It was tremendous.  Especially from where I stand and film.  I’m at the back of the hall, just under the balcony overhang.   It does something to the sound, that overhang.  You notice it most when the audience applauds.  The sound bounces back at you from the ceiling, turns applause into an uproar.

or maybe that was just me.

It worked.  all of it.  The hearty welcoming and the fated love and the magic.   and the sound was exquisite.  There’s nothing like it.

really.  nothing.   I got beautiful footage.  The recording engineers said it sounded great.  and we will put together a film that shows what happened last night.  But you had to be there.  This work of art is alive.  It lives in that room, with the people who are creating it and the people who are living it through them.  I can show you why it is so special.  but you had to be there.

The footage will sit on my desk in a neat little pile of videotapes.  When the audio is done,  when I’ve caught up with the other work and have cleared the hard drive space.  when the directors and the organization have recovered.  when we are ready to take it in in this other medium… we’ll put it together. 

But for now, for today, it exists only in its purest form.  only for 2 hours on stage this afternoon,  an experience that is both uniquely of its time, and timeless.

3pm Jordan Hall.  Last I checked there were still some seats left.  

photo by André Costantini