Thoughts on Modernity:

Charles Baudelaire is considered the father of Modernity, defined as “the fleeting, ephemeral experience of life in an urban metropolis, and the responsibility art has to capture that experience.” Baudelaire’s rejection of the romantic ideal of glorified nature moves to focus on the urban metropolis of Paris and its people for his muse of his avant garde poetry that birthed the Symbolist movement at the last quarter of the 19th century. However his overarching effect on a modern outlook of aesthetics inspired composer Claude Debussy who is considered the father of French impressionism and the precursor to Postmodernism in music. What does this have to do with my study abroad experience. Everything! The foundation of Modern French Society was forged at the time of these new artistic and philosophical movements. These movements valued the individual, valued experience, valued complex morality and duality and valued a subjective, experiential worldview. Does not this sound like modern day society? And with it a thread runs through the subtext of society in the theater, in the opera house, in the ballet, and the modern art exhibits.

The past week has been a week of the theater:

• Qu’est ce que tu de viens?: An invigorating solo flamingo dancer with a Spanish singer and guitar. The power and passion of the dancer’s steps in a pool of water on the stage (with water splashing everywhere) encouraged me to
  • firstly- exercise more
  • secondly- live with passion and pride.
• Seeing a French premiere of a new piece at the National Theatre (Le chambre et la temp), which I understood very little of. Most of the play I was consumed with the technique of vocal production and pronunciation of the language, however sometime deeply captivated by the universal emotions that were expressed.
• Seeing “Cupideon s’en fout”twice — a ballet at the National Opera. It beautifully illustrated the stages of life from infancy to death in humor and dance. With electronic music and vintage baroque and romantic arias sung by famous divas.
• Seeing Nicht Schlafen, a contemporary dance piece that fused Malher monumental Symphonic music with techno electronic. The sold out show explored improvised movement, visceral indeterminacy, and an invigorating primal community ensemble through African song and dance.
• Seeing the Strasbourg philharmonic playing Debussy’s La Mer. There is something about a french conductor and a french ensemble playing possibly the most influential piece of french music of the fin de siecle  that is so inspiring; the captivating attention of the players and graceful transitions between meters and moods was ecstasy.

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Thoughts on Meaning

This is the meaning of fear . . . what “self” is capable of doing

~reflections on Heinrich Himmler Documentary shown in light of Armistice Day

This is the meaning of missing . . . the circumstances where you felt truly like your best

~reflections on Scotland

This is the meaning of loneliness . . . not being able to share oneself

~reflections on University of Idaho

This is the meaning of sadness . . . not knowing your true identity

~reflections on high school

This is the meaning of obedience . . . beliefs in action!

~reflections in France

This is the meaning of the wind . . . The ability to feel it and see the autumn leaves blow across the cobblestone streets. My hairs on my arms and face lift and settle with each gush as I ponder how music could capture this moment and words might be able to articulate it.

~after a jazz jam session at the Wine Note with a group of Irish and anglophones.

 

Some other highlights were an apartment warming of my new studio, celebrated with beer, wine, chicken cordon blue and dessert with a friend from Korea and couple from Columbia.

A Wine and Cheese Soiree

 

 

A la Prochain,

DCM