Gustavo Dudamel, always counterintuitive, learns English by immersing himself in iambic pentameter: (and as someone who once tried to learn Italian by reading the libretto for Ernani, Opera Chic has only this to say: bad idea)
"I was trying to read in English, like, (as) exercise for me."
Shakespeare in the original?
"The original Shakespeare. I hope it was one, because it was a very old book that my wife have, and she speak perfect English. Yes, because she was living in London. And this is also part of my little knowledge about English."
Then, young man of the people that he is, he proceeds to grant critic Tim Mangan -- who used to hang out with Carlo Maria Giulini when Dudi was in diapers -- all of 10 minutes of his time, until the fearsome MLFalcone Agency whips him, their new subject, into submission. To be fair, his PR people do rent him out in 10 minute installments, period, it's not personal; and, Dudi was probably late for a Duda Meal of tailor-made hot dogs. But he's happy to admit that the awesome Eloisa is the smarter half of the family anyway (she's also the taller half), so he's kinda forgiven, for now.
Deutsche Grammophone would suck the joie de vivre out of a Brazilian Carnaval parade.
Posted by: Victor | November 22, 2008 at 12:46 AM