Fiorella attended Daughter's wedding last night. Yes, the marriage actually took place two weeks ago in Colorado, but the celebration/reception was last night at the Lady Bird Wildflower Center, and it was wonderful. New Son-in-law had planned everything down to the nth degree--and planned well.
The most dramatic moment was when Daughter, escorted by her father, appeared out of the dark, walking slowly down a long hall to join her waiting husband. It was the traditional giving away of the bride, and however old-fashioned, it was the highlight of the evening.
But more was to come. There were friends to greet, people from various aspects of Fio's life, whose presence warmed her heart. There were relatives, ours and Son-in-law's. There were friends of the bride and groom. Fiorella loves a group hug.
And, to top off the evening, there was karaoke. Not that Fiorella sang--the selection of songs didn't include Christmas carols--but Daughter and Younger Son did. And they were GOOD! Fio's heart, which had already swelled to monstrous proportions, overflowed with pride and joy. In fact, she heard that after she and Husband left, Older Son, who is also musically talented, sang too.
Her Christmas stocking is full.
Showing posts with label Night Music review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Night Music review. Show all posts
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ho-hum Evening at the Palace
Since Fiorella no longer does theater, she feels free to critique the local scene.
Last night she and Husband put on their glad rags and drove into town for the Palace's presentation of A Little Night Music. Set in Sweden during a long, sunlit summer day and night, it's Sondheim's attempt at a French farce.
The many, many costumes were sumptuous, the only flaw being the dress "Anne" quick-changed into in the first act--her pantaloons showed out the back every time she turned sideways. To Fio's semi-trained ear, the musical aspect of the play was technically perfect: the on-stage orchestra was great, the singers handled the difficult music with seeming ease and perfect pitch. But there was a problem with the unequal quality of the voices--the women's, of course, were much better than the men's. (Fio was fascinated by the contralto)
Then there were the wigs, especially those of the ingenue and the grandmother--really bad. And the acting was uneven, ranging from "Egerman" at the pinnacle down to "Mrs. Egerman," who was vocally week and whose speaking style inappropriately echoed Audrey's from Little Shop of Horrors.
A standout performer was Amy Minor as the libidinous servant girl, Petra. The actress playing Desiree had her moments, but was inconsistent in her character, often seeming like she'd rather be galloping about on a cow pony.
And the first act was slow and confusing. But that was Sondheim's fault.
Last night she and Husband put on their glad rags and drove into town for the Palace's presentation of A Little Night Music. Set in Sweden during a long, sunlit summer day and night, it's Sondheim's attempt at a French farce.
The many, many costumes were sumptuous, the only flaw being the dress "Anne" quick-changed into in the first act--her pantaloons showed out the back every time she turned sideways. To Fio's semi-trained ear, the musical aspect of the play was technically perfect: the on-stage orchestra was great, the singers handled the difficult music with seeming ease and perfect pitch. But there was a problem with the unequal quality of the voices--the women's, of course, were much better than the men's. (Fio was fascinated by the contralto)
Then there were the wigs, especially those of the ingenue and the grandmother--really bad. And the acting was uneven, ranging from "Egerman" at the pinnacle down to "Mrs. Egerman," who was vocally week and whose speaking style inappropriately echoed Audrey's from Little Shop of Horrors.
A standout performer was Amy Minor as the libidinous servant girl, Petra. The actress playing Desiree had her moments, but was inconsistent in her character, often seeming like she'd rather be galloping about on a cow pony.
And the first act was slow and confusing. But that was Sondheim's fault.
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