Post-newsletter update: Our March meeting is changed to Sunday MARCH 4
at 2 pm, an update from the March 18 date mentioned previously. Our speaker remains
Grace Scheel, Literacy Educator, on "The Cost of Cheap". After our APRIL
15 meeting, we return to our regular schedule of the second Sunday of the
month. More details when our February Entre Nous is posted here.
ENTRE NOUS
JANUARY 2012
FEBRUARY PROGRAM
SUNDAY
FEBRUARY 12, 2012
2 - 4:30 PM
UNITED STEELWORKERS HALL
25 CECIL STREET, 1ST FLOOR
1½ BLOCKS EAST OF SPADINA
ONE BLOCK SOUTH OF COLLEGE
EAST OF HURON ST.
Parking is available at the building.
The meeting room is at ground level with a lift available for the two steps near the entrance
THE 409th CONSECUTIVE MONTHLY
PROGRAM MEETING
Topic: WAR MUSIC: THE ILIAD AND CHRISTOPHER LOGUE
Speaker: John Rammell, Writer, Actor
At the age of 20 John Rammell left England, the home of his birth, and headed for New Zealand where he intended to live life as a farmer. “However,” he writes, “on the way he was invited to act on stage in a Chekhov play and this changed his life, releasing the creative juices that have plagued and delighted [him] ever since.”
He was graduated from King’s School Bruton in Somerset; in 1955 he completed his B.A. at the University of New Zealand and soon moved to Canada. His father’s illness took him back to England where he wrote plays for the BBC, worked on early television drama, and then spent five years as a writer for the film company, Associated British Pathé.
Returning to Canada in 1966, John continued to act and write, first in Ottawa, then Toronto. He produced and wrote televison scripts for the CBC. He spent a number of years as a freelance film writer. His specialization in film and video production for corporate communications took him across Canada and all over the world. A member of the Arts and Letters Club, John continues to be involved in theatre as well as stage and film productions as an author and narrator. Recently he was one of four actors reading for “CBC Presents...Dickens’ Christmas Carol.” In his spare time John reads for the blind at the CNIB.
John’s choice for his talk results from a fortunate convergence of elements; although he had no particular interest in the Iliad, he said, he just happened to buy a copy of the book and was so impressed by what he read of poet Christopher Logue’s re-imaging of Homer’s work that he wants to share it with others.
The Guardian’s lengthy obituary (December 3, 2011) of Christopher Logue, who died at age 85, characterizes his epic poem War Music as a re-imaged “stark rendition of Homer’s epic poem” in a voice “that cuts through with clean metallic fury.” Logue described it simply as an “account of the Iliad” (Books 1-4 and 16-19). An uncompleted work begun in 1959, War Music is an adaptation, not a translation of Homer. Although it was published in 1981, it continues to engage readers, critics and producers.Join us to hear actor John Rammell read from and share some of his responses to Christopher Logue’s War Music.
Visitors are welcome at our meeting
General Meeting Report
January 8, 2012
Program: The Operatic Life of
Giacomo Puccini
Speaker: Sharon Harris, Educator
Sharon Harris’s account of the life of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was both dramatic and enthralling. With more than 100 illustrative photographs, her presentation captured the operatic life of a composer whose works are widely performed and much admired: characters and their stories in La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly, for example, are well known but not the life of the creator. Sharon filled that void.
Information about Puccini’s life is useful and interesting as it relates to his achievements–born in Lucca, Italy (1858), he came from five generations of musicians, conductors and composers; a poor student when he began musical studies in Lucca, he was transformed at the Milan Conservatory where he committed himself to composing opera after hearing Verdi’s Aida; there he wrote two short operas. He caught the attention of an important music publisher, Giulo Ricardo and librettist Giuseppe Giacosa with whom he collaborated on most of his famous operas. Their deaths–Giacosa in 1906, Ricardo in 1912–ended Puccini’s most productive period from 1893-1910. (Puccini’s last great opera, Turandot, was completed the year of his death, 1924.)
But facts alone do not begin to reveal Puccini, the man. As Sharon described his life, it was more operatic than his works–he lived excessively, enjoyed fast cars, drinking, hunting, heavy smoking, sports, and especially, chasing women. “I am a mighty hunter of wild fowl, operatic librettos and attractive women; I am almost always in love,” said Puccini. An insatiable womanizer, he sent letters by the hundreds to women–lovers and friends (to Sybil Seligman, a lifelong close friend he wrote 700!). Photographs of him captured his appeal–dashing, a handsome man with a moustache, dapper, a fedora tilted over one eye, suggesting a devil-may-care view about life.
Ridden with extraordinary stories of jealousy, infidelity, illegitimate children, blackmail, vengeance and suicide, involving his wife, his lovers and related family members, their children and their descendants’ relationships, Puccini’s life story is impossible to describe in detail. Sharon’s animated comments and her charts of lines and names helped to sort out generational representations through genealogical connections.
With dramatic, vivid detail, Sharon depicted the entanglement of several chief women players in Puccini’s life drama: Elvira, Corrina, Doria, and Giulia–all revealed something deeply personal about the character of the man who called his “amourettes,” “little gardens.”
Elvira, whom he met in 1880, was the wife of a friend, at first Puccini’s piano student, then his lover, a common-law wife for many years (divorce was not permitted in Italy at that time), the mother of their illegitimate son Antonio, born in 1886. She became his legal wife in 1904 (after her husband’s death), a marriage Puccini agreed to reluctantly and deeply regretted later.
Elvira’s early attractiveness for Puccini was short-lived: their love affair changed into mad, jealous accusations and pursuits. In 1900 Puccini had found a new love, Corrina (a 17- year-old seamstress whose real name and identity were discovered only in 2007). Elvira went on a hunger strike, attacked Corrina with an umbrella and bloodied Puccini’s face. The lovers’ relationship broke off three years later after Puccini hired a detective to spy on her; she threatened legal action and an exposé by publishing his love letters.
Puccini hired another detective who found what would have been a scandal if it was disclosed in court–a charge against her father for exposing himself to an underage girl. Blackmail material! Corrina would not have been believed in court with the introduction of this information; she dropped her threat to discredit Puccini. Not surprisingly, their relationship ended but he was devastated. One scholar speculated, “His heartbreak over Corrina was probably instrumental in generating his most powerful tragic music in the form of the last act of Madama Butterfly.”
A year later he finally became the husband of Elvira (with whom he had lived, off and on, for more than 20 years). Described as heavy, dowdy, boring, an unchallenging partner intellectually, Elvira was a social embarrassment. Worse, in near lunacy, she stalked innocent Doria, a servant/nursemaid, accusing her of an affair with Puccini, publicly calling her a “whore,” “tart,” “tramp”; Doria was fired, felt abandoned by Puccini to whom she had appealed for support. To defend herself she would have had to betray her cousin, Guilia (who was Puccini’s new love).
Puccini suffered a nervous breakdown but he had done nothing to help. Unable to stand Elvira’s persecution, Doria committed suicide. Even after she was buried, Elvira continued to slander her to the point where her family took her to court and proved by an autopsy that Doria was a virgin; Elvira, convicted of defamation and slander, was sentenced to five months and five days in prison. Here Puccini helped; he paid 12,000 lira (a huge sum) to the family to keep Elvira out of prison and to protect his family name.
Puccini and Elvira were estranged for several months yet he returned to his “policeman,” a shrew who made his life a living hell with her jealous paranoia. Their volatile on-again, off-again relationship continued, ending only with Puccini’s death. In the last year of his life, Puccini created in Doria’s honour, the role of Liu, a servant girl in Turandot, who commits suicide rather than betray the hero.
Guilia, for whom Doria had died and to whom Puccini had a deep commitment, gave birth in 1923 to Antonio, also an illegitimate son. The last love of his life, she regularly received 1,000 lira a month until Puccini’s death.
In 1924 Puccini died from lung cancer. Italy plunged into mourning; Mussolini gave the eulogy. Puccini is buried at the Villa Puccini which he had constructed as a kind of statement for his persona as a “grand segnier.” (An irony–Elvira was buried there in 1930; even in death Puccini did not escape her.)
Other complex relationships and stories of illegitimate children begetting grand and great-great grand descendants are to be told, but not here. The history goes on; in 1980, Simonetta, illegitimate daughter of Puccini’s and Elvira’s Antonio, was declared the legal heir of the estate. She took possession of all assets of Villa Puccini (now a museum and archives) as well as his name.
Although Puccini came close to being destroyed psychologically by Elvira, he composed unmatched melodies, rich orchestrations, and had a unique gift for strong dramatic effects, despite his torrid personal life, Sharon concluded. In 40 years he wrote only 12 operas, but what operas they are! His sublime music will live forever.
Sharon showed a few well selected clips from productions of Madama Butterfly–one of Lieutenant Pinkerton and Sharpless, others of the heart-rending final scene of Cio-Cio-San’s farewell to her son and her suicide. An interesting short film clip of a Japanese city in 1904 ended her presentation. A warm, long ovation followed. (The Ulyssean Society audience was augmented by 15 or more visitors who had seen an announcement of our program in NOW.)
Joan Appelby began our Program with the ritual reading of the Ulyssean Creed and lighting the candle; following the Mosaic, she read the Benediction and extinguished the candle.
On behalf of the Society Ruth Ellenzweig thanked Sharon warmly for her
stunning presentation; Puccini was the most glorious opera composer in Italy’s history; he had a special feeling for his women victims–Floria in Tosca and Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly, Ruth commented. Sharon’s choice of film clips provided extra depth and another perspective, she added. Given an honorary membership in the Society for a year, Sharon was invited to come again and often to Ulyssean meetings. We would be delighted to see her.
Virginia Rock
Mosaic
Two Ulysseans ended our January meeting by presenting a common theme (quite by chance)–relationships: the telepathic animal-human connection; the psychological human divide between husband and wife.
Marie Paulyn read excerpts from Rupert Sheldrake’s fascinating book, The Sense of Being Stared At (and other aspects of the extended mind). It published results of experiments on human telepathy. From the wide-ranging report, Marie focussed on the “unexplained powers of animals” (a subtitle of an earlier book, Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home); she read portions of Sheldrake’s report of many instances where dogs anticipated and knew about the action of their owner–for example, anticipating, being poised to respond to his voice before his long-distance call was received or awaiting his arrival home at a time not routine.
A famous dog, Oscar, who would go to patients to be near them, was an accurate predictor of their death. Another instance of animal telepathy Marie offered was of a dog arousing his family in time to save them from perishing in a fire. Sheldrake produced in his books and conference papers example after example of this unexplainable telepathic connection of animal with human. Marie asked how many had pets or had similar experiences with their pets. Many did. “Cherish them!” she concluded.
Responding to a last-minute request for a contribution to the Mosaic, Denise Altschul did more than oblige; she presented a short dramatic piece, “The Raincoat,” from among the genres she has written (fiction, poetry, drama, personal essays) and performed three roles–husband, wife and narrator, with just the right combination of empathy, irony and humour. The dialogue of disagreeing (as many couples do) about whether or not to take a raincoat on their shopping expedition was sharp and revealing. Listening to the escalation of emotion between a shrewish, dominating wife who revels in being proved right and a wimpy kind of man who hopelessly tries to prevail by reasonableness (it’s not going to rain; we’ll be in the mall) sets the stage for his humiliation. She takes her coat; he does not take his. There is the deluge–and her triumph–she was right. A masterful performance, Denise; we want more.
Virginia Rock
INTEREST GROUPS AND
UPCOMING EVENTS
MEMOIR WRITING -Friday, Feb. 3
2 to 4 pm
PLACE: Wychwood Library
Mosaic Planning - Monday, Feb. 6
1 p.m.
Granite Brewery and Restaurant
245 Eglinton Ave. At Mt. Pleasant
GENERAL MEETING - Sunday Feb. 12
2 to 4:30 pm
PLACE: United Steelworkers Hall
25 Cecil Street, 1st Floor
INQUIRING MIND - Saturday, Feb. 18
2 to 4 pm
PLACE: Wychwood Library
PLAY READING - Fri. Feb. 24
1:30 to 3:30 pm
PLACE: Yorkville Library
22 Yorkville Ave.
*****
Notices
The next Mosaic Planning meeting will be Monday, February 6 at 1 p.m. at the Granite Brewery and Restaurant, 245 Eglinton Avenue East (entrance on Mt. Pleasant, south of Eglinton). There is free parking off Mt. Pleasant.
Our General Meeting dates for March and April are changed. In March the meeting will be March 4 not 18 and in April, April 15. The March Program Meeting will feature Grace Scheel, Literacy Educator; her topic will be “The Cost of Cheap.”
Early Notice: the Annual General Meeting of The Ulyssean Society will be at the end of March; time, date and place will be announced in the next Entre Nous.
Report on the Memoir Writing Workshop
On January 7, at the first Memoir Writing Workshop of 2012, Ulysseans–Bev Bloom, Joan Appelby, Renée Edwards and Virginia Rock–reviewed aspects of what is involved in writing a memoir: characteristics of memoir, autobiography and fiction, getting started, telling the truth, establishing the tone/personal voice in telling a story (yours, one of your family’s, or a friend’s as it relates to you), the audience for whom it is intended, discovery of a unifying theme or focus, thus giving a coherence to reconstructed recollections.
A useful foundation for writing a memoir may be found in recognizing how the recollection is remembered: “Memory resides in specific, sensory details, not in abstract notions like ‘beautiful’ or ‘angry’; ask in what way she was particularly beautiful, or what did the angry man sound like?” Judith Barrington suggests in her Writing the Memoir. So for your memoir recall the specifics that evoked your remembering the past.
Memoir also involves an inner dialogue, a conversation you have with yourself. When you tell how you perceive something or feel about it, the reader experiences it as overhearing your thoughts (Barrington, 143), thus making your creation accessible.
After each participant shared a portion of her memoir prepared for the workshop, we commented on various elements. A question was asked: are we are expected to say only positive things about a colleague’s writing?–an important, excellent question–the answer is “no”; the workshop seeks to guide all participants (facilitator included) in writing her stories honestly, effectively; that goal will more likely be achieved by the full participation of everyone in writing and critiquing her own and the work of colleagues, to pose and welcome questions, suggestions, and evaluations, especially as they address issues the writer was working on. Feedback is essential.
For the last 20 minutes we chose a suggested topic, wrote for 10 minutes and then read our efforts to the group. They were interesting, well done. Topics included–how/why I’m different, what I can’t forget/live without, the worst/best thing that happened to me.
For the next Workshop, participants are asked to prepare to read a page or two or three on some aspect of one of the following: TRAVEL or TIME (e.g.,your perspective, experience, personal definition).
Virginia Rock
Note: the next Memoir Writing Workshop is Friday, February 3 from 2-4 p.m. at the Wychwood Library (1431 Bathurst, south of St. Clair). Please phone Virginia if you are coming.
Thanks From Interval House
for our donations at our December General Meeting
Thank you so much for donating toiletries, toys and winter wear for the families at Interval House during this past holiday season! Your compassion and generosity have made an immediate difference in the lives of women and children that we serve.
Although the holiday season has passed, your support had a meaningful impact on the families that you donated to because you made them feel at home even though they are living in a new community. Because of your help, these families had a memorable Christmas in their new home. Your gifts put smiles on the children's faces, allowing the spirit of the holiday season to shine like a beacon of hope and support throughout the new year.
Your support has made the holiday season more enjoyable for these families that you gave this great gift to and we’re honoured that you chose to support them. Your donation gives these families hope and strength for the future by demonstrating that people who don’t even know them are unselfishly generous.
Once again, on behalf of the women and children who are fleeing violence, thank you so much for your support at this time of the year!
Ashleigh Smith
Resource Development Coordinator
Member News
Carol Farkas is doing well after her dual surgeries on December 6 to replace a rod in her femur (as reported last month) and a stay for intense physiotherapy at Hillcrest. Her timing remains ironic–her return home was Friday the 13th during a snowstorm. Installation of a rental stair-lift facilitated her early release, and she enjoys giving visitors their own experience of this transportation aid. Not one to be idle at Hillcrest, Carol managed several escapes on weekends and a small birthday party there, along with frequent networking for The Ulyssean Society. Be ready to greet some of her invited guests over the next few meetings–an example of making opportunities wherever you find yourself.
Poet Linda Stitt, Ulyssean Society’s October program presenter and active participant, is starting a free poetry and music afternoon on the first Sunday of the month, thoughtfully avoiding our program meeting dates. “Sundays at Portobello,” co-hosted by Linda and balladeer Peter Solmes, premieres February 5, 1:30-4:30 p.m., with featured and guest musicians and poets. Scene of her recent book launch, the cosy Portobello Restaurant and Bar is located at 995 Bay Street, 1 1/2 blocks north of Wellesley. For those with computer access, see full details of upcoming guests at www.lindastitt.com or ask Linda to add you to her email list.
Ulyssean Denise Altschul shared two wonderful poems at Linda Stitt’s book launch in December, and then a short play during our January Mosaic. We look forward to hearing more of her writing.
What do YOU have to share? We welcome more contributions. Contact Daniel Karpinski or another executive member. Or better yet, come to a mosaic planning luncheon. You can also join in just for the friendly socializing over lunch. Note the date and time change from Friday to MONDAY February 6 at 1 pm at the Granite Brewery Restaurant (245 Eglinton Avenue East, entrance on Mount Pleasant). We hope this is more convenient for our members.
Buddy Krangle
News reached us in late December that David (Buddy) Krangle passed away on December 23. He and his wife Eleanor were long-time members of The Ulyssean Society through 2010. He was the last remaining brother of our late founding member Danny Krangle. Sincere condolences to Eleanor Krangle, Myra Krangle (Danny’s wife of 60 years and partner in sustaining The Ulyssean Society) and other family members.
Welcome to New Members
We welcomed two new members in 2011:
Berna Ozunal and Daniel Karpinski, who became our Vice President at the April 2011 AGM. Both he and his wife Eva were previous presenters at our general meetings.
Just weeks into 2012, we have three new members:
Miriam Herman
Jennie Calderone, who is already telling her friends about The Ulyssean Society.
Joseph M. Peckham, who visited several times in 2011.
Let’s keep up the momentum–invite your friends, meet and greet our new members and our guests!
Happy New Year, Ulysseans
Let’s celebrate -- we made it to 2012!!
It hasn’t been an easy road: It was rough, twisting, rocky, challenging. But we face a new year with determination, courage and pride.
We will not forget our lows: uncertainty about whether we could continue after two devoted chief executives: Myra Krangle, secretary, the remaining founder along with her husband Danny, and Elton Brown, President–ended their terms of office–Myra in December, Elton in April. We scrambled to find replacements–people who would commit time, who had ideas about rejuvenating the Society, a vision of new directions we might take; members who would form a team as the Executive committee and other members of the Steering Committee.
We lost members–many did not renew their membership in the light of the uncertainty about our survival. The Society was changing. The loss of Danny in June and of Myra’s amazing warm efficiency were deeply felt. We miss Danny’s “hear, hear” after the reading of the Ulyssean Benediction and the extinguishing of the candle’s flame which brought the meeting to an end.
We had to find another place to meet, reluctantly leaving elegant Hart House, which had been our home for our monthly Sunday meetings for 34 years; finally we settled on the United Steelworkers Hall, an accessible venue offering adaptable space, equipment, room arrangement and assistance with setting up the room and technical equipment for 1/8th the cost charged by Hart House.
But we have some highs to celebrate (or at least we’’re moving up the hill): a team of officers who are working together with energy and commitment: a new President, Virginia Rock and continuing Program Chair, a Vice President, Daniel Karpinski who is filling gaps (e.g. organizing the Mosaic Planning gatherings); a dynamo Secretary, Shirley Gibson; continuing Treasurer Beverly Bloom, a model of efficiency.
We have well attended Steering Committee meetings, whose 13 members gather to discuss ideas, advise on issues, help to make decisions concerning the Society’s future, and volunteer in many ways.
Margot Rosenberg’s production of Entre Nous continues to be a benchmark for organizations’ newsletters; The Ulyssean Society’s is informative, well written, with an excellent layout and an enjoyable interplay of news and humour.
A society flourishes when its members care about it; The Ulyssean Society has a growing number of new members who are enthusiastic, who may join old members to help in small but important ways to make the Society known–posting notices, attending meetings and bringing friends, talking persuasively about the Society at any opportunity.
Notices in NOW, sent by Shirley, about our informative, interesting and enjoyable Sunday programs, are bringing many visitors to our meetings.
We Ulysseans have reason to celebrate what the Society has been, is, and can become: a source and support for us to continue to produce, to learn and to create to the end of our life journey.
Virginia Rock
Guests are welcome at our meetings
Invite your friends, relatives, acquaintances, fellow students in the courses you take, members in other groups you are in
Become an active part of your Society
Help it to continue to function well
The Ulyssean Mantra - a guiding principle
LOVE, LAUGH, LEARN, HEAL, CREATE
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