Emily Cat 176

I've been listening to a lot of opera.  My course starts next Friday so l have been listening to a lot of opera, especially French opera. I'm starting with French opera. Some have asked me why French, why not Italian?. I know that opera began in Italy, but, l wanted to start with something different. Italian opera is going to be in week 2 and, let me tell you, the opera world is big and it's been fun listening to all this music. It's also been interesting learning about the different registers with female singers. Soprano is the highest. Joni Mitchell was a soprano until she got older and became a mezzo soprano. If you listen to her early, and then, later work you can actually hear how her voice has changed. For those that don't know a song in opera is called an aria.  My class is running for an hour and l'm going to play 3 pieces of music. So, without further ado what do l think is the best aria?? Flower Duet. Flower Duet is from the French opera Lakme. It is s...

I thought l was seeing a show on the weekend....  But realised that l didn't buy a ticket. Must have only thought about seeing it, and l was looking forward to it too! So l'm talking about another film l've seen recently. It was interesting, talking about a subject l know little about. John Davidson is a Scottish man who has severe Tourettes syndrom. This film is about his life. Robert Aramayo played the main role and his performance was so good. Shirley Henderson also gave a good performance as his mother. It's only April and l have seen more films than l normally would. They're all been different and l have enjoyed most of them. I like seeing films in a cinema. I don't think you can beat seeing it on a big screen with surrroud sound. Let me know if any of you have seen this film. Let's start a conversation.

This is my favourite series.   Have you read any of the Strike novels? Robert Galbraith writes them. Of course, Robert Galbraith is actually J.K. Rowling. I think she is such a good writer. Each one is so good. A different case in each book and not a wasted word in any of them. Do you read these books? There have been 8 books so far and l've read each one.( I actually listen to them as audiobooks.) The narrator for each book has been Robert Glenister and he brings the books alive. The last book finished in such a way that l think there will be another book. I hope so. Do you have a favourite series? Let's start a conversation.

Ballet reimagined  Yesterday l saw a great show. I saw The Great Gatsby Ballet. Put on by Big Live this is ballet and theatre together. It really was such a treat. This is the first Big Live production l've seen and will be seeing their next production Dracula in October. The whole production was good and to a high standard. I love ballet and am so pleased to have a new ballet to watch. Have you seen any of Big Lives productions before? If they are coming to where you live it is well worth seeing a show. It was a really good day and a really good production.  form of blaet to watch. style of ballet 

Do you read a particular genre?  I read crime; keep coming back to it. Side note: when l'm talking about reading and books now l'm talking about audiobooks. As l have said before l have bad hearing and have hearing aides which are connected to my phone. On my phone l have Audible, Borrow Box and Libby. Both Borrow Box and Libby are online library apps. ( I hope you all have a similar service where you live) Audible gives us a free credit each month and this month, instead of choosing a crime novel l got Coastlines written, and narrated, by Joanne Harris. Very unusual for me to get a book that's not crime. It got me thinking about genres and it got me thinking about the genres other people read. Or are you someone who reads all types of books? I know a few people who are in book clubs and l've seen the types of books they are reading and they all look like they're from different genres. And, l thought the fact that l listen to audiobooks would cancel me out from book...

I know comments have been made recently.  I think we all have a right to an opinion, and l'm not going to get into the controversy of those comments. Instead l'm going to talk about the most beautiful piece of music witha soprano and a mezzo soprano. I'm going to give you a taste of opera. Watch the video and then look up this performance.  It truely is a magical piece