Posts from — November 2008

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            The Metropolitan Opera House was quite a scene on the evening of October 30^th, as anxious spectators swarmed the entrance to the showing of Doctor Atomic.
            Walking into the majestic opera house is an experience within itself. As we were ushered to our seats, the opera house’s monumentality was overwhelming. Professor Bernstein accompanied us as we glided down the aisle overlooking the orchestra. Suspended above us were the iconic Swarovski crystal chandeliers that decorated the ceiling like constellations in the abyss of the night sky. With the lights dimming, our eyes were fixated on the image of the periodic table of elements encompassing the grandiose stage. A wise opening choice as we learn the story of the development of the first atomic bomb, the Manhattan Project. [Read more →]

            On October 21^st, acclaimed author and the current Sidney Harman Writer-In-Residence, Francine Prose came to Baruch College and shared a reading of one of her short stories, “Hansel and Gretel.” Although we expected to hear an excerpt from her newest novel Goldengrove, Prose wanted to read something different, after all there’s “only so much you can read on a book tour.” Afterwards there was a Q&A where Prose provided great insight into her personality and style of writing.
            In her book Reading Like a Writer, a New York Times best seller, Francine Prose writes that “a workshop can be useful, a good teacher can show you how to edit your work…but writers learn by reading the work of their predecessors” (2). Her extensive knowledge and understanding of effective language is clear as she devotes each chapter to a specific aspect of writing, “Chapter 1: Close Reading, Chapter Two: Words…” The very skills she wrote about were apparent in her descriptive and unique characters, as we learned about Lucia who “doesn’t believe in seatbelts – [a] fascist plot,” Polly’s “strange, blond, handsome” husband, Nelson, and Lucia’s gorgeous yet “doomed” daughter, Marianna.

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“Waltz with Bashir” was definitely out of the ordinary and separated itself from the usual documentary. Although a bit unusual, the animated documentary, directed by Ari Folman, was unique in that it was a surreal depiction of the guilt, death and shock of war – to the soldiers and of what really happened.

“Waltz with Bashir” is based on a true story of Folman’s life and experiences in the Lebanon War in 1982, a time of violence and conflict when Israel forces invaded southern Lebanon. At a bar, he meets a friend who tells him of the persistent nightmare that comes back to haunt him everyday – an image of 26 menacing dogs. Ari realizes that he does not remember anything during his service in the Israeli Army mission and decides to travel around the world to find the missing pieces of his life and relive his memory. [Read more →]

Everybody has, at least once, skimmed books or passages for plot, whether it was a school reading assignment or choosing a book to read. However, we never actually read between the lines, scrutinizing each and every word. In her book Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and For Those Who Want to Write Them (2006), Francine Prose provides the handy guidebook to writing and reading because ultimately, “reading morphs into writing.” She uses passages as examples from the masters of classic novels and analyzes them, showing readers the different techniques of “good writing”. [Read more →]

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            There is nothing striking about her appearance. She is a woman of modest stature with black shoulder-length hair and dark brown eyes. Yet the greatness of her spirit is apparent before she even says a single word. It has been this spectacular spirit that has propelled her to become one of the leading writers of our time – having published over 20 books of fiction, nonfiction, and short stories. The spirit of Francine Prose is full of freedom, exploration, and an admiration for the never-ending surprises of everyday life. [Read more →]

www.waltzwithbashir.com

             Memory is a tricky thing. Not all the events that happen in our lives are retained in our memory. Those that manage to grad hold are vulnerable to manipulation, especially to the point where the memory no longer resembles the original. Then, there is the peculiar case of lost memories – events that we chose to forget, whether consciously or unconsciously, due to fear that we might discover something faulty within ourselves. Waltz with Bashir, a compelling film by Israeli director Ari Folman, explores the subject of memory and the complex journey of trying to remember. [Read more →]

www.inconflicttheplay.com

             An American flag on one side and a map of Iraq on the other – three large tablets occupy the middle of the stage. Each tablet depicting a different portion of the image and spinning independently of the others – forcefully turned by the troubled characters, whose lives have spun just as much as those three central tablets. “In Conflict”, a new production by Douglas C. Wager, chronicles the individual stories of the magnificent characters that constitute the diverse group of Iraqi war veterans upon whom the play centers. [Read more →]

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Opera is one of the oldest and most respected forms of entertainment. However, I have never seen an opera show before attending the Metropolitan Opera with my class a few weeks ago. Prior to this year, the thought of going to see an opera has never crossed my mind. I do not think my parents have been to opera performances, so I did not really know much about them. All I had heard about operas was the typical stereotype of the fat woman who cracks a glass with her shrill voice. Even though I was never that interested in opera, I was kind of curious to see what it is really like.

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http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/theater/reviews/25conf.html

           Based on the book by Yvonne Latty, In Conflict, presented on September 25, 2008 at the Barrow Street Theater, recounts the story of war veterans who served in Iraq.

           Unlike other documentaries based on war veterans’ experiences, In Conflict neither preaches anti-war, nor advocates being a war hawk. Instead, Latty includes the stories of all types of veterans: amputee, single, gay, female, AWOL, married, middle-aged, black, straight, doctor, war monger. When asked about her selection of veterans, Latty explained how she strived to create a balance, and refrained from modifying the interviewee’s words when writing her book. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the play is its ability to connect with the audience. We hear the raw, ugly, painful, and sometimes nauseating words and experiences of real soldiers. While veterans like Ty Simmons “bleed red, white, and blue,” others like Darryl Anderson “went AWOL and moved to Canada.” Regardless of the story we are envisioning, and despite the comic-relief and hints of sarcasm, In Conflict displays the vivid, shocking, and unnerving stories of Iraq War veterans.

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http://www.siouxwire.com/2008/05/ari-folmans-waltz-with-bashir.html

             Shown on October 2, 2008 at the 46th Annual New York Film Festival, Waltz with Bashir directed by Ari Folman tells the story of an Israeli war veteran as he struggles to recount his memories and experiences during the 1982 Lebanon War. His failure to recollect his entire experience turns into an obsession. Through his travels and discussions with former friends, psychologists, reporters, and comrades, the narrator attempts to piece together his broken memories during his time as a soldier.

             Despite the use of this unconventional medium, animation, director Ari Folman succeeds in depicting the story in which veterans of any war can relate to: Lebanese, Vietnam, or Iraq War. However, it doesn’t take any military experience or knowledge to be entranced with Folman’s autobiographical story. [Read more →]