In a message dated 3/24/2009 7:10:20 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: My current recommendation--which was going to wait for Geary's return, but as Moses knew, fine reads wait for no man--is Tony Hawks, "Round Ireland with a Fridge." ---- My current recommendation is Blunt, "John Christie, of Glyndebourne". The book itself is rather on the bore side, with apologies to George and Gus (Christie's son and grandson respectively). But the panorama the book paints on Audrey Mildray is exquisite. She _was_ a 'moderate' soprano, as John told his mama: "Mother, I fell in love with a moderate soprano" ---- Anyway, the root of the music in Christie was due to a woman who rented rooms of his Glyndebourne, from what I understood. It was when he was 48 that he met, via this lady, I think, Audrey Mildray -- and the rest is the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. The book makes heavy read for those who don't care (as I don't) for inner politics at Covent Garden. But indeed it seems Christie's was a campaign against the Establishment as he saw it. Agate and many other critics would not take Glyndebourne seriously -- why would they. Londoners are known to be parochial. Agate is especially hurting in his letter to The Times ("I'm more accustomed to orange peels than orange groves, sorry; and I do find Mozart's operas boring"). Christie was a darling -- an inegenu, etc. -- His first official season was 1934 and I have to find a checklist of all the seasons up to the present one. This season, which is the 75th Anniversary, has some interesting schedules. Gus Christie has written a good 'editorial', entitled, "Surprisingly". ----- Audrey took part of the first productions, which was mainly Mozart. Then came the war ('phoney') and the reopening. The 'stagione' continued except for 1992, when the season was posponed for refurbishment of the theatre (or 'house'). I indeed collect DVDs of Glyndebourne productions and find them very good. The Glyndebourne Rossini "Ermione" for example is a jewel. For who else but The Glyndebournites would care to revive this delight of opera seria? -------- Etc. Mildray is partly interred in Sussex (Glyndebourne) and partly in Devon. Christie's memorial was at Westminster. Cheers, J. L. Speranza Buenos Aires, Argentina; etc. **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/p romoclk/100126575x1220085203x1201389322/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DMarchfooterNO62) ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html