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There has never been so much to do at once in my life that all really needed doing. I have never been so busy. Usually there's a time I can find, an hour somewhere at the end of the day, to write it down and keep track of what's been happening. Not so, the past couple days.
Saturday's show--
It gets its own paragraph, but there's really no way I can give a description or explanation that will do it justice. Judas, the silly boy, said he had a sore throat, but either the spray Dan and I went to get him was miraculous or Judas was overworried (he gave me the sweetest hug of gratitude when I gave it to him), because his performance was indescribable. Best yet, is all I'll say, and that I'm pretty sure we'll get a decent review (Evan came Saturday). Everyone onstage was crying by the end, as was the majority of the audience. It was beautiful, and I am jealous of myself for being involved and for the privilege of working with the supremely talented, humble, and personally beautiful cast.
As the commons emptied, the caravan to Hanzsen assembled. I'd given Charlie his cookies, and he needed help to carry them and the other gifts to the party while he got his brother from Martel. We all made it there in advance of him, and hung Christmas lights and sang carols, greeting him with Happy Birthday, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and Hosanna in quick succession when he entered. He seemed genuinely touched, which is one reason I think everyone loves him so much (aside from his prodigious talent). He is so honestly modest, never false, and is moved by the appreciation people show for both his performance and his personality. He sat and talked with a small circle of disciples for awhile after being greeted by the more raucous partygoers, and you could tell that the people sitting in the circle with him intensely savored the experience. He doesn't construct the perception that it's a rare and lovely thing to hang out with him, that's just how it is. He has a lot of personal dignity that doesn't come from his own projection, but from how much people respect him. He's a little like his character, I think.
It was a lovely party, and Dan came eventually and got very drunk, as did Stephan (who was there from the beginning). There were lots of NPS crossover makeout sessions for the camera (and otherwise). Matt, the show's rather cute (and quite talented) guitarist, got drunk enough to ask Stephan to make out with him, and, while I didn't see it (I mostly hung out in the corner with Elliot), rumor says it was pretty intense, and Matt stopped only for his reputation and not because he wanted to. He then, in conversation slightly later, recommended the experience to Dan. I was highly amused.
I left shortly after Charlie did, since it was turning into a Spontaneous Combustion party (they are very loud) rather than a Charlie/Christmas cast party. However, before I made it to the edge of campus, Dan asked me to drive him home. So I came back for him, and had his car just outside the parking lot when Stephan called desperately wanting his keys (I'd taken them, expecting a call in the middle of the night for a ride home). So Dan agreed to let me take Stephan his keys, because apparently a boy had driven him home and needed to be let in to his apartment. Heh. I couldn't get the gate open, not having a keycard, but Stephan and his boy ran up to meet us holding hands, and thanked us breathlessly after an introduction, and left hurriedly. I heard a lot more about it last night.
I finished driving Dan home, and crashed in his pillow room, but Meghan came home in the middle of the night shepherding another ill overindulger (Nick, I think his name was) who had to purge rather loudly after being settled on a loudly-inflated air mattress (he made it to the bathroom, though). Meghan got him some water and retired, but then at 7:10am a former hotel a block away was demolished by explosives, so I came awake rather suddenly. It sounded like it would have been fun to watch, but I was sleepy.
Yesterday evening, Ben got me and Stephan tickets to Martha Argerich downtown, which was a blast. We saw Reggie's mom there, which was sobering, as I have not heard from him in months, but then the show started and everything but Prokofiev 3 was driven from my mind. As far as it could be driven, with the unbelievable roadblock sitting to the left of us.
There was this girl (we later decided to call her Paulette) who conducted the entire thing (and all the other pieces, too) with her chin, and play the piano part (and all the other parts) on her air-piano in her lap. It was the most obnoxious thing I have ever seen, and you could tell she really wanted us to ask her if she knew the piece or if she was a pianist. I switched seats with Ben to get away from her, and he commiserated with me over her craziness. But on our right was an old lady who fit exactly what Paulett might become in 60 years, bouncing in her seat and everything.
The performance, on the other hand, was breathtaking. I knew it would be. She did two encores (another obnoxious audience member covered up the subtle beginning of the first one by screaming "We love you, Martha!" as the applause quieted). The orchestra, too, was so much more alive and involved and happy than the symphony ever is. From a zillion different countries, all their prodigies and cream of the crop; that's got to be so much fun to play in. And Dutoit looks like fun to play for, too. Ben said he looked like he wanted to do the whole thing naked except for a cigarette.
Saturday's show--
It gets its own paragraph, but there's really no way I can give a description or explanation that will do it justice. Judas, the silly boy, said he had a sore throat, but either the spray Dan and I went to get him was miraculous or Judas was overworried (he gave me the sweetest hug of gratitude when I gave it to him), because his performance was indescribable. Best yet, is all I'll say, and that I'm pretty sure we'll get a decent review (Evan came Saturday). Everyone onstage was crying by the end, as was the majority of the audience. It was beautiful, and I am jealous of myself for being involved and for the privilege of working with the supremely talented, humble, and personally beautiful cast.
As the commons emptied, the caravan to Hanzsen assembled. I'd given Charlie his cookies, and he needed help to carry them and the other gifts to the party while he got his brother from Martel. We all made it there in advance of him, and hung Christmas lights and sang carols, greeting him with Happy Birthday, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and Hosanna in quick succession when he entered. He seemed genuinely touched, which is one reason I think everyone loves him so much (aside from his prodigious talent). He is so honestly modest, never false, and is moved by the appreciation people show for both his performance and his personality. He sat and talked with a small circle of disciples for awhile after being greeted by the more raucous partygoers, and you could tell that the people sitting in the circle with him intensely savored the experience. He doesn't construct the perception that it's a rare and lovely thing to hang out with him, that's just how it is. He has a lot of personal dignity that doesn't come from his own projection, but from how much people respect him. He's a little like his character, I think.
It was a lovely party, and Dan came eventually and got very drunk, as did Stephan (who was there from the beginning). There were lots of NPS crossover makeout sessions for the camera (and otherwise). Matt, the show's rather cute (and quite talented) guitarist, got drunk enough to ask Stephan to make out with him, and, while I didn't see it (I mostly hung out in the corner with Elliot), rumor says it was pretty intense, and Matt stopped only for his reputation and not because he wanted to. He then, in conversation slightly later, recommended the experience to Dan. I was highly amused.
I left shortly after Charlie did, since it was turning into a Spontaneous Combustion party (they are very loud) rather than a Charlie/Christmas cast party. However, before I made it to the edge of campus, Dan asked me to drive him home. So I came back for him, and had his car just outside the parking lot when Stephan called desperately wanting his keys (I'd taken them, expecting a call in the middle of the night for a ride home). So Dan agreed to let me take Stephan his keys, because apparently a boy had driven him home and needed to be let in to his apartment. Heh. I couldn't get the gate open, not having a keycard, but Stephan and his boy ran up to meet us holding hands, and thanked us breathlessly after an introduction, and left hurriedly. I heard a lot more about it last night.
I finished driving Dan home, and crashed in his pillow room, but Meghan came home in the middle of the night shepherding another ill overindulger (Nick, I think his name was) who had to purge rather loudly after being settled on a loudly-inflated air mattress (he made it to the bathroom, though). Meghan got him some water and retired, but then at 7:10am a former hotel a block away was demolished by explosives, so I came awake rather suddenly. It sounded like it would have been fun to watch, but I was sleepy.
Yesterday evening, Ben got me and Stephan tickets to Martha Argerich downtown, which was a blast. We saw Reggie's mom there, which was sobering, as I have not heard from him in months, but then the show started and everything but Prokofiev 3 was driven from my mind. As far as it could be driven, with the unbelievable roadblock sitting to the left of us.
There was this girl (we later decided to call her Paulette) who conducted the entire thing (and all the other pieces, too) with her chin, and play the piano part (and all the other parts) on her air-piano in her lap. It was the most obnoxious thing I have ever seen, and you could tell she really wanted us to ask her if she knew the piece or if she was a pianist. I switched seats with Ben to get away from her, and he commiserated with me over her craziness. But on our right was an old lady who fit exactly what Paulett might become in 60 years, bouncing in her seat and everything.
The performance, on the other hand, was breathtaking. I knew it would be. She did two encores (another obnoxious audience member covered up the subtle beginning of the first one by screaming "We love you, Martha!" as the applause quieted). The orchestra, too, was so much more alive and involved and happy than the symphony ever is. From a zillion different countries, all their prodigies and cream of the crop; that's got to be so much fun to play in. And Dutoit looks like fun to play for, too. Ben said he looked like he wanted to do the whole thing naked except for a cigarette.
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If you can survive until Thanksgiving...