Wednesday, February 16
Welcome, Kiran Macmanus!
Wednesday, October 6
The New "Rheingold"
Last year, I described Wagner's Ring Cycle on my political blog, TheCenterline.org, as "a parable of regulatory failure, brought about by irregular financing for a home even the gods cannot afford." In short: the perfect opera for the subprime era.
Thin grounds for talking opera trash on a political site, I know. But it's fair game for macfunke.com. And since I demanded "a Ring for our time" -- and since Times critic Daniel Wakin says Robert Lepage has delivered a new production "for our video-saturated, MP3-playing, computer-dependent, YouTube-watching age" -- here are my thoughts on the Met's new "Rheingold," which Kelly and I caught Monday night.
The orchestra. Impeccable as always. A joy to see Levine, back from surgery, at his nuanced and magisterial best. Only a handful of moments, such as the introduction of the giants, did not quite match the force of some fondly -- perhaps too fondly -- remembered performances.
Costuming. Eh. Freia is pretty; Alberich is not. Few surprises, most of them unfortunate: Fasolt and Fafner look like extras from "Where the Wild Things Are," while Erda comes off like the star of that "other" Ring cycle -- the Japanese-German cult series about an accursed VHS. Some Earth Mother! And the ethereal Rheinmaidens...flippers? Really?
The direction. Also predominantly traditional, with lots of Germanic uber-voguing. Several critics have applauded Eric Owens's "triumphant" Alberich, but to me, his instant transformation from spurned promgoer to supremely confident Lex Luther rinses him too clean of the lovelessness and resentment that drive him. A complete convert to the Hitlerian arts, torn more by his tactical missteps than by his treacherous ambition, teaches us less than an ever-tortured Gollum.
The singers. A cast of strong voices, no question. But the stentorian direction risks homogenizing the main antagonists, Alberich and Wotan. Even Stephanie Blyth's glowing Fricka and the sledge-toned giants -- at opposite ends vocally and theatrically -- seem too nearly aposite as they await, then contest, each turn in Wotan's rulings. Wendy Bryn Harmer, capturing persuasively the vitality and vulnerability of youth as Freia, was a splash of color among a steady march of declaiming that too often felt as carefully regulated as...
...the design concept. Lepage's stage, which chiefly comprises a row of enormous, piano-damper-like levers that can be twisted, elevated and recombined endlessly, is by turns sea, dungeon and sky -- literally Earth, Wind and Fire. There are moments, such as the entry into Valhalla -- which actually functioned on Monday night -- that managed to tap fully both the abstract power of this set's modern light and industrial form, and a more forbidding sense of place for the fortress than even Otto Schenk's distant portraiture delivered.
The design reality. Unfortunately, for long stretches of recitative, too little was made of the (reportedly) $16 million potential of the new mechanized set. It's fine to establish a sort of front porch for the giants as they negotiate for Freia. But why make them park and bark for 20 minutes at time? They have just moved Heaven and lots of Earth to build Valhalla; surely Lepage could have returned the favor by quaking a stage lever or two to match the changing contours of power as the bargaining progresses.
What about the interactive projections? Seeing clouds swirl with Fricka as she moves does support her identity as a goddess, but the fire that constantly backgrounds Loge rather recalls Pigpen's dirt cloud. Worse, for I betcha half the opera, Lepage's team simply brings the planks upright, composing in effect a picket fence. Enduring endless weather patterns under such circumstances is like watching paint refuse to dry.
I want to reward experiment: I was among the few in the audience to applaud Robert Wilson's minimalist production of Lohengrin in the late '90s. But perhaps Lepage's set designer, Carl Fillion, has captured our era too perfectly. Having seen the "Cirque" director make actors climb walls in "Faust," audiences are growing weary of the extenuating interventions from the dreaded 2007-09 period in our history.
There is much to admire -- and be moved by -- in the new "Rheingold," and as with the economy, we can now have confidence that future quarters will not realize the worst of our fears. But it also reminds us of just why we loved the old Schenk approach. Though conservative, it was also a thing of fire, force, mystery and above all, organic balance. In retrospect, we are left to wonder: was all the highly engineered acrobatics of the last few years really worth the staggering price, given what we have lost?
Friday, August 20
Honduras Trip
Kelly and I joined the Liberty Corner teachers' mission to La Entrada last month. We were there to support their outreach at the Hearts for Honduras school, and for the dedication of the new schoolroom that your generous contributions made possible.
H4H is a small campus, comprising several indoor and outdoor classrooms clustered at the top of a gorgeous hill. It has grown over the past decade to serve grades K-6.
At first, we were a bit concerned about admissions standards mooo-ving lower:
But we quickly made friends. Fernando dubbed me "El hombre in el sombrero," after confusing me with a pirate. This led to lots of spontaneous sparring over the course of the week.
Kelly led an impromptu dollmaking workshop, handing out the dolls to students at the end of the week.
The classrooms had many familiar trials and tribulations. A shame that we always see the same hands...
The school is a main source of safe nutrition for the students. The line for rice and beans, or the occasional arroz con pollo, is a daily ritual.
Our sister-in-law Kat Trauber Macmanus was an absolute rock star. She brought all the tools in her arsenal as an NYC schoolteacher to bear on the high-energy kids at H4H.
Kat is a specialist in identifying special needs children at an early age. Here, she's working one-on-one on some outdoor exercises with our bicycling, pirate-battling pal Fernando to help him channel his (how to put this...) enthusiasm.
Her presentation was a highlight of the daily joint workshops for the teachers from the U.S. and Honduras.
Some of the students' parents were gracious enough to invite us to visit their neighborhoods and homes. Past Liberty Corner missions had built a simple metal roof for this family's home, dramatically reducing exposure to the frequent rains. Eight family members share one room divided by a row of furniture and stacked belongings.
ATV buggies like this are a common and inexpensive way to get around. Some students hail them to get home from school.
We visited a local youth camp, which included this caretaker's home. This was the site of one of the water filter stations Kelly helped install last year. This family no longer drinks out of the river. (We also visited the town's public health clinic, where the only physician on duty confirmed what we already suspected: that the single most preventable cause of death for local infants and children is dehydration due to water-borne illness.)
In some better neighborhoods, $3,000 or so buys cinder-block construction, and some families take great care of their front gardens. This may help with the bodegas some families run out of their homes.
As ever, we took courage in the fact that Tigger and Eeyore preceded us -- in this case, to one HFH family's living room. My real-life Tigger appreciates the H4H diploma on the wall as a proud parent looks on.
Bridges are irregularly placed and not reliable. I asked some students if they put boots on to cross rivers; I learned that they instead take their shoes and socks off. This helps protect their uniforms, which like the rest of the school's costs are all but completely subsidized by U.S. donors connected with HFH.
The cobbled-together, tin-roof hut nestled below washes into the river with every heavy rain; the family always rebuilds it in the same place.
Glenn Taylor, the extraordinary man behind so much of the cooperation between the New Jersey church and the La Entrada community, also arranged visits to a private clinic and the local Y -- which is the only other facility, other than H4H, offering comparable computer skills training in the area. Along the way, he coaxed some equally extraordinary maneuvers out of our Toyota van under weather conditions that were generally NOT so idyllic as you see below.
Understanding what these kids go through to get to the H4H school -- both in a general sense, and in a practical, day-to-day sense -- made the ribbon-cutting ceremony all the more moving. Here are Kat, Jonathan, Kelly and Glenn with some top students and HFH School Director Paty Villanueva (second from left). (Thanks to our translator Pamela for the picture!)
The following plaque marks the entrance to the new room:
To all of you who contributed funds for the construction of this room, I apologize that my pictures do not do it justice. (My real camera wasn't functioning, so I relied on my cellphone camera for the duration.) But I can tell you that it had the highest construction quality and finish of any room we entered during our entire time in Honduras, from the airport to the visit at the Y with the mayor's wife.
The children were visibly excited, and the school expects to generate income by renting the room to local businesses for meetings. With nice windows, recessed lighting, and air conditioning planned, it's also good for teacher team bonding sessions like the one below.
What we DIDN'T know was that the room was also designed with specialized under-floor plumbing and conduits to support dual use as a dental clinic! Not only most of the students but their families would never see a dentist if it were not for the school. (The dentist chairs were acquired to replace the duck-taped lawn chairs that had been in use before; thanks to Honduras Vision Team President Doug Liguori for the picture.)
This ingenious convertible design was the brainchild of Daniel Cruz (at left below), who we met on a tour of a local high-end private high school. In addition to being a talented architect, Daniel has participated in local archeological digs in conjunction with Harvard's Peabody Museum.
After the ceremony, it was off to a lovely lunch, a student concert and an abstract dance recital portraying the constant struggle between good and evil. (My cellphone camera cut off the biker-clad Lesser Angels on the other side of the two-toned central figure -- sorry!)
There are charities nearer to home, where the need may be real but the impact is often incremental. There are disasters from the Caribbean to Central Asia, where the scale of suffering and the necessary chaos of the response effort defy understanding. But at H4H, a patient and sustained commitment by people of different cultures, languages and countries is steadily improving the life of a growing community on a generational timetable.
Kelly and I are incredibly grateful.
H4H is a small campus, comprising several indoor and outdoor classrooms clustered at the top of a gorgeous hill. It has grown over the past decade to serve grades K-6.
At first, we were a bit concerned about admissions standards mooo-ving lower:
But we quickly made friends. Fernando dubbed me "El hombre in el sombrero," after confusing me with a pirate. This led to lots of spontaneous sparring over the course of the week.
Kelly led an impromptu dollmaking workshop, handing out the dolls to students at the end of the week.
The classrooms had many familiar trials and tribulations. A shame that we always see the same hands...
The school is a main source of safe nutrition for the students. The line for rice and beans, or the occasional arroz con pollo, is a daily ritual.
Our sister-in-law Kat Trauber Macmanus was an absolute rock star. She brought all the tools in her arsenal as an NYC schoolteacher to bear on the high-energy kids at H4H.
Kat is a specialist in identifying special needs children at an early age. Here, she's working one-on-one on some outdoor exercises with our bicycling, pirate-battling pal Fernando to help him channel his (how to put this...) enthusiasm.
Her presentation was a highlight of the daily joint workshops for the teachers from the U.S. and Honduras.
Some of the students' parents were gracious enough to invite us to visit their neighborhoods and homes. Past Liberty Corner missions had built a simple metal roof for this family's home, dramatically reducing exposure to the frequent rains. Eight family members share one room divided by a row of furniture and stacked belongings.
ATV buggies like this are a common and inexpensive way to get around. Some students hail them to get home from school.
We visited a local youth camp, which included this caretaker's home. This was the site of one of the water filter stations Kelly helped install last year. This family no longer drinks out of the river. (We also visited the town's public health clinic, where the only physician on duty confirmed what we already suspected: that the single most preventable cause of death for local infants and children is dehydration due to water-borne illness.)
In some better neighborhoods, $3,000 or so buys cinder-block construction, and some families take great care of their front gardens. This may help with the bodegas some families run out of their homes.
As ever, we took courage in the fact that Tigger and Eeyore preceded us -- in this case, to one HFH family's living room. My real-life Tigger appreciates the H4H diploma on the wall as a proud parent looks on.
Bridges are irregularly placed and not reliable. I asked some students if they put boots on to cross rivers; I learned that they instead take their shoes and socks off. This helps protect their uniforms, which like the rest of the school's costs are all but completely subsidized by U.S. donors connected with HFH.
The cobbled-together, tin-roof hut nestled below washes into the river with every heavy rain; the family always rebuilds it in the same place.
Glenn Taylor, the extraordinary man behind so much of the cooperation between the New Jersey church and the La Entrada community, also arranged visits to a private clinic and the local Y -- which is the only other facility, other than H4H, offering comparable computer skills training in the area. Along the way, he coaxed some equally extraordinary maneuvers out of our Toyota van under weather conditions that were generally NOT so idyllic as you see below.
Understanding what these kids go through to get to the H4H school -- both in a general sense, and in a practical, day-to-day sense -- made the ribbon-cutting ceremony all the more moving. Here are Kat, Jonathan, Kelly and Glenn with some top students and HFH School Director Paty Villanueva (second from left). (Thanks to our translator Pamela for the picture!)
The following plaque marks the entrance to the new room:
To all of you who contributed funds for the construction of this room, I apologize that my pictures do not do it justice. (My real camera wasn't functioning, so I relied on my cellphone camera for the duration.) But I can tell you that it had the highest construction quality and finish of any room we entered during our entire time in Honduras, from the airport to the visit at the Y with the mayor's wife.
The children were visibly excited, and the school expects to generate income by renting the room to local businesses for meetings. With nice windows, recessed lighting, and air conditioning planned, it's also good for teacher team bonding sessions like the one below.
What we DIDN'T know was that the room was also designed with specialized under-floor plumbing and conduits to support dual use as a dental clinic! Not only most of the students but their families would never see a dentist if it were not for the school. (The dentist chairs were acquired to replace the duck-taped lawn chairs that had been in use before; thanks to Honduras Vision Team President Doug Liguori for the picture.)
This ingenious convertible design was the brainchild of Daniel Cruz (at left below), who we met on a tour of a local high-end private high school. In addition to being a talented architect, Daniel has participated in local archeological digs in conjunction with Harvard's Peabody Museum.
After the ceremony, it was off to a lovely lunch, a student concert and an abstract dance recital portraying the constant struggle between good and evil. (My cellphone camera cut off the biker-clad Lesser Angels on the other side of the two-toned central figure -- sorry!)
There are charities nearer to home, where the need may be real but the impact is often incremental. There are disasters from the Caribbean to Central Asia, where the scale of suffering and the necessary chaos of the response effort defy understanding. But at H4H, a patient and sustained commitment by people of different cultures, languages and countries is steadily improving the life of a growing community on a generational timetable.
Kelly and I are incredibly grateful.
Wednesday, May 12
Hearts For Honduras: New Schoolroom Opens
Kelly writes:
Thought you guys might like to know that the new classroom was debuted Sunday - for Mother's Day - with a rousing game of Bingo!...see the attached picture.
It is up and running! Thank you again for everything you did to support the cause.
I am confirmed off to Honduras end of July with Kat! It is a teacher's trip and she has graciously agreed to come with me and lend her immense talent to the children in Honduras. There are very few teachers with Kat's specialty in Honduras, so I know we will touch several more children with her beautiful spirit, keen eye and innovation in the classroom.
Jonathan and I are trying to figure out a good time to go down there to dedicate the classroom. In the next few weeks, I need to get the plaque made that will get hung on the wall commemorating our room.
Friday, February 26
Hearts For Honduras: Construction Update
Doug Liguori, our man in Honduras as it were, writes:
A view of the immediate area:
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Construction of the interior:
.jpg)
.jpg)
The view from outside:
.jpg)
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Kelly and I are at an uncharacteristic loss for words to express our gratitude for the generosity that has made such rapid progress possible. We look forward to updating you as construction nears completion, and the first classes are planned.
Kelly, Jonathan,
I was in La Entrada last week working on the new classroom/dental clinic/meeting room that your wedding gifts have helped to build. Many thanks for this wonderful gift! I attached some pictures and will send you another email with more information. It will be completed in the next month and is going to be a great, multipurpose addition to our campus.
A view of the immediate area:
.jpg)
Construction of the interior:
.jpg)
.jpg)
The view from outside:
.jpg)
.jpg)
Kelly and I are at an uncharacteristic loss for words to express our gratitude for the generosity that has made such rapid progress possible. We look forward to updating you as construction nears completion, and the first classes are planned.
Tuesday, February 23
Ceremony & Reception Pictures
Our photographer Kevin Wynn has posted some great shots here.
We've taken our time boiling down to the best shots of our balloon excursion over Cappadocia and the highest-end camping St. Lucia has to offer, and will post pronto. As soon as we finish painting the living room -- a multi-week project, it turns out, in the Macfunke household.
We've taken our time boiling down to the best shots of our balloon excursion over Cappadocia and the highest-end camping St. Lucia has to offer, and will post pronto. As soon as we finish painting the living room -- a multi-week project, it turns out, in the Macfunke household.
Friday, December 18
The Honeymoon: Istanbul
Right after brunch on Sunday, we took off for Turkey -- or, as Kelly knew it up to that point, "Oz" -- and landed in Istanbul, aka "The Emerald City." We enjoyed the view from our room...
...and Kelly didn't wait to make her first new Stambouli friend in a garden cafe:
We conquered Dolmabahce Palace:
Took in Topkapi's glorious grounds:
Strolled past local shops:
Stumbled on a protest by lawyers who objected to the illegal surveillance of dissonant justices (scroll down to paragraph beginning "March 21":
But we felt right at home, with art galleries managed (we are given to understand) by Kelly's far-flung kin...
...and a strong showing by America's most popular export:
Anyway, that's a sampler pack of how we got over the jet lag. Next: a few shots from our excursion to Cappadocia, where we really kicked things into gear.
...and Kelly didn't wait to make her first new Stambouli friend in a garden cafe:
We conquered Dolmabahce Palace:
Took in Topkapi's glorious grounds:
Strolled past local shops:
Stumbled on a protest by lawyers who objected to the illegal surveillance of dissonant justices (scroll down to paragraph beginning "March 21":
But we felt right at home, with art galleries managed (we are given to understand) by Kelly's far-flung kin...
...and a strong showing by America's most popular export:
Anyway, that's a sampler pack of how we got over the jet lag. Next: a few shots from our excursion to Cappadocia, where we really kicked things into gear.
Wednesday, December 16
Done Deal!
Well, it's official! And might we add: if the Times had done half the fact-checking in the run-up to the Iraq War that they did on our courtship, it'd be a different world, folks.
Wedding pictures from the extraordinary Kevin Wynn are available here. Password is "macfunke," with 50% off purchases made by Jan. 5 and $5 off with the promo code "FIVEOFF" at checkout.
Wedding pictures from the extraordinary Kevin Wynn are available here. Password is "macfunke," with 50% off purchases made by Jan. 5 and $5 off with the promo code "FIVEOFF" at checkout.
Monday, September 7
We Have A Venue!
Our reception will be held at The Glass Houses, a modern venue in the Chelsea Arts Tower on 25th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues. Lovely city and river views convey a tremendous sense of place, while keeping an intimate scale.
Lodging Update
Despite the U.S. economy, mid-November remains peak season in America's top international tourist destination. While we cannot anticipate all special hotel offers that might emerge between now and then, we're delighted to offer two options:
Ink48, 653 11th Avenue at 48th Street. This brand new 4-star hotel opens next month and will be the groom's base of operations. Rooms are $199/night for those attending the Macmanus/Funke wedding. Please call 877-843-8869.
Affinia Shelburne, 303 Lexington Avenue at 37th Street. This recently renovated hotel, near Grand Central and the Empire State Building, offers suites for those who prefer a bit more room and proximity to traditional Midtown attractions. Please contact Julie Grant at 646-424-2603 for our rate of $249.
These prices will be available until October 1.
Ink48, 653 11th Avenue at 48th Street. This brand new 4-star hotel opens next month and will be the groom's base of operations. Rooms are $199/night for those attending the Macmanus/Funke wedding. Please call 877-843-8869.
Affinia Shelburne, 303 Lexington Avenue at 37th Street. This recently renovated hotel, near Grand Central and the Empire State Building, offers suites for those who prefer a bit more room and proximity to traditional Midtown attractions. Please contact Julie Grant at 646-424-2603 for our rate of $249.
These prices will be available until October 1.
Thursday, July 30
Welcome!
It took Jonathan four years to get his first date, less than two years for us to get engaged, and mere weeks for Kelly to nail down the loveliest chapel in Manhattan for November 14, 2009, at 2:30 P.M.
Elizabeth Ann Seton established the order of nuns that taught at Kelly's all girls' high school in Convent Station, N.J., and at her brothers' high school in West Orange - where (K. coyly notes) Macmanus Men were systematically chastised by the Seton Sisters of Charity from 1987-1999.
Ah, youth. Oh, Jonathan wrote a CCD paper on EAS way back, too.
We're delighted to have our nearest and dearest joining us, and Jonathan can't wait to share the rest of the details with all of you. As soon as Kelly shares them with him!
Elizabeth Ann Seton established the order of nuns that taught at Kelly's all girls' high school in Convent Station, N.J., and at her brothers' high school in West Orange - where (K. coyly notes) Macmanus Men were systematically chastised by the Seton Sisters of Charity from 1987-1999.
Ah, youth. Oh, Jonathan wrote a CCD paper on EAS way back, too.
We're delighted to have our nearest and dearest joining us, and Jonathan can't wait to share the rest of the details with all of you. As soon as Kelly shares them with him!
The Ceremony
"The ceremony is to be Catholic, but not THAT catholic."
- The Germans In Paris (Jonathan Leaf, 2005)
Actually, it IS to be "that Catholic": we are furiously completing our Pre-Cana boot camp, and we will have benefit of a full nuptial mass with choir.
But don't worry: it isn't unduly long, and non-Catholics wondering about the communion issue may present themselves for a blessing or simply remain seated.
The ceremony will be Catholic in substance, but ecumenical in tone. It will be family-friendly and welcoming of the diversity we value in our friends. And since we know you're wondering: it'll all be over in a sec. We promise.
Our Registry: Hearts for Honduras
Among the many special events of 2009, Kelly traveled this spring to La Entrada, Honduras to work with a unique school, grades K-6, whose students have been given a tremendous lift through the work of an organization called Hearts for Honduras.
We cannot shorten the miles these students choose to walk each day to reach the single tiny classroom they share. But together, we can give the experienced volunteers at Hearts for Honduras the resources to break ground on an additional first grade classroom this year.
The gift of education has made each of us who we are today. Your support can help these children grow to be the individuals they deserve to be tomorrow.
Each gift will be acknowledged with a small plaque on the back of a first grader’s chair; a small sign commemorating November 14, 2009 will be affixed to the building as well. Our goal is to have it built by our second anniversary. Donations will be anonymous as to amount, convenient, tax-deductible, and secure.
Those wishing to send a contribution may address it to:
Liberty Corner Church
45 Church Street
Liberty Corner, NJ 07938
Attn: Glen Taylor
Memo line: HFH/Macmanus-Funke
Both of us are inspired by the many examples of citizenship among those we love – not least Susan Gibbons, who first introduced Kelly to Hearts for Honduras, and its disproportionate impact in a community whose poverty need not continue as it has. We invite each of you to consider making an enduring gift to them as your wedding gift to us.
We cannot shorten the miles these students choose to walk each day to reach the single tiny classroom they share. But together, we can give the experienced volunteers at Hearts for Honduras the resources to break ground on an additional first grade classroom this year.
The gift of education has made each of us who we are today. Your support can help these children grow to be the individuals they deserve to be tomorrow.
Each gift will be acknowledged with a small plaque on the back of a first grader’s chair; a small sign commemorating November 14, 2009 will be affixed to the building as well. Our goal is to have it built by our second anniversary. Donations will be anonymous as to amount, convenient, tax-deductible, and secure.
Those wishing to send a contribution may address it to:
Liberty Corner Church
45 Church Street
Liberty Corner, NJ 07938
Attn: Glen Taylor
Memo line: HFH/Macmanus-Funke
Both of us are inspired by the many examples of citizenship among those we love – not least Susan Gibbons, who first introduced Kelly to Hearts for Honduras, and its disproportionate impact in a community whose poverty need not continue as it has. We invite each of you to consider making an enduring gift to them as your wedding gift to us.
Traditional Registry
We also plan to register at the usual places: Linens 'n Things, Circuit City, Pontiac...actually, a quick review of recent headlines suggests we focus on solvent entities such as the children of Honduras.
Accommodations &c.
More information will be forthcoming immediately after Labor Day, when Mac puts her negotiating skills into high gear just as Midtown hotels are at their most anxious and vulnerable. Feel free to check here for updated info -- not to mention color commentary from the peanut gallery, i.e., those we love most, i.e. YOU. Post away!
Until then, we can't wait to hear from you! Give Kelly a shout at kellymac@tmo.blackberry.net, or nudge Jonathan at jrfunke@gmail.com. We'll be glad you did.
Much love,
mac + funke = MACFUNKE
Until then, we can't wait to hear from you! Give Kelly a shout at kellymac@tmo.blackberry.net, or nudge Jonathan at jrfunke@gmail.com. We'll be glad you did.
Much love,
mac + funke = MACFUNKE
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