Message for animaux

Hi Mickey!
On 1/16/04 8:36 PM, in article xk0Ob.82283$xy6.141366@attbi_s02, "mickey"
wrote:

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

Remember, I live on the East Coast in the middle a region filled with the
universities of New England. Definitely a "dress code" - shabby preppy
clothes are more acceptable than pressed K-Mart specials.
Cheryl


I had to LOL when I read this, since it summed up some of my feelings
exactly. Having moved from Madison, WI to the suburbs of Boston, MA
(Cheryl, we're practically neighbors!), I was in for quite a shock by
what people wore to the *mall* here. I usually do my shopping on
weekends, and since I wear nice clothes to work all week, I'm usually in
jeans and sweatshirts/T-shirts on the weekends (need time for laundry,
after all). The looks I would get when I was shopping since I wasn't in
the latest style or the nicest clothes... Well, it was quite amazing!
Didn't make me change what I was wearing, but we when we were buying our
house we did move to a different suburb that was more our "pace" - where
we could (not incidently) actually afford a house. Anyway, I guess I
understand what Cheryl is saying, and I can absolutely understand how it
wouldn't make for an evening enjoyable. I enjoy getting gussied up as
much as the next girlie girl, but to have to endure rude behaviour is
sometimes more than I want to deal with in my limited free time.

Exactly!
I have better things to do.
And tell let me guess your original "Boston" locale - inside 128, Newton
Wellesley area perhaps?




--Mickey
Mansfield, MA


Hey that's near were I went to college and sort of close to where I grew
up!


Cheryl

Arghh - that's the piece my "tutoree" had to sing. My ears!
LOL
Cheryl

On 1/16/04 9:26 PM, in article ,
"Meredith" wrote:

I'm a soprano and my chorus will be performing Mozart's Requiem early
next month. There's this one phrase where the sopranos just screech! I
like the rest of it ok, but...

Meredith

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Seanette Blaylock wrote:


My major difficulties with opera are the language barrier [hard to
follow the plot when I can't understand what they're saying] and the
pain factor when the sopranos start in [I'm serious. Opera sopranos
can hit notes that are physically painful to me].



Don't you just wonder how the heck they stand it
themselves? ;-) I play flute, so I'm used to the really
high notes, but I can't imagine producing them with my
own *body*! Of course, vocally I can't carry a tune in
a bucket with a lid, so I have a lot of admiration for
vocalists.

Best wishes,
Ericka

The MFA is pretty tame compared to some. Though I don't think it a "safe"
place on weekends any more (ask why off line).

Cheryl

On 1/16/04 9:34 PM, in article ,
"Meredith" wrote:

I disagree. My middle school (grades 6-8) had regular outings to the
Museum of Fine Arts for the students in the special art program (which
wasn't hard to get in, because I did and I'm no artist).

Meredith

Cheryl Isaak wrote:
No - read what I said further down - I don't think operas, plays or art
museums are appropriate for trips for students under the age of 15 or 16.
Some emotional maturity is needed. There is a better way to do it for the
younger students.
Cheryl

I won't name names, but several local places have dress codes. I don't
disagree with the no jeans rule, but requiring formal wear.... Please.
Cheryl
On 1/16/04 9:42 PM, in article ,
"Meredith" wrote:

Wow, that's obnoxious. My bf works at the Colonial Theater in Boston
and says that pretty much anything without holes in it is acceptable.
There's a wide variation in what people wear.

Meredith

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 1/16/04 1:47 PM, in article , "Ericka
Kammerer" wrote:


Cheryl Isaak wrote:


On 1/16/04 11:11 AM, in article , "Ericka
Kammerer" wrote:

Why would you think they'd be doing that? I go whenever
I get the chance, and the only people I've ever seen "looked
down at" were people with no concert manners (talking during
the performance, cell phones/pagers making noise, kicking the
seat in front, etc.). There's usually a very wide range of
ages and types in the audience That's part of what makes it
fun--great people watching during intermission!


Remember, I live on the East Coast in the middle a region filled with the
universities of New England. Definitely a "dress code" - shabby preppy
clothes are more acceptable than pressed K-Mart specials.


While there are some things that are more formal
(e.g., the big evening opera performances), even in that
environment there are plenty of places you shouldn't find
any issues. I had several friends going to school (some
to music school) in that area and aside from going to,
say, the Met, they were quite tolerant as long as you
looked like you'd made an effort to show respect for the
artists. Certainly the shows at the colleges (which are
your best bets for affordable, high quality performances)
generally have a wide range of attire, generally including
college students in little better than jeans and a t-shirt!
Now I live near Washington DC (so still relatively
stuffy East Coast), and aside from the really big bang
events at the Kennedy Center, I see all sorts at most
concerts at most venues. I confess I don't think jeans
and a t-shirt are appropriate at a nicer concert, but
neither I nor anyone else I know would bat an eyelash
at anyone who looked like they'd made *some* effort.
In fact, I'm often surprised at what people will actually
wear to a show. I often see stuff I wouldn't wear to
do yard work at home, much less to a show I'd paid good
money to see, yet no one seems to notice, much less
complain.
There are certainly barriers to attendance, but
I'd see them more as money and parking than attire, with
rare exceptions.

Best wishes,
Ericka




Lucky you, fewer of that "breed" there than here. Here, you'd better look
like you can afford it or it gets weird. A friend went to a concert, in nice
clothes but definitely not high priced grab. Lots of loud whispers of
letting the "great unwashed" in and drinks careless sloshed.

Cheryl

mickey wrote:

Along the lines of this thread, which I've been reading with interest, I
read an interesting article on the 'net today:
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17576
While I don't agree with everything the author writes, and while I do
thing the article is noticably biased, he does make a few points that
have been stewing in my mind for a while but I couldn't quite
articulate. The article has certainly made me think... well, I'm still
thinking about it. Just thought I'd throw that into the mix... (Yes, I
am, in fact, a troublemaker, ;-)

What a very interesting read. Thanks, Mickey!!
Dianne

Linda D. wrote:
...actually I was exposed to opera at a very early age. A
very close friend of my Mom's listened to opera all the time, and my
best friend's parents also listened to opera. I didn't like it right
from the start. I simply don't like the sound...it hurts my ears.

Actually, for some reason, "opera" has become the operative word in this
thread. When I was speaking about the "finer" arts, I was including
many things, not just opera: ballet, orchestral works, piano duos,
chamber orchestras . . .

Dianne

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

AND - the school has no business teaching manners - that is the parents job.

Oh, so while your child is in school, it's okay to say nasty things,
bump people out of line, crumple up your neighbors paper, et al. These
are all "manners". I would hope that every school across the country is
telling children this is wrong-headed behavior.

Dianne

Hi Cheryl!

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

snip



Exactly!
I have better things to do.
And tell let me guess your original "Boston" locale - inside 128, Newton
Wellesley area perhaps?

Spot on, Cheryl! I really miss our neighbors in the duplex we both
rented, but that's about it!



--Mickey
Mansfield, MA



Hey that's near were I went to college and sort of close to where I grew
up!


Cheryl


--Mickey
Mansfield, MA

to reply, remove "nospam"
mickey18385 at yahoo dot com

Olwynmary wrote:

Along the lines of this thread, which I've been reading with interest, I
read an interesting article on the 'net today:
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17576


Hey, another Alternet reader!!!! Hi Mickey!!

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Hi Olwyn!!
I must admit, while I do read Alternet occasionally, it's mostly when DH
points out interesting articles. Regardless, it's an interesting source
to find non-mainstream media views.

--Mickey
Mansfield, MA

to reply, remove "nospam"
mickey18385 at yahoo dot com

On 1/17/04 8:24 AM, in article ,
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote:

Linda D. wrote:
...actually I was exposed to opera at a very early age. A
very close friend of my Mom's listened to opera all the time, and my
best friend's parents also listened to opera. I didn't like it right
from the start. I simply don't like the sound...it hurts my ears.

Actually, for some reason, "opera" has become the operative word in this
thread. When I was speaking about the "finer" arts, I was including
many things, not just opera: ballet, orchestral works, piano duos,
chamber orchestras . . .

Dianne


I suspect that "opera" rose to the top because it is the least accessible to
the "lay" person. You have to do your homework before an opera becomes
enjoyable at all; read the libretto, understand the "style" of music, etc.
Add the perceived melodrama and it just doesn't work for at least 50% of the
population.

Which is interesting because it was the popular music of it's heyday.
Everyone was singing it on the street.

An earlier comment about screeching sopranos made me think about my taste in
"pop" singers - 80% male and those women I do really enjoy tend to have
"deeper" voices. (also known as whiskey voiced)

Cheryl