We had a slower weekend this time around. Now I feel like it's been ages since I've been at work, even though it's been the same three days as always.
On Friday night, we thought about going to a concert for which a friend formed one-third of the percussion section. It was close to home and it would have been nice to support her. We also thought of going to a CD-release party for a friend who's just made his very first recording.
Instead, we attended to our own exhaustion and went out to dinner and home to bed. Boring. Necessary.
On Saturday afternoon, a friend who has picked up the trumpet of late gave her very first recital. We definitely went to that. There we were amongst fewer than 20 people listening to live music being made. I don't think I've ever before been that close to a live trumpet. I think my friend was frustrated because her playing wasn't as phenomenal as it is without an audience. But how wonderful to see her live out her passion, and how brave she was to ask a group of loving friends to watch. Very exciting.
Then in the evening, we headed into Boston for a sold-out Bernadette Peters concert. She was phenomenal. She had a 25-piece orchestra supporting her, looked fabulous, moved gracefully, and her voice -- she was made to sing. She did a handful of Broadway hits, and then moved on to mostly-Sondheim.
I should note that when I first started listening to Sondheim I didn't much like him, but I've developed a taste for his work over the years. This is a Good Thing, given that BP devoted so much of the concert to his songs. This woman makes singing Sondheim look easy and natural, something I know to not actually be the case.
At one poignant moment, she sang Not a Day Goes By, extra emotional because her own husband died four years ago (she didn't mention that in the concert) and because the same song was performed at the memorial service we attended a few weeks ago. She also sang Shenandoah, of all songs, and I thought I was going to cry. Lovely. A very generous concert and I'm so glad I convinced Robert to go with me.
We did get to spend some time outside this weekend and got work done in the yard. Things actually look better as a result. And we went for a long walk yesterday, just around town. So we're well-rested and ready to face the week with a little more energy than we had last Monday.
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2 comments:
Good review of BP's show in the Boston Globe.
That was a nice review. I loved the image of the gold medal gymnast tumbling through Sondheim's music. Thank you for the pointer.
BTW, her outfit was similar to the one pictured, but perhaps a touch sexier. I don't think I had her looks or moves when I was 20.
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