The Counterfeit Opera tickets

Last night (Sat Sept 5) at the Allan Ginsberg celebration, some outstanding individuals performed for us.  They sang, they read, they strutted, they tottered, they shrieked, they cried. One was a radiant drag queen, Taylor Mac. Another was someone who must have already been performing in the womb she is such a stage animal: Little Annie. Davóne Tines sang for us, and we didn't want him to stop, his voice is so beautiful and has such range, does he sing opera? Jennifer Charles swooned us with her original, skilled singing. The poets were there too : a Black poet (name?) and Anne Waldman. What a treat it always is to see Waldman on stage. At an undisclosed age, not only does she pack a punchy power in her performance, but she understands words inside out from her long practice as a poet. Her delivery of Ginsberg poetry was inspiring. The show was brilliant and original. Instead of a linear reading of Ginsberg poems, it ran circles around his art. The songs' lyrics were not all by him, but related to who he was.  It seems Thomas Bartlett who performed beautifully on the piano was the mastermind behind the evening. Hoping for more poet-centered evenings such as this one. The musicians were dispersed at the four corners of the stage, surrounding the performers - an unusual setting. For backdrop we had the Hudson, the lights of New Jersey, a boat going majestically by, I thought I even saw a meteor. But the helicopters every 3 minutes were annoying (Mamdani, can we do something to reduce the helicopter traffic over our heads?) I came away with two conclusions. First, how lucky I am to be living in NYC where such amazing, unique, talented, bold human beings have chosen to develop their art. I didn't research much what the show was about when I bought our tickets. I thought, well, we'll see, our friends are going, whatever. Second take away: be prepared to marvel when you go to a show on Long Island. More likely than not, it's going to surpass your expectations: remember Costanza playing/singing all the parts in Le Nozze di Figaro? Not written by AI

Little Islands Friday tribute to poet Alan Ginsburg was a rowdy celebration featuring Thomas, Bartlett, Jennifer, Charles, Little Annie, Devo Tynes and Lori Anderson. The surprise guest performance was Gina Gerson. The performers didn’t just recite ginsberg’s words. They channeled his cadence with readings backed by improvised jazz instrumentation, reflecting the rhythmic syncopation of Ginsburg original Beat Generation performances. Ultimately, the tribute was an ecstatic, politically charged celebration, capturing the restless, creative energy that Gimsberg championed throughout his life. Go see it, if only for Little Annie’s outrageously outre performance.

Related to tonight’s experience, Thomas Bartlett: Allen Ginsberg at 100. Brilliantly focused on the rhythm of the heart of the beat generation, sprinkled and seasoned with poetry. Entertaining. Inspirational.