{"id":14564,"date":"2013-08-23T06:59:25","date_gmt":"2013-08-23T11:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=14564"},"modified":"2013-08-23T07:05:36","modified_gmt":"2013-08-23T12:05:36","slug":"commentary-in-the-absence-of-substance-inanity-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2013\/08\/23\/commentary-in-the-absence-of-substance-inanity-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary: In the absence of substance, inanity rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Robert<\/a>
Robert Carsen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I know I’m supposed to be on holiday, but Bloomberg’s ever-growing news service has posted “Boo or Bravo: Hot Opera Directors,” a feature that got me going better than my morning espresso.<\/p>\n

I could wave the Canadian flag proudly to say that Toronto boy Robert Carsen made the list. But the feature is completely devoid of content, so much so that we are given no justification on why these people made the list, what makes each production cited noteworthy, and what separates a Bravo from a Boo.<\/p>\n

Check it out here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If we take away all content, what are we left with, exactly?<\/p>\n

In the same vein, the Bloomberg list singles out Christopher Alden’s recent work in Los Angeles, and comes with a picture of Frank Gehry’s set for Don Giovanni<\/em>: a crumpled piece of paper paired with costumes bought at a studio garage sale from the TV series Space: 1999<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Frank<\/a>
Frank Gehry’s view of Don Giovanni in Los Angeles (Autumn De Wilde photo).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The set reminds me of an old Simpsons<\/em> episode featuring Gehry. He designs a new concert hall for Springfield by crumpling a piece of paper and throwing it on the sidewalk.<\/p>\n

\"simpsons\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, was Gehry’s Don Giovanni<\/em> set a SoCal in-joke response to The Simpsons<\/em>?<\/p>\n

With such weighty questions haunting me in late August, I’m going to mix myself a Long Island iced tea, then head for the hills.<\/p>\n