Something Wonderful Comes

1. The Three Tenors in Caracalla

Long before the Three Tenors and their handlers embarrassed themselves and everyone around them with one quirky show after another in football stadia around the globe, there was the original concert in Rome.

On a typical 159 channels-with-nothing-to-watch evening recently, I came across the first 1990 concert of Knowledge.

Wow!

A spectacular setting on a gorgeous night.

At least twice, conductor Zubin Mehta looked absolutely transfixed by first one singer and then another. He seemed to stare in disbelief that someone could produce such beautiful sound and such powerful emotion.

2. Nixon in China

The Vancouver Opera's production of the John Adams opera, "Nixon in China" was fantastic.

The physical presentation was innovative and spectacular, often fooling us with stage tricks and misdirection.

The music and the singing and acting were sensational.

This is not for your average Puccini-Verdi fan.

This is ultra, ultra, ultra Philip Glass-like modern music and it takes a moment or two to get used to its own natural sound.

The video below is not the Vancouver production.

3. David in Venice

People often expect great reports from me when I come back from 3 weeks in Italy, as I did on March 2nd.

But the truth us...I often don't do much of anything.

Other than walk and gawk and drink coffee and read books.

In the evenings, I'm having dinner with friends, old and new.

Pretty exciting, yes?

Not really.

But always rejuvenating.

Always a fresh outlook on things.

Always the old Stones of Venice bring clarity and new ideas.