So it’s finally come to an end. This weekend it’s time to say goodbye to Opus, whose final strip is running in newspapers and online.

On August 31, Opus was told to choose his final resting place because that’s where he’ll spend ‘forever’. You can see the end here. The final panel is online here. If you need to be caught up, Salon also has the comic back to mid-2007 here. Also interesting is the Wikipedia entry.

I’ll miss ya, anchovy-breath.

On August 20, 21, 23 & 24, some movie theatres will be screening the third Cirque du Soleil film, Delirium. This one documents the final performance of Delirium in London this past April.

While not one of the grand chapiteau performances, this is sure to be entertaining in the ways that are unique to Cirque du Soleil. While music has always been central to the Cirque experience, for Delirium it takes center stage. Designed as a concert to play arenas, it includes music, some of it drawn from past shows, dancers, acrobats and multimedia stuff.

You can search for movie theatres and buy tickets through the Delirium website. In the SF Bay Area, several movie houses are using digital projection.

(And to think, I almost went to work for these folks twice.) 

Delirium website

Cirque du Soleil website

Now this is something you don’t see every day and certainly not something that would happen here in drought-threatened California. This week, the waterfalls in New York City were turned on. A public art installation by Olafur Eliasson, there are four humongous man-made waterfalls: underneath the Brooklyn Bridge, above the Manhattan Bridge at Pier 35, between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn, and on Governor’s Island. They’ll be dripping away until this fall.

Above is an early video of the Brooklyn Bridge running. Below are pictures taken during a test run by NY Times photographer Vincent Larforet:

It’s an ideal time to take a Circle Line tour.

Video via Gothamist

Pictures and article at the New York Times

Today is the first full day of same-sex marriages here in California. It’s a historic day, carrying great cultural significance. It’s controversial for some small-hearted souls and welcome for the rest of us.

With all the ruckus, it’s easy to forget how touchingly romantic this day is  for couples tying the knot, the unleashed joy in all the days to come.

It’s also worth noting that marriage is not the only path to happiness. For decades, we have nurtured our relationships despite society’s indifference and institutionalized prejudice. And for some, legal legitimacy is not a terribly important goal in life.

Still, it’s definitely day to celebrate and to remember. There might be a Lesbian/Gay/Bi Pride Parade happening near you this month. This year, chances are they’re going to be transformed into the largest wedding receptions ever seen. How about joining the party?

(For those with long memories, the photo above was taken at the site of the Castro’s formerly boisterous bawdy Victorian, the Jaguar.)

        Google’s list of Pride Parades

Erhu, a 2-stringed Chinese instrument played with a bow, may not be on the radar of most people, but you really should take a look at this: a crazed reinvention of Sarasate’s crazed fantasy on Bizet’s opera which had a few crazed characters. (Thanks to Wenyi for sending me this one.)

A conversation with my pal Carrie today prompted me to dig up an incredible performance of “O luce di quest’anima” that Beverly Sills sang on a Bell Telephone Hour broadcast many years ago. There are so many reasons to like this little clip, the set, her dress, but most of all, her voice at its considerable peak. There aren’t too many legendary artists I have personal memories of, but Beverly was one: when I broke my foot on a City Opera tour (she was general director of the company at the time), she was the very first person to sign my cast!

Another week without a new episode of Lost tonight (next one is on April 24).

I find the “catchup” repeats ABC is running to be kind of idiotic. Meanwhile there’s plenty on the web to read. I’ve never been a fanboy obsessing over every little detail, just an interested viewer. I did find this to be pretty interesting:

Lost: A theory on time travel

Huffington Post has a terrific thing going in their "Posterizing the Modern GOP" project. Let’s hope 2008 brings us something different.Click on any of the images below to see the big version. Oh….and HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Tom and I, along with all our animals want to wish you the very happiest holiday season and best wishes for the coming year.

One of the best things about the season, is that, among the consumption of things and calories, many of us take a moment to remember to help those less fortunate and those in need. If it’s not too presumptuous, we’d like to suggest these two very worthy organizations. Remember when donating via the web, you can donate as much or as a little as you want. Every $1 or $5 will add up to a great deal of help.

Thanks too, for stopping by. I hope you’ve been enjoying the new website!

Here’s a handy tool if you’d like to jog your memory about a performance you’ve seen at SF Opera. The archive goes back to the very first La Boheme, conducted by founder Gaetano Merola in 1923. (Note: it’s not entirely obvious, but to get full information, you have to click in the "cast list" column: a multi-page pdf file should open.) Click here to get there.