I have never felt moved to reinvent myself but I greatly admire those who have – prime example, Plácido Domingo.
In 1959, aged eighteen, he was in Mexico National Opera’s Rigoletto cast as Borsa. We have seen Rigoletto many times, haven’t we, but I don’t remember Borsa’s contribution. Anyway, let’s get on with it, as Jeremy Paxman says in University Challenge. If I ever saw him sing live I was the man asleep in the Stalls. He reinvented himself as a baritone and I did stay awake for that at the Met. Now, get on with it, as J Paxman fulminates, he is a conductor.
No, no don’t jump on a bus – not that sort of conductor. He’s conducting Tosca at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for five performances at the end of February and the beginning of March. Two of these are matinees and they are both sold out. They are sold out because matinee audiences at RoHo want to travel to London to see world class opera. The tickets cost a bomb, they want to watch something exceptional but they do not want to factor in a night in a London hotel. So when you go to a matinee the audience is as good as gold (favourite expression of my City colleague “Woody” ). They want to be there – unlike the dozy bunch that go on weekday evenings, shagged out ‘cos they got out of bed at 6.00 am to work on the City treadmill.
I went with a friend to see Cav & Pag at lunchtime on Saturday. My friend nearly choked suppressing coughing fits and the rest of the audience were similarly silent. After the ghastly La Boheme in Paris this RoHo double bill made me appreciate opera again. Furthermore I’m going to Covent Garden matinees from now on. I’ve just booked Carmen in mid February. The audience is attentive and the timing perfect for a late but leisurely lunch.
I admire the author’s claim that he is not inclined to reinvent himself, however, such claims are effectively misplaced. To a lessor or greater extent each of us constantly updates & reinvents themselves on some level. One only has to see the huge sections on bookstore shelves devoted to ‘ways to improve one’s…..{quae semper}. This is fueled by a self obsessed, self centered, self opinionated society. The human race is, by its very nature, not inanimate and, therefore, subject to external influences to which we subconsciously respond.
The author’s own raison d’etre is greatly enhanced by such influences, which he can then transmit into the most provocative articles on which I may cogitate and, subsequently, reinvent myself accordingly.
Dear HH, I appreciate your existentialist musing. I sometimes tease readers who comment such as “Icelandic Inforner” and “Basil Iske” because I know their identities You, HH, are an inigma. I am building a picture but you must post more comments please.