THE ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY CUNY Honors College 100, Section 3 2008-12-16T00:16:00Z WordPress http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?feed=atom mtheeman <![CDATA[]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=45 2008-12-16T00:16:00Z 2008-12-16T00:16:00Z Looking forward to seeing everyone Thursday the 18th @ 6:45 at the HERE arts center.

We’ll be seeing a crazy version of Sherlock Holmes (which begins at 7:00) as our final class outing in the ARTSinNYC universe.

Please remember to bring $13.50 for the ticket!

Directions and a map: http://here.org/see/how/

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mtheeman <![CDATA[Oh, the places we may go!]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=44 2008-11-26T02:22:24Z 2008-11-26T02:22:24Z Hi everyone -

Please post your suggestions for final venue by the end of the weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

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jganley <![CDATA[Shogun Macbeth]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=42 2008-11-18T21:31:36Z 2008-11-15T23:38:41Z The most striking scene in Shogun Macbeth is the scene in which Lady Macbeth and Macbeth first talk of the plan to kill King Duncan, thus usurping the throne.  The scene was intriguing as it brilliantly illuminated the relationship between the two on stage.  In Shakespeare’s rendering Lady Macbeth has a powerful hold over her husband so much so that she can push him through cowardice and consciousness to partake in deeds for political gain.   It is understood that this strong hold that Lady Macbeth has over her husband stems from a psychosexual relationship.  Shogun Macbeth illustrates this relationship as the two engage in a long, hot, kiss that ends with Macbeth being parked atop Lady Macbeth wanting to take this act a step further.  Later in the scene, Lady Macbeth continues to gently kiss and rub her husband along his entire body.  These overtly sexual acts shocked the reserved theatre audience while also representing the true nature of the married couple’s relationship that underlies the play.

The scene is also striking, as it is the first of many times that Lady Macbeth questions her husband’s manhood, thus essentially forcing him to act beyond his own true set of morals.  At one point in the adaption while the couple is sitting side-by-side, Lady Macbeth takes the sword rapidly from her husband’s holster.  This act is alarming as it reverses gender roles and puts Lady Macbeth in a position of power and superiority over her husband.  The scene foreshadows future times when Lady Macbeth will mock her husband’s manhood and the scene is also symbolic, as she has essentially and symbolically left the natural soldier disarmed and helpless against her attacks on his morals.

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mtheeman <![CDATA[]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=41 2008-11-08T19:46:35Z 2008-11-08T19:46:35Z Hi everyone,

Doug Cuomo has been riding high.

Here’s the New York Times review of Arjuna’s dilemma:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/arts/music/07arju.html

This morning there was a long feature on the opera on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition”
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=7
scroll down to Arts and Entertainment, and click.

For our conversation on Wednesday, I’d like you to read all of the above, and prepare some really thoughtful questions, about the music, about the staging of the opera, about the story itself.

I’m sure Doug will be delighted with having people taking the work seriously.  I think we are going to dig much deeper than the NY Times review. See you on Wednesday in class at the usual time.

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mtheeman <![CDATA[The Next Few Weeks…]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=40 2008-11-18T21:33:49Z 2008-11-03T17:34:46Z As you know, Doug Cuomo is going to visit our class on November 12th.  Your homework for that week is to come up with interesting questions to ask him based on our attendance of the performance on the 5th. In the second part of that class, we will discuss excerpts from Virginia Woolf’s novel *The Waves*. 

During the week of November 12-19, I would like you to have seen, at your convenience, the performance of the adaptation of *Waves* at the Duke Theatre, 229 W. 42nd St.   Performance dates are as follows: Nov 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ,18  [i.e. no performance the 17th]. 

The theatre holds approximately 160 seats; it seems unlikely that they are going to sell out. Student “Rush” tickets are either $20 or $25; I don’t want you to have to wait in line all day. Just try going an hour before the performance; my guess (not a promise!) is you’ll get in.  I’m telling you now so you can decide which day or days you want to go, and prepare accordingly.

Then you will bring your ticket stubs to me during class on the 19th, and I will reimburse you for purchase of the tickets. This performance got great reviews in London; it should be interesting. Assuming we can pull this off, and all of you see the performance (I’ll know by the ticket stubs!) we will discuss Waves together on the 19th. 

Then we will have no class on the 26th (day before Thanksgiving). 

Your assignment between November 19-Dec 3 be to start working in earnest on your final project, which you will present a brief outline of on December 3 to the rest of the class.  (By then you will have your first papers back.)

I would like us to have one more outing together, at a venue of your choice. I’m afraid that this one will have to be out-of-pocket, unless we agree on a venue  that’s free or for which your cultural passports will get you in.

Again, see you Wednesday evening at my apartment (NOT IN CLASS)

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mtheeman <![CDATA[Arjuna’s Dilemma]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=38 2008-10-28T15:47:59Z 2008-10-28T15:47:59Z To read about Arjuna’s Dilemma upcoming at BAM:  bam-program-notes-v10

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mtheeman <![CDATA[Steve Reich]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=36 2008-10-28T15:52:28Z 2008-10-14T15:12:00Z Please post 250 words on the Reich perfomance and 75 words responding to another student’s post by Wednesday night. 

Samples of Steve Reich:

Music for 18 Musicians, section II

Eight Lines

Different Trains feat. Israel Contemporary String Quartet

Four Organs, partial, South Bank Show - start at 1:00

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mtheeman <![CDATA[OPERA]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=35 2008-10-09T02:19:27Z 2008-10-09T02:19:27Z Don’t forget!

Lincoln Center in front of the fountain next Tuesday evening at 7:45 for the opera. Please be prompt.

Don Giovanni concerns the exploits of “opera’s most famous lover”–AKA “Don Juan.” It is a very entertaining, crowd-pleasing opera, with lots of pageantry. I am sure you will recognize a few of the arias and duets even if, like me, you are not exactly an opera buff.  There are two acts, each consisting of several movements. Between the movements there is an intermission. The opera will last 3 1/2 hours, so pace yourselves accordingly!

It is nice to get dressed up. It is imperative to leave your cell phones off. If I catch you texting, the consequences will be severe! (I concur!, says Meredith). Seriously, I am sure it will be a memorable experience.

I expect that we will have a visit by opera aficionado (and tv-writer and playwright and novelist) Damian Lanigan, who will guide the discussion in-class.

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mtheeman <![CDATA[Fall for Dance]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=33 2008-09-23T17:12:33Z 2008-09-23T17:12:33Z Please add your commentary on the Fall for Dance performances.

Go to Fall for Dance Festival if you need information.

The Gentlemen of Hälau Nä Kamalei

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mtheeman <![CDATA[Visit to Waterfalls & Louise Bourgeois]]> http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/israel08/?p=30 2008-09-19T14:33:24Z 2008-09-19T14:33:24Z Please add your 250 word commentary on Eliasson’s The New York City Waterfalls sponsored by the Public Art Fund or the Louise Bourgeois exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum.

 

 

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