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pat's avatar

Comparing your experience , to the wonderful time I had at the Simon & Garfunkel Concert this past week, (Birthday gift) I knew all the words, and the Music. Maybe not as enlightening, but such a wonderful evening. I do enjoy Opera, also.

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Lawrence M Friedman's avatar

Simon and Garfunkel? I thought they were done, kaput, farfaln.

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Will Thomas's avatar

Perhaps it was a holographic performance? I hear the virtual is being "perfected".

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pat's avatar

Nope. a Live Show. Look it up, they do the show all over the world.

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pat's avatar

It is a Live show, with two men, portraying Simon & Garfunkel, telling their story, Singing the Songs, with a live band, backing them, and film being shown as the story goes on, explaining the Songs they wrote. It is is Very well done, and they received a Standing ovation .

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Will Thomas's avatar

Huh. Well, I'll be.

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

So will I. So I could hire actors to do PHC??

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pat's avatar

Well Garrison, I guess you could, if you wanted to, but of course, no-one could replace you.! Tribute shows are very wonderful, when done properly, and this one is. Just wanted to share, what a special treat this was, from my Daughter, for an Early birthday present, to me. Best to you always Pat L

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

Where was this? Theyve reunited? Really??

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Lawrence M Friedman's avatar

"Tribute Act," from the report of the person who saw it.

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Franco Giacon's avatar

I've enjoyed your work for many years, originally via Australian ABC Radio National. I'd like to be able to contribute to your cab / uber ride home but my current financial constraints will not allow that.

Had to be better than "The Magic Flute"!

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Junior Baker's avatar

Yes to your view of "The Magic Flute"

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Dawn's avatar

We had to borrow to purchase tickets to see you in Marybille, Tennessee next month. I’m expecting you to be wearing a Fedora.

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Deirdre Toeller's avatar

LOL... again. What is commonplace for our children feels like crafting a piece of second-grade artwork that hangs on the fridge.

We are so proud of ourselves when tickets on my phone actually work. I still print an extra copy of airline tickets which, of course, are obsolete almost immediately because of changes.

I've mostly given up reading opera subtitles since it comes with a sore neck; the purpose of classic opera (IMHO) is to showcase the voices of the artists. The story matters little although it's good to know that you're laughing in the right places. .

So, you nail it and us again. Delightful.

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Big Al's avatar

Congratulations on your newly acquired technological expertise. Did you know this: if you highlight a word (which I did for ducat and dirndl), Google will immediately give you the definition? Is that cool or what! Who needs college anymore? I'll be 72 in February if I live until then.

I still think you and your sweetie should see Moonstruck together. Except for the rabid fornication, appropriately treated as a sin, it is comedically heartwarming, Eye-talian if I ever saw it. Your sweetie would doubtlessly enjoy the Met scenes of Boheme.

One thing though: it is truly a disgrace that you were unable to read the dialogue after paying those ticket prices. Just sayin'...

Finally, have you read the book of Ecclesiastes yet? I believe it would delightfully inform your current writings.

Best wishes, Pop!

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

That's where it says "The rivers run into the sea and yet the sea is not full," right? It's a jokebook.

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Susan's avatar

Brilliant, as always, and helpful lessons to those of us getting on in years. Thank you.

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David Kannas's avatar

Oh the things we do in the name of love. Ain't it great?

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Teri Byrne's avatar

ohmydearestwiseguy! I laughed and cried again. You do it to me every time. I wanted to upgrade my free subscription, but my stonemason hubby isn't working because he is 71 and bent over. I just took a job cleaning the local post office. I see bins and bins full of love letters and catalogs. If we weren't on a social security income, I would pay top dollar for you to keep writing and making me laugh and cry. I promise that as soon as hubby works this summer, I will JOIN your club. I need to read you every week. I promise promise promise!

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John (Jack) Tulley's avatar

The humor throughout your article was great.

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BARBARA FAIRFIELD's avatar

We were fortunate to be able to see the Met's Fedora Saturday in our local movie theater. It looks like we saved $450 and could not only read the subtitles, but see all the singers up close! During the intermission, the singers or conductor are interviewed and you also get to see the sets being changed. I find this all very interesting and it helps my understanding of the opera, as well. Check out The Met Live in HD. Barbara

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

I've only seen Carmen (I'm not an opera fan but that's my favorite) om s Saturday at the Collins Center auditorium at UMaine in Orono, where the Bangor Symphony plays, and it was free since I'm a BSO subscriber (I've always been more into instrumental classics). The interviews were good and the set changing at intermissions, from a camera in the fly, was fantastic.

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Sandy's avatar

Rock and roll and blues forever. Love also is saying no to opera when a body’s 80s indicate life is even better to hold onto sanely.

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Don Flowers's avatar

Two thoughts popped into my mind while reading. First was my experience of going to a basketball game recently and just as I got ready to leave the house discovered that my tickets (which were on my phone) weren't on my phone. So I guess I should say my experience of not going to a basketball game!

Secondly, I remembered Woody Allen's summary of ballets. In one a doe walks on to the stage, coughs and dies. The fine arts are wonderful is you understand the subtitles!

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Bob Buntrock's avatar

Our family loves Boctor Borge, especially his rendition of an opera.

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Tom Adams's avatar

Yes, in our dotage, "headed up the aisle with the lame and the halt" has become all too familiar. Our only comfort is that the band appeared to be as lame and and halting as the crowd. Only downside is how long it takes to get to our seats. There also seemed to be an abundance of vintage, tight-fitting Woodstock t-shirts - many bought at the 1969 show.

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Terrence The Terrible Troll ❤️'s avatar

Always enjoy you Mr. Keillor. Take courage in the knowledge that I’ve spent the equivalent of your opera tickets in purchases of your many fine and funny novels and audiobooks. Looking forward to meeting you down at the poorhouse. I’m the one without the hip replacement limp.

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Timothy H Corrigan's avatar

Here's a tip, Garrison, my old man (far more than once, mind you) imparted to all ten of the children he sired..." a fool and his money are soon parted." Time and perspective may alter the meaning of the object of that advice, but... I think in the case of you, your wife, and your sense of humor one may grant a pass given the situation; "Not guilty! Case dismissed."

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Michele Mandrioli's avatar

We saw the Met Live in HD "Fedora" in our local movie theater on Sat. afternoon. I costs $25 for senior citizens. I have been to the actua Met and it was far more exciting, but the Live in HD simulcasts are also very nice. They show lots of backstage action and have interesting interviews during the intermission(s). The rows of seats in the theater were at least 6' apart, so there was plenty of room for a tall person to sit with their legs extended. The subtitles were large and easy to read, but I understand Italian pretty well, so I read them quickly and tried to guess what the people would say in Italian. The actual libretto was somewhat different from what was in the English subtitles - they have to condense the translations somewhat so they will stay on the screen long enough to read. There were several funny moments in "Fedora", mainly involving Rosa Feola, who played Fedora's cousin.

You can find a theater near you which show the Met Live in HD operas at this URL: https://www.metopera.org/season/in-cinemas/theater-finder/

I did know what "ducats" were, but didn't know the pronunciation.

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MB Hebert's avatar

I totally agree that the theater showings of the Met shows are wonderful but also concur that they are not the same as being there. I've only been to the Met once (La Traviata), but my friend and I did it up right. We got very dressed up, paid for excellent seats and had an extravagant dinner before the show. It was a wonderful night, never to be forgotten-- nor shall we make any attempts to repeat it. A costly night for sure.

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Michele Mandrioli's avatar

My husband I went to see Susan Graham in "Les Troyens" a few years ago, but she was sick and there was a substitute. It was still very good. We have met and talke to Susan Graham several times and the summer before we went we were at an open rehearsal at Tanglewood we saw a tall blonde woman in a nice dress walking down the aisle singing. My husband asked her if she was in the chorus, but I said, "That's Susan Graham!" We talked for a while and she invited us to go to the Met to see her in "Les Troyens". My husband went there alone another time when I was sick and saw Dolora Zajick in one of her last performances of Azucena in "Il Trovatore".

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Garrison Keillor's avatar

You've persuaded me but I'll have to ask my wife.

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Karen Hanegan's avatar

Is her name Blanche? BTW, still adore Melville's 'Mopy Dick.' <g>

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Michele Mandrioli's avatar

I thought of you as soon as I saw how far apart the rows of seats were! It probably varies among theaters, so you should probably ask before you go.

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