Catholic school bans Red Nose

[Kiyoodle the Gambrinous]

A Catholic school has banned Red Nose Day over fears that the proceeds will be used to support abortion charities and pay for contraception.

Whole article here

Hopefully this doesn't spread to other Catholics...

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Why do some scenes from Monty Python, The meaning of life come to my mind?

[beagle]

There was an amusing (true) anecdote in a review of a book on the History of Roman Catholicism I read today.
Apparently some high placed Anglicans concluded their visit to the Vatican in the 1870s with a polite request for a blessing from the Pope.
He obliged (in Latin) with the blessing usually used for incense. "May you be blessed by Him in whose honour you will be burnt".

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

If they could they would. I just read an editorial on my hometown's newspaper regarding the pope's apparent move to the old ways. It seems that the current loss in attendance is related to how 'lax' the 2nd Vatican Council made things (or so they seem to be thinking in Rome nowadays).

Among the things suggested is to go back latin and gregorian chant during the service:

In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, (182) that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers (183) of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant.

While this is suggested for large services, it is impossible not to note certain nostagia for the 'better' times.

[Sibling Chatty]

Well, so much for a 'religion for the people'.

Anybody notice the resurgence of that good old overlord/feudal serf idea in all types of governance (political and religious especially) we seem to be being subjected to? I do hope it's a last, sad gasp and not the real resurgence so many (rich and powerful) hope for.

[beagle]

Maybe, but don't you need a bit of mystery and ritual to get across the idea of continuity, stability and above all transcendence? It might not be the essence of religion but the sense of timelessness helps with the marketing.

That's not to say it might not all be part of a bigger plot to promote Papal Fundamentalism.

[Swatopluk]

Nothing against the Latin Mass per se as long as it is not mandatory.
Otherwise we could also get rid of Kyrie Eleison and Amen.
We demand our Hokuspokus (Hoc est corpus)
What about subtitles (as they do in some operas now [actually over- not subtitles]?

[Bluenose]

What about subtitles (as they do in some operas now [actually over- not subtitles]?

[pedant]

That would be surtitles, would it not?

[/pedant]

Sorry, just coudn't help myself.

Ok, I'll go and sit in the corner and be quiet now...

[Swatopluk]

Wouldn't surtitles be French and correspond to soustitles?
What about dessous titles (in church? )

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

We demand our Hokuspokus (Hoc est corpus)

Well, in movies they portray satanic rites in Latin, so I guess it helps.

[Swatopluk]

Die Engel sprechen selbstverständlich Englisch, ihr oberster Herr daher vermutlich auch.
(Angels certainly speak "Anglais", (therefore) their supreme boss probably too)

[Sibling Chatty]

The opera company that introduced 'surtitles' does indeed call then surtitles.

That's Houston Grand Opera, and if you're up front in the expensive seats, you can't see them, and if you're at the back of the top balcony, you can't see them either!!

When I sat in my ex-boss's seats I was front (3nd or 4th row) and center, when I paid for my own tickets, I was so far back there were pigeons cooing on the roof, and right next to my head. Even the lighting booth was below me!!

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

That's Houston Grand Opera, and if you're up front in the expensive seats, you can't see them, and if you're at the back of the top balcony, you can't see them either!!

And some say that opera is not a democratic art...

[Bluenose]

Margot and I went to see the Australian Opera Company's version of Orpheus in the Underworld at the Melbourne Concert Hall a couple of years ago.  We had pretty good seats about four or five rows back from the front of the dress circle - just out of the expensive seat zone.  We could read the surtitles OK, but then you couldn't see the action, so I figured it was a waste of time.  I just payed attention to what the singers were singing and I reckon I only missed a word or two here and there.  I think even if the opera is not being performed in English, you would be better off reading up on the plot and just going along and listening to the singing and watching it, the surtitles are just too distracting.  JMO of course.

[Sibling Chatty]

Yep, that's why they publish librettos.

Of course, they DID originate in Houston, where the whole POINT of the opera was to see and be seen by the right people, and the semi-literate needed easy-to-read translations because they'd never bother to actually LEARN anything about the story.

The evening I spent the entire intermission explaining the storyline of the opera we were watching to the Enron exec seated to my left, I finally asked WHY he was there. Seems it was good for your company image to 'support the arts'. I asked if he meant "be seen at the arts" because whispering "What's happening now?" to total strangers is NOT supportive in any way.

The night I walked in and it was Wagner, I demanded to know if he'd followed my directions and researched the opera. When he said he hadn't, I just told him the very first "What's happening?" or "Who's that/What does THAT mean?" out of his mouth would earn him a removal by the ushers. He kept his mouth shut, and, once again, at intermission, we played catch-up. I liked his wife's solution.  She brought a penlight and a book and read with it all inside her big velvet handbag.

Houston, home of culture, with a capital K...

[Swatopluk]

Of course with Wagner even explaining or reading the libretto might not do the job
I think surtitles can be helpful if done properly.
The ones they used for Falstaff last week were a lot more explicit than the lyrics usually used for libretto translations.
Sometimes they don't give the whole text but only essentials. That can be helpful if you lose the plot. That can happen even if you did do your homework but don't know the language especially in baroque operas (someone sings for 15 minutes what's going to happen, then 1 minute of action, then someone singing 15 minutes what has happened. Repeat cycle 5-15 times  )

[Bluenose]

Well, of course there's always the Warner Bros approach:

"kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit!!!"

[Sibling Chatty]

Warner Brothers does all my favorite Wagner.

I'm just NOT a Wagner fan. At all. (The man didn't write a damn thing I can sing, for starters.)

[Bluenose]

Well, I don't know if I am a fan of Wagner, from what I have read it seems like he was not a particularly nice person, but he did write some great music.  I did once go round to a mate's place and we spent the whole weekend eating pizza, drinking beer (and the odd rum, single-malt and even some extra nice bourbon, it must be admitted) and listening to the entire ring cycle.  It was fantastic.

Even today, I still particularly enjoy Götterdämmerung, the way the music broods and builds to the finale is a powerful example of the way music can convey strong emotion.  Still I can see that it would not be everyone's cup of tea.

Which I suppose is a good thing, imagine how boring it would be if everyone like the same things...

[Swatopluk]

Another thing not to like about Wagner (apart from politics and his numerous character flaws) is that he produced tons of mindless imitators (Humperdinck about the only worth remembering). In comparision, Rimsky-Korsakov educated 2 generations of European composers but they all were/became stilistically independent of their teacher.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I agree with what Rossini said about Wagner: he has brilliant moments and terribly boring halfs of hour. Some of his vocal stuff is simply too heavy for my ears but his choral and orchestral interludes are -to my taste- great.

Pity he was an a--hole.

[Sibling Chatty]

You'll note my objection was made from the POV of a soloist...

Orchestrally, Wagner's fine. Not the most challenging bassoon parts, but OK with me. But, he seems to have hated altos. Mezzo sopranos on up? OK. Altos? Bleagh.

[Swatopluk]

In Western opera altos seem to be almost exclusively old women or evil ones (or both).
Another reason why I prefer Russian opera (except Tchaikovsky).

[Sibling Chatty]

Well, now that I am old, not just evil...I'm so far out of voice that I would need 6 months to get back to "doesn't make me puke when she opens her mouth" status.

I always did fine with oratorio and musical comedy, but there's something so satisfying about a good aria. (My Mom can transpose anything, basically on site, so I got to sing Mimi, just in the wrong key. And in the music room at home.)