidential running mate.“She’s not from these parts, and she’s not from Washington, but when you get to know her, you’re going to be as impressed as I am,” said McCain. How the hell does he know that? He'd only met her once, six months ago.Better we should elect Michael Palin!This indicates that he's

In the Know

2008-07-28T19:17:00.001-04:00

Know Theatre Goes Oakley!!Kona Community Nights to Host Know Theatre of Cincinnati Kona Bistro in Oakley will be hosting Know Theatre of Cincinnati on August 27th as part of their weekly fundraiser for local non-profits and organizations. The event is planned to start at 6:00pm and goes until 9:00pm. Proceeds will benefit Know Theatre of Cincinnati. A raffle will be

What's the Point?

2008-07-25T09:17:00.004-04:00

On Tuesday night, I attended the Know Theatre’s production of “What’s the Point?”, a delightful 50’s style review that premiered in New York in February. It’s billed as “a musical review about life as we blow it,” and consisted of a series of 20 songs sung by a trio of twenty-somethings with incredible energy levels and lots of talent.The show was presented in The Underground, the Know’s

More singing to come

2008-06-26T19:22:00.002-04:00

On Monday and Tuesday evenings, I'll be in Cleveland attending two of the rehearsals for next Saturday night's concert with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Blossom Festival Chorus. I've been given permission to be a guest singer with the chorus.The primary work on the program will be Orff's Carmina Burana.More later.

Day Sixteen - Cincinnati May Festival 2008 - Over at Last

2008-05-26T20:03:00.016-04:00

It's over, and I think I'm in a state of withdrawal. The end-of-the-year dinner on Sunday night was a lot of fun.I arrived just about 5:00 pm to find a small gathering drinking wine on the patio in the back of the Glendale Lyceum. Others were conversing throughout the rest of the building. I went inside and got a glass of merlot and went back out on the patio, sitting with Rosanne, the

Day Fifteen - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-25T09:34:00.004-04:00

The finale of the long, hard slog of the festival is finally over. Talk about fatigue.Saturday morning at 9:00 am was the chorus call for the dress rehearsal for the final concert. People showed up in various states of disarray, taking every last minute to sleep instead of fixing hair or dressing up. One alto wore a red ball cap instead of doing her hair. She looked great.The final concert was

Day Fourteen - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-25T09:25:00.002-04:00

Again, the Friday night concert rated a "wow." Bob Porco conducted us in the Faure Requiem at the beginning of the program. The piece is not a fire and brimstone requiem, but instead is a peaceful acceptance of death with hope for a beautiful place "in Paradisum." We never sang better. The oboe player's duet with the soprano was exquisite.After intermission, the chamber choir sang Vivaldi's

Day Thirteen - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-23T15:53:00.004-04:00

Well, we're coming down to the wire. Only two more days left after Day Thirteen, and I'm finally getting my second wind.Thursday night's dress rehearsal of Bob Porco's concert was actually quite pleasant. We began with a warmup in the large rehearsal hall with Bob, running through the rough places of the Bach. The Youth Chorus then joined the Vivaldi chamber choir members and we lined up to

Day Twelve – Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-22T08:52:00.002-04:00

The days are beginning to – no scratch that – they are continuing to run together as the festival continues. Sleep deprivation is a common conversational theme at rehearsals, as we go to work each day and then to rehearsal, seldom returning home until 10:30 or 11:00 each night.Day Twelve’s rehearsal began with some time in the rehearsal room with Bob Porco. At 6:30 we warmed up and did some work

Day Eleven – Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-21T09:20:00.005-04:00

The Chamber Choir’s call was at 5:30 onstage. We’re singing the Vivaldi Gloria with the May Festival Youth Chorus, and have only sung it with them twice. So we went on stage and proceeded to do a terrible job. We had just a piano for this part of the rehearsal and it was hard to hear it, so we were terribly under pitch. We were also behind the beat . Bob was not happy, to put it mildly.Back to

Day Ten – Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-20T09:12:00.003-04:00

By now, you know the routine: walk in from the parking garage (last night in the pouring rain), greet the security guard, hang up the raincoat and umbrella, find your seat, talk about how exhausted you are, and then start the warmup. First backrubs, then stretching, humming, vocalizing, and then, “take a seat and let’s start with the first movement of the Fauré.”So that we did. We sang Fauré for

Day Nine - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

We had a little more time to ourselves on Day Nine. Only one of the three chamber choirs were involved in the Sunday performance, and we didn’t have to be at the Cathedral in Covington until 2:30. We worked with Bob in the Covington Latin School gym for nearly an hour to add breaths every three or four beats (for Conlon’s benefit – he seems to like short choppy phrasing) and then went to the

Day Eight - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-17T14:05:00.005-04:00

Morning, 9 am.Dragging myself out of bed was difficult today, after the excitement and energy expended at last night's opera performance, but someone how all of us made it to Music Hall.We warmed up, woke up and worked on music in the rehearsal room backstage for a little less than an hour, and then trooped onto the risers for the rehearsal. Conlon told the orchestra (this morning's forces

Day Seven - Cincinnati May Festival - 2008

2008-05-17T13:55:00.003-04:00

I have only one word for the opening night of May Festival.Wow.The excitement was electrifying. The audience would not stop yelling, "Bravo!" at every opportunity. The soloists were incredible. The orchestra was in top form. The chorus had some shining moments. The show was stopped for bows twice -- once for tenor Salvatore Licitra, and once for baritone Marco Caria, who had to come back on stage

Day Six -- Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-16T08:25:00.010-04:00

Catherine Keen visiting the chorus, getting ready for our "duet" with her: Rat a plan.The dress rehearsal for The-Opera-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named went well. There is always room for improvement, of course. Bob Porco always says we can be better. Perfection is never achieved -- not that we came close last night.Salvatore Licitra was ill the day before, and James Conlon told us that they were

Day Five - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-15T10:01:00.003-04:00

Wednesday night’s rehearsal began with the Zeisl Requiem Ebraico in the large Music Hall rehearsal room. Bob told us he was pleased with our rehearsal of The Opera-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named from the night before – for a first rehearsal. He made some suggestions for improvement when we have the dress rehearsal for the opera on Day Seven.Then it was on to the stage for the Zeisl and Beethoven

Day Four - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-14T11:30:00.005-04:00

Tuesday night we finally got to work with the orchestra on The-Opera-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named. It was the first run-through of the music by the orchestra, and as usual, their performance was pretty good, with some mistakes here and there, as you would expect for a first take. At one point, Conlon stopped them with the acerbic comment, “There are five sharps in the signature! Have been for some

Day Three - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-13T09:25:00.013-04:00

We arrived at Music Hall just before seven and quickly noticed some additions to the Bucket O’Dipthongs: ladies thong panties – from the tiniest to the largest imaginable. Also in the bucket was a package of dip, with some cooking tongs attached with rubber bands. It’s obviously getting out of hand. We rehearsed the Zeisl for the first hour with Bob before James arrived. As we began, he made some

Scenes from Cincinnati's Observance of Police Memorial Day -- May 12, 2008

2008-05-12T16:39:00.010-04:00

Day Two - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-12T10:10:00.007-04:00

We started at 2:00 pm with the usual warmup. James Conlon arrived and began his annual retelling of whatever opera we’re doing.James is the Music Director of the Los Angeles Opera and former principal conductor of the Paris Opera, former Music Director of the Cologne Opera – AND the man who has conducted the third highest number of operas at the Metropolitan Opera (after Cincinnatian James Levine

Day One - Cincinnati May Festival 2008

2008-05-11T10:30:00.004-04:00

The first day of rehearsals went pretty well, I think. Things will get better and better as the rehearsals continue and we get into the groove.I arrived about 9:15, and had a cup of tea and a couple cream cheese danish (danishes?). Our chorus administrator, Rosanne Wetzel, works hard to give us such amenities so that we can get through it all with a minimum of fuss. In the old days, we had to

What We Go Through for Applause...

2008-05-08T15:58:00.009-04:00

For 25 seasons, I've been part of the Cincinnati May Festival, the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere (begun 1873) as a member of the official chorus (founded 1880). This year marks the 26th festival for me. It would have been 28 but I took a couple of breathers along the way since my first festival in 1981.One of the aspects of the May Festival that makes it unique is that we do

My New Love

2008-05-04T14:10:00.004-04:00

Koigu hand painted merino wool -- mine's color 844.It's an exquisite lightweight yarn that I've been lusting after ever since I read their book, Knits from a Painter's Palette. I bought ten skeins and am starting on a shawl in mitred squares. It's a good carry-along project, and should be useful to fill in idle moments during the upcoming marathon of May Festival rehearsals and performances.It

Muir Woods at 100

2008-04-12T11:31:00.005-04:00

Two weeks ago I was in Northern California for the 50th wedding anniversary of my cousin.While there, I played Harriet the Tourist. Among my sightseeing adventures was a visit to Muir Woods, declared a National Monument by Theodore Roosevelt one hundred years ago this year.It is a magical place, tucked in a ravine on Mt. Tamalpais, and is just 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge.It's primary

It Felt a Little Like the Sixties

2008-03-15T18:08:00.014-04:00

That's me above in the light blue coat... 11AM to 1PM, Saturday, March 15, Yellow Springs, Ohio residents and other local folks, students, faculty, union members and other staff, and alums (and at least three mothers of Antioch College students, myself included) picketed Antioch University at its McGregor campus, 900 Dayton Street, in Yellow Springs.It was an informational demonstration asking

Film Recommendation

2008-02-29T20:11:00.006-05:00

I've forgotten how I first heard of it, but I put Following Sean on my Netflix queue months ago. It showed up this week and I just finished watching it.Following Sean is a documentary by filmmaker Ralph Arlyck. In 1969, while a film student at San Francisco State, he made a short film, Sean, about a four-year old boy who lived upstairs from Arlyck in an apartment house in San Francisco's

Wow

2008-02-24T10:08:00.002-05:00

I'm still energized by last night's concert with the Cincinnati Symphony. John Adams is an astounding human being, conductor, and composer. We got to see all three of those facets of his personality this past week.He was a delightful man - charming, easygoing, yet demanding in a gently tactful way. The difficulty of the music demanded complete attention from the singers, and he got it. The

Ice, snow and electric violins

2008-02-22T09:02:00.003-05:00

Cincinnati is having a bad weather day. Last night's commute was hell, from all indications. I had only to drive 11 blocks to Music Hall, and that took over 20 minutes. When I left there before nine, after the salt trucks and plows had had time to do their magic, it still took 40 minutes to drive the 12 miles home in no traffic. It was slushy, slippery, and dangerous.Rehearsal with John Adams

Great new toy

2008-02-16T11:55:00.000-05:00

Perhaps "toy" is not the right word. "Tool" would be the better term. The ASUS eee PC can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMjIW5qyq3s&NR=1 I have only one complaint, and that is whenever I want to connect to my home wireless network, I have to type in the 32 digit WEP password. My Windows computers will store and remember the password.Otherwise, I'm very impressed. The small

New Toy

2008-02-15T18:30:00.002-05:00

I gave in yesterday and ordered an eee PC from Asus. It came today, and it's pretty slick.Cheaper than my last Palm Pilot, it's a fully-functional laptop that has a 7" screen, a full keyboard (although small), a complete complement of useful software (word processor, presentation software, spreadsheet, music, video, photo, anti-virus, you name it), wi-fi, webcam, ethernet port, 3 USB ports and

Always Comparison Shop!

2008-02-14T21:25:00.003-05:00

This is especially important when dealing with the Flamingo Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa, California.The hotel's website says the room I wanted was $99 a night, higher on weekends. I called the hotel directly because the wedding party had reserved a block of rooms for out of town guests. Same price.Hotels.com: $69.99 a night, $75.99 on weekends. Savings of over $150 for my five night stay,

California, Here I Come

2008-02-13T20:25:00.004-05:00

March 26 is the day. I'll be flying out of Dayton to Oakland with a stopover in Denver, and will return on the 31st. The goal is to attend a 50th wedding anniversary party for my cousin Charlie and his wife Phyllis in Santa Rosa.I have to make the trip alone, since my partner in crime can't get the time off from his job, but it will still be a good trip. I hadn't seen Charlie and Phyllis for

Freeze

2008-02-12T14:26:00.000-05:00

Cincinnati has succumbed to another episode of freezing rain, exactly 363 days since the last time the city shut down for ice. Most of my office is working from home today.The past weekend featured the Fine Arts Fund sampler, a weekend of over 100 performances/exhibitions by the many arts groups that benefit from the largesse of the city's citizens who contribute millions to the fund each year.On