By class time on Wednesday, I had only read a portion of Dostoevsky's The House of the Dead. After reading this much of the novel, I was very interested to see how the story would transfer onto stage. It was very difficult to imagine how Janacek could possibly transform this story into an opera. The performance was not at all what I had anticipated based on my prior knowledge of the opera. In class, Professor Bergman mentioned that we might find ourselves waiting for the song to start, and I caught myself doing this just a few minutes into the performance.

Writing is an art form that is very close to my heart. I am so impressed and inspired by writers who follow their passion for the written word, and advance to publish their work. Since coming to Baruch, I have attended a few readings by authors who I never knew existed, but found myself greatly appreciative for having the opportunity to hear each read after attending each event. Danzy Senna’s reading proved to be another experience I am grateful to have had. After reading a brief bio of the author, I was interested to see what she might be like and how she approaches writing.

Since my recent trips to the MoMA, I've been thinking a lot about previous class discussions regarding how "art" is defined. When I walked around the museum I saw everything from drawings to paintings to sculptures to furniture. It seems so hard to distinguish what is art and what is simply a functional accessory to everyday life. In an art class in high school we watched a video about design, and I remember listing to the teacher all the different forms of art.