I have a chance to sing at St. Peter's and the Sistine Chapel - should I?

[Rabrrrrrr]

Or is this really as dumb of a question as I think it is?

I have to pay to do it - maybe $2,500 or so - but am I stupid insane to even question whether I should spend the money to do this? A week in Rome?

Am I fucking crazy?

And are there good restaurants in Rome, like Olive Garden and other restaurants that are safe for a stupid fucknob bloviating asshole American tourist like me?

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Yes.

You are fucking crazy, but go anyway.

[progmom]

2. do it do it do it do it

i can give you a list of great restaurants. do it do it do it!!!

[matcom]

3. i think there is a Sizzler

near the Basillica

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Oh, thank God! At least one good restaurant, then. You know how awful

Italians are at cooking. Yuck!!

I might get tired of Sizzler, but if that's all they have, at least they have that.

God, if I'm really lucky, there will be an Applebee's in the Sistine Chapel.

I'm surprised they wouldn't have an Olive Garden, though, since that's where Italian food was invented.

[matcom]

12. Italians have an aversion to unlimited bread sticks

its their nature.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. I hear they don't know shit about pasta and tomatoes, either

[matcom]

18. well, they DO know about them but see, they have no electricity

in Italy. they have yet to discover fire as well so while the pasta COULD be good, its crunchy as hell

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. Figures. Damn papists, still living in the 13th century

Probably think electricy is "evil", or more likely, that it doesn't even exist and is just a protestant lie.

[matcom]

23. that's why the Sizzler is there

see, the Sizzlerites only let THEIR kind eat at the salad bar. its sort of a fortefied palace (with onion rings)

stay close to the Sizzlerites, they will keep you safe

[Rabrrrrrr]

24. Are they a branch of the carmelites?

[matcom]

25. no. they defeated the Carmelites

at the battle of Dairy Queen

do you NOT study history man?

[Rabrrrrrr]

26. I only study non-papist history, and leave the study of Satanic history

to others.

Thanks for info!

Did they actually defeat the Carmelites at the Battle of Dairy Queen, or was it just a freak blizzard?

[matcom]

27. *sigh*

blizzards weren't invented yet. :eyes:

[MuseRider]

29. They chopped off

their heads! Ron Pope'eeeel you know.

"Dialogue of the Carmelites" Poulenc

I learned it all from Poulenc

[Rabrrrrrr]

31. Saw a beautiful performance of it at the Met a few years ago

Fantastically minimalist staging, with all the chopping done offstage.

Very chilling and moving production.

[MuseRider]

33. I have never seen it

but I get chills just listening to it. Damn, that is one amazing work. I'll bet it was an incredible experience to see it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

38. It was!!

They had the nuns on stage singing, and then as they were being executed, they walked off stage and a big "CHOP!" sound was made.

That might evenb be how Poulenc wanted it done, I don't know, sicne that's the only performance I ever saw.

But it was great.

And the stage had almost no sets at all - just a desk, a bed, a door, and one or two other things that were brought down from above as they were needed. Nothing sat on the stage at all - it was all attached to wires.

Very austere, like an Abbey (abby? Abbie?)

[MuseRider]

39. Oooooh that sounds wonderful!

On the recording I have you can hear the nuns singing, there were 7 right? Can't quite remember then chop/thud then 6 are singing and on and on. It is quite remarkable. I woulld hazzard a guess that that is exactly the way Poulenc would have visioned it but I don't know. Wow.

One of the most amazing things I have ever seen was the Opera Salome done in Houston as if it were modern times. Stunning. John the Baptist when in the dungeon would sing into a box with a camera so all you could see on stage was a large TV screen of his lips. Damn, I was mesmerized. The Dance of the Seven Veils was done on a swing behind a gauzy curtain with an obviously nude Salome. It was simply stunning.

And now your thread is jacked...sorry.

[Rabrrrrrr]

40. Yes, I think it starts with 7 and works its way down

GReat stuff.

Some day I need to listen to a recording. The only time I've ever heard it was that one time I saw it performed.

Was Salome a Strauss opera? Or maybe Schoenberg? It's ringing a bell, but not quite enough. Sounds like a cool performance!

Reminds of Meredith Monk's "Mercy" in which she had a camera inside her mouth broadcast to a giant screen. That was an absolutely amazing evening's worth of performance. No one does it like Monk.

[MuseRider]

47. It is Strauss

one of my very favorite composers. Listening to Strauss to me is akin to an acid trip. Playing Strauss for a wind player is sheer heaven.

I will have to go look and see if I can find who did the Stage Direction. I can't remember and a lot of the stuff I got rid of after my brother died because he was my Opera teacher and the only Operas I ever got to see were when I visited him. He was a master. BUT, these folks travel around alot and I wonder if that is unusual to one particular director or if it is more common than I would ever know.

[Rabrrrrrr]

54. Strauss

BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Though I've heard none of his operas (that I remember), I don't like much of his music that I have heard.

But, since you are a woodwinder, I trust your judgment in saying it's fun to play!

I find him tedious; like Bruckner, but without the frolicy-ness.

And what about Meredith Monk - you didn't comment on her!

[MuseRider]

55. I know you don't care for Strauss

I think you shared that in the Classical Music forum. I was saddened by that however I have only met one other person who counts him as their favorite so I am not surprised. Der Rosenkavalier? LOVE it. Ariadne auf Naxos? That is also a good one. Also Elektra. Add Salome and there you have 4 really sweet Operas.

His wind parts are to die for, often requiring 6 clarinets rather than the usual 2. Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op.28 is one fun work, especially for the Eb clarinetist...ME!

OK dear Rabrrrrrr, this will disappoint you. I knew nothing of Meredith Monk. Remember, I am in Hicksville and only get culture when I get out of here and then nobody in my family cares for real arts(if my son sees that he will kill me), so since my brother is gone I never get out! :cry: I depend on the net to discover new things and you certainly provide a lot of new things to listen to. Thanks.

I found a website of hers and she sounds extraordinary and has even written a work for clarinet and it is a solo work, my favorite. I am going to find out about it and other works she has done.

Sorry but thanks.

[Rabrrrrrr]

58. Oh! I forgot all about Elektra! I saw that at the Met with Dame

Gwyneth Jones playing Elektra - fantastic! I loved it!

So, I guess I can't say that I find Strauss as uninteresting as I thought. I guess I can also say that one nice thing about Strauss is that it's never offended or bothered me; but little of his has compelled me to really listen to it, or seek it out. But then, I don't play clarinet. :-)

I then later saw Elektra with, I'm pretty sure, Brigitte Fassbaender (Fassbender?), and she was also really good, but Gwyneth - oh, Gwyneth - no one can top her performance.

Sorry you don't know about Monk. She's brilliant.

[MuseRider]

60. Dame Gwyneth Jones

WOW! That must have been really fine. She is very well known. How lucky you are to be in a place where you have this. You really should hear Der Rosenkavalier, it is really fun.

I adore the Tone Poems of Strauss with all the themes that come and go, such a story teller.

I know about Monk now.

The beginning of this conversation was about Poulenc and we seem to agree there.

[Rabrrrrrr]

61. Got to see her in a Ring Cycle as well.

:woohoo: I love Gwyneth!!

All I know about Poulenc is the Carmelites. And maybe some organ music? Did he write any organ music? Part of me is thinking one of my former church organists played some Poulenc, but I could be totally wrong on that.

[MuseRider]

65. I believe he did and it is

quite well known or I would not even think it. He wrote so much beautiful music, one of my favorite clarinet sonatas was Poulenc, standard literature.

The Ring Cycle was my first intro to Opera in a Humanities class in High School ( no, I had no idea what Opera even was until I was a senior in High School. I was going to get my major in music, I guess it never occured to a teacher to introduce it):eyes:

So, how did they present the Cycle? Certainly not all at once?

[Rabrrrrrr]

68. The Met does a ring cycle every four years

So I saw it in 92, 96, and 2000. I missed the 2004 performances, sadly, but after seeing the cycle three times, I was also thinking....maybe I've seen enough. :-)

The Met does one cycle of Saturdays, one cycle that occurs within one week, and another cycle that I can't remember - must be somewhat randomly placed over the course of four or five weeks on weeknights.

It would be cool to see the whole shebang in one day, but I can't imagine any orchestra, conductor, or group of singers being able to handle it. Let alone the audience's asses. :-) But it would be very cool to see them without break (other than intermissions) over the course of a day.

[MuseRider]

69. You would know about the singing

but I can tell you from a wind players standpoint impossible. I can barely make it through one single Wagner piece, real jaw breakers every last one of them. Killer.

I am not even certain I could sit that long even with a break! Still, it would be cool.

[Rabrrrrrr]

75. I'd rather give a shot at the singing than any orchestral playing

I couldn't imagine holding a violin up, sawing away at really fast notes, for 6 hours.

Egads! How do they do it?!

At least with singing you get chances to take a breath.

And conducting it? Forget it!! Holding my arms up for 6 hours, trying to cue people and adjust to tempo changes and meter changes? No way.

Wagner was a real abuser of musicians. But the music that comes from it is well worth it!!

[MuseRider]

83. "But the music that comes from it is well worth it!!"

Oh yes, that it is. Particularly the Ring Cycle.

[matcom]

34. so, what are you planning to sing?

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey?

[Rabrrrrrr]

36. "Every Sperm is Sacred" and "Isn't it awfully nice to have a penis"

Isn't it awfully nice to have a penis?
Isn't it frightfully good to have a dong?
It's swell to have a stiffy,
It's divine to own a dick,
From the tiniest little tadger,
To the world's biggest prick.

So, three cheers for your Willy or John Thomas,
Hooray for your one-eyed trouser snake,
Your piece of pork,
Your wife's best friend,
Your Percy, or your cock.
You can wrap it up in ribbons.
You can slip it in your sock,
But don't take it out in public,
Or they will stick you in the dock,
And you won't come back.

[kodi]

44. to reach those high notes one would have to be a castrato

do not sign any papers while you are there

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. The question is...Is this something that you would look back on with

fond memories? Is this something you will regret not doing? That's where I would start anyway. :hi:

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. Wow! Shizzam! you got four replies in one instant...bing bam boom.

[GOPisEvil]

5. That's a terrific opportunity. I'd go.

And I think they have a Buca di Beppo in Rome. Not sure though.

[Saphire]

7. will you regret not having done it later in life???????

[stellanoir]

9. go and yell "Freebird !!!"

I dare you. Good restaurants in Rome???

You've got to be kidding.

Go and have a blast.

[Sanity Claws]

10. Money well spent for great memories

Don't hesitate to go. You'll probably remember it for the rest of your life. Can you say that about other money you spent?

[ms liberty]

Yes it's a dumb question - You HAVE to go!

To sing in the Sistine Chapel? OMG, how can you not? The week in Rome is just gravy on them biscuits!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Yes you should as long as you sing this song

Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis
©2004 Eric Schwartz


Keep your Jesus off my penis
Keep your bible off my balls
Keep your prayers out of my ears
And your crosses off my walls
You can keep the virgin mother
And the resurrection too
Keep your Jesus off my penis
I'll keep my penis off of you

Well I'm frickin' sick and tired
Of turning on the news
And seeing the religious right's
Ungodly fight to take our right to choose
When to bear our children
Who to love and how
Education and protection
If we're just practicing for now
So dubya look obey a book
If that's what works for you
But I don't tell you how to pray
So don't tell me how to screw

Keep your Jesus off my penis
Keep your bible off my balls
Keep your prayers out of my ears
And your crosses off my walls
You can keep the virgin mother
And the resurrection too
Keep your Jesus off my penis
I'll keep my penis off of you

So you’re screaming bloody murder
'Bout the taliban regime
For subjugating women
And being too extreme
And basing legislation
On some ancient holy book
Does that sound a bit familiar?
Here's a mirror, have a look

And as for the ten commandments
They need one more at least
Thou shall never cover up
The acts of pervert priests
How'd they let that happen
Unless they just abhor us
Well anyway it adds
Another layer to the chorus

Keep your Jesus off my penis
Keep your bible off my balls
Keep your prayers out of my ears
And your crosses off my walls
You can keep the virgin mother
And the resurrection too
Keep your Jesus off my penis
I'll keep my penis off of you

So you'll execute a person
And protect a single cell
But mercy-kill the terminally ill
And you're goin' straight to hell
I don't know much about
The word of God
Far be it from me
But I can tell you what it ain't
Hypochristianity

I am not anti-Christian
Before you grab a rope
There is beauty in religion
And joy and love and hope
We're all looking for an answer
Some colossal cosmic cause
But who the fuck are you
To turn your views into my laws?
It's just believers in the bible
That would have abortion banned
Anti-choice agnostics?
I could count’em on one hand
And as for killing babies
I have but one retort
If someone raped your daughter George
You'd beg her to abort

And if some young girl from your church
Shows up with child or some infection
‘Cuz you taught her what a horrid sin
It was to use protection
One day you'll face the pearly gates
And whatchu gonna say
When that long-haired Jewish peacenick
Sends your ass the other way sayin’

Keep your Jesus off my penis
Keep your bible off my balls
Keep your prayers out of my ears
And your crosses off my walls
I've had it up to here
With all the biblibile you spew
Keep your Jesus off my penis
(at least that's what I would do)
Keep your Jesus off my penis
I'll keep my penis off of you
That's if'n you want me to

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. I'll wear a "John Paul II is in HELL for being Catholic!" t-shirt

I got it from Falwell.

[Misunderestimator]

30. LOL!! Can we get the sheet music for that?

:bounce:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

37. It's just your basic 1-4-5

[MuseRider]

13. Do it!

It would be a great memory to have. My kids sang in the Armory Museum in Moscow and all over St. Petersburg and we will never forget the experience. Go, sing and enjoy. Be a tourist and have fun. Somehow I don't see you as a fucknob typical American tourist. I would go in a heartbeat but then I just may be the typical fucknob American tourist. :shrug:

Edit to tell you that the first place we were taken to in Russia was the Moscow McDonalds. All those wonderful places to go and that was where they thought we would enjoy the most. :eyes:

[Shell Beau]

14. Do it!! It would be awesome to say that you did.

[barb162]

17. there are McDonalds there too, extra salt used there compared to

US restaurants. Didn't mean "good'' in regard to McDonald.. Actually Italian food is fine but the "good" Rome restaurants charge an arm and a leg. I remember once paying about 40 bucks for tomato soup with rice. However there are many, many reasonable restaurants around and they serve the BEST ice cream

[FizzFuzz]

48. wonder who their mascot is? Rinaldo Macadonatelli?

40 bux for tomato soup with rice? ?&*#&@!!!!

Must have been reaaaaaaaaaalllllllllyy good soup.

[barb162]

76. The soup wasn't that good, FizzFuzz (hello!)

but I was really hungry and the restaurant was across the street from the hotel and I just couldn't walk another foot.

[FizzFuzz]

84. heeh ee!!

Location is everything!

heh heh!!

:hi:

[AllegroRondo]

19. How can you NOT go?

Im not even a Christian, and I would jump on any chance to see the Sistine Chapel. Its worth it for the art and architecture alone!

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. Maybe they'll let me repaint it!!

[evlbstrd]

41. Use a roller.

You'll get it done a lot faster than that Michael guy did.

[Rabrrrrrr]

42. I was thinking a paintball gun and a catapult

But yeah, you're totally right, that Michael guy took way too fucking long.

[evlbstrd]

43. A notorious slacker.

[Blue-Jay]

22. Only if you can chip off a piece of the ceiling.

That would be a nice souvenir.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

28. I've got just one sentence for you, Rabrrrrrr

Beg, borrow, or steal the money to give yourself the experience of a lifetime.

(This is the revised version of my advice, the first version being "DUH!")

[DS1]

32. Save your money and fart in an Alpine horn instead

The locals will love you for it

[eleny]

35. If I could lip sync - can I take your place?

[JVS]

45. I wouldn't go.

The Vatican is a theocracy and it is my policy not to support theocracies with my money.

[Elidor]

46. Olive Garden? You philistine!

You're unworthy of a trip to Rome. Go to Burger King and sing the Burger Song instead.

[Rabrrrrrr]

53. Ooh, they have Burger King, too?

So I have at least two good restaurants to choose from, the Sizzler and Burger King.

Thank God!!

I was afraid it would be a whole week without any good food.

[swag]

49. I have not sung there,

but it seems as though you should do it.

[FizzFuzz]

50. Bring a message of multi-cultural goodwill: Sing this:

OHHH!!
The toads in France
They don't wear no underpants
And to see them hop
It'd make ya call a cop.

[Orangepeel]

51. Have you seen those TV commercials for "buy owner"

Stupid, poorly made commericals, but relevant to your situation. One parodies a game show where they ask the contestant to choose between a hit on the head with a hammer and a big pile of money. Another has a woman talking to a friend about two men she'd dating. One has no job and lives with his mother and the other is handsome, sweet and successful.

The tagline is "Some decisions are easy!"

DUH!

[Rabrrrrrr]

52. LOL! No, I haven't seen those!

But I get the gist of what you are saying... :7

[Missy Vixen]

56. You have to do it

>I have to pay to do it - maybe $2,500 or so - but am I stupid insane to even question whether I should spend the money to do this? A week in Rome?<

Goooooooooo. Have a wonderful time. Say "hello" to David for me. Eat your weight in gnocchi and bruschetta.

It's so weird. I left my church 15 years ago. I still love the sacred music, especially Handel.

I don't think that you would ever regret being able to sing in these places whether or not you subscribe to their beliefs.

Julie

[Bossy Monkey]

57. Are you Roman Catholic?

When I visited St Peter's, this group of young people in identical t-shirts formed up in choir formation in an unused space towards the back of the basilica, sang one song to an audience of nobody, and ran out again. As I recall, the identical t-shirts indicated that they were Baptists from somewhere in America. I could just imagine their director bragging on local TV that they had "sung in St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome." I hung my head, even less proud than usual to be an American.

I'm assuming that you aren't talking about anything like this, but if somebody else is setting up the performance, make absolutely sure that they're talking about an actual show that's been cleared with the Vatican. For all I know, those kids had gotten permission from somebody, but it sure didn't look like it.

As for restaurants in Rome, uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yeah. Back in the day, the Trastevere was nice, fun, scenic. Other side of the Tiber as I recall. The word you'll be looking for is "trattoria." (Restaurant, more or less. More along the lines of a bar and grill, probably.)

[Rabrrrrrr]

59. No, I'm not. But these would be official formal performances

in our choral tuxes. Whether a concert or singing at a mass, I am not sure yet, but definitely kosher. Heh heh.

It's so utterly tacky to wear a t-shirt advertising your country of origin. Let alone wear one also advertising your religion, while in the most sacred of churches. But from Baptists, it doesn't surprise me.

[babylonsister]

62. I haven't read this thread since you started this earlier, but

can you actually sing? :shrug:

[Rabrrrrrr]

64. Aye, I can

Good question, though!

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

63. Sounds like a great opportunity if you're really into the singing thing

but that's a whole lot of money. I flew to Milan in late-Feb 2 years ago and only paid around $400 for the flight. Might be a little cooler but you don't have to fight the huge crowds and you save some dough. Just my 2 cents.

Try the Sbarro near Circus Maximus. The fried mozzarella sticks are orgasm-inducing.

[Rabrrrrrr]

66. That covers the flights, hotels, travel, much food

And, I'm sure, subsidizes the director's and his wife's costs, as well as a few other tour guides and choir workers, most likely...

[Evergreen Emerald]

67. You are so lucky!

GO for goodness sake! And travel while you are there. Take advantage of this unique opportunity. I agree with those who suggest that you will look back on this with regret if you don't go.

I wish I could sing!

[madeline_con]

70. And are there good restaurants in Rome,

When in Rome...

Don't you want to sample the local fare?

[Rabrrrrrr]

72. Local fare? I'm an AMERICAN!

I want safe! I want Olive Garden, Applebees, Chi Chis, and McDonalds!!

I don't want weird-ass foreign food.

Why can't they just cook normal food? Why do they have to do that weird stuff?

[tanyev]

73. Oh, yeah, if you're in Italy,

you will have to go to McDonalds for all your coffee. They just can't make coffee over there.

[Rabrrrrrr]

74. I've heard that about them. Also their wine apparently sucks,

I guess they've never managed to get a grip on wine-making like Wisconsin and Michigan have.

Stupid Italians.

[barb162]

78. Their version of coffee is my version of mud.

[Rabrrrrrr]

79. Heh heh - I'm looking forward to the coffee!

And the food.

I love muddy good strong coffee.

[barb162]

81. Umm, you let us know about the coff ee and everything else

when you get back. One time I was trying to lighten up the coffee/mud with cream. FInally I had about a half inch of coffee and the rest was cream in the cup and it was still very dark brown. I never saw coffee in any country like that. Whoa!

[barb162]

77. I understand. I have experienced this many times

I was in a certain European country (great country, unnamed here, but I couldn't handle their oozing in grease and oiled food) and I saw a Subway shop and damned if I didn't go there and really eat. Now here in the US, I never go to Subway, but over there, ohmygod, it was the best thing as far as food was concerned for days.

[Rabrrrrrr]

80. I hope I don't have to resort to eating American food in Europe

I try very much to eat local wherever I go, even in the US, and stay away from chains.

But some foods are comfort foods, and are easily missed. When I was in Japan for a couple weeks, as much as I love the food, I would have killed for a nice juicy steak. Yum! But I didn't, and ate only local stuff. The food in foreign realms is too awesome to waste time with imported foods.

[barb162]

82. gottcha! What I have noticed in Europe is that I always

like their breakfasts a lot but I have a really hard time with their dinners. Not that I haven't had some really wonderful dinners, but % wise I would say maybe 2/3 of the time I will find their dinners bad. Especially at the end of long trips I get homesick for plain American food that I would eat at home.

[madeline_con]

85. weird ass foreign food....

You can eat at some of the better hotels, and get the best of both worlds.

[babylonsister]

71. Do it, do it, do it! This is one of those

once-in-a-lifetime opportunities you will never forget!

[medeak]

86. just remember it's rude not to flirt

you'll have the best experience of your life. Italians really know how to live (get nothing accomplished however)