Super Party 2008

We were back to picturesque Fort Mason—scene of the 2003 and 2004 parties—for the 2008 Annual Super Party. Our call was 6:30 sharp. Whilst not as prestigious as the Yacht Club of previous years, the Fort Mason space has the great advantage of a stage and extra room for circulating, socializing and being seen—the lifeblood of all Supers. Katie Heibein and all the Super Committee put together a wonderful evening of food and entertainment.

The worst anyone has been able to say about the entire evening, it seems, was that they didn’t get enough cookies! Ulrica deeply regrets being one of the greediest who took far more than her fair share—so sorry!

(Note to next year’s party organizers—how about making the dessert portion a pot luck? Judging from recent bake sales there are plenty of excellent pastry chefs among the Super corps!)

The inventive table décor—fans representing different operas (and let’s face it, we Supers need every fan we can get)—was designed by that resourceful Twisted Sister, Laurel Winzler. Good wine—and a whole lot more—was donated by the fabulous and generous Susan Anderson-Norby.

Mike Harvey put together an excellent pre-skit slide show that gave all us narcissists additional opportunities to admire ourselves on a big screen (cue Händel’s “If I Persist in Gazing, Myself I Shall Adore”).

The raffle was a lovely idea, with prizes including a Spa in a Box and a beautiful autumnal floral arrangement.

Of course everyone wants to know who was there and what they were wearing:

Outstanding in dress were Priscilla Lore—a flawless Nora Charles lacking only a dry martini and Asta the dog—and, as that well known, bloody Scottish bride,

Kimberly Thompson. Susan Anderson was adorable in black velvet, and Llisa Demetrios (Mrs. Mark Burstein) was as gorgeous as ever in black silk. Ulrica’s table was graced by two of the loveliest ladies (and several of the most striking men) in our ranks: elegant Nancy Huie and fashionista Jenny Jirousek.

It also happened to be the most internacionale of tables, with Nicaraguan-born Eddy Gordillo, Cuban émigré Carlos Suarez, Madrileño Juan Saenz-Diez , and ex-pat Brit Andrew Korniej. Dress code was, overall, more glamorous and more chic than in previous years—fewer costumes but, to Ulrica’s delight, more handsome men in ties.

Along with Supers and Lightwalkers the party was also attended by amiable choristers (many of them Super Spice): Claire Kelm, Jere Torkelesen, Delia Voitoff-Bauman, and Sigmund "Siggy" Seigel, by W&M pal Denise Guttierez, and by General Director David Gockley and his fiancée Linda.

Hammies were presented to Kimberly Thompson (PSC for Das Rheingold), Jim Bowes, Susan Anderson (PSC for The Bonesetters Daughter), Ceci Valente (Idomoneo), Smilin’ Rob Wonder, Steve Carp (Elisir d’Amore), Jenny Jirousek and Tom Carlisle (joint smooching winners for La Bohème).

Super Coordinator Kristina Chang gave a heartwarming and humble closing speech, expressing gratitude to all those who had helped her throughout her busy Lost In Chinese Translation year. She charmed us all. We all hope we get to keep you longer than the seemingly obligatory one year, Kristina.

Spearheader Mike Harvey deservedly won the Super of the Year, but questions have been raised regarding the impossibility of anyone else ever being eligible for it and demands that the matter be brought up before the Monopolies Commission have been heard.

Bravi Tutti Super Committee… It takes a lot to put the Super Party on and on behalf of all who attended I would like to say a big THANK YOU!

It was a great treat seeing Sally Jo LaRue back in bad-hair form sharing MC duties with effusive Walt Thorp

and authoring the skit “The Entire 2008 Season in Ten Minutes,” featuring the Sing Faster Or Not At All Players. The most memorable line of her season recap being (on Musetta in La Bohème), “Who would give up a day’s shopping and a great pair of shoes to run off with an ex-lover?” Tom Carlisle did star turns in basso roles in Boris Godunov, Simon Boccanegra, and Neptune (Idomoneo), and F-Laurel beautifully demonstrated a full Renata Scotto-esque Diva bow.

Video clips: here, here, and here. Party photos here.

GD David Gockley arrived just as Sally Jo was suggesting an idea for a new opera premiere: Sex in the City: The Opera with “four women’s voices joined in glorious music and parts in the shopping scenes for every woman Super.”

If this suggestion piqued Mr. Gockley’s imagination in any way whatsoever, I’d like to point out that we have the perfect Carrie Bradshaw in La Bohème’s current Musetta: Norah Amsellem. She has the hair, the look and the spiked heels. At one early rehearsal she was wearing a white rehearsal tutu and one half-expected to see an NYC bus drive through a puddle. Casting-wise, Ulrica would also like to suggest perky Anna Christy as Charlotte, boyish mezzo Alice Coote as attorney Miranda and, of course, our own Cathy Cook as the voluptuous Samantha. Thomas Hampson would be ideal as Mr. Big. You know it isn’t such a strange idea—it would be nice to see a contemporary opera buffa that is actually funny.

Talking of look-alikes who would have thought that Charlie Lichtman could have been mistaken for Supermodel and former cocaine abuser Kate Moss? Snow Queen indeed!

A Wagnerian Cameo

Another luminary to join the ranks of Superdom this season—albeit briefly—was Harold A. "Hap" Wagner. Mr. Wagner is on the board of a corporation that has been a major donor to SFO and one of his dreams was to take part in a performance of La Bohème—which he got the chance to do during the final dress rehearsal and the opening performance.

Mr. Wagner gamely said that he wanted to get the full Super experience and what would the "Super Experience" be without a mention in The Spearhead? He shared the Super gents’ dressing room and watched the glorious Act One whilst waiting for his Scene 12 entrance, during which he was incorporated into the crowd outside the Café Momus, made an

entrance just before Musetta made hers, was seated by the John Cleese–like maître d' along with a couple of the choristers but like the rest of the patrons of that place got no more service—no menu, no wine, no food. Nevertheless it seems he had a great time.

Making Light of It

Also looking good was The War Memorial Opera House a few days ago during one of its Rainbow Series performances…

Ouch

What happened to the Super Football Team during the last night of Elixir?

How was it that all but one were standing and saluting when they should have been collapsing exhausted to the floor?

Backstage Life & Death Dramas

At last night’s Bohème performance a very large (2", excluding antennae) cockroach emerged from the downstairs wig room (we hope not from someone’s wig), much to the alarm of several Supers and the Girls Chorus.

As the roach marched out into the corridor, one level-headed wig lady grabbed a can of hairspray and sprayed the bug until it went into its death throes. As it struggled for life four members of the Boys Chorus gleefully jostled for the privilege of finishing it off—which they did.

Ulrica was alarmed to think that even though cockroaches can survive a nuclear war they are no match for a few blasts of the Industrial Strength Aquanet which is so often used to control our unruly locks. All of which suggests to this correspondent that the San Francisco Drag Queen Community must be completely indestructible.

Recently revealed to me was the fact that, apart from being the final resting place of cockroaches and many an operatic career, the War Memorial Opera House is also the reliquary of at least one set of opera-loving ashes. Seems that during the remodeling of 1996 someone called the City Attorney’s office to say that they had discovered, in a hidden niche, an urn containing human cremains (evidently those of a director of one of our LGBT choruses) and asking what should they do with them. They were advised to put them back where they found them. “People love that sort of thing” they were told.

Pardon Me, Miss

This wouldn’t be an Ulrica column without something to complain about and this time it’s the turn of the Ladies of the Chorus…

Question: Why are they so afraid of being touched???

During the staging of Boris a few months back, fight captain, SF firefighter and Dr. Atomic Super Jonathon Rider (the most hard working and affable of men) was driven to distraction over the unwillingness of some of said Ladies to participate in the driving of the repressed peasants onstage during Scene 11. Word was sent out that “If you don’t want to be touched, don’t get too close to a Super Guard.” In contrast, Gentlemen of the Chorus were only too happy to give their all and hurl themselves onstage in the most convincing manner.

Subsequently, onstage in Scene 12 of a recent Bohème one Lady took time off from her busy singing schedule to instruct a Super not to “grab me by the arm” (said Super swears he only touched her lightly, at the very most, and merely to remind her to move during a particularly time-sensitive onstage moment). Not only does it seem that assuming a directorial role on stage would be highly disruptive but it begs the question “What are they afraid of?” While no one wants to observe safety rules more than the Supernumeraries, Ulrica has to ask herself whether such anxiety is caused by a fear of catching something contagious but then bemusedly reminds herself that these folks sing with great force while facing each other at very close quarters. Can the brush of a gloved Supernumerary hand possibly be any more of a health concern than a face full of spit?

In Character

One of our Super Heroes is John F. (Digital) Martin. For several seasons now John has been documenting the chorus, principals and Supers in a series of “In Character” portraits. His black and white studies of choristers have been installed in the lobby for the past two seasons. Most of us have benefited from John’s perceptive artistry, generosity, and technical expertise in the form of exquisite 8 x 10 prints. I personally have one of myself costumed as an Appomattox sailor sitting on my dressing table.

John had a very successful gallery show and opening back in August. The opening was a party for the toney Bravo Club with several Supers in full costume attending. After the show closed a Peninsula art consultant arranged to have the show exhibited at a Mountain View software company’s HQ for three months. The exhibition was there for only a few weeks when John got a call that he would have to remove it two months earlier than expected because there were objections to the photographs from company employees. Mysteriously, no further explanation was offered. John had gone to great pains to expunge the show of its bare breasts and religious imagery and is left to wonder if, perhaps, the sight of men in make up was disturbing to the less-than-open-minded Silicon Valley girls and boys. Rather reminds one of the Robert Mapplethorpe / Cincinnati scandal, doesn’t it?

John is moving ahead with plans to publish a large-format book of the best of these photographs and will be expanding his “In Character” portfolio with the blessings of the San Francisco Opera. Start looking forward to the inevitable Opera Lobby Book Signing… John also hopes to photograph La Bohème (in which he is Super-starring) during the November 30th matinee.

Start Planning for Next Season

A few hints as to what to expect:

• Cowboys (and, we hope, even Cowgirls) Getting the Blues in the 1840s in the mountains of Monterey (sic).
• Fightin’ Supers on the storm-tossed Cypriot coast and a lot of interracial fuss over a lost hanky.
• Devilishly themed work (some debate here): either the one titled after a character whose name begins with F (and in French), or another whose title character's name begins with M and was written by the librettist to the opera named above…
• Intimate but enervating Strauss unveiling with naked eponymous princess heroine and something nasty on a silver platter.
• The ultimate confusing Verdian plot featuring barbecued babies, a loony Count, and percussive Zingarellas.
• Disgraced President (not a Bush) meets Chinese Cultural Revolutionary and hopefully brings about a return of an ebullient director whose namesake was famous in films as Inspector Clouseau.

None of these have, of course, been officially confirmed so please don’t start lining yourself up for a costume fitting quite yet.

BTW does anyone know what became of the SF Opera Ballet this season? Ulrica doesn’t recall seeing them in any performance.

General Director Hits Us Up for Spare Change

Mr. Gockley’s pre-Bohème updates on the Opera’s finances (as reported in the SF Chronicle) are getting increasingly impassioned. The Opera’s endowment has not been performing well due to the economy's woes so he is informing operagoers that certain programs may be cut, and that we can expect fewer and less elaborate productions (and, by inference, fewer Super ops) but reassures us that during his watch vocal artistry will never, ever be compromised.

General Director hits up Supers for spare change.

Let’s hope that we Supers can find a way of giving back to the San Francisco Opera some of the wealth of pleasure and experience we have been fortunate to enjoy as members of the company, one of the greatest in the world.

Super Gets into Sam Ramey’s Pants

La Bohème’s elegant Super man John Giosso is proud, once again, to be wearing Samuel Ramey’s costume originally used for his role in the 1984 production of La Sonnambula (time to bring that opera back! It hasn’t been seen here since then—Natalie Dessay has made the title role her own over the past few years). John has worn the costume in practically every performance of Bohème since its 1996 Orpheum Theater debut.

Et Cetera

Before I leave, here’s another—gratuitous—reminder about Super hygiene. Don’t forget to shower regularly (see my previous column).

And on a closing note, which Super felt he was “so special” when he was given five different thicknesses of socks to try on during his costume fitting—only to find out later that he gets any old pair which happen to be available that performance, ranging from the sheer to the fluffy and some of which were once special-ordered for the Chorus. This suggested to him the entire Super experience in microcosm—our hopes of romance, respect, and due recognition are built up only to be dashed at the last minute by the prosaic demands of costuming and the realization that we are but receptacles for others’ cast-offs. If you don’t believe that, compare your choir robe to the Chorus’s.

Happy End of the Fall Season to Supers everywhere and onwards to a Summer Season with all hands on deck for Tosca.

More Ulrica: page twenty-eight