Saturday NO Pancake Musings: Bacon and Eggs Edition

Ok not real bacon and eggs, fat-boy diabetic bacon and eggs: Turkey bacon and Eggbeaters. You get used to it.

1) I had a revelation about the recent Lyric Opera production of Aida. It works best if you think of it as a dream or fantasy of Radames. In the opening scene, one sees behind a sandy, wavy scrim curtain downtrodden people trekking through the sandy waste. A figure wanders and finally collapses by a rock. To the right is a gathering of nomads on their rugs, obviously better off than many of the wandering masses but still nomadic. The collapsed figure is Radames and he listens to the nomad leader talk of the invasion of their land by the Ethiopians. Radames is drawn in to the discussion and soon his mind is full of fantastic thoughts; he is the warrior savior of Egypt.

So this is why we have juxtaposed visions and traditions of Ancient Egypt, the worshiping of the ancient gods, sacrifices and so on, combined with images of Egypt as an occupied land, foreign soldiers, beating prisoners, the Triumphal March scene from the rear as the masses watch and dissenters are punished. That is why Amneris is seen walking through the burial tomb at the end. A lot is explained by looking at the production that way.

Still a bit contrived and the whole "it is just a dream" shtick is old. I still would have liked a traditional Aida.

The whole town is talking about it and the box is excellent so I guess it works.

2)I am so pissed at the Democrats in Congress who voted to condemn the MoveOn.org ad about General Petraeus. "General Betray-Us" they called him. The Repubs went ballistic. Guess they can dish it out but can't take it. Some say the Dems were showing that they would not stoop as low as that to libel someone.

I say fight fire with fire.

3)Beautiful Day today in KC, low humidity, 80s for high. Rained last night so the grass is nice and green. Great day for the Plaza Art Fair.

4)Happy Yom Kippur (can one have a happy day of atonement??)to my Jewish friends and readers. The synagogues will be packed today. In some temples, you have to pay to go the Yom Kippur service or demonstrate that you have been faithful in attendance to get the best seats for the service. Once I worked as an usher (bouncer more like it) at a Yom Kippur service to keep out the unworthy. Strange!