Wichita Grand Opera, special post, La Boheme, 2008 (complete opera)

ttps://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&p=La+Boheme+complete+opera+yhoutube#id=2&vid=b0b78427dcdbd70bf4fb133bd1c44950&action=click Think about it. La Boheme, produced in Wichita, Kansas. Produced so many times, each time different, and each time perfect. Probably due to the perfection of the story and the writing. This says something for the current fashion in some quarters for endless "process". It's always very annoying for me, and speaks to me of insecurity and not trusting one's own artistic judgement. Some of my groupies in writing groups have accused me of "wanting to be like Mozart" (getting it right in one shot.) As if there's something wrong with Mozart. There's never anything "wrong" with any of the greats, but it just shows that sometimes people are "not ready for Mozart" or "not ready for van Gogh," and it is the way of the world to make fun of what they do not understand. "Too many notes." For my part, I am so glad I understand. I would rather I understand great works of art than be understood myself. One cannot please everyone, so as an artist, everyone must please himself or herself first. And I also hate: "What audience are you thinking of?" "Where do you plan to publish this?" "The Ugly American won't go across well." (This from a woman whose father was in the OSS, by her own admission. The OSS or Office of Strategic Services was the precursor of the CIA.) And so on and so forth. But I have had a good day, and it has ended on a beautiful note. I am in my 70s now, and I have never done anything to hurt anyone. All my wars and battles have been defensive ones. K M Kaung (Ph.D.) 8-3-2017

My painting based on an aria in Mozart's Cosi fan Tuti.