Metropolitan Opera House Essay Example for Free

Metropolitan Opera House Essay Maria Callas gives an outstanding performance at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. This is unsurprising as Callas was one of the most famous sopranos of her time and a recognised Diva. The Newspaper review is gushing in praise of Callas who gives a powerful and convincing performance. It is noted that the reviewer had some reservations on a previous performance but the performance of Violetta in La Traviata left the reviewer in no doubt that Callas gave a performance that was the best interpretation he had ever witnessed in all his time attending and reviewing operas. The performance as Viloletta is a more congenial part than previously seen by the reviewer and it has so much passion and personal interpretation that it is difficult to distinguish between the dramatic and vocal performances. The whole performance seems real and the acting and singing become one, the perfect operatic qualities. The words in an opera can seem disjointed and difficult to express when read without music and it is Callas who brings the script and plot alive by sewing all the parts together to make an outstanding dramatic performance in conjunction with the musical performance by the orchestra.. She still had the slight wobble in her voice which is evident on the CD in some places, for example at 1:19 and 02:00 when the singing becomes fortissimo. However her reputation as a performer was so great that her fans and the reviewer where able to forgive this perceived fault and even claim that it added to the intensity of her performance. It shows emotion in the voice and this adds to the tragic quality of the roles often played by female opera singers. The CD shows a wide range of singing from the initial pianissimo start and the pizzicato accompaniment from the string section building up to 1:13 when Callas builds to an ornament at 1:19. The whole performance is very smooth and displays and you can hear the passion in Callas’ voice when she expresses her feelings. The reviewer mentions her striking presence which is an important part of opera throughout the world. Callas’ presence was reinforced by her status as a Diva and her reputation was worldwide. She had performed for the previous 7 years at La Scala in Milan to triumphant reviews and had gained publicity 4 years earlier when her appearance changed dramatically having lost 30 kilos in weight. She was married to a prominent businessman and Opera lover and was on the verge of starting a relationship with a world famous shipping magnate. Callas was portrayed as a Diva in much the same way as someone like Madonna is today and the public interest in her life only served to fuel her presence and reputation on the stage. Opera is performance on a grand scale so much so that opera venues are some of the grandest, most iconic and well recognised places in the world, for example the Sydney Opera House. Those who succeed in such an environment must be larger than life personalities. Maria Callas was certainly a Diva and her life was followed and reported by fans and the press alike. Her life was lived in the glare of publicity and even though she led a private life following her retirement in 1965 she still attracted great interest when she made public appearances. It is easy to see the appeal of her character and that many people liked to think of her as a tragic heroine due to difficult events in her life. In many ways this mirrored the Operatic roles she played with so much conviction it sometimes blurred the boundaries between reality and performance.

Free Essay - The Scarlet Letter and the Christian Utopia :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter and the Christian Utopia Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne develops the Christian Utopia to present to the reader the ideals and way of life the Puritans faced. The main character, Hester Prynne, commits a crime so unfathomable by the society yet she was able to live her life independent from the norms and values. Judgments of society's moral transgressions have altered since the Puritan era in such a way that we are no longer severely condemned for our principles. People are forgiven for their sins, but nonetheless they are forever persecuted to live with the shame such as Hester did in the novel. The Puritans believed that the Christian Utopia could be achieved by obeying a certain rule. Spirituality played a key component in dictating their lives. Hester for example, did not go against her community on purpose, but acted independently and followed the path of human nature. She still possessed religious morals. Yet this is disregarded by her act of adultery. In society during that time period, no matter how much good one does, the latter is what takes hold. Thus Hester is labeled to wearing the scarlet letter "A", in addition to having to take care of her fatherless child. Today, people do turn to religion for guidance, but not to the point where religion commands every action a person makes. People have drifted away from the black and white customs and adapted color and emotion to the path of life. People are given the opportunity to give up a child born out of wedlock to an adoption agency. Single mothers can attend schools with daycares. This is far from what H ester could ever imagine. Hawthorne develops Hester's character in an exaggeration through the usage of symbolism, to further emphasis the level of severity of her crime. "She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real" (Hawthorne 41). The Puritans viewed man as an animal, as if people needed to be controlled. Hawthorne shows that the balance between Man and Morality is not equal in the face of the Puritans.

Discipline and Management Comparison

Runninghead: DISCIPLINE AND MANAGEMENT: DIFFERENT YET RELATED COMPARISON Discipline and Management: Different Yet Related Comparison Essay Corwin K. Richardson Grand Canyon University Discipline and Management: Different Yet Related Comparison Essay Thinking on classroom management and the ability to effectively teach and guide students of several different backgrounds tends to be a daunting thought. One that has pressed the hearts and minds of teachers and administrators for many days past and which will probably continue to press for many days to come.Being confident that you are aware; management alone is a skill that requires several years of practice to become proficient at, not to mention the management of students and their personalities. This essay will deal with the comparisons of discipline and management as it relates to the comparison of behavior versus misbehavior. Each term will be defined in personal understanding and then expounded upon with citations from noted autho rities in each subject matter. There similarities and differences will be presented in addition to there apparent relationship with each other.Discipline is something that is the result of an unwanted act. It can be seen as a corrective action that is taken to discourage a behavior that needs to be discontinued. Ex. Mr. Brown quickly removed the unruly student from the classroom. In this example, Mr. Brown chose to remove the disruptive student from the classroom as a method of discipline. However, discipline may be seen as a measure of self-control that someone applies to themselves. This is in any case, a measure of correction.According to Charles, discipline is defined as a teacher’s efforts to maintain classroom decorum and secure students’ cooperation in learning and exercising self-control (p. 45, 2008). This understanding opens up the window of possibilities as to what measure is taken by means of discipline that is deemed necessary to keep the classroom flowing with full cooperation in learning. Regarding self-control; this is a willful act on the student’s part based upon their understanding of order and how it affects their life, even in the classroom.The responsibility of teaching students the need for order can be argued to be the parents; but somehow it ends up being the teachers’. Management is the order in which someone takes things and place them in a systematic way that they can manage them better. Ex. Ms. Wendy moved all of the noisy students’ seats in a way that brought quiet and focus to the class. In this example Ms. Wendy’s management system was to arrange the classroom in such a way that all the class could benefit from the lesson.A collaborative definition of management as expressed by Canter is an environment created by a teacher who motivates and believes in the students; one who effectively plans to manage student behavior in all classroom activities and instructional strategies; a teacher wh o has the trust of all the students (pp. 6-7, 2006). Behavior is simply the way someone conducts themself. Ex. Bobby obeys every word his father says. In the example, Bobby’s behavior was obedient. This is clearly a defining point in behavior that illustrates how someone acts in an environment or situation.Some authorities such as Canter believe that behavior is greatly influenced by a teacher’s ability to establish a classroom that promotes academic success for all students from the very first day of school (p. 31, 2006). Misbehavior is when someone conducts themselves in a way that is unacceptable. Ex. Janie has random outbursts in class and doesn’t respect her teachers. This shows that Janie is misbehaving by not respecting her teachers and by her outbursts. Canter also suggests that students don’t like or respect teachers who let them get away with misbehavior (p. 6, 2006). This would indicate that the disrespect that some students show their teachers is a direct result of the teacher’s inability to convey their authority and order in the classroom with their students. In other words, the students may feel as though the teachers are â€Å"push-over’s†. In conclusion, discipline is a product of management which is directly related to the effectiveness by which management is executed, which determines the level of discipline needed to maintain it.On the other wise, behavior is the product of discipline and is directly influenced towards acceptable or unacceptable conduct by the effectiveness of the management plan. If the management system is proficient then a good disciplinary plan will be in place and if so, then behavior will be appropriate and almost all misbehavior will be eliminated. References Charles, C. M. (2008). Building classroom discipline (10th ed. ). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Canter, L. (2006). Lee Canter’s classroom management for academic success. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Essay on Hamlet -- Is Hamlet Sane - 782 Words

Hamlet Essay: Is Hamlet Sane With the coming of Freudian theory in the first half of this century and the subsequent emergence of psychoanalytically-oriented literary criticism in the 1960s, the question of Hamlets underlying sanity has become a major issue in the interpretation of Hamlet. While related concern with the Princes inability to take action had already directed scholarly attention toward the uncertainty of Hamlets mental state, modern psychological views of the play have challenged his sanity at a deeper, sub-conscious level, typically citing self-destructive and, most pointedly, sexual drives to explain his behavior, his words, and the mental processes beneath them. In a play with undertones of incest and heavy doses of†¦show more content†¦Moreover, Hamlet plainly does use the guise of madness toward tactical ends. He keeps Claudius, Polonius, and the other males of the play (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) off balance, unsure of the specific threat he poses but themselves an unable to act q uickly because of it. It is under cover of madness that Hamlet presents his customized mousetrap, his play-within-a play, to successfully capture the conscience of the King. He sees through the Kings plot to have him executed in England, his innocent escorts being unaware of the threat that Hamlet poses to the King. Such deliberate acts in which the appearance of madness is used to advantage are not those of a madman. To be sure, Hamlet sees and speaks with a ghost, but the rational character of Horatio does the same. All of this suggests that Hamlet, while depressed, guilt-ridden, and raging inside, is sane. On the other hand, in his treatment of Ophelia, his former lover, Hamlet displays a cruelty that is extreme, abnormal and, in fact, psychopathological. His declaration, Get thee to a nunnery, why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners (III, i., ll.120-121), is so vicious in its utter rejection of Ophelias tender efforts to understand him, so lewd in its punning suggestion that OpheliaShow MoreRelatedHamlet Pleads Sane650 Words   |  3 PagesHamlet Pleads Sane William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is considered to be a great tragedy in the eyes of many. In the play, the protagonist, Hamlet, is on a quest to avenge the death of his father. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet is upset that his mother married his uncle, Claudius, only two months after his father’s death. As the story progresses, Hamlet is confronted by King Hamlet’s ghost. The ghost informs Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. When the ghost asks Hamlet to seekRead More The Sane Hamlet Essays1192 Words   |  5 PagesThe Sane Hamlet   Ã‚   Hamlet contains the classic argument between whether or not Hamlet is mad, or a sane man under difficult circumstances. Hamlet assumes antic-disposition at times to uncover the truth of his fathers death.   From my perspective I believe that Hamlets actions and thoughts are a logical response to the situation in which he finds himself.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first act, Hamlet appears to be very straightforward in his actions and thoughts.   When questioned by Gertrude aboutRead MoreShakespeares Hamlet: Hamlet is Perfectly Sane Essay1947 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet is Perfectly Sane      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I will be brief.   Your noble son is mad, states Polonius (II, ii, 91) .   Ophelia exclaims, O what a noble mind is here oerthrown! (III, i, 153).   Alas, hes mad, concludes Gertrude (III, iv, 106). Claudius even instructs Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to escort Hamlet to England because it [is not] safe with us/To let his madness range (III, iii, 1-2).   Essentially, each supporting character questions Hamlets sanity, and most conclude he is indeed madRead MoreHamlet Insane or Sane Essay783 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet- Sane or Insane In Shakespeares play Hamlet the main character Hamlet experiences many different and puzzling emotions. He toys with the idea of killing himself and then plays with the idea of murdering others. Many people ask themselves who or what is this man and what is going on inside his head. The most common question asked about him is whether or not he is sane or insane. Although the door seems to swing both ways many see him as a sane person with one thought on his mind,Read MoreEssay on Shakespeares Hamlet Was Certainly Sane2229 Words   |  9 Pages     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, the character of Hamlet feigns insanity. For a person in his situation, having ones peers think of one as crazy can be quite beneficial. His father, the king, had just died, and he is visited by a ghost who appears to be his fathers spirit. The ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered by his brother Claudius, who is now the current king and who recently married the former kings wife. Hamlet vows revenge and, as a tool to aid him in that plan, convincesRead More Sanity, Insanity, Madness? - William Shakespeares Hamlet is Sane2156 Words   |  9 PagesSanity, Insanity, Madness? - William Shakespeares Hamlet is Sane In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the lead character, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, has been interpreted in numerous ways. Throughout the play Hamlet takes on different personas, making it hard define him as only one character type. Often when critics analyze the character of Hamlet, they question his sanity because of his ambiguity soon after he sees his fathers ghost. What does it mean to be insane? The definition of the word insaneRead More The Genius of Hamlet, the Very Sane Prince of Denmark Essay example2446 Words   |  10 PagesThe Genius of Hamlet, the Very Sane Prince of Denmark Hamlet in Shakepeares The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is often seen as a lunatic. Lucid and ingenious, Prince Hamlet falls into a state of emotional turmoil, but he is never insane. Hamlet feigns madness to reveal his anguish concerning the two women he used to love - his mother Gertrude and his lover Ophelia. To escape estrangement from his countrymen, Hamlet appears to waver between madness and sanity. And, to avoidRead MoreSanity in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1037 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Hamlet Hamlet is a play about a man who has had a father killed by his uncle, after this act of treachery the uncle then marries Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet is sane in this play because prior to going â€Å"insane† he informs us he is going to. If Hamlet were truly insane he would not be able to tell others that he is going to act insane as of a certain point in time. Hamlet would try to deny insanity, not pride himself in the fact that he is insane. Hamlet uses insanityRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare866 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet, the son of the former King of Denmark is in a state of depression due to his father’s murder which was committed by his uncle. This is followed by the marriage of his mother and the same uncle who killed his father; this forces Hamlet into a state of misery. Upon learning that his father was murdered, Hamlet is also told by his father’s ghost to get revenge. Throughout the play, Hamlet often pretends to be insane or in a state of madness. This is all apart of how he will plan to kill is murdererRead MoreHamlet: The Irrational Prince Essay1138 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, named Hamlet, is the main character that’s going to avenge is fallen father. Shakespeare makes the audience wonder if Hamlet is really mad or he is just presenting some excellent acting skills that make it seem as if he has really gone insane. We must consider if he has gone mad, could be due to the loss of his father and if he is just simply acting mad, could that be to confuse his enemies? And hide is intensions? One thing is for certain and that is Hamlet cannot