History
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Another Croissant with rolled vegetables (commonly known as cigars) — celebrating the National Croissant Day / January 30th
There’s something mysterious– even alchemical— about the qualities that have to come together to yield the ideal croissant. It needs to be buttery and tender, but never mushy or overly moist. It requires a delicate flakiness-to-slight-chewiness ratio, and the layers of all-butter puff pastry should be well differentiated, without falling apart into a crumby mess…
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The Life You Give: George Balanchine *1904
George Balanchine, born Georgy Melitonovich Balanchivadze on January 22 [January 9, Old Style], 1904, in St. Petersburg, Russia, was the most influential choreographer of classical ballet in the United States in the 20th century. His works, characterized by a cool neoclassicism, include The Nutcracker (1954) and Don Quixote (1965), both pieces choreographed for the New…
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The Chorus
In drama and music, the chorus refers to those who perform vocally in a group as opposed to those who perform singly. The chorus in Classical Greek drama was a group of actors who described and commented upon the main action of a play with song, dance, and recitation. Greek tragedy had its beginnings in…
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“The Idol of My Youth” (Zappa on Varèse)
Edgard Varèse: The Idol of My YouthBy Frank ZappaStereo Review, June, 1971 I have been asked to write about Edgard Varèse. I am in no way qualified to. I can’t even pronounce his name right. The only reason I have agreed to is because I love his music very much, and if by some chance…
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The Life You Give: Nostradamus *1503
Nostradamus (Michel de Notredame, born December 14, 1503, Saint-Rémy, France, was an astrologer and physician, and the most widely read seer of the Renaissance. Nostradamus began his medical practice in Agen, sometime in the 1530s, despite not only never having taken a medical degree but also apparently having been expelled from medical school. In 1544…
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Prince Igor, opera by Alexander Borodin
Composed and written by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887), adapted from the ancient Russian epic The Lady of Igor’s Host, the opera was completed posthumously by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov, and premiered on November 4 1890, at the Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg. Join us today — November 4th — in celebration, listening to the complete work…
Sila Blume 