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Oh Anonymous, how right you were.

My opera buddies and I were at Rigoletto last night. During the second intermission, we made jokes that "Rigoletto? Sounds like a pasta!"

Shortly after the second intermission, the "Leggos Authentico" theme started up and we... well, we'd have rolled around laughing, but uncultured as we might be, we do have some manners, so we settled for exchanging significant glances.

Other highlights of the night:

* The leads concentrated on their job, doing a good job of singing, rather than frippery such as "draw(ing) on more contemporary and exciting sources". As a result, we enjoyed some jolly good quality singing, with cheap ripoffs of other people's characters
* The stage was more versatile than a two-dollar hooker. It was a lovely rotating number, allowing the stage to instantly transform from Rigoletto's tiny dressing room to the Grand Ballroom, then to the street outside, and Rigoletto's house.
* Did I mention that all the leads could sing? It was very nice.
* Harley ducked when I threw a malteser at him, causing me to hit the woman sitting next to him.
* Hearing the most frank admission that "I just go to be appreciated, I don't go to play tennis" that I've ever heard.
* Debating whether "Singles match" or "Totem tenis" was a more chaste analogy

Just saw Varekai. Mixed feelings about it. There was much less storyline than I was expecting - but that's a good thing. I'd been expecting some kind of interpretive-dance story; the kind of thing that's far too abstract for me to enjoy. However, it turns out that the storyline is little more than a way to loosely weave together a whole bunch of acts, so it was quite accessible. In the main, it turns out to just be a bunch of circus acts, many involving acrobatics and/or trapeze.

On the whole, it was very good. However, it was almost a bit *too* good; some of the feats performed were superhuman, but the performers made it look too easy - they almost took away my appreciation of a difficult act by forgetting to remind me it was difficult. On the whole, it was a much more polished performance than I'm used to, but to the point where it almost felt artificial.

I did enjoy myself though.

In other news, I got my catalogue of next year's Opera Australia program today. In the past, I've taken out a youth subscription for the years 02, 04, and 06, and it looks like I'll be continuing the pattern - there's just nothing in next year's youth subscription that I want to see.

On the other hand, they are putting on some shows that I do want to see: notably, the Carmina Burana and Sweeney Todd.

My current plan is to get tickets to those two, then investigate local theatre companies to pad out the rest of my year.

And now, to bed. gnight!

PS: If you want to come to any of the above with me, let me know ASAP as I'll be booking tickets within the next month. If you have other suggestions, please let me know. Perhaps I'll actually see some amateur musicals this year.... I've got enough friends in amateur dramatic societies who are always on stage...

I'm planning to do the Spit Bridge to Manly Scenic Walkway on Saturday week (the 25th Feb). All are welcome.

Details are on my site - please let me know if you'd like to come.

So tonight I went out with some friends. Lets call them A, B, and C. Actual identities are irrelevant, except to say that B is an ex-shag, and C is from Brisbane and recently broke up with his boyfriend of many years, D.

A was meeting up with a boi he'd shagged last night, E. We of course all tagged along, and ended up in stonewall together.

Later in the night, I saw someone I've known (distantly) for quite a while, F. Shortly after, I saw F speak to E - slightly amusing, but not a huge surprise as F is quite the social butterfly.

Shortly afterwards again, I saw G walk in. G is someone that I've met before who's well-known to B. G stopped by the door and chatted briefly to F, then wandered over and said hi to B.

While this was going on, I didn't notice, but F had slipped away. C, in the meantime, had gone missing, so I had to look for him. Eventually, I found him talking to F. It transpires that C knew F many years ago, and C is friends with D. F alerted C to the fact that D was in town, and likely to be in Stonewall at some point..

Thus did F become the central character of my night: he knows one friend's ex, another friend's ex's friend, and the third friend's recent shag.

I later saw pictures of C's ex. and realised that he looked a lot like F's ex's ex.

Even worse, I realised that F's ex's ex is also the ex of my second-most recent shag.

I'm going to bed now.. figuring out all those connections hurt my brain. G'night!

Saw PaP tonight.

Was moderately impressed with Keira K. Was less than impressed by the Dame - she's such a better actress than that, why was she wasting her time with that trivial role? (Side note -see Iris. Is fantastic).

Probably the most impressive character though was Mr Bennet; if only because he was so invariant throughout the whole proceeding.

My summary: I get the impression that the book had rather a lot of material that has been skimped, skipped, and completely elided; this is probably okay if you've read the book, seen the TV adaptation, or any of the previous movies (I know there was at least one, I suspect there were more) or even read a plot summary. However, I'd done none of these.

The net effect was that the storyline would move along at quite a sedate pace, then rapidly skip forward so fast that I was left wondering what had happened - then meander along sedately again for a while.

I was very dissapointed at the end. Boy meets girl; Boy loses girl over some trifling misunderstandings; Girl explains to boy in detail what he did wrong; Boy methodically sets about ameliorating his wrongs; Girl falls head over heels in love. *yawn*. I thought someone said Jane Austen was a wonderful, delicate writer who wrote intricate novels about human relationships? Hrmm...

There were, in fact, 5 relationships between 5 humans that did intrigue me throughout the movie.

Firstly, there was the relationship between myself and the boy who was seeing the movie with me. This relationship is intriguing because it's arisen in a manner different to any relationship I've had before; and also because I don't yet know where it will lead - or even where I want it to lead.

Secondly, there were the 4 relationships between the three gentlemen in front of me. All seemed very affectionate and close with all.. but after the movie, after a brief group huggy-kissy session in front of the cinema, the three went their seperate ways.

Also intriguing are a few other relationships that have sprung into being lately; yet another chef, one with a northerner, and.. well, I've already mentioned the other.

I'm still trying to figure out how to balance work, maintaining existing relationships, exploring new relationships, and maintaining a healthy bank balance. this is something that is surely only going to get easier over the next few months - in fact, my calculations show that around April next year it should get dramatically easier. I'm looking forward to it immensely.

While I'm here and rambling, I may as well mention that it appears that my living arrangements will be changing around mid next year. My current flatmate will at that time be travelling overseas for siz months or so. I've not yet decided if I wish to remain where I am (but, obviously, in the master bedroom) and sublet the second bedroom, or if I wish to move elsewhere. I'm very open to suggestions..

mrmm... and I want to get some pet rats, too. I miss my old rats, they were wonderful.

Lastly, I've finished Knife of Daggers. Stay tuned for a mini-review shortly.