On the Rag, Vol. 911

 

This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Filipe Renan, Nicholas Galitzine, Dermot O’Leary, Louis Tomlinson, the founders of a lifestyle brand inspired by '80s erotica and more BELOW.

Discovering Puccini's ‘Turandot’

Should mention that we caught Puccini's "Turandot" at the Metropolitan Opera last week and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. 

Although I'm not confident enough in my knowledge to say it is now my favorite opera to date, it definitely felt different from any other work I've seen -- and had me wondering why. 

What I came up with is that "Turandot" feels less like a traditional opera and more like an epic fairy tale -- larger in scale, more stylized in its characters, more spectacular in its staging and more modern in its music than the operas I've seen. ("Macbeth," "Carmen," "La Traviata," "The Barber of Seville," "The Marriage of Figaro," "La Boheme," "Aida" and "Tristan und Isolde.")

I was especially drawn to Liu -- rather than the titular diva -- who struck me as the drama's true emotional center, bringing a humanity that the larger-than-life title character lacks. (Maybe not the highest bar given that, as the New York Times notes, Turandot and her suitor remain largely unfazed by the death and dismemberment they instigate -- standing atop a figurative pile of corpses when they finally share true love’s kiss. But at least Turandot had incredible headdresses!) 

The production ended on June 7 -- sorry for my tardiness -- but the qualities that made it stand out aren't unique to this staging, so keep an eye out for future productions if a different kind of opera sounds appealing to you.

 

Remains of the Day (06/09)

Seeing Double: Twin 1 or 2?

West Side Rag: Wimbledon to install a temporary grass tennis court on Wollman Rink in Central Park

Boystack: New York’s legendary Mineshaft gets a fresh look in a review of the acclaimed documentary chronicling its rise, influence and enduring mystique

Greg in Hollywood: Steve Kmetko interviews “Adam 12” star Kent McCord, one of the hottest men to ever star on TV 

The Caftan Chronicles: 10 years after the Pulse massacre inspired the creation of Gays Against Guns, co-founders Kevin Hertzog and John Grauwiler reflect on grief, activism and the long fight against gun violence

Page Six: "Saved by the Bell" alum Mark-Paul Gosselaar, 52, titillates fans in crop top and booty shorts 

Washington Blade: Nancy Pelosi reflects on four decades of LGBTQ advocacy

ACLU: How current efforts targeting LGBTQ Americans echo tactics used during the Cold War-era Lavender Scare, when thousands were pushed out of government service

PinkNews: Rugby star Kane Williams comes out as gay: "I’ve been fighting a war within"

NYP: Son of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon admits to choking woman during sex as part of no-jail deal

People: Patrick Wilson says he turned down "fake" prop weights for viral workout scene in "Cape Fear"

Erasing 76 Crimes: A new survey suggests Ghanaians are far from united behind a proposed anti-LGBTQ bill, challenging claims that the legislation reflects overwhelming public support

Truthout: As anti-LGBTQ censorship expands, these cities have cancelled Pride this year

Instinct: Justin Trudeau's 18-year-old son is also a hot piece of ass

Attitude: Steven Spielberg names “Philadelphia” his favorite LGBTQ-themed film, calling the groundbreaking Tom Hanks drama a “breakthrough” and a watershed moment in Hollywood

Hot Cat of the Day: Pudding is a real Daddy's girl 

Tennis Tuesday: Blake Dawson

Quench your thirst with three more pics BELOW.

Greenport Getaway

Just back from a perfect birthday weekend on the North Fork, a place I’ve wanted to visit for years.

Today is the actual “big” day, and I’m spending it doing what makes me happiest of all -- in my chosen city with my husband, my cat and a biography of a fascinating woman from the past (Libby Holman). 

The book happens to be a birthday gift I received from a dear friend some four decades ago, which I recently rediscovered in a box and am only now getting around to reading! xo

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A post shared by Kenneth M. Walsh (@kenneth_212)

Weekend Tennis Roundup

 

As random as this year's French Open was, at least two known quantities -- Alexander Zverev and Mirra Andreeva -- wound up winning. Full report plus all the ATP beef that's fit to post BELOW.