Category: Kay’s Free Picks

Groucho, Chico, Harpo…At the Met Opera…Really?

Or…Can you believe it? To kick off the Met’s free outdoor  HD festival they   will be showing  the Marx Brothers’ classic film  A Night at the Opera… with all its zaniness!

Image result for a night at the opera
Photo courtesy t2.gstatic.com

Now talk about zaniness, not on the screen,  occurring  on the Plaza.   I’ve named it the Great Zany Seat  Hunt to describe the annual ritual of finding the seat among the 3,000 available.  If you’ve been reading my blog these past few years, you know I’ve written  on the Great Zany Seat Hunt before, although this is the first time I’ve actually given it a name.

Here’s how it works.   Visitors, New Yorkers, students, et al begin  their search by  moving  from subways, buses, cars, apartments, hotels and even  Airbnbs to the Plaza in front of the Met to find that seat. Some regulars  know to get their early and have no problem.  But then there are the others who, in their naivete, think whenever they arrive it will be OK with a seat or seats  just waiting.  Those foolish, foolish opera fans.

Hence, the Great Zany Seat Hunt and why I get there early, nabbing a seat on the aisle to watch the fun.   I have my hat, my sweater, my umbrella, my popcorn, my water,  and my wine. I’m  on the ready to take notes and  photos of what’s about to unfold.

Now some poor souls  think that they  can come minutes before the start of the film and find an open seat. Hah!   Good luck is what I always say to myself as I watch those optimists  roaming the aisles.  I see  their  heads turning left and right as they stare with a  hopeful look at an empty seat only to have that hope  dashed as the seat that looked  empty was indeed… saved.

Ah, the seat savers, the bane of those on the search but makes for good entertainment to those of us watching.    The tension  between the seat-saver and the wannabee seat-sitter is real life drama.  Optimistic looks turn to cold stares and the face of the saver ranges from anxious to downright fear and then great relief with lots of arm waving  as he or she sees her party arriving.

Groucho Marx, Marion Bell, Edna Bennett, Billy Gilbert, Allan Jones, Jack 'Tiny' Lipson, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Inez Palange, Stephen Soldi, Harry 'Zoup' Welsh, and Frank Yaconelli in A Night at the Opera (1935)

Like in  any theater as the lights dim, the audience settles down, so it is here as the huge screen lights up.  Really late comers are helped to whatever seats are open by the nice  security guards who also keep the aisles clear.      They also tell those seat-savers, in a kindly manner, “Seats can’t be saved once the film begins.” Panic sets in again as desperate whispered calls go into a cell phone…”Where are you?”

So ends the Great Zany Seat Hunt for this performance.  If anything really interesting happens during the series, you know I’ll tell you all about it.

This Marx Bros. film  will be a really fun night and definitely a full  plaza.   Come early! If you can’t,  be prepared to join the Great Zany Seat Hunt. BTW  many viewers  prefer to stand in the back  or the sides or bring a chair or sit on a blanket, especially if they bring their dog.

Speaking of dogs… don’t forget to  bring your snacks, your dogs, your kids, your friends, your relatives and be ready to forget everything else that’s going on around this crazy world… sit back and enjoy.   It is a joy!

With the choice of this film, it  goes to  prove that even the powers that be at the Met are  lovers of great crazy comedy…well maybe as long as there’s an opera involved. Bet those powers that be have never been part of the Great Zany Seat Hunt. Hmmmm?

Here’s the full list of operas to be shown  starting August 24

Friday, August 24, 8 pm  A Night at the Opera
Saturday, August 25, 8 pm Roméo et Juliette, Gounod
Sunday, August 26, 7:45 pm Norma, Bellini
Monday, August 27, 8 pm Elektra, R. Strauss
Tuesday, August 28, 8 pm Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Rossini
Wednesday, August 29, 7:30 pm Lulu, Berg
Thursday, August 30, 7:45 pm Rusalka, Dvořák
Friday, August 31, 8 pm L’Elisir d’Amore, Donizetti
Saturday, September 1, 8 pm Un Ballo in Maschera, Verdi
Sunday, September 2, 7:15 pm Der Rosenkavalier, R. Strauss
Monday, September 3, 8 pm Madama Butterfly, Puccini

Then ….Opening Night…SAINT-SAËNS  Samson et Dalila – September 24

LOVE THIS CITY

KAY’S NOTES: 

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: “The most popular of 13 films created by the legendary Marx Brothers, A Night at the Opera endures as one of the funniest comedies to ever appear on the silver screen. The straightforward plot—which follows the brothers as they try to launch the career of an aspiring Italian tenor—allows ample opportunity for their trademark hijinks, from the witty banter of the Contract Scene to the film’s raucous finale backstage at a performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore. A co-presentation of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera ”  from the Met website

  Metropolitan Opera | Summer HD Festival

GOOD TO KNOW:  Reminder for a refresher course on maneuvering this series see my post The Met Opera…Free!
Under- Kay’s Notes-Good To Know

Photo from film: Courtesy IMDb
Photo of Plaza: Courtesy Metropolitan Opera website

Disclaimer: I try for correct info  on my posts, but no guarantees people.

BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE!

Or…Want a free pass to a NYC museum?   Pull out that library card!

You’ve seen those  infomercials that tell you to order some  wonderful miracle  product that you can’t live without and once they’ve almost got  you hooked…they throw in…”But wait…there’s more!”  And then they tell you about some great  thingamajig that goes along with the other thingamajig and there you are…ordering.   Well friends,  that’s what’s going on  with a New York , Queens or  Brooklyn Library card!!!!

Culture Pass

Here’s how it works

Use that library card to  borrow those books, do that  research, watch that  movie, attend that  lecture, use their restrooms  and then..to reserve a free museum pass .  All you have to do is go to the
Culture Pass website enter your library card number and password and select the venue of your choice.    If you don’t have a library card now’s the time to get one.  Anyone who lives, works or studies in New York State can get a NYPL library card and even if you’re just visiting there’s a short term  visitor card available (didn’t know that).

The day the program was announced, July 15th, the NY City Library received over 5000 on-line  applications for library cards usually it’s about 290!   But wait there’s more…over 9,500 free passes to the  Met Museum, Whitney and MoMa  are now  reserved-sold out (well not sold ’cause it’s free).  There are 33 institutions in Culture Pass  and more coming. One caveat – you can only go  once a year to each venue.  Good news is that a pass can be for 2 to 4 people depending on the institution.  This City and Library  initiative is focused on allowing more access to the culture  this City has to offer that  may not otherwise be affordable to many.   The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum  is on the list and  its ticket alone  can be $33 for one person.

Culture Pass is THE  hot ticket

Right now(July 23) all passes are gone, but as of August 1 and the first of every month thereafter  reservations are open again.

My friends from across the country talk to me about the cost of living in NYC and discuss how their  rotisserie chickens are only $4.99  and gasp at my $8.99.  Of course, they’re right, but you can’t beat the quality  and quantity  of  free-bees  this City offers.  (Let’s not talk about apt costs and parking-that’s a whole different story)  BTW the Met Opera’s free  summer HD  outdoor series starts on  August 24th  – more info in my next post.

AS ALWAYS, LOVE THIS CITY!

KAY’S NOTES: (Now that  news of Culture Pass has hit all the papers and social media  many of you are probably well aware of this  program; however,  I thought I would be remiss if I didn’t write this post just in case.)

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: From Culture Pass website: Dozens of organizations participate in Culture Pass, from children’s museums and public gardens to historical societies and heritage centers. View the full list of participating organizations to see what interests you — whether it’s fine art or history, nature or photography.   https://www.culturepass.nyc/

GOOD TO KNOW: (FROM NYPL website) There are   92 locations to get a library card or you can  apply for a library card online.

Disclaimer: I try for correct info  on my posts, but no guarantees people.

B U L L E T I N !

JUNE 27
  • GOOD NEWS FOR SOCCER FANS:  (Rockefeller Center) is your new headquarters! and have teamed up to transform the Plaza into soccer central—watch or play a pickup game, catch a match on the jumbo screens with bleachers –  or explore the vintage jersey exhibit  starting Saturday June 30th thru the  final match July 15th.
    (courtesy of Time Out New York)     
  • LAST DAY FOR TALKING STATUES- JUNE 30TH: Hear actors give voices to historical statues. Produced in collaboration with  NYC Parks Department, brings the stories behind 35 statues around the city to life. The project, was created by filmmaker David Peter Fox, who did the same thing in London, Copenhagen, and Helsinki (among other cities) before moving on to  New York  http://www.newyorktalkingstatues.com

    LOVE THIS CITY!
    Disclaimer: I try for correct info  on my posts, but no guarantees people.

     

WE SALUTE OUR GREAT WOMEN AND MEN! FLEET WEEK IS BACK!

OR………

Keep Calm and Fleet Week On
NYC Fleet Week 2018: What You Need To Know

MAY 23 TO 29 — MORE THAN A DOZEN SHIPS AND OVER 2,300 SAILORS, MARINES AND COAST GUARD MEMBERS HERE IN NEW YORK CITY!!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

ALL KINDS OF EVENTS GOING ON — SEE WEBSITE IN KAY’S NOTES FOR MORE INFORMATION. 

KAY’S NOTES:

iMPORTANT TO KNOW:  CHECK OUT FLEET WEEK WEBSITE FOR ALL EVENTS FOR  THIS GREAT  CELEBRATION OF OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN!    http://militarynews.com/app/fleetweeknewyork/index.html

GOOD TO KNOW:  The Met Museum offers free admission to all service members and vets during Fleet Week and I believe (not sure) that they continue this till Labor Day.   (maybe others as welll)

Photos: Courtesy of Fleet Week site.

Disclaimer: I try for correct info on my posts, but no guarantees people.

 

GOT SOME EXTRA HELIUM ANYONE?

OR…THIS ART INSTALLATION MAY NEED TO BORROW!

“Jihan Zencirli will install thousands of compostable, biodegradable balloons in a series of installations in January and February – her largest project to date. The balloons will range in size from ten inches to ten feet, and will live inside NYCB’s home at Lincoln Center.  As Zencirli explains, “Balloons are only for a moment. They disappear and vanish. So rooted in my work is this reminder that you will only have this experience at this particular time. You’re here, you’re seeing it, you’re alive.”

Jihan Zencirli is a Turkish American visual artist, experiential writer and performance artist, creating under the moniker GERONIMO. Her interest lies in creating emotional and physical spaces that can break up the monotony of a day, connecting us to one another and bringing joy. She is most notable for her internationally regarded ephemeral sculptures located in public spaces, massive in scale and scope, and designed to be democratic in their availability.”*

And you don’t have to buy a ticket to the New York City Ballet, but you could, they are wonderful. The  NYCB will host FREE, open hours for the general public to view the exhibition February 17 through February 25 at the following times:    Mon-Fri 10 AM – 6 PM:  Sat 10 AM – 12 PM :  Sun 10 AM – 1 PM.

Wow…never know what’s coming in this great City!  Love it!

KAY’S NOTES:

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: The website will give you more information on this stunning exhibition . https://www.nycballet.com/artseries/

GOOD TO KNOW:  Lincoln Center brings us yet another FREE  wonderful event. This one is part of the New York City Ballet’s art series at the Koch Theater.

*Photo and excerpt  courtesy of NYCB website

Disclaimer: I try for correct info on my posts, but no guarantees people.