Dutch in Translation

Did you know that Puccini has influenced all film music, like Star Wars and Jaws? Today you'll learn about the motifs in the music of these movies and the opera Tosca by Puccini, a political thriller that involves crime and frightening emotions. A lethal story. Keep reading to learn more! You know how when you read a book, characters are given names, right? Then as you read, you identify the character by it. Well, Puccini gave each character and situation a musical theme, a motif. This means that when a certain character is coming or a particular situation is about to develop, you'll hear "light motifs" or, in other words, music especially related to them. Therefore, by identifying the motifs, you get ready for what's coming because you got a heads up on which character is coming on stage or which situation will take place. Do you see what we mean?  And that's how it happens in movies too! Think of Star Wars. Now, focus on Darth Vader? Simplifying it to the ...

The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one. Martin Luther King, Jr. Everything comes with a price . I went to bed with this thought in my head. I woke up with the same thought. I asked myself, So you think everything comes with a price, right? Like what? Well, I came up with a few examples, like: Honesty. People might not like what you have to say, and could walk away or distance themselves. Justice. Not everyone can afford it, and I'm not necessarily talking about money. Success. Sorting your priorities means there are other things that won't make it.  Peace. Achieving it means you've gone through pain and/or suffering, and that's tough. Love. It isn't a bed of roses, is it? It's unavoidable to hurt and get hurt, but love must rise above it all.  Respect. Vulnerability can make you a target, got to learn to stand your own ground. Family. Having it near or far...

I'm not a big tv series fan for reasons I won't go into because I could most probably be misunderstood. Even so, sometimes there is this one show or episode that touches me in unexpected ways. Modern Love has just done that and I'll tell you why I recommend you watch it. First, I'd like to start by telling you a little more about where the TV series comes from. It's based on a weekly column of personal essays published in the New York Times. There is also a  podcast , of which I've been a fan for some years now. In it, you can listen to renowned actors reading the essays, followed by a conversation with the essay's writer.  But let's get back to the TV show. Episode 2 begins with an interview coming to an end,  between journalist Julie (Catherine Keener) and dating app  CEO  Joshua (Dev Patel) . A t this point is when the story really takes off by Julie asking him if he has ever been in love and, oh holy cow, here it comes. They're in ...

An undeniable fact is that coronavirus is not going anywhere anytime soon. The nightmare is how many will perish in the process. Then, what to do not to go insane?   There are a million and one rhetorical questions on our minds: How long will it take for it to get better? Will I get it or will my dear ones? How can I feel at ease when my family is thousands of kilometers away? Do I pose a danger to someone else? Will my finances survive this crisis or will my nerves? How can I not feel lonely or restless? How do I keep my sanity? How do I keep myself in one piece as to be there for those who need me? Infinite questions and very limited answers. Understandably, everyone reacts in different ways. We're going through extremely challenging times. Having to cope with what is going on in the world, at work, and with family could be overwhelming. My family lives in Mexico, my parents are 71 and 83, and if the situation here is difficult, I can't imagine how it's going to h...

Congrats! In our previous post about the Marriage of Figaro you learned (to read part one go here) :  1. What the Heck Is Going On? 2. Before the Curtain Is Up         Now we'll explore: 3. The Coolest Rap About Revenge              4. Infidelity? Rosina Wants Her Hubby Back!  5. Madness! Six Singing Simultaneously For this second and last part of our blog post about The Marriage of Figaro , we'll explore Don Bartolo's aria about revenge where he raps; Rosina with a recitative and aria telling about her plan, pain, love, and hope; and we'll close with a piece for 6 voices singing simultaneously! Before going further, let's review that in general, opera’s music can be divided into 2 different types: aria and recitative. An aria is a piece for one voice. A recitative is when the singing resembles ordinary speech. Ready? Here we go! 3. The Coolest Rap About Revenge ACT 1 Revenge is hurting someone in re...