Ginger and Rosa

I was a little disappointed in Ginger and Rosa. I had read this review in the Times and was very much looking forward to it. Also, I thought Elle Fanning was amazing in Phoebe in Wonderland, and was excited to see her in something else.

The movie is about two teenagers in 1962 who have been friends since the day were born in the shadow of Hiroshima in 1945. Their friendship is supposed to be deep and special, but I didn't really get a sense of their bond. It seemed to be sort of superficially drawn. Rosa's father left her mother when she was a little girl, and Ginger (Elle Fanning) has artistic and narcissistic parents. The drama centers on an intense betrayal, that I can't give away. This aspect of the film I thought was well done. I was uncomfortable and horrified, and my heart went out to Ginger.

What irked me was the editing. I enjoyed watching the actors; I enjoyed the early 60s London setting; I was interested in watching characters unfold. But scenes ended so abruptly, leaving me feel stranded. This was done to quite frustrating effect in the final scene.

I thought Elle Fanning did a great job and has a wonderful emotional range (I was surprised to learn that she was only 13 when this was filmed). Her quiet, thoughtful acting was painful at times, and when she finally breaks down I felt tremendous compassion for her character.

Die Walkure

I saw Die Walkure at the Met this afternoon. And guess what? I loved it. The music was romantic and stirring and exciting. The plot involved a lot of pride and defiance and over-the-top emotions. The production featured moving planks with projections on them that I found to be very effective. They created an austere and dark atmosphere. The most beautiful was the wintery forest.

I had been intimidated by the prospect of this five hour German opera, but I found it incredibly enjoyable. And in spite of the grim emotional content, I felt uplifted by the experience.

The performer singing Siegmund was replaced by an understudy. Martina Serafin had her Met debut as Sieglinde, and did a beautiful job. Brunhilde was sung by Deborah Voigt. Stephanie Blythe was a stupendous Fricka, and Mark Delavan sang Wotan.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company

Last night I saw the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company perform at the Joyce. I have always loved this company, since I first saw them at the SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center in the early 90s. I have also seen them perform at Celebrate Brooklyn! and at the Metropolitan Museum performance space.

Last night's dances were beautiful, eclectic, and dynamic. One of the dances, Continuous Replay, featured naked performers, and was performed in a jarring, rhythmic manner that was fascinating but uncomfortable. The music for all three dances was beautiful, and the choreography complex.

(The image pictured here is from another performance).

Writing about an earlier performance this year, The New York Times stated:

"Moment by moment the Jones/Zane choreography knows how to grab your attention. Pronounced contrasts of dynamics, space, direction and scale proliferate. Attention seeking, indeed, is very close to the heart of the Jones/Zane endeavor; the choreography is intensely audience-focused and frequently on the cusp of knowing cuteness, even at its most serious. Although viewers may find that the mind wanders, the eye doesn’t.

“Continuous Replay,” occurring on both programs and featuring different guest artists on Friday and Saturday, is a thorough primer in Jones/Zane style: sharp versus flowing, large versus small, straight versus angled. Though the dancers advance through space in straight lines by means of metric footwork, the main emphasis is on the upper body. Turns of the head to the audience have special emphasis, and in the most memorable gesture, dancers turn their faces to the front to deliver a double hiss (almost a “hee-hee” sound) through gritted teeth."

The Human Stain

There's a lot that I appreciated in Philip Roth's The Human Stain. Moments of wonderfully competent and masterful writing, and the critique of cultural self-righteousness. And, the story was fairly interesting. I also could appreciate the academic setting and that aspect of the plot.

However, I wasn't particularly grabbed or moved by the novel. I felt like I was just kind of reading it to read it (I was reading it on plane rides). It just didn't captivate me, in spite of it's considerable strengths. Also, I thought two characters, Delphine Roux and Les Farley, were badly drawn. More like caricatures or writing exercises, very two dimensional.

Gorillaz Demon Days Live at the Manchester Opera House

The other night at my friend's house in London I watched a DVD of the band Gorillaz' concert, Demon Days Live at the Manchester Opera House.

It was incredible! The music was kind of trip-hoppy and featured many special guests. The band played in silhouette and graphics were projected on a screen above them. The music was incredibly dynamic and exciting. It must have been incredible, over the top live.

Tower of London

On Wednesday we visited the Tower of London. This impressive, ancient, awe-inspiring structure was very cool to be in and walk around. However, it was also a bit of a tourist trap. Very crowded. The biggest disappointment was the crowned jewels. The lines were incredibly long, and when you get in there isn't much to see. Plus, you're hurried through and don't have time to take much in.

Gaity is the Most Outstanding Feature of the Soviet Union

 At the Saatchi Gallery I explored a fascinating exhibition of art from the Soviet Union, titled Gaity is the Most Outstanding Feature of the Soviet Union. Many of the works were grim and difficult. I was particularly struck by a series of photographs depicting people on window ledges. The perspective of these large scale images gave me vertigo, and the scenes were desolate and disturbing. Most disturbing of all were a vast series of portraits by Boris Mikhailov which focused on sad subjects, many with physical deformities that I found very upsetting. In fact, I couldn't look at all these works.

The bright, colorful palette of Dasha Shishkin's drawings drew me in to the also somewhat disturbing content featuring grotesque figures, depicting greed, excess, and decrepitude. I really liked them!

There were many other intriguing and unsettling works, and all in all I thought this was a very provocative and important exhibition.