tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post1521199613869241389..comments2024-03-26T07:58:59.761+00:00Comments on I'll think of something later: My Borgen HamletDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-12066821992976309432014-02-04T00:18:55.593+00:002014-02-04T00:18:55.593+00:00Sue, I'm missing my lovely Icelandic fellow au...Sue, I'm missing my lovely Icelandic fellow audience members already - such crowds for contemporary music there, and all ages, not just the clique we get here (or if it's an abundant crowd, then it's exclusively young). Covent Garden tonight was horrible by comparison. <br /><br />Like I said, Howard, there's no chance of my ever seeing The Killing's series 2 since the murderer was divulged in a Borgen piece on The Arts Desk. I reckon great drama, which Borgen is, one would watch no matter what, but when it's a thriller, the identity is all. On which note watched The Sixth Sense with the godchildren up in Scotland and 'got' it quite early on.<br /><br />The only American remake I can think of which is better than the original is The Birdcage of La Cage aux Folles - Nathan Lane just makes it for me in the funniest Dinner Party from Hell Ever.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-38950532428414384672014-02-02T10:24:06.808+00:002014-02-02T10:24:06.808+00:00I saw part of a recent episode of Borgen and I was...I saw part of a recent episode of Borgen and I wasn't immediately grabbed, but obviously I need to watch from the beginning but not sure when I would find the time for a box set. (The Parsifal DVD is still in its wrapper, and the Kubelik "has been discontinued by our supplier and is no longer available"). The Killing (I prefer the the more ambiguous title "The Crime" which I believe is a better translation of "Forbrydelsen") was unmissable, although the body count became excessive, the second series was just too ridiculous, while series 3 was a terrific near return to form. Absolutely no interest in US/English version remakes!Howard Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03217071162180558304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-61912304286247295382014-01-31T21:23:03.788+00:002014-01-31T21:23:03.788+00:00The concert was excellent, the hall packed out, an...The concert was excellent, the hall packed out, and the spirit much like that at the Neeme Järvi concert, though here the predominant nationality in the mix was likely Latvian. What an intelligent, coherent program, every piece on it worthy in its own right, and the standard of performance absolutely tops throughout. Rayok was hilarious. The bass Alexei Mochalov was terrific—fine and funny in all his 4 roles. (The woman to my right, no program in hand, was chuckling and nodding all the way through Rayok. She didn’t need the translation of the text; I suspect she’d “been there” then.)Susan Scheidhttp://prufrocksdilemma.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-67765686370621381882014-01-31T00:50:53.685+00:002014-01-31T00:50:53.685+00:00For the same reason I wouldn't think of watchi...For the same reason I wouldn't think of watching the American remake of that compelling vampire film Let the Right One In (not that the genre per se is of much interest to me, but it was played out as a hauntingly-lit tragedy).<br /><br />Lucky you with Kremerata Baltica. That looks like an amazing programme. As for Schnittke's output, it's so vast that it can't all be great. I still have as much of a problem with his bony late works as I do with Tippett post-1962.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-66497387305182987972014-01-30T16:41:52.436+00:002014-01-30T16:41:52.436+00:00David: I'll look forward to the real deal if/w...David: I'll look forward to the real deal if/when the library has it for us. Similar with House of Cards--while the US remake wasn't terrible, it couldn't possibly, and didn't, measure up to the original IMHO. <br /><br />Re the Schnittkefest--how well I remember your report on the First Symphony, which is what set me on the trail of his music, in point of fact. The two Fest concerts I've attended have been interesting, though not always compelling--but given the wide-ranging survey, that's not so surprising. (PS, got a chance to speak briefly with Laurel Fay and learned she's working on a 2d edition of the Shos bio.)<br /><br />Tonight I go back a generation, with the Kremerata Baltica playing Weinberg and Shos's Rayok, along with Britten and Pärt. Should be good. Then back to the final Fest concert tomorrow.Susan Scheidhttp://prufrocksdilemma.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-33884703667973057812014-01-30T09:49:12.551+00:002014-01-30T09:49:12.551+00:00Don't hold your breath, Sue, but they're g...Don't hold your breath, Sue, but they're going to make an American version of Borgen. I for one shan't watch it - when you live with performances as fine as these, you can no more exchange the Danish actors for others than you can see anyone other than Bergman's team in THEIR roles.<br /><br />How I wish I'd been there at the Schnittkefest. As you know, the LPO/Michail Jurowski performance of his First Symphony was my absolute top of last year.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-55764328880787144722014-01-29T15:14:52.965+00:002014-01-29T15:14:52.965+00:00I have just gone to our library system to see if B...I have just gone to our library system to see if Borgen Series 1 is available, and it is . . . a mere 23 holds prior to mine in the line-up! Perhaps it will turn up by the spring thaw . . . The "democracy" speech alone demonstrates the high caliber of writing here, along with intelligent content, and your post certainly makes the case that this should be compelling viewing. Thanks for the heads up!<br /><br />PS: Was at a performance of the Juilliard's FOCUS festival last night, featuring Schnittke and his friends. Laurel Fay was on a panel beforehand--interesting to hear her in action "live." The performances were stellar. Schnittke's Quasi una Sonata, which I couldn't take in on listening to a recording beforehand, was utterly compelling in live performance.Susan Scheidhttp://prufrocksdilemma.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-19894576758235379782014-01-28T23:12:16.287+00:002014-01-28T23:12:16.287+00:00Series Three got off to the only rocky start, I th...Series Three got off to the only rocky start, I think, Roger: Birgitte and Jeremy lounging around in Hong Kong made it look as if the only reason was the film crew wanted to go there. I watched no further in telly-time but TAD colleague Jasper said that, while Jeremy hardly gathered more weight, the rest was vintage. It is indeed, and it goes without saying that you have to watch the first two series on DVD. <br /><br />Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-17843514480674769782014-01-28T19:21:27.321+00:002014-01-28T19:21:27.321+00:00We missed the first two series and became totally ...We missed the first two series and became totally hooked on the third. Really outstanding TV!Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.com