Devon Hunter

I just got back from Houston, and (as always) I had a wonderful time. I had never seen an opera live before, so when I was asked what I wanted to do, it immediately came into mind. Houston supports a wide variety of high quality arts, and since we’d already seen a musical, a play, and a symphony, I thought “Madame Butterfly” would be a nice way to spend the evening. Oh, it was glorious! All I could say after was, “Damn, that was a lot of voice for a lot of time!” It was amazing to me that the singers had the endurance to get through all of it… And the story, of course, is just revolting (but in a way that makes it beautiful at the same time).

Do you know how the antagonist in a production has done a good job?? I will tell you: When the player comes out for the bows, and you want to boo. The man singing Pinkerton must have been fairly extraordinary, because I absolutely loathe him (which is the whole point). It was a great performance with many talented people, and the set was compelling as well: The minimalist Japanese aesthetic with its simple lines and uncomplicated color palette was very effective at evoking place, but it also highlighted the stark contrasts in moods within the narrative. It was also very poignant to wait all night with Butterfly and Suzuki while the center of the stage literally rotated 360 degrees (in a reference to the passage of time: The wheeling of the stars, or the turning hands on a clock). Such a sad story. I loved it.

Oh, and as a totally separate topic: I heard from a female colleague who had stumbled upon my blog somehow. She thought I might be interested in her site as a resource (which includes blacklists, though these specific lists may not be helpful to M4M people, the rest of the site definitely is). She has a page called “Escort Drama!” There are about 70 survey results given by heterosexual clients and escorts who have been harassed by law enforcement and/or arrested. I have wanted for some time to include information about this under my Career Advice category, but never felt I had access to anyone with any experience. I am hoping she will agree to let me interview her about her insight.

PS

Happy Samhain! I wrote an entry last year explaining what this holiday is, and tomorrow is the first day of the New Year. I think it will be a good time to reflect on November 2009 – October 2010…

OMG! If you live in or visit Houston, TX any time the Symphony is performing with Cirque de la Symphonie, you must, Must, MUST, M-U-S-T go see a concert. This performance is part of the “Pops” series, and thus all the music is “popular,” in the sense that even if you know “nothing” about classical music you would probably recognize some of the melodies. Well, as a dancer, I am more than a little familiar with classical, and it was still an absolute joy.

I am so, so, so gay. I really am. And I love it. I was crying (as in, tears streaming down my face with utter joy) for the first half of the first act. The program focused on Russian composers (and that isn’t a complaint), but there were also four short selections from “Carmen,” as well as some of Saint-Saen’s more familiar outtakes. And all of it was performed with spot-on enthusiasm by a polished orechestra under the direction of a clever conductor. I absolutely adore live music, and this was a real treat (especially given the wonderful accoustics of the Houston Symphony’s facility).

But I am a dancer/choreographer, and (for me) all of this sound and architecture was merely the incidental accompanyment for the Cirque de la Symphonie. How wonderful! There were women aerialists who used frames, ropes, and bolts of silk to fly through the air (and one magnificent blonde lady was not only twisting and rolling through space and thirty feet in the air without nets, she was also inverted near the ceiling in contortionist shapes WHILE PLAYING THE LEAD VIOLIN PARTS). There was a funny juggler, a man who twirled a huge cube, another man who used bolts of silk to fly out over the audience, a hand balancer, and a male duo who lifted each other and transitioned into various incredibly balanced shapes while Ravel’s “Bolero” built to its 14-minute climax.

I am proud to say that the audience was bursting to give a standing ovation, but were too shy to do so until yours truly lept up to his feet in ecstatic jubilation and started shrieking with happiness. The others fell into place along with me moments later. I told you: I am gay, gay, gay. I clapped until my hands and shoulders ached. I love my clients. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have stories like these! If you have the opportunity to see this particular show, and you don’t… well… you’re crazy!