A Contrast in Entertainment

Experienced two very different kinds of entertainment today -both very enjoyable.

In the late morning I went to my local cinema for the showing of the Metropolitan live in HD performance of Maria Stuarda. This is the story of the conflict between cousins Mary Stuart - Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I of England in the late 16th century. Mary was Catholic and Elizabeth was Protestant. Both loved the Earl of  Leichester. Both had their defenders; Cecil for Elizabeth and Talbot for Mary. The main characters were sung to perfection by Elza van den Heever as Elizabeth and Joyce DiDonado. The men  were excellent as well. Elizabeth does execute Mary. But in history, it is Mary that wins out.  It is her son James that becomes King of both Scotland and England as well as Ireland following the death of Elizabeth and reigns for 20 years.The Met has brought the opera to everyone. I highly recommend these performances. Check your local cinemas. And check out the Met on the web: metopera.org

In the late afternoon I watched the Oscar nominated animation movie Frankenweenie. In this stop action animation Tim Burton returns to what he does best. This is a far out weird and exaggerated animation and story. After his beloved dog Sparky dies chasing a ball into the street Victor  gets the idea to bring him back to life after seeing his science teacher - a Vincent Price look a like -demonstrate firing electricity into a frog leg.  Coincidentally the students are competing for a science project. Victor succeeds in bringing Sparky back to life just like Frankenstein did with the monster. Soon all the other students are bringing back dead animals and chaos ensues. Filmed in black and white with the look of horror movies of an earlier time. Loved it and laughed out loud. Buddy, however did not.