"Well, I thought you were referring to that Michael Rooker scifi film, but..."
I admit, it has been on my mind quite a bit! I'm going to watch it, too, just as soon as it shows up on Tubi or Freevee or somewhere for free. But here's the reason for the post title: love and monsters has been the theme for everything I've seen today. And that's purely serendipitous!
"Really? That's not something you've contrived?"
No, I swear it isn't. In fact, it wasn't until I was watching "Space Jam" that I even realized it.
"Ah. That accounts for the monStars addition on the post title."
"Oh, yes! The 11th Annual Savannah VOICE Festival is happening now!"
Yes, it is, and has been for a week. And somehow that's the first event I've been to. I've even missed the free ones! I blame the rash, mostly. However, I've landed a sweet volunteer job as usher for several this week, and the Mozart opera was the first of those.
"Very nice! What a great way to start!"
It was! I'm glad I had the chance to see the full opera again. As I told folks there, I'd only ever seen it while I was in grad school at FSU, and that's been 35 years ago. I hadn't even seen any opera before that one, so I was a bit lost with the characters, but not anymore! Thanks to several viewings during the pandemic of the Mozart night of the 8th Annual SVF, I have the names and relationships down pat.
"That was helpful. Because there are several to keep track of. Dona Anna and Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto, even Dona Elvira and Don Giovanni..."
And she was Giovanni's wife! I had not caught that at all before. Plus, there was a section in the first act when Leporello has hauled out the book of her husband's sexual conquests all over Europe, with numbers in the thousands! That young woman in the photo above? She's one of about ten that he had in the first fifteen minutes of Act I!!! Pretty funny. And why was he such a monster? As he put it, how could he be faithful to only one woman, as that would be so unfair to all the other women of the world? That's the same raison d'etre for Charlie Harper, by the way. Again, pretty funny.
"Sure, sure."
But you know what was my favorite things about tonight's performance? I mean, besides being a volunteer and the event being live? I actually spoke to two of the singers!!! Well, Carlton Moe wasn't in this show, but he was there to see it! I walked right up to him and said, "You're Carlton Moe, aren't you?" And he gave me the biggest smile! We talked for quite a bit before the doors opened, and he even asked my name! (smile!) That's was probably because I gushed for some time about his song about "bar ice" from the pandemic days. he told me that was one of his favorites from that time!!!
"Well, I'm glad you brought back a happy memory for him!"
Me, too. I did the same for Melanie Spector, too! She was in costume - she was Dona Anna tonight - and I took the opportunity there in the sanctuary entry to speak to her. Such a sweet person she is! I told her how much I'd enjoyed the "Pirates of Penzance" song she did as a trio and she just lit up! "Oh, yes, 'Climbing Over Rocky Mountains'! That was fun!" "Yes," I'd added, "and I just loved the show about the three witches at Halloween!" Such a nice bit of levity before her serious performance this evening!
"Well, good for you for not being star-struck!"
"Most excellent!"
Oh, there's one more thing I liked about this show! It was held at Asbury Memorial Church, right? With a start time of 6PM, that meant lots of light for the first hour of Act 1, a happier time for the Don. Then, as time progressed, things started to turn for him, following the waning of the incoming light. By the start of Act II around 8:30PM, there was no sunlight, mirroring the dark times that awaited him then. What dramatic note it added! I made sure to tell Maria Zouves how much I liked that! She directed the show.
Hey, it isn't liked I planned that! I just wanted something light and this gem from 1996 caught my eye. I hadn't realized that Michael Jordan had shared top billing with Bugs Bunny! How very nice! Plus, I was no doubt drawn to it as I caught "The Bugs Bunny Show" this morning. After all, it is Saturday!
"So it is. No word yet from AMC about the kid movies that are supposed to be on?"
Nope. Well, no response. They've twice sent emails about "please let us know if your problem has been resolved or not", to which I've responded that it has not. That's okay, we're making other plans for next weekend.
"That's good! No need to wait on them. So, does that wrap up your adventure into the lands of love and monsters?"
Almost! You remember that I get a $1 Weekend Movie reward, right? This morning, I chose "Treasure Planet", partly because I'd never seen this 2002 movie, either, but mostly because it had Joseph Gordon-Levitt and pirates. I do so love both of those! And guess what it had as a theme? Alien monsters... and a love story between the astronomer and the feline captain. Don't you just love it when a day's theme falls into place like that?
"Right place, right time, all day and all night!"
(smile!)
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