This blog takes its name from Simon Boccanegra's great address to the Genovese Council Chamber in Arrigo Boito's revised libretto of Verdi's opera named after the title character. Boccanegra, the Doge of Genoa, with a checkered past (as a pirate and unwed father) rises to greatness by imploring the warring factions of his republic (the Plebians and the Patricians) to come together in peace. This sentiment was not lost on the newly unified Italians of Verdi's day nor should it be on our divided country today as we head into the 2008 election. Common sense and common ground are both in short supply. My commentary will hopefully look for both. The political links provided reflect a broad spectrum of opinion, both reasoned and extreme (as one needs to know what everyone is thinking, not just those with whom one agrees). There are also links to the official Republican and Democrat presidential candidates and interesting unofficial sites as well.
The operatic origin of the site name reflects my other passion and passtime. I am a particular fan of Verdi but also enjoy works by composers of many different nationalities and historical periods. I plan to post reviews of performances I attend. Links are provided to other interesting opera bloggers and the singers I particularly enjoy, including some "up-and-commers."
At times, I hope the two worlds reflected on this blog will intersect and provide some especially interesting commentary!
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1 comment:
Good post.
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