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On City Ballet
The Art Gallery as Spinning Montage – New York Times
Leaping, from left: Adrian Danchig-Waring, Joseph Gordon, Amar Ramasar and Tyler Angle. Credit Andrea Mohin/The New York Times
Readings on Figaro
- Season Opens, and the Intrigue is at Last on Stage – New York Times
- Magda Olivero, Frenzy-Inspiring Soprano, Dies at 104 – New York Times
Council removes Banksy artwork
Thought this article from the Guardian might spur some interest given our class’s topic of art and the city. After Banksy’s run last spring with art in the boroughs, we’re familiar with the public debate that often follows him.
Banksy Wanted Clacton-on-Sea to Confront Racism. Instead, It Confronted Him.
All’opera con Figaro
(Note: I’ve added a category for this opera)
Though I had to leave early, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to attend Le Nozze di Figaro–especially in such good company.
I am always struck by not only the splendor of opera, but at how often the story being told is relevant to a contemporary world. I am familiar with Beaumarchais’s plays, though I greatly prefer the operatic versions. The plays were written during a time of immense upheaval in France — the country was building towards revolution (indeed the last of the trilogy was written during the revolution that began in 1789). At this time, immense tension had built between the ruling nobility and the poor commoners. The Sun King (Louis XIV) had run the country financially into the ground and the people were starving.
Though not entirely the same, this tension between economic classes in France during the 1780s and 90s resonates for me with the current national conversation about the disappearing middle class and the increasing number of citizens living below the federal poverty level. I appreciate Mozart’s opera so much because the struggle between classes is clearly present in the tale.
I’m pleased I got to hear “Voi che sapete” during act II, and bummed I missed one of the other pieces I enjoy immensely:
I’ve already made plans to see Carmen next week with a friend. A fantastic opera if you have the chance to get affordable student tickets!
9/11 Memorial Images – Prof. Drabik
Here are two links and an image provided by Professor Drabik.
9/11–A Tribute in Lights (New York Daily News)
New York Commemorates 9/11 with Annual Tribute in Lights (The Blaze)
On Szymborska – sample post
(Here is a short reflection I have to Szymborska’s very raw poem on 9/11. Please note my use of tags as thematic markers so that you can reuse what you need and add more if there is no tag suitable already. Also note how I’ve categorized it both as “poetry” and as “week 2”)
Photograph from September 11 – Wislawa Szymborska
This poem struck me in a way that is not always possible when reading something. I can’t say whether it’s because I remember so clearly because I was your age, 18 and a 1st year college student, when 9/11 destroyed what we thought we knew about being American, or because the words are just so raw.
I instantly understand what the poet is seeing, the images of desperate people flinging themselves from the towers that flashed on the news for months and months.
What strikes me most of all about this poem is the connection she draws between the power of this writing and the photographic image: suspension. The photo froze them all above the ground, not yet dead. This resonates for me with where she stops her remembering:I can only do two things for them–Like the harrowing images from 9/11, Symborska has frozen the now-dead before death–holding on to them in a space where we we can see and remember.
describe this flight
and not add a last line.
On updating the slideshow
I’d like to propose a side project for anyone who has the time or inclination. As it stands, the slideshow on the landing page uses public images related to the arts. I think it would be more interesting if everyone in this class curated the slideshow instead of open access finds.
That said, if you find yourself out and about in the city, and something strikes you as artistic, you can send the images to me through email.
Cool video – What is art “for”
Hey everyone,
I found this video on my Facebook feed this morning, and it seems like a pretty cool view on what art is “for” in a short video. I’m not sure I totally agree with all of his thoughts, personally. What about you?
Getting Started
I’m Chris Brandon, and I am the Instructional Technology Fellow (ITF) for this seminar one class taught by Professor Drabik at City College. In this space, everyone can make a post introducing her/himself. When you make your post, it will appear here when you select the category “About Us” from the right hand “Categories” menu.
So, without further ado…
I’m a PhD candidate at the Graduate Center, and I study French literature. In fact, I study poetry. I hated poetry…until I didn’t. I’m from a big family–the oldest of six kids. I’m originally from Chicago, but I’ve lived in Minnesota, Colorado, the Navajo Reservation, New Orleans…
I’m a huge fan of sci-fi (major nerd points as if being a professional academic wasn’t enough!) and I’m toying around with writing a YA novel in my spare time. I’m excited to 
meet everyone and to learn about you. More information will be coming from me soon about how I can help you reach your goals in this seminar.
Feel free to curate your “about me” post with pictures, videos, music etc.
Here’s a song I’m enjoying today.
