Lillian Alling kicks ass. I know I’ve been telling people to go to an opera since Carmen popped my opera cherry, but if you’re in Vancouver you really, really need to check this show out.  It’s my new favorite opera – given the reaction I had to the last in-English “modern” opera I saw, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it quite so much. The story was compelling – especially since I didn’t know what to expect – and it was truly creative in fantastic ways. I won’t give away the ending, but here are some things you can look forward to:

• The only opera in existence with a Gore-Tex wardrobe requirement!
• New York in 1927, complete with early-century street punks looking for a thrill!
• High-waisted trousers!
• The second act takes place in BC – they’re operaing about places and things near and dear to your heart!
• Titillating opera secrets!
• Adorable Opera Moppets singing about stinky people!
• A very effective action sequence that is totally Indiana Jones!
• It’s so very Canadian!
• And, my personal favourite: perverted telegraph operators talking about hot girls in Morse code!
• Woo being pitched in the above-mentioned Morse code – so nerdy, in a 1929 kind of way!
• You’d be supporting the oft-neglected or overlooked Canadian Arts!

I really enjoyed it. I won’t lie – there were tears. It was cool to see city I love so much depicted on stage, and the set designer did an incredible job – the story doesn’t take place in one or two locations; it covers North America AND Europe. It was a pretty epic treat to see, and I’m thrilled to have been invited to ninja it up for the Vancouver Opera.

So hey, Shan and I checked out the new Joe store on Granville yesterday. They’re running a special promotion – if you spend over a certain dollar amount, you get a free down jacket thingie. The jackets are pretty cool and all, but most of us have a lot of coats already – I know I certainly do. I’m going to donate mine to the annual coat drive, which starts next month. It’s getting chilly out there, and people need warmth. If you don’t need yet another coat, maybe think about spreading the love to someone who does!

Jeez, what’s with all the charity and culture up in here? Did I wake up as someone else again? I hate it when that happens. I need to do something unseemly, stat – anything to bring back the real. Anyone need any laws broken? Porn? I have porn. Do you want some porn?

student housing on dunsmuir