Happy Birthday Tashena

Last night we celebrated Tashena's birthday early (it is actually at the end of the week) by going to dinner (Chuck-A-Rama), having cake (the traditional ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins), opening presents, and playing Shanghai Rummy!

I can't believe that she will be 22!

Pumpkin Carving 2022

Yesterday my family got together for our annual pumpkin carving party and we had so much fun.  We have been doing this with Sean and Tashena since they were really little and every year I wonder if it will be the last time because they will have outgrown it but Sean called me specifically to remind me to buy pumpkins!

I really love this tradition and I think our pumpkins turned out really cool this year!

New Car

I got a new car over the weekend!  I actually bought it, sight unseen, two weeks ago but I had to wait for it to be delivered and inspected because inventory is so low right now.  I knew that I wanted another Kia Sportage because it has been the best car that I have ever owned.

My 2011 Kia Sportage (above on the day that I bought it) went on multiple road trips to Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angleles as well as several trips to Mount Rushmore, Zion, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone.  I drove it almost 200,000 miles without any major problems (I only had to replace the tires every few years and perform routine maintenance) but this summer the air conditioning stopped working and my mechanic started noticing other smaller issues.  He warned me that if I started having problems with the transmission or the engine I should get a new car rather than repair it because it wouldn't be worth it with so many miles on the odometer.  Even though I really loved this car, I decided that it would be better to trade it now rather than later.

My 2023 Sportage has a lot more bells and whistles than my old one so it has been really fun to drive.  I especially love the rear camera, the lane assist, Apple CarPlay, and the heated seats.  I named my 2011 Sportage Edward because of its color (Twilight Blue) so, since my new Sportage is Steel Grey, I decided to name it Remington (after the old TV show Remington Steele).  I'm so happy to have this car and I already have a road trip planned!

Ballet West's Onegin

I love Russian literature and music so the ballet Onegin, based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin and featuring music by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is one of my favorites!  I have been looking forward to Ballet West's production since the 2022-2023 season was announced and I had the opportunity to see it last night.  I loved everything about it including the story, the music, the choreography, the performances, the sets, and the costumes!  A young girl named Tatiana (Jenna Rae Herrera) is preparing for a ball in honor of her birthday with her mother (Olivia Gusti), her sister Olga (Chelsea Keefer), and friends from the countryside.  Lensky (Jordan Veit), a poet engaged to Olga, soon arrives with Onegin (Brian Waldrep), his worldly and sophisticated friend from St. Petersburg.  Tatiana falls desperately in love with him and writes an impetuous letter declaring her feelings which her nurse delivers to him.  Prince Gremin (Jake Preece) is also invited to the ball and falls in love with Tatiana but she ignores him in favor of Onegin who, thinking her a silly girl who has read too many romantic novels, rejects her and tears up her letter.  Onegin eventually grows bored with the company and flirts outrageously with Olga.  Lensky challenges him to a duel and Onegin ends up killing him.  Years later a disillusioned Onegin visits Prince Gremin in St. Petersburg and is shocked to discover that his friend has married Tatiana.  He realizes that he is in love with the beautiful princess and writes her a letter.  In a dramatic reversal of fortune, she rejects him and tears up his letter.  I love Tchaikovsky's music because it is so passionate which makes it the perfect backdrop for this tragic love story.  I especially loved the music during the duel because it is unbelievably heartbreaking.  The choreography is some of most innovative I've seen performed by Ballet West.  I loved the wild abandon of the folk dances in the countryside, particularly the leaps across the stage by the women in the ensemble, juxtaposed with the elegant and stately waltzes at the ball in St. Petersburg.  I also loved the tumultuous and acrobatic final Pas de Deux between Onegin and Tatiana.  Herrera and Waldrep danced their roles brilliantly, executing challenging throws and maneuvers with an incredible amount of emotion (the audience spontaneously applauded when Tatiana gestured for Onegin to leave).  The elegant sets and beautiful costumes in muted jewel tones transport the audience to imperial Russia for a few hours and I definitely recommend taking this journey.  There are three more performances at Capitol Theatre (go here for tickets) including a matinee on October 29.

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5

The Utah Symphony performed an all Russian program last night so I was a very happy girl!  The orchestra, under the baton of guest conductor David Danzmayr (who was very dynamic), began with the Prelude to Khovanshchina by Modest Mussorgsky.  Even though this opera is about the struggle between Peter the Great, who wants to implement Western reforms in Russia, and the Old Believers, who want to overthrow him, the Prelude depicts the dawn over the Moskva River and it is actually quite beautiful and soothing.  I especially loved the melody played by the oboe and the variations that followed.  Next came Piano Concerto No. 3 by Sergei Prokofiev with Andrew Staupe as soloist.  I really loved the haunting opening theme played by the clarinet because it reminded me of Russian folk music and the themes played by the solo piano are exciting and dramatic.  Staupe's performance was amazing (I loved watching his fingers fly up and down the keyboard) and he was rewarded with a well-earned standing ovation!  After the intermission, the orchestra performed the piece I was waiting all night to hear, Symphony No. 5 by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.  I love Tchaikovsky's music because I think it is so emotional and that is especially true of this particular piece because it is his confrontation with fate.  I loved the plaintive theme played by the woodwinds in the first movement and the horn solo in the second movement was absolutely brilliant.  The final movement is incredibly stirring, particularly the themes played by the brass and the timpani, and, even though this piece is filled with melancholy and yearning, the ending is triumphant!  This concert was a wonderful way to spend an evening and, if you are a fan of Russian composers, I recommend getting a ticket for the same program tonight (go here).