Walking to the Met was a bit confusing at first- it was my first time there, and google maps had decided to lead me behind the opera house to the parking garage. However, once I got there, I was astounded. The entire complex reminded me of the Greek pavilions, and I felt like I was walking among the temples of the gods. The Met on the outside was visually stunning, but inside was somehow even more grand. It was difficult to feel intimidated by the wealth and all the fancy people with suits and dresses; instead, I was overcome with a sense of awe and wonderment at the splendor of the place. 
While waiting for our ticket problem to be resolved, I was reading an advertisement near the ticket booth. It was an ad for an Egyptian opera, and one critic had said something to the effect of, “with all the grandeur, the costumes and sets, it feels as though you are really in ancient Egypt.” I wondered if I would experience this over the top, immersive feeling from Carmen. Good thing it did not disappoint.
Going into the show, I had a feeling that I would hate it-I would fall asleep and not understand anything. I thought that those three hours would be the longest of my life. Instead, I found myself completely into the performance, and by the second half I was captivated by the music,singing and acting. I was amazed that someone could sing so loud, for so long at such a high pitched voice, and I have newfound respect for my high school music teacher who was once an opera singer. The themes were all very catchy-I still can’t get the theme of Carmen and the toreador out of my head.
Although I enjoyed all the acts, my favorite by far was the finale. In the opening, where the opera’s main theme is welcoming the entrance of the toreador, the sheer number of people on stage, the joyous theme of the music and all the festivities evoked a sense of grandeur. It really made me feel as though I was in Southern Spain, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the toreador. Throughout the scene between Carmen and the soldier, I loved the use of the toreador’s theme in the background. It was a clever way to show that the scene was happening during another event instead of just a scene following another scene. The mirroring of the deaths of the bull and Carmen was really cool as well.
All in all, Carmen was a completely unique, enjoyable experience with a bunch of “firsts” for me. It was my first time to the opera. It was the first time I’ve gotten to see the orchestra pit up close during intermission. It was the first time that I’ve seen people eat courses of dinner during intermission. I’m glad I was able to have the opportunity to go to the opera, something that I probably would’ve never done on my own
. 
I am finally able to say, I have experienced a Picasso!
It was indeed a powerful experience to observe his paintings and drawings in the PACE gallery today on 57th street.
Picasso was born in the year 1881 in Spain, though he had spent most of his career as an artist in France. He is known for the development of analytic and synthetic cubism as well as surrealism- types of art that have ever since remained highly influential and appreciated all around the world.
In this particular exhibition, Picasso features his second wife Jacqueline as a beautiful, almost immortal figure. Jacqueline had accompanied Picasso for longer than any other woman had, and she’d been his artistic muse during the critical time before his death.
As I was looking at the various paintings in the gallery, I realized that many of them looked so simplistic yet so complex once you got a better, closer look. Picasso used many different variations of Jacqueline, painting her in different positions and colors, using cubism elements, or simply painting her portraits. Yet in spite of all these variations, it was possible to feel that she was greatly admired and loved by him through his art.
On one of the walls in the galleries I noticed a quote by Helene Parmelin that perfectly describes Jacqueline’s impact on this exhibition: “Jacqueline has, to an unimaginable degree, the gift of becoming painting… She unfolds to infinity. She invades everything, becomes everybody.” Undoubtedly, this is exactly what Picasso had intended to do: make Jacqueline become everything and everybody.
A particular set of paintings that I thought was interesting is called “Jacqueline With Multicolored Straw Hat”. This set consisted of 6 paintings of Jacqueline, each labeled by Picasso as an individual stage. Though all six are practically the same, the only difference among them is the color. This made me curious to know how was Picasso able to replicate the paintings 6 times, making them all look so similar to each other, almost as if he took a photograph of it and simply reprinted it in different colors. I found it astonishing that the details of each panting were so much alike. Perhaps, the variation of the colors (which were going from light to dark) was meant to represent the stages of life, the first being the lightest and last being the darkest, almost as if it was meant to represent life, death, and the stages in between.
Below is one of the paintings of Jacqueline With Multicolored Straw Hat:
“Jacqueline With Multicolored Straw Hat” (Picasso; January 17, 1962)
I certainly enjoyed visiting the PACE gallery today, and I feel proud to be able to say that I have finally really seen a Picasso.
“Reclining Woman on a Blue Divan” (Picasso; April 20th, 1966; Oil on Canvas)
“Reclining Nude & Man with Mask” (Picasso; September 5 1964; graphite on paper)
Today’s trip to the Pace Gallery provided an interesting, new experience. Walking in, I was already struck by the luxury; the golden lobby, the elevator man, and the customers suited up.
Although I was not allowed to take photos, three works of art resonated with me, as they chronicled Picasso’s later life.
Jacqueline in Turkish Costume, 1955:
This painting was only 2 years after Picasso met Jacqueline. Picasso was still expressing his younger exuberance, and energetic art through bright colors such as the yellow, red, blue. This was an example of Picasso expressing the beauty he saw in Jacqueline. Through his use of these vibrant colors, Picasso was communicating his love and affection toward her.
As Picasso was nearing death later on in his life, he realized that things will not be the same in the future for the both of them, and he began to express much more somber, serious, and gloomy portraits of Jacqueline. The “Jacqueline With a Headband I” painting got my attention as it expressed these very somber feelings that Picasso and Jacqueline were beginning to feel. Unlike his earlier paintings which were much more vivacious, this portrait was a dark, gloomy portrait of Jacqueline. Dark colors such as black and brown dominate the portrait, and a seemingly serious and worried look on Jacqueline’s face is portrayed. This is just one of many darker and more serious portraits that Picasso does of Jacqueline. When he began creating these somber portraits, it marked a stark contrast to his earlier more energetic, colorful, and sexual portraits.
Lastly, the “Face of a Woman” portrait, 1962 got my attention as well. At first glance, I thought it was a rather simple work as it was simply colored pencil that outlined her face. I realized however that this portrait looked similar to the “non-linear” work that we saw in class! This portrait differs from many of his other ones in that he doesn’t portray to us Jacqueline’s physical beauties. Instead what we see is a tall, narrow, expressionless face.
Overall, I’m extremely happy I got the chance to visit the Pace Gallery and learning more about one of the most influential artists in our history!
Last weekend I visited the National Museum of the American Indian.
As I was walking around, I noticed many different sculptures and artifacts that represent the history and culture of Indian tribes. However, one particular piece that was appealing to me was this sculpture of the maize goddess, known as Mexica Chicomecoatl, which also means “seven snakes”. I found it interesting that a female figure was given such great significance. Once I approached it and took a closer look, I noted that this sculpture was standing upright, and the goddess seemed to have a very determined, confident expression. I was really amazed at how clearly the features were depicted, given that this sculpture was made at the period between AD 1325–1521.
Noting that the goddess is holding two ears of corn in each hand led me to think that corn must have been a very important crop among the people who worshipped the goddess. I later learned that this female spirit of corn was one of the most respected deities among the farmers of Central Mexico. Many similar carved sculptures of her were produced, and while some of them were used for family worship in rural communities, others, such as this one, were placed in a temple.
It is truly captivating to see how such a beautiful piece of art was created as a result of spiritual beliefs. The fact that the sculpture is made out of stone makes it appear strong and firm as opposed to delicate and vulnerable. It was quite impressive to look at this complex sculpture and all its tiny details while knowing that it was made so many centuries ago. This single piece of art in fact unravels a great history of creative people who were able to portray important themes in the form of art, which we are lucky enough to be exposed to today.
Bebo Valdes, a pioneer in Cuban music and important individual in the spread of Latin jazz across the United States, passed away a year ago on March 22. His influence on jazz however was quite strange, given the limited amount of times he even went to America. The spread of his influence shows how the power of popular producers and record labels can allow for the spread of one’s music. The reality is that you do not have to be popular amongst everyone to be influential. You simply have to be popular amongst everyone who goes on to become popular to become influential.
A clear example of Bebo spreading his influence during his limited trips to the United States came in 1950, when he had a couple of recording sessions with Nat King Cole. By the 1950’s, Cole was one of the most popular jazz musicians in the United States and was the leader and pianist of an extremely large jazz band. The interaction between this two great musicians perhaps was an important, but perhaps unnoticed event in jazz history and could have played a role in spreading the Cuban and Latin jazz that Bebo was responsible of making.
Going to the National Jazz Museum allowed for a pretty unique experience not just because it exposed me to jazz, a genre of music I do not actively seek out often, but also because it made more aware of the great but perhaps relatively little known musicians in jazz history, such as Charlie Parker or of course Bebo Valdes. After all, not everyone can be as well known or entrenched in pop music in Miles Davis. There needs to be pillars to music, a backbone that drives and pushes music forward. It was clear after our trip the museum that Bebo was definitely responsible for being one of the pillars of the house of jazz music and his influence can still be felt in music, whether it be Latin jazz or Cuban music.
My first experience at the opera to watch Carmen was very different from what I expected. I thought I would be falling asleep by the second act, but instead, I found myself fascinated by this new experience and ended up enjoying it.
First of all, the set was gorgeous. I was surprised by how large and realistic it was. The two walls formed a circular arena that conveniently turned to reveal different settings. It acted as the barracks for the soldiers, cigarette factory, the mountain hideout, and more. What also caught my eye were the costumes. While some were plain like the Gypsies’ factory dresses and some were elaborate like the toreadors’ outfits, their costumes clearly represented each of their roles.
Next, I loved the musical pieces. I observed the conductor as he guided the orchestra to produce the sound we all heard. I think it’s interesting how he is able to unify all the instruments to work together cueing in different instruments at different times while also communicating the dynamics, beat and tempo. Every scene was paired with a piece that sets the mood preparing the audience for a gloomy or lively event. And because of the preparation before the opera, I listened for the musical themes played for each character. I loved the cast was able to show their passion and emotions through their voices and actions. Although we learned beforehand that opera singers are trained to project their voices well, I was still surprised by how loud they were able to be. It was amazing how their voices could be so rich and strong.
In addition to music, I also noticed the use of the lighting that helped set the setting and the mood. During the scene when Don Jose meets Escamillo at the mountain hideout, it was slightly dark with blue lighting, giving off a cold and gloomy vibe. But during the entrance of the toreadors outside the bullring, the lighting was bright and celebratory.
I am glad we prepared for it beforehand, so I would know what I was watching and what I should watch for. I really enjoyed my first experience watching an opera and I am definitely interested in going back in the future for more!
Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had a love for performance productions whether it’d be on the streets or a show on Broadway. However, I never had the opportunity to watch an opera and so I had great expectations for the production of Carmen. I wasn’t sure what to expect but as soon as I laid eyes on the beautiful building of the Lincoln Center and attire of the people there, I got the sense that this was a lot more sophisticated than the shows that I have seen before.
As I took my seat, I noticed that the curtain was filled black with one striking red line running up it. Thankfully, because of the research we did prior to the show, I was able to understand that the red line exemplified Carmen herself. Red, the color of sexuality and desire, represents Carmen’s promiscuity.
The setting of the stage was absolutely stunning. The two brick walls that had to be at least two stories high broke apart and aligned with ease and smoothness. The costumes worn by the performers were beautiful as well, even the ones worn by the lower class. I really liked how the costumes easily defined the social status of every character. The cigarette factory workers wore duller colors whereas the high standing characters, more specifically, Escamillio, wore bright colors with expensive accessories like fur and feather.
Music played a huge role throughout the entire opera, well, obviously. The way in which soprano and tenor were assigned to Carmen and Don Jose, respectively, musically illustrated their relationship has woman and man. The soprano part that was sung by Micaela showed competition between her and Carmen as women who both desired Don Jose’s love. My favorite part musically was how they utilized the flute to represent delicateness and femininity of Mercedes and Frasquita.
I thoroughly enjoyed Bizet’s production of Carmen and I’m glad that this was my first experience watching an opera.
I am belatedly posting my poem that I had written on the day we met Mr. Saeed Jones. Mr. Jones’s encouragement along with hearing the poet himself inspired me to create my own poem. My poem, “The Shoe”, similarly follows the format of “The Blue Dress” by Saeed Jones.
a shoe is art,
is a shield
is an expression of individuality
is a gateway to adventure and shares all experiences that would be unattainable without them,
is a collectors item,
is a riot producer,
is a brainwasher,
is a murder-causer,
with its absence life wouldn’t be the same
Lines 6, 7, and 8 are similar in a sense that they have to do with the sneaker-head culture. I chose the words “riot producer”, “brainwasher” and “murder-causer” because in the past, people used to gather outside a shoe store starting the day before a release in order to get the chance to secure a pair. These gatherings would turn into riots due to people cutting other people and also the hype that is built around a shoe- similar to a door opening on Black Friday. This hype surrounding the shoes brainwash people into spending ridiculous amounts of money on them and cause them to waste their day away waiting on line. Specifically, the powerful word “murder” was used because on several accounts, people all over the world have been killed over the shoes on their feet. Usually in robberies people have died trying not to give in their prized possessions. This is not just a new thing that is happening. In 1989, Michael Thomas was found “strangled in the woods near his school by seventeen-year-old James David Martin”. Another example of similar occurrence is seen in December of 2012, when twenty-two year old Joshua Woods was shot and killed by three men in an attempted robbery. Shoes are not just the things that you wear everyday on your feet to get around, but they have formed a culture and can also be sold for profit. Wherever there is money involved, there is danger.
As a person who grew up in the 21st Century surrounded by vast media entertainment such as cable television and the internet, I had never seen an opera before and I believed them to be boring. As a result, when I walked into the Metropolitan Opera, went up the spiral, red stairs, through the narrow halls, and sat down in my seat to watch Act 1 of Carmen, I was not expecting much. Three and a half hours later, I clapped for three minutes straight.
The best aspect of Carmen was the music. It told the story; it expressed anger; it signaled the entrance of a character; it expressed innocence. The music of Carmen established the tone for every scene and revealed every message to the point where all a person needed was good hearing to understand everything. I watched the majority of Act 1 without my translating monitor turned on (I did not realize what all those rectangular things were). However, I was still able to understand and feel the emotions of the characters because of the orchestra and the music they played.
The r
ole of the orchestra’s music in Carmen revealed to me that the nature of a opera’s success is a duality. Success depends as much on the actors on the stage performing with all the passion in their bodies as the conductor, the violinists, the flutists and the rest of the orchestra playing their instruments in harmony to define the tone of a scene through their music.
Overall, I do not regret the three and a half hours I used Tuesday night to watch Carmen. Rather, I was delightfully surprised with how enjoyable the experience was. Before the event, all I had on my mind was stress, thoughts about presentations and tests coming up soon and how I could be using my time then to prepare and study. However, once I sat down, all those feelings were gone and the only thing in my mind was how good Carmen was. I hope I can go see another opera one day.
Is A New You Is A New Me
is a boat is a train is a train wreck is a hospital bed is a comforter is a pillow is a deathbed is a sentence is a widow is a heartbreak is a smashed window is a car is a text message is a “hey” is a greeting is a farewell is a departure is a plane ride is a shuttle is a fare is a farewell is a get well is a get well soon is a congratulations is a celebration is a gathering is a birthday is a new day is a new test is a new passion is a new drive is a new feel is a new you
is a new life is a cool day is a fresh air is a new lung is a no smoking is a new perspective is a competition is a win is a loss is a regret is a doubt is a joy is a carefree outlook is an email is an opportunity is a cookie is a bake sale is a dollar is a bill is a declaration is a rule is a law is a restriction is a limit is a promise is a best friend is a connection is a bond is an unbreakable undefinable invincible new me
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I really enjoyed listening to Saeed Jones, and writing our own poems. His format of “is a ___” is a really simple concept that when repeated, creates a powerful emphasis on each word. The repetition reminded me of a winding pattern which led me to create this “circle poem”. The poem begins going outward ending with “new you”, and then continues going inward ending with “new me”.
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