From Rock and Roll to Opera

Russell Morris singing "The real thing"

Last night Lesley and I went with friends to see a 60's and 70's dinner concert featuring Australian performers from that era. Darryl Cotton, Jim Keays and Russell Morris.
We have seen them before and once again if you like what they did then , they still do it well now and a great night out was had by all the baby boomers there.

Tonight we go to the Opera to see the Australian Premiere and the only performance this time round in Australia, in Adelaide of a new opera about Moby Dick.
It is written by an American composer and will be performed by the state opera of South Australia.
Moby Dick was one of my favourite novels from my youth so it will be interesting to see this production. It is supposed to be very good and has only been performed in America so far.

Music is such an interesting thing. It speaks to people of all ages and all nationalities.
It's influence can be good and can be bad.

On that note I'll finish this little piece.(Pun intended)

PS.  Having now been to the opera of Moby Dick let me say it was a very impressive production.
Not the usual love duets and death of the heroine but spectacular sets and visual effects and a powerful moody music score.The opening of the opera I believe is similar to the opening of some of the epic space films.The singing was powerful, acting dramatic, story understandable and drove me online to read the opening chapter of Moby Dick the novel. (see http://www.online-literature.com/                                       ).
Getting back to cotton ,keays and morris. Jim Keays introduced a new song he wrote called Cancer Blues. He has been treated for cancer over the last 2 years. It had a fanastic bluesy intro and then opening line  "Well I woke up this morning!" then the song abrubtly stopped. A great case of finding humour in adversity.

foot note: since this was posted Daryl Cotton has died in 2012 after a short fight with cancer.