Traviata cover art

This is the first time I've seen the cover art for the upcoming recording from the Salzburg Festival of Verdi's "La Traviata" with Anna Netrebko, Rolando Vilazón, and Thomas Hampson.

I may have to get both the complete recording AND the highlights just for the artwork =D

Another birthday...

...another loss by the Padres. I took off work early to go to ESPNZone with my girlfriend and watch the Padres game and enjoy my birthday. Of course, they were out of the game before we even sat down for dinner. The Pads were pasted 6-0 by the Florida Marlins and Dontrelle Willis. Oh wellz - at least on the big BIG screen, they were showing the Dodgers getting smashed by the Braves, 10-2. A good birthday after all!

The eternal question...

The eternal question has been (for the past several months), what am I going to do when my Verizon contract is up on September 1st? I was strongly considering switching to t-mobile, because of their prices and phone selection. I was so set on it, that I even placed an order through amazon.com for the new Razr. It was even free after rebate! Then, Friday night, I happened to meet someone who actually had a CDMA Razr that Verizon is planning on releasing very soon. I couldn't stop drooling. It is vastly improved, including a 1MP camera, wide open bluetooth, and EVDO. Plus Verizon is replacing the often criticized Motorola User Interface with its own.

The guy sold me. This razr is vastly improved from the generic GSM razr that has been out for well over a year. PLUS, I actually sat down and figured out that I would be saving a few dollars by staying with Verizon, instead of switching - who would have thought?!

Please Verizon, I know we haven't had the best relationship in the past, but...if you could find it in your hearts to relase this phone ASAP I'd be eternally grateful and never say a bad thing about you again. I already qualify for new every two! PLEEEASE!?!?!

Traviata from Salzburg

By all accounts, it was a very "unusual" production of "La Traviata" from the Salzburg Festival with Anna Netrebko, Rollando Villazón and Thomas Hampson. Deutsche Grammaphon is planning on releasing this production on CD as soon as October overseas and on DVD at some point next year - please let it be an SACD!

Here's the first formal review I've been able to find for the production.

New Releases from Renée Fleming and Anna Netrebko

According to iclassics.com, there are a number of new classical vocal releases coming out this fall, including:

A complete recording of Richard Strauss' Daphne with Renée Fleming. (US release, 9/13/05)

A recording of Sacred Songs by Renée Fleming. (US release, 9/27/05)

A recording of Mozart Arias by Anna Netrebko (no details yet).

It was rumored that the recording of "Daphne" would be an SACD, but I haven't been able to verify this yet. Only the standard CD version is offered through pre-order. Hopefully, all three should be released on SACD, as Universal has been pretty good about releaseing their high profile recital discs on SACD (such as the two previous Fleming and Netrebko discs).

Rock Bottom

I went to San Diego this weekend to help my brother move, and also to catch some Padres baseball on the tube. The Padres were swept by the fucking Reds and are no longer in sole possession of first place. It can't get any worse than this...and, btw, Phil Nevin was finally traded to the Texas Rangers for Chan Ho Park (didn't he do some badass martial arts on a guy???). I'm glad it's over, for all involved. The Phil Nevin era is over, and I saw his last game in a Padres uniform on Thursday afternoon. He was thrown out (as catcher) in the 9th inning of a blowout for arguing balls and strikes with the umpire. Figures. Hope Texas works out better for you Phil...