Saverio Mercadante (58), Franco Leoni (10), Umberto Giordano (14). It’s time to put the clocks back and it’s time to go back to Wexford to see operas by three prolific composers – they have clocked up 82 operas between them.
I bet you haven’t heard of any of them. That’s the wonder of Wexford. May I digress? Staying in a lodge in Scotland we played charades after dinner. A friend, who isn’t usually hard of hearing, was given That’s the Wonder of Woolies. Her portrayal of this advertising slogan was perplexing and, frankly, embarrassing. It had us stumped. It transpired that she was acting That’s the Wonder of Willies. My brother, who must have spent ages thinking up something tricky, gave me Apocalypse Now which he didn’t realise is easy to do in syllables.
The fishermen on these jaunts were fiercely competitive. They’d say they wouldn’t fish before breakfast but I’d have only just turned in when I’d hear the crunch of gravel as Jeeps and Range Rovers stealthily left for the riverbank. On one holiday I was always up late because one of the girls stayed up with me doing drugs while I did alcohol but that’s a digression too far.
This is the third BY (Blog Year) that I’ve been to Wexford. Recently we have been staying at the Talbot and (highly recommended) have upgraded to rooms with sea views. Our party this year comprises Our Man in Bermuda, two top dogs in financial services (one in London, one in New York), the Entrepreneur, the General and little ol’ me. More from Wexford tomorrow.
One of your best shaggy dog digressions. Wexford, of Bernard Levin’s over zealous floor polishers, will have to go some to better it.
Lucky you. I have a few arias by Mercadante, most via Opera Rara recordings, and have not been tempted to explore more. I suspect it is may be “rara” for a reason. But just listening is different than seeing it, so I will be glad to know what you think. Leoni I have never heard.
Giordano, though, may be known to those who follow opera — even if known perhaps ungenerously as a “one hit wonder.” Whatever one may think of verismo, Giodano’s “Andrea Chenier” seems to have a lasting place in the repertory. Those who have seen the movie “Philadelphia” may remember Tom Hanks explaining “La Mamma Morta” (as sung by Callas) to a bemused Denzel Washington.
Perhaps you can digress more about the fishing expeditions in Scotland in a future post. They sound rather intriguing.
Bought my poppy from a British Legion box at Culloden…suitably grimish grey weather with smur on tap. Did the enamel poppy wore last year ever return from an Taoiseach’s offices? Like the operas you are seeing red poppy with 1918-2018 nearly unread able is suitably exotic in Palo Alto.
I have always wanted to know how you managed to be sharing a bath with the said pot smoking girl. Fortunately you both were dressed and you hadn’t found the taps. However you both needed help to extract yourselves. I think this was the same trip that we had a cook called Wilma. Her day job was to cook for the local girls reform school; a terrible punishment for them. Our sentence was only one week.
Ah yes. Wilma – the only cook who has ever produced boiled mince for me! Happy days.