l’amour des trois oranges (13. 041)

Premiering on this day in 1921 Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre, Sergei Prokofiev’s satirical French-language opera (Любовь к трём апельсинам, The Love for Three Oranges, based on an seventeenth century Italian fairy tale of the same name) resulted from a commission after his first series of performances in the United States were well received by audiences. Reception to his avant-garde works (see previously here, here and here)by Americans may strike as a bit unlikely and whilst initial criticism was harsh, crowds flocked to see a commedia dell’arte piece (a parody of the genre) instilled with surrealism in a foreign language and has seen multiple revivals over the decades. The most familiar leitmotiv from the opera is the below march movement, referenced in popular culture, including the contemporary novel by F Scott Fitzgerald, Tender in the Night, with the protagonist awakening from a dream sequence of a military parade set to the music.

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synchronoptica

one year ago: calendrical correspondence (with sychronopticæ), 2024 in review, Bloomberg’s Jealousy List plus The Pirate of Penzance Broadway premiere

twelve years ago: predictions v projections plus proto-memes

fifteen years ago: treacherous driving conditions plus more security theatre

eminent tragedians whom no one ever goes to see (13. 033)

Premiering on this in London in 1871, the debut collaboration of Gilbert and Sullivan (previously) called Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old was more of a burlesque—reportedly as neither score nor book was ever published (see above) and most of the original songs lost—and not in keeping with the later sophisticated works of the duo but was considered quite passable for charity entertainments of the time. Drawing from research and many attempts beginning in the 1950s with resurgent interest to recreate the two-act play (the theme was also revisited towards the end of their careers with The Grand Duke, with a petty dictator replaced by a theatre company), the reconstructed plot involves the legendary first actor and father of drama (played by prominent comic J L Toole) ascending Mount Olympus with his troupe of thespians who agree to trade places with the pantheon temporarily, who’ve grown weary of their jobs and feel ignored. Invested with omnipotence by Jupiter with Mercury remaining as consul, the actors prove themselves to be comically inept at divine governance, inverting mythological fate and order within the space of one year—for which the gods, vindicated as indispensable eject the company and curse the profession. Below is a sample of one of thosee unauthorised productions in full as imagined by the Connecticut Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

troppo paradiso nelle loro menti (13. 026)

Via Laughing Squid, we are introduced to the musical stylings of the talented Italian guitar quartet 40 Fingers with this moody, acoustic rendition of the overture from Jesus Christ Superstar, the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera—with an absolutely brilliant arrangement (see previously—Silent Night was originally a guitar piece as well). The band’s biggest viral moment yet was a cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and have taken a particular interest in film scores.

9x9 (13. 016)

brought to you by the inkjet lobby: the amount of redactions in the US justice department’s release of the Epstein files sparks outrage  

christmas and commerce: a David Sedaris holiday classic—see previously  

global building atlas: an ambitious project mapping all three-billion built structures worldwide  

grabenanlage: rescue archaeology in southwestern German town of Herxheim in 1996 suggests ritual cannibalism on a massive scale with research still ongoing  

your attention is all you have—wasting it is annihilating: Blackbird Spyplane on a life of screen-time—via Kottke

pithos: Roman amphora of sardines found in Switzerland 

orthorectified panorama: the Apollo transforming printer that developed cartographically accurate photographs of the Moon 

a christmas memory: Truman Capote recalls holidays past  

formerly known as the kennedy center: the history of the US national stage for the performing arts—see previously

the play’s the thing (12. 988)

As our faithful chronicler reminds on this day in 1966, the Star Trek:TOS episode “The Conscience of the King” (S1:E13) was originally aired with the USS Enterprise diverted three light years off course to ostensibly investigate a synthetic food source developed by Captain Kirk’s childhood friend Dr Thomas Leighton on Planet Q as a novel way to remedy dire shortages on Cygnia Minor. Both among the survivors of Kodos the Executioner, former governor of the Earth colony of Tarsus IV—who ordered the execution of half the settlers during a famine to prevent more starvation with the ensuing resistance precipitating an all out massacre, just days before a relief ship arrived—it is revealed that Leighton’s deception was a coded ruse to lure Kirk to confirm or deny his suspicions that an actor of a touring Shakespearian troupe might actually be the revolutionary provincial leader, Kirk and Leighton among the handful of survivors ever to see Kodos in person. Though convinced that Kodos was killed during the uprising, Kirk’s curiosity is piqued and returns to the surface to attend a cocktail hour held at the Leighton estate, hoping to encounter the supposed fugitive and in the meantime courts the actor’s daughter, the suspect not in attendance, excused as her father does not socialise. Strolling the desert grounds, they come across the murdered body of Leighton and Kirk contrives to strand the company on the planet. Spock conducts independent research and learns that the other eyewitnesses of the elusive governor have died in mysterious circumstances when in proximity to the acting company. More evidence is gathered and the Enterprise offers to ferry the players to their next venue, whilst the ship’s theatre club is rehearsing Hamlet, which the guest stars join, performing the play-within-the-play. Despite the non-fatal poisoning of another crew member who also survived the killings, tampering with Kirk’s phaser and the actor’s apologies in defence of the actions of the colony’s leader, Kirk remains hesitant to forward his accusations until his daughter reveals that she has been executing witnesses, unbidden, to help her father escape his past and whilst attempting to shoot Kirk, phasers her father, having jumped in the beam’s path, and like Ophelia with the accidental death of Laertes, descends into madness, attended by Dr McCoy. The episode also marked the last appearance of Grace Lee Whitney as yeoman Rand until brought back for the movies in that role, giving a resigned dirty look to Kodos’ daughter knowing it was her last scene, a fellow blonde and herself released so Kirk could pursue other love interests, and this show plus “Day of the Dove” (S3:E11), responding to another distress call that pits the Enterprise a in pitched battle with a Klington Bird of Prey gave Simpson’s producer Matt Groening the characters of Kodos and Kang.

i am millonaire andrew lloyd webber, welcome to my andrew lloyd website (12. 961)

We’re heard of plenty of sorrowful instances of zombification of abandoned personal pages and outright vandalism or kettling but we had not encountered until now, courtesy of MetaFilter, with the discovery of the moribund Yahoo! GeoCities page of the musical theatre composer and impresario (previously) last updated in 2003 and restore it to full-functionality as a NeoCity. Though some elements, like the title, seem to verge on gentle parody—but who could say for sure as websites at that time were vehicles for confession and reflection rather than self-promotion, it’s a privilege to page through the newspaper clippings, dream diary, home recipes and so on.

a night at the opera (12. 840)

First released in UK markets on this day in 1975 as the lead single from Queen’s fourth studio album (see previously), “Bohemian Rhapsody” quickly gained legendary status and became one of the most celebrated songs of all time. The symphonic journey, notable—for a pop song—for having no refrain and formal division with prelude, recitativo, progress rock interlude and epilogue, parodying the high art form in a skewering, bombastic manner that’s sort of brilliantly Italian brain rot—Galileo Figaro—Magnifico, a joke despite the underlying gravity of the personal lyrics. Having experimented with this type of composition previously with Mercury’s early work in “My Fairy King,” ambitions were greatly expanding during rigorous daily recording sessions for three weeks and multiple overdubs to achieve the right mix. Eschewed at first by radio stations because of its length the promotion video was quickly commission and aired on Top of the Pops within days. All special effects for the short were achieved live during the recording rather than editing in post-production, like the cascading effect caused by the visual feedback of pointing the camera at one of the studio monitors.

familiar in his mouth as household words (12. 821)

Occurring on this day (the feast of St Crispin’s) in 1415 in the fields in the fields outside of Azincourt in north France, the decisive and surprise English victory, out-numbered by troops of the opposition marked a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War (Guerre de Cent Ans), humiliating France and boosting the morale of England, leading to the latter’s dominance in the protracted conflict over the duchy of Aquitaine and French throne (see previously here and here) for the next fourteen years—until English defeat during the Siege of Orléans. Henry V re-invaded France in the spring of the same year after negotiations with French court fell apart, with the English king asserting his claim to the kingdom of France through his great-grandfather Edward III—arguably the heir through his mother, Isabella, sister of the last Capetian monarch, Charles IV, but French Salic Law excluded matrilineal succession. For the past couple of iterations of this dispute, the English king would relent and back off the claim provided the French acknowledged English dominion over Aquitaine, Calais and other territories. Henry, however, demanded in exchange for renouncing the crown, a generous dowery for his marriage to Charles VI’s daughter, Catherine of Valois, a literal king’s ransom (payment in arrears for the release of John II—Jean le Bon—held as a hostage in London a century before) and in addition to the settled lands, Anjou, Brittany and Normandy as well. Although France was ready to make some concessions to the deal, it proved to be too bad of a bargain, especially since England had little to leverage—other than squandering peace and stability—and a series of pitched battles commenced, stretching out, with periods of interruption due to plague and other factors, for a hundred and sixteen years. Despite the ultimate loss of continental territory and the rejection of a joint monarchy that saw the rejection of all things French and vice versa (English becoming the official language and French no longer used in court and the classroom), the monarchy of England and Great Britain styled themselves sovereigns of France until 1802, the end of the French Revolution.

i like the city of san juan—i know a boat you can get on (12. 805)

Via our faithful chronicler, we are reminded that the cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim premiered on this day in 1961 (on the anniversary of the island’s takeover in 1898, ceded as part of the Treaty of Paris that settled the Spanish-American War) in New York City. The film from Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and Ernest Lehman (the team also behind The Sound of Music, Hello, Dolly! and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and starring Rita Moreno, Natalie Wood, George Chakiris and Richard Beymer was true to book, in turn inspired by the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, some numbers were re-ordered in appearance from the to better fit the narrative and lyrics changed to avoid censorship—particularly in “Jet Song” and “Gee, Officer Krupke,” “sperm to worm” was changed to “from birth to earth”—and in the brilliantly mixed-metre song “America” (the alteration inspired by a supposed visit to Puerto Rico and the “Habanera,” L’amour est un oiseau rebelle from Carmen) for a message deemed too harsh on fellow citizens and instead emphasises more of the perks of living on the mainland, ignoring the fact that the criticism was directed at their mistreatment and unwelcome. The 2021 Steven Spielberg version includes the revolutionary anthem La Borinqueña and restores some of lines from the original. I’ll give them new washing machine! What have they got there to keep clean?

television dreams of tomorrow—we’re not the one you’re meant to follow (12. 747)

On this day in 2004, Green Day released their seventh studio album—their first in four years—American Idiot, an overtly political and socially critical record, the tracks, especially the title one, expresses the disillusionment and decent of a generation whose prospects were informed by 9/11 and the resulting forever wars. A telling of the gospel of Jesus of Suburbia, a precarious working-class anti-hero figure, the suite of songs were put together as a concept album for a punk rock opera, taking inspiration from Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Charting worldwide, it was also against the media apparatus, which in the band’s view had crossed from journalism to sensationalism and reality TV, glorified violence of combat in Iraq intercut with advertisements. An enduring protest song, lyrics have been subtly updated from redneck to “I’m not a part of the [MAGA/ELON] agenda” and “subliminal mind-Trump America.” Wake me up when September ends.

7x7 (12. 701)

people are flushing toilets ten times, fifteen times, as opposed to once—john jay: other AI-generated quotes of America’s foundational figures at new Smithsonian exhibit—see also  

coronation street: a recent celebration of the eleven hundredth anniversary of the enthronement of King Æthelstan, the first ruler of united England  

_invalid_username: a short, seemingly intuitive quiz—we failed miserably at—on what constitutes an email address—via Web Curios  

in a galaxy far, far away: the official map of the Star Wars paracosm 

dj earworm: an end of summer mashup  

double, double toil and trouble: Shakespeare added the witches, weird sisters (see also) to Macbeth for the benefit of his patron James I—see previously  

founding fathers: the colourful life US constitutional signatory turned harsh critic of the mythos Gouverneur Morris—via Strange Company

synchronoptica

one year ago: a nuclear war preparedness exercise (with synchronopticæ)

twelve years ago: Iranian president offers a Rosh Hashanah blessing 

thirteen years ago: some castles of Rheinland-Pfalz plus a bleak economic picture

fourteen years ago: revisionism and security theatre persist ahead of the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks 

fifteen years ago: bird-watching plus a trip along the Danube

sixteen years ago: mascot mayhem 

seventeen years ago: a trip to the Wasserkuppe 

kreuzigung (12. 560)

The first Master of Stage Craft (preferring his neologism Spielgang to the more orthodox term Theaterstück—I was later disabused of my own made up version of Spielstück for a play which is not a real word but understandable) at the Bauhaus and artistic and copyright lawyer by trade, we appreciated this introduction to dramaturge Lothar Schreyer through his retelling of the Passion staged only a few times in 1920 in a bleak post-war setting. The only well-documented directorial work, owing to the complexity of the performance that necessitated a programme with translation key for the audience, like many expressionist productions of that time, there are only scant records which mostly are preserved in the form of bad reviews by the trade press, Schreyer was later caught up in the allure of the Christian and Völkisch mysticism of the Nazi party, despite his contributions being labelled as degenerate art (see below), and continued panning of his plays prompted his replacement, Oskar Schlemmer, to take on the leading role at the institute. More from the Public Domain Review at the link up top.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links to revisit (with synchropticæ), bracket orthography plus Forrest Gump (1994)

thirteen years ago: moons of the year, confusing job application instructions plus a typeface comparison

fourteen years ago: land octopuses  

11x11 (12. 529)

somewhere beyond the barricade, is there a world you long to see: Reuters’ delivers a deadpan juxtaposition of Trump’s attendance at a showing of Les Misérables just after sending in the US marines to quell demonstrations  

💩: defecation syncope and other perils of pooping 

renascidos: a cosplay parenting craze with hyperrealistic dolls has captivated Brazil, prompting some legislation against their appearance in public  

tin roof rusted: a VH-1 Behind the Music style documentary on the importance and influence of The B-52’s 

artek: the upcoming centenary of Crimea’s famed Soviet youth camp that once hosted Samantha Smith—see also  

have you tried clearing your cache: a concept artist with a reputation for the mischievous develops a dating website based on harmonious browsing history  

pomp and circumstance: a preview of Trump’s grand military parade to be held this weekend—previously  

more cow bell: artist Margareta Sarvana performs the Schalger song Itke en lemmen tähden (Nur nicht aus Liebe weinen) on a Swedish variety show in 1973—via Pasa Bon! 

the schwatz awakens: a preview trailer of the Space Balls sequel to premier in 2027, when Mel Brooks turns 101

simple article summaries: Wikipedia suspends an experiment that would display AI generated synopses after editor and contributor opposition  

i’m michael barbaro, see you tomorrow: California governor Gavin Newson interviewed by the New York Times on Trump’s ICE raids

synchronoptica

one year ago: counting crows (with synchronoptica), a Minoan archaeological discovery, emotion-cancelling technology, Trump’s revenge agenda plus assorted links to revisit

seven years ago: internet freedom index, more movies scripted by AI, Reagan tells Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall (1987) plus a meeting of Dear Leaders

eight years ago: memory holes, courtroom sketch artists, waste-water popsicles, mobility and mobile devices plus a surrogate social network

nine years ago: Citigroup tries to copyright the word Thanks, carbon sequestration plus more on the Trump travel ban

ten years ago: Erasmus and free-will, more links to enjoy plus Jung and Freud

memory alpha (12. 504)

Courtesy of Kottke, we are introduced to a wonderfully obsessive superfan whose meticulous interest and encyclopaedic knowledge of Star Trek: The Next Generation has translated to him becoming a stagehand and consultant for later incarnations of the franchise named Jörg Hillebrand, a mild-mannered German elementary school teacher by day, who has taken easter eggs from TNG and other series and worked in several callbacks for Star Trek: Picard. The book on display in the captain’s ready room is an edition of The Annotated Shakespeare, Volume One and is open to various pages during each episode, one time, with some close examination, revealing proof that not only does classical thespian Patrick Stewart existed in the show’s universe (see also) but that Jean Luc is aware of him, the spread in question featuring a still from a 1968 production of As You Like It with Stewart in the role of Touchstone. Much more trivia, hidden messages and recycled costumes and set-dressing at the links above.

laguna hainersee oder living lagovida (12. 399)

Returning to the Störmthaler See campgrounds for Easter weekend with a view of the floating, phantom steeple, the Vineta created to evoke the leveled settlements during the height of mining and mechanisation, we visited some neighbouring lakes and marinas reclaimed from a heavily industralised landscape like all of the Leipziger Neuseenland, the Haubitzer, Hainer and Kahnsdorfer lakes were developed in the early to mid-1990s when a large open-cast lignite coal extraction operation was flooded and slowly converted into beach-front properties with resorts and recreational boating.  

 The bulk of the land too polluted to be rehabilitated, the fields of Witnitz II stretching for kilometre in every direction, now forms the largest photovoltaic park in Europe—the endless array not being quite so photogenic under overcast skies and at speed but impressive nonetheless. Inland, Kahnsdorf features a manorial estate owned once by the scholarly family of theologians, the Ernestis of Leipzig, the property, suffering years of neglect and near demolition during the DDR era as a relict of feudalism, celebrated for hosting the introductory meeting of Friedrich Schiller and jurist Christian Gottfried Körner of Dresden, of an established household of patrons of the arts and culture who entertained Goethe, Hiller and Mozart, on the first of July 1785.  

 Later a financial backer who saved the poet from wrack and ruin, Schiller dedicated An der Freudschaft (“On Friendship”) to Körner and the pivotal moment marking the turn around of Schiller’s fortunes was the inspiration, according to the premises, for Ode to Joy. The surrounding grounds are a park and a pasture for a local group of alpaca enthusiasts who sell wool products in the cafe of the main building.

synchronoptica

one year ago: a wine so nice they named it thrice (with synchronoptica) plus assorted links to revisit

seven years ago: robots assembling IKEA furniture, the Paris riots of 1968 plus springtime in Wiesbaden

eight years ago: an appreciation of edutainment, AI and implicit bias plus a profile of a North Korea day

nine years ago: a termite tent, the Sea-Monkey kingdom plus another experimental chatbot

eleven years ago: a light installation in Oberhausen, an arctic henge in Iceland plus EU lend-lease policy for Ukraine

finite jest (12. 398)

Via Strange Company, we are treated to a studied, insider’s look into the profession of a medieval court jester, whose roles were not limited and limned by buffoonery, classified with the broadest of distinctions as “natural” and “licensed” fools—the former being kept creatures by dint of deformity, physical prodigy or mental frankness and the latter being given a wide latitude for critique and commentary. Those enjoying royal office were not only engaged at the pleasure of the monarch for their honed wits and skills but also were frequently charged with discharging household duties and other administrative tasks as well, during times of conflict, were elevated to expendable ombudsmen, though these second-class emissaries were often not received well, giving rise to the phrase, “Don’t shoot the messenger.” We further learn that it was customary for a jester to have in their quiver not only a recognised costume and signature schickt but also a trademark wooden sceptre, a marotte, carved with their trademark visage (see previously, see also). More from Just History Posts and Strange Company at the links above.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting (with synchronoptica) plus redacted Ewoks

seven years ago: RIP Carl Kasell, Banksy’s Bethlehem hotel, crypto markets, artist Yuge Zhou plus the meaning of Japanese emoji

eight years ago: meals-ready-to-eat from militaries around the world plus more adult beverages of France mapped

nine years ago: campaigning against female circumcision plus a board game exploring race and privilege

twevle years ago: coded instructions for a deadly toxin plus Germany’s Energiewende

will a fosse neck do it? (12. 366)

Via fellow internet peripatetic, Messy Nessy Chic, we really enjoyed this celebration of the choreography of Bob Fosse (previously) taken from the 1969 cinematic adaptation of his Sweet Charity—based off of Fellini’s Le notti di Cabiria featuring the narrative of a sex-worker in Rome and lightly sanitised as the story of a call-girl, dancer-for-hire in Times Square’s Fandango Ballroom, its sleaziness illustrated by “Hey, Big Spender,” portrayed by Shirley MacLaine. Invited home by a celebrity guest on the mends from an apparent breakup, the protagonist finds herself in his apartment for dinner, “If They Could See Me Now,” whilst pursuing an ill-fated romance with a claustrophobic elevator-operator.

strangers with candy (12. 347)

Born on this day in 1961 in Endicott, New York, writer, comedian, actor and sister of author and humorist David Sedaris, Amy Louise Sedaris. Disposed to making pranks and working as a waitress in a comedy club in Chicago, Sedaris toured with Second City’s company by the late 1980s, eventually moving to New York and joined with fellow member Stephen Colbert a fledgling cable television venture, Comedy Central, as a sketch artist, eventually given her own series, portraying a middle-aged woman, Jerri Blank who goes back to high school, based on her impression of 1970s era motivational speaker Florrie Fisher, a cautionary cult figure who lectured to students about her lurid past warning them about sex and drugs and falling under the influence of radical charismatics—a sort of scared straight scenario. More active than even, Sedaris has multiple roles, titles and accolades to her name.

6x6 (12. 335)

reading between the lines: Trump regime shutters access to border-straddling opera and library, the Haskell House, which served as neutral territory for family reunions and marriages during his first term’s travel ban  

shreve, lamb and harmon: hidden details of New York City’s iconic buildings—via Damn Interesting 

kennedy center honors: Conan O’Brien awarded the Mark Twain prize for American humour, embracing the irony and tension of the moment 

backstroke of the west: an incomprehensible translation and re-translation of a Star Wars bootleg DVD  

free spaced repetition scheduler: geography with positive reinforcement—via Maps Mania 

opsec: Trump administration inadvertently shared its plans to to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen with a journalist from The Atlantic

the hostess with the mostess (12. 311)

Dying on this day in, aged 76, in 1975 at her home in Oklahoma City, Perle Meste heiress to an oil fortune from her late husband—widowed since 1925 from the one of the original participants in the Land Rush of 1889 on the former Indian territory (Boomer-Sooner)—is best known in Washington, DC high society for her lavish parties that included artists, celebrities and national political figures from both parties and was portrayed in the title Playhouse 90 CBS anthology feature by Shirley Booth, as well as by Ethel Merman on Broadway and the cinematic adaptation of the Irving Berlin musical Call Me Madam. Eventually relocating to the capital in 1940, feeling out of place elsewhere, Mesta was active in the National Women’s Party, an early champion of an Equal Rights Amendment and an ardent campaigner for Harry S Truman—for which the administration awarded her the ambassadorship to Luxembourg out of gratitude. An invitation to one of her many gala parties was highly coveted and a sign that one had reached the upper echelons of DC high political society, bringing together senators and congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle. And while continuing to host glamorous soirées through the 1960s, Mesta ceded her role to Jacqueline Kennedy when it came to bipartisan entertainment. Featured on the cover of Time magazine (note the candelabra on the Washington monument), the Black Russian was created by barman Gustave Tops in 1949 as Mesta’s signature cocktail, who frequented the Hotel Metropole in Brussels during her time as ambassador.