Operatic Weather Changes

I should not have mentioned Indian Summer earlier. After the weekend, the temperature plunged 20 to 30 degrees, with clouds all over the sky in the morning and evenings. Good things are not meant to be mentioned. Keep and enjoy them quietly, then they will last longer. Last Saturday, it was a gorgeous night on the roof top of Billy’s place in the Financial District. Once I got on the roof top, I totally lost my sense of direction. Normally I am looking down on these buildings and I can see where the bay is. On the roof, I was buried in these buildings. Even the sunset didn’t help, because it was hard to figure out where the sun really was due to all the reflection from those building windows. After a few drinks, I stopped trying to figure out the orientation. I was having fun instead. http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf Sunday was no exception either. Normally it is foggy and chilly around this time of the year in the Golden Gate Park. Well, there was no cloud on top of our heads when I went to the "Opera in the Park" by the San Francisco Opera. In fact, I had to wear a hat so I won’t be fried by the sun after sitting there for hours. http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf I wish I had brought some food in addition to wine to the park, so I would have got a picnic like many others. Next year! Why does everything have to be on a Wednesday? I have four film screenings tonight: "Sex Drive," "Righteous Kill," "Burn After Reading," and "Archeology of Memory: Villa Grimaldi". Plus, there is a discussion "Let’s Talk about Sex" at the A&PI Wellness Center. I skipped all of them. I went to the Opera House to see a dress rehearsal of a new opera "The Bonesetter’s Daughter" directed by Chen Shi-Zheng (陈士铮,). The visual is impressive, but I was anticipating more from Chen. The music? I am not impressed. I think it’s too Western while most of the characters are Chinese. If Puccini can include a Chinese song in "Turandot," I certainly expect more Chinese music in this opera besides Chinese instruments. And, I find it’s odd that none of the characters speak (i.e. sing) in Chinese. English just sounds odd in an opera. Why? Just go to Chinatown in San Francisco, hear what language people speak. That being said, I enjoy the opera and the gigantic opera house. If somebody scares of height, he should spend big bucks to buy a ticket downstairs. Sitting upstairs, I think one can easily fall off the chair and land in the orchestra. And of course, dead. I heard the warm weather will return. Shhhh… I shouldn’t say it too loud.