Venice

Io, Don Giovanni

Saturday, September 19, 2009 

We saw Io, Don Giovanni (2009) at a gala opening at the Roy Thompson Hall at TIFF. It is the story of Mozart’s lyricist, Lorenzo da Ponte, and in particular their collaboration on Don Giovanni.

Lorenzo was born in the republic of Venice and was friends with Casanova there. Though a priest, Lorenzo was a libertine and his love of liberty brought him into odds with the Venetian Inquisition and Lorenzo was exiled. Casanova gave him a letter of introduction to Salieri in Vienna but he ended up paired with the upstart Mozart by the Austrian Emperor Joseph II and so the two collaborated on the opera that would chronicle Casanova’s life.

The movie works very well. The music is woven into the story and livens it, the acting is excellent. The cinematography is excellent, the movie is shot as if on the set of an opera using painted sets and scrims and brings engravings to life in a way that effectively blurs the boundaries between the opera being performed and the story of its creation.

Posted at 19:41:27 GMT-0700

Category: Related Links

Sunbeam in Venice

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 

We visited the Santa Maria della Salute in Venice early in the morning and a beam of light from the window was illuminating the statue.

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Posted at 13:00:27 GMT-0700

Category: photoPlaces

Venice

Monday, January 28, 2008 

We only spent about 5 hours in Venice, between the arrival at dawn of the train from Zagreb until our departure by train to Firenza, but it was a perfect day. It was my first time there and it is by far the most photogenic city I’ve ever seen. It takes all the challenge out of photography that no matter where you look, no matter what time of day, there is some gorgeous and ancient structure or vista in front of you.
Sunrise

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More pictures below…
Posted at 14:18:45 GMT-0700

Category: photoPlaces

Guca Golden Trumpet Festival…

Saturday, January 26, 2008 

Carolyn and I were on a night train from Zagreb to Venice last night and our cabin mate was on his way from Belgrade and told us that the most amazing experience of his life was the Guca Golden Trumpet Festival, especially the finale where the hills around the town are wired with dynamite charges, one for ever of the 47 years of the festival.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXR6v1d2ZVg[/youtube]

Posted at 10:47:59 GMT-0700

Category: Travelvideo