Disclaimer: I do not own any of the following images or video!!
One of my favorite operas is Jacques Offenbach‘s The Tales of Hoffmann(Les contes d’Hoffmann). This opera is a fantastical retelling of the life of the German Romantic author E. T. A. Hoffmann, casting Hoffmann as the protagonist of his own stories.
Placido Domingo performing the “Chanson de Kleinzach” aria.
Désirée Rancatore performing ”Les oiseaux dans la charmille.”
Through The Tales of Hoffmann, I developed an interest in Hoffmann and his stories, quickly leading me to Sigmund Freud’s The Uncanny. In Freud’s essay, he uses many of the same Hoffmann stories as Offenbach, but in this case to prove a psychological point (not that Offenbach’s opera isn’t deeply psychological). If I remember correctly, Freud even mentions Offenbach’s opera.
Portrait of E. T. A. Hoffmann
I’m sure you are all wondering, “What does all this have to do with The Nutcracker?” Well, little do most people know, E. T. A. Hoffmann wrote in 1816 one of the earliest versions of The Nutcracker story, entitled The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Nussknacker und Mausekönig).
Alexandre Dumas was also a fan of Hoffmann, employing allusions to Hoffmann’s stories in The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas even went as far as creating a revision to Hoffmann’s Nutcracker in 1844 called History of The Nutcracker (Histoire d’un casse-noisette), or The Tale of the Nutcracker.
Towards the end of the 19th Century, Hoffmann’s Nutcracker was adapted to ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, perhaps the most famous incarnation of the tale. I write this post because my dad purchased tickets to the San Francisco Ballet to see The Nutcracker at the end of the month. Perhaps later I’ll add my thoughts on the production to this post.
Tchaikovsky’s music is always wonderful, if not a little too overplayed for the holidays. A lot of people tend to associate The March from The Nutcracker or The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy not with Tchaikovsky, but with the thousands of Christmas commercials that use these pieces. This also happens with The Chinese Tea Dance from The Nutcracker with Disney’s Fantasia and The Sleeping Beauty Waltz with Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
I believe the most creative and exciting production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is Mark Morris’s The Hard Nut. The Hard Nut is set in 1950s America with a very retro feel inspired by the comic artist Charles Burns — a strange but brilliant compliment to the classical music. I hope to one day be able to attend a live performance.
Advertisement for The Hard Nut.
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Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated
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Eleven Facts about G. E. Gallas
I’m going to cut corners a little bit since I already answered a ton of questions about myself for other awards. So check out more than eleven facts about me on my posts Reader Appreciation Award and Very Inspiring Blogger Award. (^-^;;)
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Denises’s Questions
1. What makes you laugh?
I laugh at any number of odd things, especially at awkward situations I may find myself in. Oh, I can keep myself endlessly amused.
2. How do you like to spend your spare time?
Spare time? What spare time?
3. What’s your favourite book?
This question is impossible to answer. Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Facesis practically my bible (I mentioned I’m a Jewish atheist, right?). I’m also quite fond of Robert Graves’s I, Claudius, Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo, Yukio Mishima’s Spring Snow (Haru no Yuki), E. L. Doctorow’s Ragtime, etcetera, etcetera. My bookshelf looks frighteningly like a Penguin Classics library!
4. What inspires you most?
Artists who are extraordinarily dedicated to their work inspire me the most.
5. If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?
Wouldn’t change a thing!
6. Has blogging an impact in your real life?
Hmm, let me think about that one — not sure yet.
7. Would you meet in your real life someone you’ve met on the internet?
I have already met in real life a number of people I’ve met on the internet.
8. What do you find annoying?
Hypocrites — they are the bane of my existence.
9. Do you blog often?
Yes, I suppose so.
10. Which place of the world would you like to visit?
I would love to visit all over Scandinavia!
11. If you win, how are you going to celebrate on the blog sphere?
Wow, I can’t believe I was just nominated for another award — that’s the 3rd one in a very short span of time! I guess my dedication is starting to pay off. Feels especially good after receiving a number of various rejections over the past few weeks.
I would like to thank The Geek Transition for nominating me and for these kind words: “She just released a graphic novel called The Poet and The Flea, and I think it’s pretty cool. You can tell she put a lot of work into it. Congrats on the premiere, G.E.!” Thank you very very very much!!
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Rules
1. Link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Attach the icon to your site.
3. Answer the questions.
4. Nominate some other bloggers whom you feel deserve this award!
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Questions
Your favorite color?
As covered in my post “A Bit More About Me“: Since childhood, I’ve always favored blue. But nowadays everyone would accuse me of being passionate about the color black.
Your favorite animal?
Difficult question! I’m torn between llamas/alpacas, red pandas, and Shiba Inu (if a breed counts as an animal).
Your favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Tea! Especially Earl Grey, Darjeeling, and Chai.
Your favorite number?
I’m not particularly fond of numbers. Though I prefer odd to even — it’s a question of aesthetic!
Your favorite day of the week?
Don’t really have a favorite day. My least favorite day is Wednesday.
Your favorite flower?
I have developed a fascination with the history of tulips after reading The Black Tulipby Alexandre Dumas.
What is your passion?
As you can hopefully tell by my blog, writing and illustrating. Also, Japanese language and culture.
Do you watch television?
I am a junkie for high-quality dramatic series like Boardwalk Empire and Mad Men, including a million BBC shows like The Hour, Whitechapel, and House of Cards. I just fall in love with the brilliant writing, the multidimensional characters, and the amazing actors. I also love really cheesy Japanese dramas — right now, my favorite is Guilty: Akuma to Keiyaku Shita Onna (Guilty: The Woman who Made a Deal with the Devil).
Who is your favorite author?
Another difficult question! Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces is practically my bible (I mentioned I’m a Jewish atheist, right?). I’m also quite fond of Robert Graves’s I, Claudius, Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo, Yukio Mishima’s Spring Snow (Haru no Yuki), E. L. Doctorow’s Ragtime, etcetera, etcetera. My bookshelf looks frighteningly like a Penguin Classics library!
Do you like 80′s movies?
Not particularly. The closest I get are the BBC series Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) and Smiley’s People (1982) starring Alec Guinness. And yes, I also love the 2011 version of Tinker Tailor.
What social issues bother you?
Oh, don’t even get me started — we’ll be here forever! Just know that I watch The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and MSNBC (Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, and all of them) religiously.
How do you like your eggs?
Usually, I like them scrambled. But I also like them poached, especially for an Eggs Benedict!
When did you discover blogging?
I truthfully can’t remember exactly. I remember first using a computer when I was 4 years old. And I started using deviantART sometime in middle school, if that counts.
Why do you like to blog?
I don’t always like blogging, but I’ve discovered how incredibly wonderful bloggers are on WordPress. Unlike other social media sites, bloggers here seem to have a bit more etiquette. I enjoy sharing my work and receiving positive feedback from other talented bloggers!
No Longer Human: A story of obsession. Inspired by the deaths of the artists Jeremy Blake and Theresa Duncan.
Valentine: A retelling of Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo, focused on the story of Maximilian Morrel and Valentine de Villefort.
The Man Who Never Smiled: A contemporary film noir.
Houdini & Conan Doyle: An exploration of the friendship, falling-out, and rivalry between the escape artist Harry Houdini and the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Short Screenplays
Robots Are a Girl’s Best Friend is the story of a troubled middle-aged man who attends a Halloween party dressed as Marilyn Monroe. A life-changing encounter with an “inanimate object” helps him come to terms with his identity.
Death Is No BadFriend:Based on the life and works of Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Louis attempts to escape his guilty conscience through honeymooning on Mount Saint Helena. But his illness catches up, forcing him to face his demons.
Fiction
“Go Jump in the Lake”: The precursor to Who is Laurence Harvey? An imagining of Laurence Harvey’s experience on the set of The Manchurian Candidate (1962). During filming in Manhattan, Larry is required to jump into the frozen waters of the Lake in Central Park. With this feat looming over his head, he questions his ability to cope with the pressure.
“Robots Are a Girl’s Best Friend” (See above.)
“Bludgeoning The Walrus”: A ‘60s period piece about a movie set designer who is fed up with his lecherous, big-shot boss.
“Ulysses in Hell”: An account from the perspective of the hero Ulysses as he burns in Dante’s Inferno.
“Coin-operated Golem”: Inspired by “A Supermarket in California” by Allen Ginsberg.
“The Ink Drinker”: A dystopian story about a young girl who learns the truth about an outcast of society.
“The Scar Still Hurts” (In Progress)
“The Man with a Television for a Head” (In Progress)
Being forced to sit out in the sun for 6 hours for the next few days. Hope I don't get a sunburn. Using my umbrella as a parasol. 110 SPF!! 14 hours ago
Portrait of E. T. A. Hoffmann
Feels especially good after receiving a number of various rejections over the past few weeks.
