ARIA SERIOUS?

What are you listening to this weekend? We here at Aria Serious will be spending the weekend with family in Los Angeles so listening to a complete opera is out of the question. But we do have a few hours planned for Amoeba records so if there is something you want to suggest we pick up make it known below. Whatever your listening plans are, make it a good one.

Time to ask: what are you going to listen to this weekend? We here at the Aria Serious tower are going to spend some time with Puccini's Manon Lescaut . No reason in particular other than it is a lovely opera and we just love us some melody. After that, we'll probably spend more time with Andrew Bird as we caught him yesterday evening on a boat in the bay for a private concert (thanks KPRI FM for the tickets, that was an incredibly special evening). NPR has a wonderful live concert of Andrew performing in Washington DC for those that are interested. Whatever you're listening to this weekend, make it a good one.

Thursday, normally the tease of the week with Friday right around the corner, actually delivers with the long holiday weekend. So it is time to ask, a day earlier than normal, what are you listening to this weekend? We'll spend Saturday chillin' and grillin' so it seems only fitting to listen to Norma while the coals shimmer and glow. We'll also find time to listen to Andrew Bird's Noble Beast which is perfect music to nap in the hammock to while sipping a rye rickey . Make it an extra good one, and be safe! - Edward

So, what are you listening to this weekend? Over here at the Aria Serious tower we're going to spend some time with Dvorak's Rusalka . We last heard this opera in 1996 when we saw a performance at the National Theatre in Prague. Truth be told we were more smitten by actually seeing a Czech opera in Prague, at the actual theatre it premiered in, and didn't pay much attention to the production itself. So this weekend we'll listen, with libretto in hand, to see what we missed oh-so-long ago. If time permits we might we'll give the new Grizzly Bear album, Veckatimest , a listen as we've been hearing good things about it lately. Share your listening plans in the comment section below. And whatever you do, make it a good one (oh yeah, and call your dad as well). - Edward

Friday is upon us, so it is time to ask what we always ask; what are you listening to this weekend? Here at the Aria Serious tower we're going to spend some time with Korngold's Die Tote Stadt , another notch on the list of operas I should know but have never actually gotten around to listening to. We'll also finish up reading the steampunky The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters (not sure what we think about this one yet, but it is seductive enough to keep us turning the pages for now) and perhaps some time with The Magnetic Fields/Stephen Merritt's 69 Love Songs . Sublime! Share your weekend plans in the comment section and whatever you do, make this weekend a great one! - Edward

The greatest of the work days, Friday, is upon us which means it is time to ask: what are you listening to this weekend? We here at the Aria Serious tower have been busy converting our vinyl collection to MP3 so will send some of the weekend delving into the Warp Records 10+3 Remix Boxset (nothing to do with opera, but man can't live on opera alone). We're also going to listen to a recording of Jens Lekman live @ The Loft that we recorded last week. ( Great venue by the way , for those in San Diego). Opera wise we're going to spend time with Dido and Aenas by Purcell . Is it shameful to admit we've heard this opera yet? What are your listening to this weekend? Share it in the comment section below and make it a good one! - Edward

Friday! And this time we mean it. No work, no travel, no plans beyond some gardening and of course getting back into the routine of listening to a different opera recording over the weekend. This week we're digging deep into the obscure pile with a recording of The Devils of Loudun by Krzysztof Penderecki that I found up at Amoeba in San Francisco. What are your listening plans this weekend? Share them in the comment section below. Whatever you do, make it a good one. - Edward

Like we always ask on Friday: what are you listening to this weekend? Over here at the Aria Serious tower we're spending Sunday with Butterfly but not before we visit the North Park Festival of the Arts . We promise that once opera season closes we'll move to more adventurous listening options, but what we have on stage is so good it seems wrong to let it pass us by. Three performances of Butterfly remain: tonight, Sunday and then on Wednesday. Come see it if you haven't already. Share your weekend listening plans in the comment section below and make it a good one. - Edward

Time to ask, like we always ask, what are you listening to this weekend? We here at Aria Serious will be listening to Madama Butterfly which opens on Saturday. Sunday, we'll be listening to our mom tell us we don't call her enough. What are your listening plans this weekend? Share them in the comment section below and make it a good one. And, oh, call your mom. - Edward

Friday, the day of Venus, and also the last day before the weekend unless you work in Iran or Saudi Arabia which means you're going back to work tomorrow. Sorry. Regardless of where you are, it is time to ask: what are you listening to this weekend? Me? I'll be catching some Butterfly rehearsals Saturday night so Sunday I'll spend holding court in the hammock, listening to nothing. Sometimes silence is golden. Share your listening plans in the comment section below and make it a good one. - Edward

Friday, the kindest of days and the day we ask, what are you listening to this weekend? We hope you're going to listen to our Peter Grimes this weekend, and a reminder that all tickets are still $50 /$25. Yours truly will be hitting the bins again at Amoeba and shopping at his favorite bookstore in the world, The Green Apple , as the Bay Area calls for a quick weekend getaway before all hands are on deck for Madama Butterfly. And Madama Butterfly is what I'm bringing along as I want something familiar for the plane ride, although this is a new recording I have not listened to yet. What are you listening plans this weekend? Whatever they are, make this weekend a good one! - Edward

Friday! Even though we here at the Aria Serious tower will be all about Peter Grimes this weekend, we'd love to know what you're listening to. For you local readers, I cannot stress enough the greatness of what we have on our stage. Come watch this one, and if you call our box office at 619.533.7000, and tell them you're an Aria Serious fan you can buy an orchestra level seat for $50 or a seat elsewhere for $25. That's how much we love you, and how much we want you to see this opera. And if you do come, post your comments in the comment section below. Make it a good one! - Edward

Friday, the greatest of days and time to ask: what are you listening to this weekend? Me, I'm going to spend Saturday night listening to Peter Grimes rehearsals, socked taped firmly to feet, as rehearsals this week have been knocking them off. Or I might just skip the socks, not sure (these are the thoughts that cloud my mind on a typical day). Not only are the principal singers incredible but the chorus is amazing, and might steal this show. Sunday I will spend hitting the bins at Amoeba records for deals and out-of-print records. Anything I should look for? What are you listening plans this weekend? Share them in the comment section below and whatever you're doing, make this weekend a good one. - Edward

Friday ! We here at Aria Serious are going to take in the performance of Rigoletto tonight since Battlestar Galactica is now over and we have nothing else to do on Friday nights. We're not bitter or anything... Have you seen our Rigoletto yet? If so, what did you think? Beyond the performance tonight it is going to be an opera free weekend at home unless you count the podcast of The Decemberists new "folk opera" The Hazards of Love , performed live and in its entirety at South By Southwest. Gosh we love NPR! What are your listening plans this weekend? Share them in the comments below and whatever you do, make it a good one! - Edward

Friday, so time again to ask: what are you listening to this weekend? Over here at the Aria Serious tower, we'll put listening to opera on hold in lieu of seeing opera. That's right, Rigoletto open Saturday. Sunday, we're going to spend in the hammock reading up on some much neglected books. What are your listening plans this weekend? Are you going to see Rigoletto ? Whatever your musical plans are, share them here, and make it a good one. - Edward

Friday! And a sad Friday it is. Not because I work most of the weekend but because tonight marks the series finale of Battlestar Galactica , a show rabidly followed by all of us in the Aria Serious tower for the past five years, and the only real reason I still pay for cable. This of course means we need to pick something happy to listen to on Saturday which leads us to Donizetti's The Elixir of Love because I found this particular recording used a few weeks back and have not listened to it yet. So, what are your listening plans this weekend? Whatever they are, enjoy them, and make it a great weekend. So say we all... -- Edward

Friday! The best of days, unless of course you work weekends, then Friday is like Monday and that's no fun. What are you listening to this weekend? Me, I'm going to listen to Pelleas et Melisande . Why? It was the first cd that my gaze landed on when looking over at my stack of opera cds I've never listened to. Sometimes life is easier when you don't give it much thought. I'll also be participating in San Diego's first Snuggie Pub Crawl tonight, more as a passive observer rather than active participant simply for the fact I have no Snuggie. And have no plans to buy one. Ever. Whatever your plans are this weekend, make it a good one! -- Edward

Friday! I've talked about it now for a few weeks but I'm really going to listen to Nabucco this weekend. And that's about it since I'm taking that and about half a dozen books up to the mountain for a weekend getaway before the Rigoletto cast arrives and we're back to our busy rehearsal schedule. What are your listening plans this weekend? Share them in the comment section below, and have a great one! -- Edward

Friday! My favorite of days! And time to share what your listening plans are over the weekend. Me, I'm going to put Nabucco on hold once again as I'll be catching Das Rheingold on Sunday in Los Angeles. I'll also be spending a few hours at Amoeba Records on Sunset stocking up on the rock, and the not, as I have quite a few opera recordings on my wishlist. Anything I should add to my wishlist? What are your listening plans this weekend? Share them in the comment section below. And have a great one! -- Edward

Friday! Time to share our listening plans for this weekend. I wasn't planning on it but I'm going to catch the last two performances of Don Quixote tonight and Sunday. I might as well see it while I can because it is indeed something special. I mean, I'm missing Battlestar Galactica for this one. It is that good. Sadly, this means I'll be putting Nabucco on hold for another week since I've been writing about lately but realize I don't know it as well as I should. What are you listening plans this weekend? Whatever they are, enjoy them and have a great weekend. -- Edward