La donna e mobile

"It's no good unless it breaks your heart", as Anthony Minghella would say.

The world's most famous La donna e mobile and the timeless hits Caro nome and Questa o quella were score features in Verdi's tragic tale Rigoletto. Rich in melody and filled with great arias, this is one of my favorite operas having seen it maybe three times.

It may have pleased the veteran opera lovers that the set and stage production were done in the tradition of classical opera. At the pre-show quick lunch we had at Avery Fisher Hall, I engaged in a chat with an elegant lady in her 80's, who takes the train from the suburbs of New Jersey to attend the opera.

Here I am complaining about my short ride from Queens, and here's this lady impeccably dressed in a light outfit for this winter weather, traveling a few good miles on a commuter train from her suburban home. She was waiting for her niece who she hopes will love Rigoletto as much as she does. Introduced to her at age 13 by her parents, she has been an avid goer since. We talked about how unfortunate it is that the Amato Opera in the Bowery is closing for its final season. She was visibly excited as she spoke about how she frequented The Hippodrome in her younger days, adding that I may not have been around at the time yet. We shook hands, parted ways, she said she hopes to see me at Lucia di Lammermoor performance and I said to myself, "When I grow up I want to be like her".

Meeting people from all walks of life is part of the fun in going to this performances. All it took was a gentle pat on my arm when she asked me to watch her plate while she walked to the counter to freshen her cup with hot coffee. It took off from there and I can't tell you how priceless that conversation was. These things do matter.

This being her first exposure to the opera I was also joined by my niece Nelsie. Susan, a former co-worker met us at the lobby of the Met. She took the place of Judy who's out there in the slopes of Colorado skiing.

With its roster of the best cast, the chorus playing a big role, the Met once again did a sensational production. It would please Minghella that this was not a stunning but a heartbreaking performance.

East meets West

The Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright stands majestically on 5th Avenue and 88th.

The rotundas of the central spiral serve not just an access to the galleries but also as exhibition halls, in this case of "The Third Mind: American Artists Contemplating Asia, 1860-1989".

It brought together an eclectic collection of works by artists such as James Whistler, Jackson Pollock, Yoko Ono, Isamu Noguchi and others. I came here not knowing the scope of the exhibition and I was surprised - especially on the Asian influence that can be traced to calligraphy and abstract ink blots on the technique of Jackson Pollock.

The set of prints by Mary Cassatt that drew on the styles of Japanese compositions clearly is another example of this Eastern influence as well. 250 works were on exhibit but it was easy to view. There was plenty of room to roam about, the galleries at the Guggenheim do not leave the viewer with a feeling of being boxed-in.

My preferred way of exploring the Guggenheim, it's always an experience to walk down the central spiral looking down on the museum's lobby.

What I could not get myself to appreciate is Paul Kos' Sound of Ice Melting. On display at the lobby are two twenty-five-pound blocks of ice, eight boom microphone stands, eight microphones, mixer, amplifier, two large speakers and cables. The viewer is invited to "listen to the sound of melting ice", which I thought was bizarre. I stood there like a fool waiting for it to happen but didn't hear a drop. Far from being an artist to understand the concept, I guess I was too literal. And that's why I'm not into contemporary art.

The other exhibit is that of Ann Hamilton entitled "Human carriage". It is a contraption composed of book weights made from cut-up books that ascend and descend along the rotunda spiral by a pulley system, and a pair of Tibetan cymbals that rush down the balustrade. The chimes invite the museum goers to look up and watch the action, leaving them with a variety of interpretations as to the theme it was trying to convey.

I would prefer to deal with some form of art that's not so blurry. Some of it was much too abstract, I spent more time at the Thannhauser Gallery where the Whistler, Georgia O'Keefe and Picasso collection was more my style.

As I exit, I went down to the Sackler Annex where a travelogue of Isamu Noguchi was on display. It captured his fellowship visits to India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal and elsewhere. This I enjoyed as well.

Give me something more concrete, abstract patterns can be frustrating.

Cafe Mozart

Recently I started following city blogger Jeremiah Moss's Vanishing New York and discovered that he really has a lot to blog about and for very good reasons.

Not too far from my neighborhood, Shea Stadium is being demolished to be replaced by the new one. To my dismay and to the rest of the faithful New York Mets fans and great lovers of landmarks (or such), the new name is Citi Field, in keeping with part of the deal made with the financiers which is Citigroup, Inc.. Or so I heard. Why we need a larger capacity stadium I understand but changing the name is a disgrace.

Many more venues are either leaving town or are being replaced by upscale ones. Neighborhood gentrification is on the rise and at a pace as fast as they can build high-rise, high-priced condominiums.

In August my friends and I tried to meet at Cafe Mozart on the Upper West Side for brunch , but when we got there it was CLOSED. There was no sign at the door except that it's "closed". It looks like it's been gutted or was quickly shut down. I brushed off the thoughts that this will be permanent. Maybe they will be renovating the place. To my surprise, as I was getting ready to make reservations for this coming Saturday's brunch before the opera, I got the same message that their number has been disconnected with no further info. Their website obliterated too!

Cafe Mozart was one of the finest reasonably-priced European style restaurants in the city with the closest proximity to the Lincoln Center . It seems like a place out of old New York or Vienna charming with its antique decor and furniture. The display case filled with pastries and cakes of all sorts was deliciously inviting.

Coffee and dessert was what I originally knew it was famous for. That was when our friend Mila introduced us to this place one evening for a taste of its scrumptious plate of melted Camembert and fruits. I also heard they served the best chicken schnitzel in town. Of late we've gone there for their brunch my favorite of which was the eggs Benedict. Some days we also enjoy the music from a piano player playing either jazz or some classical arrangements.

The food spectacular and the place with its relaxed atmosphere was the closest thing to a Viennese cafe. What a shame that it closed down. You'll be surprised, there are only a few good places to eat around the Lincoln Center area and this was one of the best.

I'm truly saddened by this. My friend Jerry from California will be very disappointed too. Does anyone know what happened and when they closed? And if Cafe Mozart will reopen?

The Lunar Year of the Ox

"The ox carried the rat, who pushed the cat, who nearly drowned and lost the race in the legend behind the Chinese Zodiac, an ancient system steeped in lore that puzzles and enthralls".

Ringing in the Year of the Ox. The Chinese sure know how to throw a party, a big one at that. Today is the second day of the 15-day Chinese New Year festival.

Our President was born on the Year of the Ox. Leadership qualities, dependability, strength and responsibilty are among the traits mentioned in his sign. He is a metal Ox that symbolizes prosperity through hard work. That's a good thing considering what he's got on his plate.

On the second day of the celebration, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs. In China the animal of your birth year defines and influences you for the rest of your life, in my case it's the dog! Chinese New Year zodiac Dog will never let you down. Shut up about it already, but it's true, I promise!

According to my horoscope, "people born in this Chinese zodiac sign possess the best traits of human nature. (Yeah right!) They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets. They care little for wealth; yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. Chinese zodiac sign Dog people make good leaders. They would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent".

Doggone! Where was I when all the good traits fell from the canine heaven? I sure did not get my better share of them, except maybe the money part , meaning I don't care much for wealth. And the teacher part, not that I was ever good at being one! I enjoyed that four-year stint teaching. Blabbermouth, that I'm not and my friends can attest to that.

How and why the 12 animals fall in their order in the ancient Chinese calendar system sounds fascinating. There are several colorful stories about the origin. Here's some of them:

"One story has Buddha inviting all the animals in the kingdom to a meeting. In another, it's the Jade Emperor holding a great banquet. Some animals outwit others to get there first, with their places in the zodiac assigned according to when they arrived.

A third legend is more like "The Amazing Race," in a competition that includes a river crossing followed by a gathering at the emperor's palace. The kindly ox agrees to carry the scheming rat and the cat across the water on his back, but the rat betrays his friend the cat by pushing him into a swift current and hops off the ox to claim the top spot".

Always, the cat and the rat were once best friends but wind up mortal enemies.

Anyone cares for ox tail soup? Not my Chinese friends Philip who's an ABC ( American-born Chinese) and Rose who's a mutt! Food is great but she even stays away from Chinatown during these days! Sorry Rose if I'm picking on you, as usual.


Happy New Year! What's your sign?

Orfeo ed Euridice

Two of the artwork at the lobby of the Metropolitan Opera did not go unnoticed as we walked in.

Canadian artist David Altmejd's solo exhibition at the Arnold and Marie Schwartz Gallery is connected to the premiere of John Adam's Doctor Atomic. This all-glass mirror contemporary sculpture many parts of which are cracked or broken symbolizes the effect of the first atomic bomb.

The Kneeling Woman : Monument to Debussy by the French sculptor Aristide Maillol grace the grand staircase of the Metropolitan Opera. It was originally created for a monument at Claude Debussy's birthplace, Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Today's program was Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice conducted by the renowned James Levine. Written for an alto castrato, the role of Orfeo was played by mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe. The way she was made-up she sure looked like Rosie O'Donnell from a distance. The dancers appear as characters throughout the opera their costumes were contemporary and the choreography a bit modern. Hopping and skipping at the conclusion of the opera, one man's comment was, "There goes your Greek myth of Orpheus. I'll take Jerome Robbins anytime".

I take that as a thumbs down for the dance component.

The chorus was pure delight, it reminds me of Nabucco - Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves. The 100-member chorus played a major role and were fitted with Isaac Mizrahi's costumes representing historical personalities from Moses to Callas to Gandhi to Jimi Hendrix. It was easy to miss the beautiful creations, unless you paid for premium seats, since the choir members were standing on three-tier levels on stage. Thank goodness for opera glasses. The action of the chorus is played by the dancers and the dance music was plenty.

The famous Act III aria Che faro (sung here by Marilyn Horne) and Act II aria Che puro ciel (sung here by Kathleen Ferrier) were probably the highest point of this production of Orfeo.

To me it was more of a dance drama, something different and I'm not strictly a rigid follower of and limited to the classical style of the opera productions. The music superb and the singing heartrending, but the stage design and the choreography is the sort of thing one either warms up to or dislike altogether.

I also found it odd that Amor, the god of love was dressed in a pink golf shirt and a pair of khaki pants with milk-white little wings on his back. It didn't seem to fit.

Nothing is set in stone, not even in the musical productions that adapt with the mood of the times. For those who have a penchant for tradition this Met staging was a departure from the convention, but it wouldn't be fair to say that the opera dies with Gelb's and Levine's concept of change. Che faro will play in my head over and over again regardless.

Culture shock - Nordic and Tokyo styles

After buying a skinny wedge of gruyere cheese at the Grand Central Market (that's all I could afford at this place) and having lunch of piping hot pizza with Ped, I dragged Rose to walk with me four blocks south of the Terminal to the Scandinavia House, The Nordic Center in America.

I remember reading a write-up on the Victor Borge Centennial exhibition but the starting date did not register in my head. It pays to check the web or at least call which obviously I failed to do - my mother who's a centenarian would do better than that. I know my friend the Ayatollah Mary (MCW) would laugh and have something to say about this. Go ahead.

To my disappointment (sigh) none of the galleries at the Scandinavia House were open at this time. The place is gearing up for the Victor Borge exhibition which does not open until January 24th. After picking up a couple of flyers from the information desk, we ended up checking out their shop.

The shelves were filled with fine luxurious handmade sweaters, hats, gloves, winter gear and clothing in an assortment of design and fashion Nordic style. Quite expensive I thought, since I just bought me a woolen hat from Windhorse for $20.00 at the Terminal and the same one here costs $40.00. What a rip-off! Rose and I didn’t give in to our desire to shop. Boohoo!

What to do now? I needed to get a few items from Staples and the nearest one I know is around my old work neighborhood on 41st & 6th Avenue, so we trekked towards that area in the 20-degree weather. I was nicely bundled up so I didn’t mind but Rose must be tired. On the way, she spotted a train station that will get her home, so she made a quick run for it and said goodbye to me. Oh well, she has to be home by 4:00 pm for her Oprah Show! That’s Rose for you. Thanks for the company, Rose!

Anyway, I cut across Bryant Park and watched the skaters at The Pond while I also took some pictures. What else? They did an excellent job of transforming the park into a skating rink for the winter, but a notice was posted that says it will close down next week in preparation for Fashion Week. That’s one show the visiting fashionista shouldn’t miss. American designers produce the fashion shows to show off their spring collection and Bryant Park will be converted into a fashion arena with tents.

Just before going in to Staples, I passed by a store which wasn’t in the area a few months ago. It is the Kinokuniya Bookstore. The store is impressively stocked with tons of books, magazines, DVDs, crafts, paper, a good selection of anime and manga (Japanese comics), music, etc.

Leave it to the Japanese - everything is so neatly and elegantly displayed on the shelves and the display windows. Some of the books were arranged as if they are museum pieces not to be touched just to be admired. I must admit the book jacket designs are refined and incomparable.

What shocked me was the sign conspicuously posted which says : No Photography Allowed Inside the Store. Really? Are they serious? I never saw such thing in any of the stores around here before. It doesn’t bother me, who says I'm going to take pictures anyway? I’m no Japanophile, and my admiration for Kurosawa and Hiroshige’s woodwork doesn’t make me one. Phew!

If you’ve been to any of the Mitsuwa Marketplace stores, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You’ll get a taste of Japan and Mitsuwa is not just your ordinary supermarket, it offers a wide selection of organic produce and a wide variety of Japanese food products. The pastries are delightfully decorated, but be prepared to pay a hefty price for them. That goes for the rest of the merchandise from juices to teas, frozen foods and beers. You must carry gold bullion in your purse if you plan to shop here. Pricey!! No thanks, I'll stick to Trader Joe's.

The best part of my daytrip I'd say is the thought that I got my hat at a bargain price. Thanks for lunch, Ped and did you know that it was my first time to drink Dr. Pepper? It wasn't so bad.

Despite all the letdown, I still plan to see the Victor Borge exhibition, I love that guy, he was so talented and humorous. Remember his Phonetic Punctuation routine? But will I ever shop at Kinokuniya? Most probably not! Barnes & Noble's good enough for me. Washout! No pictures.

Bench Warmers

Some heartwarming dedications on park benches

Come sit on me.

Spider-man

'love NYC

Gertrude Stein