Glad I only paid $1.50

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT
So I get a text message last night about 7pm saying "meeting at sticky shoe to see 2012 at 9."  Well, after a short texversation it was decided that I would leave home the second Criminal Minds was over.  I walked into the movie about three minutes into it.

Besides the blatantly obvious conclusion, it was a decent movie.  It was a typical story of the government knowing about a natural disaster, making preparations, selling "safety nets" to the rich, a lone man finds out about it, works his butt off trying to save his family which consists of him, his ex-wife, two children, and the ex-wife's boyfriend.  There's the brainiac who is looked at at being somewhat inferior.  The brainiac's superior who's only worried about one thing.  Saving his own ass and the plan.  (Okay, so two things.)  The brainiac's love interest who is always the daughter of some "powerful" big-wig (who happens to be the president of the United States and is almost always some minority, whether it be a black man or a woman.  (Or a combination of the two.)  And then you've got the minor characters towards the end who help the lone man and his family...often at their own peril.  There's always the older "foreigner" jerk.  The one who is rich and trys to buy his way out of trouble.  He has a girlfriend half his age.  And two children from his ex-wife.  Who both (the older "foreigner" jerk and the girlfriend) die at the end. And don't forget the OFJ is always a dick until the very end of the movie when he fulfills his one redeeming moment. 

And then you've got the people who play important parts in the story, but really don't do much else except die to save the lives of the lone man, the ex-wife, two children, the ex-wife's boyfriend, the OFJ, his girlfriend and children by "landing" a plane on ice as the "group" exits the plane in some fashion that would make James Bond and MacGyver proud, as the group watches said plane with the pilot fall off a cliff.  (Yeah, I didn't see that coming! *rolls eyes*)

We mustn't forget the crazy person who was right the whole time.  And of course, he dies as well.  But he dies early on.  The crazy person, though, does have an opportunity to save his life, offered by the lone man, but he refuses, deciding instead to stay and watch all hell break loose and proclaim to no one but the audience in the movie theatre (who is bored to tears at this point) that he was right all along.

Towards the end of the movie the lone man and the group find a way to board the "saving" vessel that will take them to safety from whatever the pending disaster may be.  Whether they sneak on or board "legally."  And then you've got the expected malfunctions in the "saving" vessel that the lone man must go and fix.  He completes his mission but doesn't return.  Well, until the required "suspenseful" moment when the music suddenly stops and he appears.  Alive.  Unharmed.  (I forgot to mention the ex-wife's boyfriend always dies.)

So what movie am I describing?  Well, 2012, but really, this could be ANY movie from the genre.  Titanic, Deep Impact, Armagedon, Independence Day, Dante's Peak, Volcano...This particular genre of movie reminds me of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.  Essentially every single one has the same basic plot with only slight variations.  The music sounds the same.  And they star the same type of actor.  The good looking ones who can't act to save their lives. 

Sure I'll probably buy it when it goes to the $5 bin at Walmart, but until then...I'll be renewing my season subscription to the opera.

Carmen

Carmen

Utah Opera

Capitol Theatre

Salt Lake City, Utah

January 16, 2010

Ari Pelto, Conductor

Garnett Bruce, Director

Leann Sandel-Pantaleo, Carmen

Chad Shelton, Don Jose

Christopher Feigum, Escamillo

Seriously; now I know why I don't usually sit in the first couple of rows when I go to the opera. The orchestra was echoing off the box seats just above me. I couldn't see about 1/3 of the blocking...But can I just say how much I love Bizet's Carmen? Of course, I love any opera where the tenor doesn't die at the end. Especially if said tenor gets to stab someone. Even more so if that someone is a soprano. (Well in this case, it was a mezzo-soprano, but still...)

This is my second time THIS season to see this opera. The first was in Logan with the Utah Festival Opera. (I also saw Carmen for the first time several years ago...in Logan.)

It gets better every time I see it. Thankfully, it's a popular opera so opera companies do it farily regularly. Which is nice. Because I love to watch the tenor kill a soprano (or mezzo-soprano). I know, I know, I'm sadistic. UFO also did I pagliacci this last season. I had an enjoyable couple days up there. Lots of murdering of sopranos. (Insert evil laugh here.)

Overall the production (Utah Opera's) was great. Like I mention earlier I couldn't see about a 1/3 of the blocking. My fault really, I chose that seat! It was only bad in Act One when you have literally everyone on stage. Carmen's entrance was a little blocked from my view.

The character of Carmen, to me, is a suducer. Ms. Sandel-Pantaleo pulled that off well. Mr. Shelton was amazing as Don Jose, the hopeless romantic with fits of jealousy and rage. Mr. Feigum was...okay. I personally didn't care for him. He seemed kinda stiff. I don't mean the character. Escamillo is arrogant, self-absorbed...I've never known a baritone who wasn't. (A note to all my baritone friends; "Just kidding."). I think I remember hearing that this is his first time in the role, so perhaps he's just not sure of himself yet. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Feigum does have a beautiful voice.

(I'd never sing the role. I'm a tenor and even though it's most likely in my comfortable singing range, tessitura aside, I'm the only person for whom I'll degrade myself my singing baritone. Which I have done. Once. In Utah/Idaho Performing Arts Company's production of The Other Wise Man by M. Ryan Taylor. Directed by your's truly...Singing baritone is beneath me.)

Personally, I would love to see this production again. The set was different then what I've seen before. Which is nice. I like to see things different then what other people do. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend again. My paycheck only goes so far and I have my own company to support. Visit UNIPAC's blog for more information about our upcoming concert on February 6th. An evening of opera arias, art song, lied, and broadway ballads. Single tickets are $8.00 and $14.00 for couples.

God Bless,

Joey

Plays

I took a vacation last weekend (New Years...) and worked on revising my current plays. Confession, From Deep Within, and Help Me! are once again DONE!!! This is the last time I'll revise them. Unless I find some formatting or spelling mistakes... I am satisified with the stories as the currently stand (or sit) and I am looking for some people who would like to read them. Send me an email at josephcalkins_tenor@yahoo.com if you would be interested.