Only in Pittsburgh

.... Could I spend the day working (it was the Saturday shift) and end up covering a public meeting which reminded me, once again, about why I love Pittsburgh. For nearly two hours, nearly 100 people stood and told the mayor and a host of public officials about their love and need for Pittsburgh's public libraries... founded by Andrew Carnegie more than 100 years ago. Four of those libraries are slated for closure because of budget problems, but perhaps, given the public outcry, that will be averted. I was amazed at the cross-section of people in the audience and at the microphone... retired schoolteachers, young moms holding babies in their arms, philosophy students, nuns, a jazz trumpeter (who played "When the Saints Go Marching In" at the end of his comments, in tribute to those who had filed into St. Mary's Lyceum in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood to speak their minds), the young man from Holland, here getting his doctorate in neurological science, another young man who said he does "menial tasks" for a living, the 11-year old girl from Hazelwood who softly told the crowd she goes to her library after school to write her essays on the library's computer (she doesn't have one at home). Norman Rockwell should have painted the scene... but all I could do was write about it.

Anyway, after work I headed over to see the Pittsburgh Opera's "Falstaff" with the PG's music critic Andrew Druckenbrod, who had a spare ticket. Mark Delavan played the title role and Andy says he could be America's next Wotan, as James Morris eases out of those Wagnerian roles.... As it was, Delavan seemed to be channeling Sherrill Milnes (I saw Milnes do Don Giovanni in a Met traveling producting in 1972-3 while at college in Boston. Have never forgotten it) Falstaff isn't a great singing role -- he kind of gets drowned out in the last act... but it's certainly good enough... and that ravishing last act as staged by the Pittsburgh Opera was all magical, moonlit masquerade... exquite music, children's voices.... "Chimes at Midnight." there's a wonderful video on Post-Gazette.com showing Delavan having his makeup put on for the role. It is hilarious... If you do nothing else today, click on this link, you will love this guy (especially when he goes into Clint Eastwood mode).

P.S. Only in Pittsburgh could I go to the opera, and in the space of a half hour run into the three doctors who have changed/improved my life: my longtime, beloved family doctor and doctors Ray Capone and Dan Gagne... 'nuff said. Pittsburgh IS a small town, with very cultured doctors! :)