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Just Chillin’ October Concoctions


SANTA ROSA, CA. ~ Octo- ber a delicious month? Yes, an important one for those who love music, fun, and food. Happy


201st Birth- day, “Joe Green!” Better known as Gi- useppe Verdi, born on Octo- ber 10, 1813 in Le Roncolo, Italy and be- loved for his 26 stellar operas. La Traviata, Tosca, La Forza Destino, Aida, and more, loved as “grand” opera. I remember (age 7) going with


By Ellie Schmidt • eschmidtty@sbcglobal.net awards so far, with 75 albums


out, he is a


magical global soloist. He loves all great music and not


records


only classical repertoire, but joins with fellow musicians to play— and re- cord— Amer i - can blue- grass; tradi- tional Chi- nese;


the sultry tangos of Astor Piazzolla m y


folks to behold “Aida” at an ancient theatre in NYC called the “Hippodrome,” convinced the whole thing was a circus, because a parade of Egyptians led huge elephants, horses, leopards across the very stage that had presented the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Cir- cus weeks before. Verdi lived to 1901. When he lay dying, his adoring hordes of fans placed layers of straw on the street to muffl e the sounds of passing horse-drawn carriages.


Mohandas Mahatma Gan-


dhi born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India had one aim: peace. Hope you caught the September TV Ken Burns documentary about the Roo- sevelts. Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858. Eleanor Roosevelt on Octo- ber 11, 1884. She visited my NYC Girl Scout troop to give us a war-time cooking class in 1942. Pressure cooker peas for all. And she took part in our rigorous fi rst aid class as well! Yo-Yo Ma, a fabulous French/ American cellist, has an Octo- ber 7, 1955 birthday. Conge- nial, charming, and brilliant, the winner of fi fteen Grammy


of Argentina; and the intrigu- ing novelty of duets with Bob- by McFerrin.


John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England. Certainly, the world has never been the same since “the Beatles Invasion.” Maybe thanks to Ed Sullivan’s tv show. Camille Saint-Saens, the opera composer of “Samson and Del- ilah” had an October 9 birthday in 1835. An aria: “Mon Coeur s’ouvre a ta voix” or “My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice,” from that opera is a huge favor- ite among sopranos. Sopranos


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Offer expires October 20th, 2014 707-494-1767 I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, M*A*S*H


keep on trying to outdo each other to get it “perfect.”


I had


the huge pleasure of witnessing “behind the scenes” daily, dur- ing Rudolf Bing’s fi rst season in 1950-51 at the Metropolitan Opera NYC (when he chose me to serve as the company’s fi rst college student intern) I dis- covered more than in any other kind of theatrical company, op- era folks have huge appetites: for music, fun, and food. Ath- letic demands on the singers are enormous. Mainly, perhaps due to the multi-lingual abilities of such gifted artists throughout the company, they enjoy paro- dies, puns, spoofs and goofy fun. The sheer scope and drama of the best performances can hardly show all of that. But, one can enjoy, thanks


to YouTube on your computer, two wildly different perfor- mances of that sultry, special


... continued on page 29


UPBEAT TIMES • October 2014 • 5 Weird Facts & Fun Trivia - 2


Mount Waialeale in Hawaii is said to be the rainiest place on Earth, with up to 350 rainy days a year.


Studies have shown that right-handed people tend to scratch with the left hand and left-handed people with the right.


You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world


for you. Walt Disney


Four of the last fi ve US Presidents have been left-handed: Ronald Reagan, George Bush senior, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.


The fi rst book published in North America was the Bay Psalm Book in 1640. A copy sold at auction last year for more than 11 million dollars.


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Meet Heaven, held by Elba Vasser. Heaven is an 8 year old Yorkshire Terrier. Elba comes


to Western Farm Center because of Heaven’s special diet, which is quite peculiar. Elba says they have a very nice selection!


Western Farm Center (707) 545-0721


Since 1963 we’ve been the Favorite Place to shop for pets & farm animals!


21 West 7th Street • Santa Rosa www.westernfarmcenter.com Open Mon-Sat 8am-5:30pm • Sun 9:30am-4pm


UPBEAT TIMES • October 2014 • 5


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