Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs

On Saturday I spent a while meandering through dimly lit rooms viewing ancient Egyptian artifacts at the Science Museum of Minnesota's latest exhibit, Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs. There were brighter lights dotting each room in order to highlight the artifacts, one of which was an honest-to-goodness ancient toilet seat. I gazed at it for a moment, seeing similarities in shape to our modern version and thought, "Yes. Yes, I suppose that would work just fine."

Suddenly I was picturing scantily clad Egyptians trying to maneuver going to the bathroom wearing their heavy gold accessories. Why wasn't there an ancient toilet paper holder? Didn't they have to wipe? Maybe they WERE aliens! My mom sometimes comes to the conclusion that they were aliens, but aliens wouldn't think a giant scarab beetle pushed the sun up from the underworld every day now would would they? I don't know about you, but I've never exactly pictured people of an advanced ancient culture having to take time out of their day to go potty. But here I was, staring at the actual device they used. Don't you love museums?

Tutankhamun is filled with amazing artifacts -- 100 to be exact -- found in Howard Carter's 1922 excavation of King Tut's tomb. There are masterful sculptures that I envisioned flappers looking at for fashion ideas, finely crafted beaded and gold jewelry, and even the boy king's smallish white bed and throne. There's something about staring at an object while knowing it is THE object Tut used that is just so exciting. Kind of like when I saw the actual B3 organ used in the song Green Onions when I went to the Stacks museum in Memphis.

There were many pieces on display that caused me to shake my head, or drop my jaw, or otherwise spasm in wonder. Including one piece that has never traveled outside of Egypt until now. Think of that! Or the little coffinette in which Tut's stomach was enclosed. Of course the bejeweled coffinete is now empty and so is on display slightly opened. I recall there being a drippy smudge inside of it and can't help but think it's some sort of result of the acid in Tutankhamun's stomach.


And then there's the exact replica of Tut's mummified remains, printed from a 3D printer based on actual CAT scan measurements of the body. In some ways I think that is even more impressive than the actual remains of Tut.

There are mysteries surrounding Tut's death and the exhibit does a nice job of presenting what those mysteries are along with the realities of what could have been the cause. There are conjectures as to his death being the result of malaria, or a bone disease that was showing signs in his foot, but there is nothing definitive. In fact, the ancient culture tried its best to erase Tut from history, which is fascinating, considering King Tut is the first thing people think of, besides the pyramids, when the subject of Egypt comes up today.

As you will see in the care of this exhibit, Tut's posessions -- and I imagine the actual mummified Tut -- are still being treated like royalty 3,000 years after his death. It makes you think, however briefly, that maybe the Egyptians were on to something when taking such care in preparing for the after-life.

Visit the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Spectacular! Spectacular! Party with the Minnesota Opera and Tempo

 The Minnesota Opera's Tempo program is perfecting parties. Tonight they transformed The Varsity into a Hollywood Bohemian dream-scape in conjunction with their upcoming opera, La traviata -- the very opera that inspired the movie Moulin Rouge. It was a cold and windy night and the Varsity had a line around the block, but everyone who made it in was welcomed with a cozy, candle-lit atmosphere complete with fortune tellers, burlesque dancers, and Tango performers. And that was just to get the evening started.

Bunny had a short numerology session and before grabbing drinks and hors d'oeuvres and settling into one of the horseshoe-shaped booths, we got our photo taken by a lady from FairShadow Photography who had set up a theme booth. Music by Cafe Accordian Orchestra played a lively set, then red and black-clad Tango dancers took over the stage and showed off their intricate moves before two be-feathered showgirls escorted Joshua Dorothy, the Tempo board chair, onto the stage to speak a bit on the details of the organization.

"They expect me to talk now," Joshua said, short of breath. "But I don't know how I can after that." It's always fun to watch what happens to Josh when he takes the stage. At the last Tempo Party, dubbed Opera Bootcamp, the host demanded he do push-ups. I suspect that his breathlessness tonight was much more pleasant. Tenor Brad Benoit, who was accompanied by pianist Jeremy Reger, captivated the audience with a couple of songs from La traviata.

Foxy Tann, the Boss of Burlesque MCd the event, taking the stage at intervals throughout the evening in a jeweled dress and her signature giant hairdo. At around 10pm she introduced the screening of Moulin Rouge -- the version starring Nicole Kidman and Ewen McGregor. I had never seen this movie before and was delighted at how absolutely bonkers it is. Suddenly the psychelic lights on the wall made more sense. Bunny ran out to the corner store and bought a bag of popcorn while I replenished our cocktails.

From our vantage point, we could see peoples' fingers, elbows, and arms dripping over the crowded balcony as the movie began. Chandeliers and disco balls twinkled from the ceiling and soon, not surprisingly for a music-based party, people in the audience were swaying in time or singing along with the movie's soundtrack. During a few of the scenes, dancers came out and performed before the big screen.

When the movie ended, Foxy Tann again took the stage. "Are you crying?" she asked, wiping a tear from her face. She quickly made sure to let us know that the evening was not over, but in fact was just getting started. The movie screen rolled back up into the ceiling and Chrissy & Shawn, who make up the "booty-shakin' jams" DJing duo, DJ Unicorns. And I can confirm that, indeed, booties promptly began to shake.

Tomorrow I'm off to the Tut exhibit at the Minnesota Science Museum. Stay tuned.

Happy Hour at Sea Change

 TODAY BEGAN WITH HAPPY HOUR. Perfect, no? After rumors were confirmed that indeed John Waters was just a few blocks away at the Walker Art Center, Bunny and I immediately plotted what dive bars we should scope out in the hopes of catching a glimpse of him. But the blips on our radar -- Twitter -- went silent before we even began our trek. So instead we sipped scotch and nibbled on some olives and cheese at D'Amico in the Chambers Hotel. Then we wandered over to Kieran's Irish Pub for some champ before our brisk walk to the Guthrie's restaurant Sea Change to continue making the hours happy. So much for dive bars.

Sea Change has recently instigated a brand new happy hour with an earlier starting time and it's sure to be a hit. From Sundays through Thursdays from 8:00pm to 11:00pm, Sea Change happy hour specials include $5 Absolut or Jameson cocktails, $5 red or white wine, $3 Grain Belt Premium Beer and $5 burgers and fish sandwiches. There were quite a few journalists who made it out to this happy hour sampler, too, and I made an observation that local restaurateurs may like to know: Twin Cities' journalists are oyster fiends. Erik Anderson, the chef at Sea Change, couldn't replenish the iced critters fast enough. After finding out that he is currently among the nominees for Food & Wine's The People's Best New Chef Award, I couldn't wait to taste the other samples he had planned for the evening.

My favorite was the fish sandwich; the breaded fish patty was delicious and simple in its presentation on a fluffy white bun with a pickle and sauce. The burger has much more action between the buns, as it were, with cheese, bacon, and caramelized onions. Since this was a sampler night, the burgers and fish sandwiches were miniature. I was told they will be bigger for the actual happy hour.

But, as Tallulah says, I never eat on an empty stomach.

Although Sea Change's special happy hour cocktails are not classics, they are well-crafted with a choice of either a vodka or whiskey base. Because of the ginger beer and mint that makes up their Jameson cocktail, it tastes a bit like a Moscow Mule jumped into an herb garden. I'm curious about what gives this drink its pretty pink color.

The vodka-based drink was much more of a citrus-flavored drink, like a very stiff Absolut lemonade with an alcoholic-bite -- something to make the back of your jaw tingle. This drink made everyone think of summer and we glanced outside, dreaming about the weather that will soon permit outdoor seating. Instead, only the colossal image of Arthur Miller peered back at us from the frigid outdoors. One attractive lady and I ended up exchanging our When-I-Met-Arthur-Miller stories, and it turns out his eyes were very much focused at the same angle whenever he was around a lady.

Our reminiscing was cut short when one wild-haired guest broke a glass full of white wine. Everyone knew it wasn't because the drink was bad, but it did seem to signal that the party was a success. (A broken glass of Jameson, on the other hand, would have been something to cry over.) Another round of oysters appeared on the counter top and distracted everyone from the matter altogether.

Not ones to quit partying when a good party comes to an end, Bunny and I found some playwright friends enjoying a late night bite in Sea Change after the happy hour sampler came to an end. The place was rather busy at this time, as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, one of the shows currently playing at the Guthrie, had just let out. I was lucky enough to meet a couple of the leading men in the cast at this time, too. James T. Alfred, who plays the character Levee, and Penumbra founding member Abdul Salaam El Razzac, who plays Toledo, were nice enough to sit and share jokes and stories over champagne until the lights in Sea Change came on full blast, letting the four of us know this after-party party was over. And a note to James: I hope your invite for port still stands.

Opera party tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Trash-Talking Queens: The Minnesota Opera's Mary Stuart

Let me clarify this post by saying that, despite my completion of opera boot camp, I am still a novice in the area of this theatrical form. So I am writing about my experience of seeing the Minnesota Opera's production of Mary Stuart as an inexperienced opera-goer in the hopes that it will encourage others who are brand new to opera to go see this show, or at least an opera somewhere at some point.


Two angry queens. Judith Howarth as Mary Stuart and Brenda Harris as Queen Elizabeth.

THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO OPERA IS AN INTERESTING ONE. Sure, there is a large fan base for this art-form, but there are also many people who snub it, assuming it is boring or over one's head. But opera is based in raw human emotion, which most of us have access to, and the added bonus of being set to beautiful music.

Take Gaetano Donizetti's Mary Stuart, the Minnesota Opera's latest production beginning January 29, 2011 at the Ordway. It's the story of Queen Elizabeth I (Brenda Harris) and her half-sister Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (Judith Howarth). These two queens have a lot in common, including their hatred for one another, their love for the same man, and their interest in the same throne. All of this culminates into a vicious verbal throw-down at the end of the first act.

"You're a whore!" Mary Stuart shouts at Elizabeth. "You bastard!" Not exactly inaccessible or snobby language there. And it's great to hear those words set to such intense music performed by members of the Minnesota Orchestra.

This is an Italian opera, and though the action on stage manages to convey most of what is going on, it is helpful to read the super titles. For those of you who have not been to an opera, super titles are like closed captioning. The words are translated to English on a small screen above the stage. And it is fun to discover just how heated the language gets in this show.

Howarth and Harris each display their emotions, from fear to deviousness, concern to murderous rage, as effortlessly as they maneuver their voices through grand cascades of notes. Jessica Jahn took great care with the costume design. Queen Elizabeth exudes the grandeur of a queen, especially in one gown that seems to be made of gold. Mary Stuart is lavishly dressed as well, but in what looks to be mourning attire. The chorus is dressed in cold monochromes, sterling hues of blues and purples. It seems the attire is as moody as the characters themselves.

In the second act, we find that the fight between the two queens has solidified Elizabeth's wishes to end Mary Stuart's life. And at first Mary seems okay with this because then she won't have to look at Elizabeth ever again. Talk about angry! But soon Mary calms down and prepares for her demise with more honest feelings of fear. And though the townspeople proclaim Mary Stuart is dying an innocent, it's not all that cut and dry (pardon the pun). In a previous scene, Mary confesses to taking the life of one of her husbands. In real life, Mary Stuart is suspected of killing three of her husbands (divorce was looked at more seriously as a sin back then, after all.)

This is a bare-bones description of the plot, and there are so many more confessions between the two main characters and the men in their lives. For a more in-depth description of the plot, here is the synopsis on the Minnesota Opera's website. But watching the plot between these two famous and unbalanced queens unfold in person will be a much more exciting experience.

PS. There were cartoonists in the audience during this performance. Check out some of their work on The Big Time Attic Blog.

December 11, 2010 Blizzard

I ENDED UP NOT MAKING IT TO WORK. At about five blocks out, I decided it was too treacherous to continue on and headed back home. Glad I made the decision when I did, too, because that's exactly when work called saying they were closing early for the day.

That constant crackling noise is the snow hitting the Ziplock bag I covered my camera with. A great way to block out the wind noise! Has me thinking for future outside filming in drying conditions, I should cover my camera microphone with a piece of scotch tape!

I Enlist in Opera Boot Camp

Angie Keeton will whip you into shape!

I GOT A CRASH COURSE IN OPERA this evening at Opera Boot Camp, hosted by Tempo, the Minnesota Opera's membership program "for both opera newbies and buffs ages 21-39." I've never had anything against opera, and usually like what I hear when I hear it, but haven't ever dived into the genre. When I saw a press release for the event I jumped at the chance to sign up for basic training.

Before the drills began, I took a tour through their costume shop, named for Gail Bakkom, former head costume designer who is now retired. It's a ship shape shop, lined with sewing stations each complete with an industrial sewing machine, a pair of scissors tied down with a long elastic strap, and other various sewing supplies. Among the rolls of fabric and labeled boxes full of scraps, were all sizes of body forms adjusted to mimic the sizes and shapes of singers or covered in muslin garments. Our tour guide, Lani, shared some great fun facts, too. Did you know that natural light is highly important for costume designers? It's the most effective way to see the true colors of the fabrics they use. It's for this reason that the costume shop is on the top floor of their building. The south-facing wall has large windows, and there are even a couple of sky lights over the sewing machines.

The tour included a walk through the scene shop -- a massive wide-open area with enough room to build vast scene elements, like life-sized brownstone building façades. Like a hardware store, the shop had a wall of various bins full of nuts, bolts, screws, and nails all meticulously organized and tidy. Among various sizes of paintbrushes and a washbasin forever stained with layers of splashed paint, I saw a giant cardboard cylinder about half my size marked with letters that spelled out G-L-I-T-T-E-R. We exited the scene shop, which had that wonderful smell of freshly cut wood, and moved on to the individual practice rooms.

Aside from a couple of larger practice spaces, there are smaller practice rooms that have highly sophisticated sound-proofing. In fact, singers are able to choose various acoustics to fit their practice needs. A small black panel in each room has buttons labeled Arena, Large Recital Hall, Cathedral, just to name a couple. Here is a video of Max demonstrating the various settings:

Then came the drills. The Minnesota Opera's Teaching Artist, Angie Keeton, acted as the event's official Sergent. Her enthusiasm for all things Opera was infectious as she provided a quick history of opera and its major players. There were a couple of quick opera games, like match the name of the opera to its composer, and even some short solo performances by other singers. Opera began in the 1580s and seeing performances was a privilege of the wealthy class. But sooner or later art rebels, and so it did with opera. Composers started writing about regular people for regular people, and so the genre evolved into an artform that everyone is welcome to enjoy.

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For more fun details of the evening, here is a link to Max Sparber's column for Minnpost.com.

Meeting Austin Pendleton

DURING MY LATEST TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Austin Pendleton. I was going to see a show and he was standing outside the theater with some friends. I assumed he was leaving after an earlier performance and when I spotted him, I know my jaw dropped. And he saw me see him. I looked at Max and whispered to him excitedly, "Oh my god. It's Austin Pendleton." He was with a group of friends, immersed in conversation, so I squelched my urge to go say hello.

A little background on my fascination with this actor. Mr. Pendleton is in one of my all-time favorite movies, What's Up, Doc? He even says one of my favorite lines, which is in the above clip: "Who is that dangerously unbalanced woman?"

Subconsciously I think that very line is why I didn't burst into his group standing outside the theater to tell him I'm a huge fan. Max and I walked past, picked up our tickets, and walked upstairs to see the play we were planning on seeing that night.

I sat in my chair thinking maybe I had made a mistake. Never in my life did I think I'd have the opportunity to meet Austin Pendleton, and there he was, right down stairs. I looked at Max and said, "I'm really going to be mad at myself if I don't at least say hello." So back downstairs I went. The sidewalk had cleared. My heart sank.

I started back up the stairs to the theater thinking well, at least I saw him in person. A few more steps up, I lifted my head and there he was -- Austin Pendleton was coming down the steps. We were alone in the stairwell. I didn't want to overwhelm the man, so I practically whispered, "Are you Austin Pendleton?"

"Yes, I am."

"I just have to tell you how huge a fan I am of yours. What's Up Doc is one of my favorite movies. I have it on my iPod right now." And I pointed to my purse as if I was waiting for him to say, Really? Prove it.

Of course he didn't say that. He shook my hand instead and said thank you. He asked my name. "My name is Courtney, but all of my friends call me Coco."

"Coco?"

"Yes."

"Coco! I like that."

(Almost like the conversation in the above clip, beginning at 1:37.)

And we went our separate ways on the stairwell. Turns out he was there to see the same show I was there to see, too.