As duly noted to your right and below on this page, I’m an average guy. Which should mean that I care about football, but I don’t. So sue me. Which also should mean that I don’t care about highbrow pastimes such as opera. Which is true. Or was, til very recently.
I have been fooled by the cartoon stereotype of some largish blonde topped by a Viking helmet cracking windows with Her vocals; or some largish guy with a huge moustache and an even huger ego – the sort of character that Bugs Bunny used to torment.
But last week, I was treated to a snippet of music that shattered all those myths. It was as lovely, sweet and plaintive as any ballad – and I do love a good ballad, even if that means I must turn over my Manliness Club Membership Card.
No theatrics. No shattered glass.
I did some internet research based on the title and author of the piece – and that is when I discovered that said piece, “Pangione,” is a part of that once-dreaded genre, an opera.
I have been fooled by the cartoon stereotype of some largish blonde topped by a Viking helmet cracking windows with Her vocals; or some largish guy with a huge moustache and an even huger ego – the sort of character that Bugs Bunny used to torment.
But last week, I was treated to a snippet of music that shattered all those myths. It was as lovely, sweet and plaintive as any ballad – and I do love a good ballad, even if that means I must turn over my Manliness Club Membership Card.
No theatrics. No shattered glass.
I did some internet research based on the title and author of the piece – and that is when I discovered that said piece, “Pangione,” is a part of that once-dreaded genre, an opera.
Specifically, Handel’s “Julius Caesar.”
In the venue that I visited, the lovely soprano Sarah M. sung the role in said opera of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, at the moment in history when Cleopatra was told (falsely, of course) that Julius Caesar, Her beloved, had drowned.
I learned much about Handel this morning, much about opera (such as the once fashionable concept of castratos – yeah, it’s exactly what it sounds like, talk about suffering for your art!) and maybe a little about myself.
Can I still be an average guy, though?
In the venue that I visited, the lovely soprano Sarah M. sung the role in said opera of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, at the moment in history when Cleopatra was told (falsely, of course) that Julius Caesar, Her beloved, had drowned.
I learned much about Handel this morning, much about opera (such as the once fashionable concept of castratos – yeah, it’s exactly what it sounds like, talk about suffering for your art!) and maybe a little about myself.
Can I still be an average guy, though?
5 comments:
Still can't figure out how you can refer to yourself as an 'average guy' - you're not! Average guys don't dedicate their blog to women, average guys don't offer praise and ancouragement to people they don't know, average guys don't enjoy classical music and opera. The category you fit into (and is not limited by this) is the one where the guy has his wits about him as to what is important and what isn't and the type who is aware of the world around him and wants to make it better. So no - you are not an average guy.
What she said. :)
It's good that you continue to broaden your horizons. I believe that's called being an adult.
I do think it's kinda funny that while you were enjoying opera, I was at a baseball game. :p
Amarpreet: What the Empress says, must be accepted. I appreciate the compliment.
Dawn: You're sweet as always. But who wants to be an adult? I only pretend, dropping the guise whenever possible.
And of course, a Woman has every right to enjoy whatever the hell She wants, whether typical "Feminine" pursuits, or a baseball game or even a Monster Truck rally, without having said Feminity called into question.
Ah! You saw my Monster Truck Rally pics then! :D
Weren't those the ones with You driving, Dawn? (o;
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