There is but one Sunday in August, marked on every opera lover’s calendar as “Met tix on sale” and on my personal calendar as “Black Sunday”.
Oh, that crazy day, filled with more excitement, frustration and adrenaline than Black Friday itself.
So let’s say you know what you want – and maybe (having scraped up your “Met fund” resources), you can even afford it. Don’t get your hopes high, my friends: “due to the high volume of phone calls” you won’t get through for a long time. And by the time you do, whatever you had in mind will be gone. Same old – same old.
Every year I have high expectations of the Met’s box office efficiency and hope that things might get a little speedier there. However, mind you: I am not complaining, because, as much as I love great customer service, this year I happened to enjoy being on hold! Impossible? Read on to learn why.
Being on hold turned out to be almost the most exciting part of Black Sunday once I made a discovery: I might have been hanging and holding forever, but - I was not alone out there!
Due to the high volume of phone calls (and thanks to the wonder of modern technology), there were other opera lovers on hold, hanging there with me, and - I could actually hear and talk to them. Some were nervous, some incredibly frustrated, but everyone was willing to share their misery of not getting through and oblige by listening to the laments of other opera-loving hearts.
As soon as we all discovered one another’s phone presence, we got into a lively discussion of the new season and the performances we wanted to see. Talking to people with interests similar to your own is always great: you feel like you’ve known them forever. But when do you ever get to talk to so many devoted opera lovers live? Exclusively on Black Sunday.
I truly hope that all the wonderful people I talked to got what they wanted.
At least I did.
Because the Met website was a little more functional than the Met phone lines, eventually, I had to hang up and get my order online.
If you think you know me from reading this blog, have some fun guessing what ended up in my Met shopping cart at the end of the Black Sunday marathon! Don’t be so sure about your answer though – even if you think you know what I like, you might get surprised. After all, I would not ask you a rhetorical question.
As always, feel free to share your Met/other opera plans here on the blog. What does your 2011-2012 Season look like?
Cheers!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Catch-up 3: The Wonder of Harmonica
Turns out I can play yet another instrument - Troy’s harmonica. Troy always asks me to play his instruments, so one day I gave it a try and was shocked to discover how much harmonica has to offer.
You know how in fairy tales you always read about instruments that magically play on their own? Whoever came up with that idea was obviously having a ball with his kid’s harmonica (lol).
Harmonica is a very giving instrument in the sense that it gives you much more than it takes from you. All it takes is the rhythm, the tempo and the right air flow, and in return it gives you incredible music.
Once you get the hang of controlling that air flow, music making becomes a real journey. And the more you explore, the more you get to discover.
And you have not heard anything yet - turns out I can compose music!
On yet another day, while improvising for Troy, I suddenly came up with this simple and happy song, much resembling a catchy Irish jig. It made Troy incredibly inspired. He could not get enough of it. Having picked up on the tune right away, he tried to play the accompaniment on other instruments, including his other harmonica. And just like that, we became a harmonica duo.
Finally, another observation.
No wonder none of the famous composers started with writing music - they all began their careers as musicians for the simple reason that music does not pop up out of nowhere. In order to compose, one has to start playing. Once you hear those sounds, ideas will start coming to you, and believe me, the feeling of creating music is unbelievable. I know that now.
You know how in fairy tales you always read about instruments that magically play on their own? Whoever came up with that idea was obviously having a ball with his kid’s harmonica (lol).
Harmonica is a very giving instrument in the sense that it gives you much more than it takes from you. All it takes is the rhythm, the tempo and the right air flow, and in return it gives you incredible music.
Once you get the hang of controlling that air flow, music making becomes a real journey. And the more you explore, the more you get to discover.
And you have not heard anything yet - turns out I can compose music!
On yet another day, while improvising for Troy, I suddenly came up with this simple and happy song, much resembling a catchy Irish jig. It made Troy incredibly inspired. He could not get enough of it. Having picked up on the tune right away, he tried to play the accompaniment on other instruments, including his other harmonica. And just like that, we became a harmonica duo.
Finally, another observation.
No wonder none of the famous composers started with writing music - they all began their careers as musicians for the simple reason that music does not pop up out of nowhere. In order to compose, one has to start playing. Once you hear those sounds, ideas will start coming to you, and believe me, the feeling of creating music is unbelievable. I know that now.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
A Vacation in OC
We are back from Ocean City, and let me tell you, my friends, it was a wonderful vacation. Troy was enjoying the beach both ways, and by that I mean, sand and water. On this trip Troy made a lot of discoveries, which hopefully helped make it memorable for him.
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| Fenwick Lighthouse |
If there is anything in Ocean City really worth looking at, it’s the ocean. If there is anything in Ocean City worth paying for, it’s your proximity to it.
We were staying within a 2-minute walk to the dunes ( 2 minutes in Troy’s pace, mind you). We practically stayed on the beach and had a chance to breathe that special iodine-filled air every time we were out.
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| Let me see what water is made of! |
It's all about how and what you spend that money on. I am a working mom who has to provide both for my little one and myself. So let me share some of my newly-acquired wisdom with you all. And remember - if I can - you can.
1. Book way in advance through the wonderful .com’s that give you really good deals - no less.
2. Ocean City food is way overpriced and “eats up” tons of money. Ignore it and make your own. That saved money will be enough to cover several extra days in Ocean City.
3. Search for coupons in the hotel lobby and your room for all the fun activities you are planning!
4. Forget beach chair and umbrella rentals – bring your own, from home and use them as much as you want for free.
5. Be creative! The newest stuff might not always be the most exciting one. Think years back - what activities did you enjoy while growing up? You kid might enjoy them too.
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| Captain Courageous (left) and Captain Cook (right) on a treasure-digging quest. |
7. Do the math and see how much you actually saved.
It’s easy! If I can – you can.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Catch-up 2: "Organchik"
It has been a while since Troy has shown great interest in one particular picture in his Handel book.
That picture depicts Handel as a boy playing the organ in an old dark chapel at the Grand Duke’s. This is a very important picture because it shows probably the most defining moment of Handel’s life.
Of course, you all remember that as the Duke overheard the boy play, he was so impressed that immediately offered a major monetary gift to his father, so Handel could study music with the best music teacher in Halle.
As Troy gets older, he starts seeing the importance of that page in the book and always looks at it and talks about it.
One day it struck me: he went to the Meyerhoff and saw all the musical instruments. All but one! The organ.
Thus, without further delay, one morning we went to a place that has enough organs to the happiness of the most demanding musician: Washington National Cathedral. It’s hard to say exactly how many organs they have there. Roughly, about 7… And of course, besides the beautiful organ concerts, several times a week they hold organ demonstrations which help you learn about the unlimited capacity of this great instrument. (To me, the King of instruments)
From the main huge organ in the sanctuary to a tiny kid-size one, WNC offers organs of every possible size, shape and age. Some are much older-looking than others. Some look quite antique.
In the crypt (basement) level there is a small wooden chapel with that rich intoxicating smell of old wood, history and time. It’s always dark and partially draped with heavy burgundy portieres. You can’t actually walk in, but you can look. The organ in that chapel is relatively small, but for Troy this is IT. He calls it Handel’s organ and is majorly fascinated with that place.
During that visit Troy made an important discovery and immediately verbalized it: Organ is like piano, but sound coming from pipes!
Upon Troy’s arrival from his recent trip, a very special musical surprise was waiting for him: a little triple chime that I got for him on one of my visits to Kennedy Center.
He looked at it, turned it vertically and screamed from the top of his lungs:” Organchik – organchik-organchik!!!!” In Russian the suffix “chik” would stand for the word “little”.
Even though Troy knows how to say “chime” and sometimes says it, he is positive that he owns a little organ now and can play it whenever he feels like it.
And now to the funniest part.
Every morning Troy walks up to the window in his room ( with vinyl blinds on it), places both hands on the window sill, announces “Organchik”, and starts “playing”. Somehow he gets to pretend that the strings that hold the blinds together are the organ pipes.
On another note, my friends, this weekend we are taking Troy to Ocean City for a little vacation. So the next time you’ll hear from me would probably be when I put together our vacation update.
Happy Friday, everyone!
That picture depicts Handel as a boy playing the organ in an old dark chapel at the Grand Duke’s. This is a very important picture because it shows probably the most defining moment of Handel’s life.
Of course, you all remember that as the Duke overheard the boy play, he was so impressed that immediately offered a major monetary gift to his father, so Handel could study music with the best music teacher in Halle.
As Troy gets older, he starts seeing the importance of that page in the book and always looks at it and talks about it.
One day it struck me: he went to the Meyerhoff and saw all the musical instruments. All but one! The organ.
Thus, without further delay, one morning we went to a place that has enough organs to the happiness of the most demanding musician: Washington National Cathedral. It’s hard to say exactly how many organs they have there. Roughly, about 7… And of course, besides the beautiful organ concerts, several times a week they hold organ demonstrations which help you learn about the unlimited capacity of this great instrument. (To me, the King of instruments)
From the main huge organ in the sanctuary to a tiny kid-size one, WNC offers organs of every possible size, shape and age. Some are much older-looking than others. Some look quite antique.
In the crypt (basement) level there is a small wooden chapel with that rich intoxicating smell of old wood, history and time. It’s always dark and partially draped with heavy burgundy portieres. You can’t actually walk in, but you can look. The organ in that chapel is relatively small, but for Troy this is IT. He calls it Handel’s organ and is majorly fascinated with that place.
During that visit Troy made an important discovery and immediately verbalized it: Organ is like piano, but sound coming from pipes!
Upon Troy’s arrival from his recent trip, a very special musical surprise was waiting for him: a little triple chime that I got for him on one of my visits to Kennedy Center.
He looked at it, turned it vertically and screamed from the top of his lungs:” Organchik – organchik-organchik!!!!” In Russian the suffix “chik” would stand for the word “little”.
Even though Troy knows how to say “chime” and sometimes says it, he is positive that he owns a little organ now and can play it whenever he feels like it.
And now to the funniest part.
Every morning Troy walks up to the window in his room ( with vinyl blinds on it), places both hands on the window sill, announces “Organchik”, and starts “playing”. Somehow he gets to pretend that the strings that hold the blinds together are the organ pipes.
On another note, my friends, this weekend we are taking Troy to Ocean City for a little vacation. So the next time you’ll hear from me would probably be when I put together our vacation update.
Happy Friday, everyone!
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