Absolutely Fabulous!

The delicious Tomais and his spouse Bock, the laird of Southern Charm

The delicious Avacar and his spouse Rico, the Lead of Gay Archipelago

On Sunday evening I dragged the second most patient man in SecondLife with me to the finals of the Miss Wigstock 2014 contest. I mean, isn't it wonderful how things work themselves out - sometimes with a little help from close friends - here I am madly in love with a man almost as patient as myself and he is in love with me too?

Anyhow, the Gay Archipelago, through the combined forces of nature Othon Weiland and Oliver Elton, had yet again put together a great show for us to enjoy.

There were five finalists, the fabulous Fanny Flamingo (Richardson Nootan), the Divine Dame Black (Waveyjustin), the delectable Cieline Dionysis (Ciel Silentghost), the delicious Donatella (Didier Rascon) and the peerless Paige Turner (Hobbit Zenfold).

The Fabulous Fanny Flamingo with escorts

The Delectable Cieline Dionysis with escorts 

The bygone drag queens, from left to right
Hottie B Lockjaw (winner 2010), Juve Wheelwright (winner 2013) and Oliver Elton

The Delicious Donatella with muscular escorts

The Peerless Paige Turner
who had the most stunning entrance

Judge Mimi Juneau

Judge Rene Bonaparte

Judge Owl Braveheart

Rico and Parvin on the podium for the prize ceremony

Parvin dashing as always

Some poor sods who could not get a table in the V.I.P. section

The results of the contest turned out like this.
Winner (score 93 points) Didier Rascon
1st runner up (score 91 points) Hobbit Zenfold
2nd runner-up (score 81 points) Waveyjustin

I agree with the judges that it was indeed a toss-up between Didier and Hobbit, congratulations to both of them and thank you to Gay Archipelago and all the other organizers and contestants for giving us a wonderful show!

Opera in SecondLife

I attended the premiere of an opera at the Theater on the Hill yesterday. The company performed the first act of Richard Wagner's "Die Walküre" with Silvano Korobase, Oliver Elton and Richardson Nootan.

The storyline of the first act (according to Wikipedia) with pictures from yesterdays performance:

"During a raging storm, Siegmund seeks shelter at the house of the warrior Hunding. Hunding is not present, and Siegmund is greeted by Sieglinde, Hunding's unhappy wife. Siegmund tells her that he is fleeing from enemies. After taking a drink of mead, he moves to leave, claiming to be cursed by misfortune. But Sieglinde bids him stay, saying he can bring no misfortune to the "house where ill luck lives".

 Returning, Hunding reluctantly offers Siegmund the hospitality demanded by custom. Sieglinde, increasingly fascinated by the visitor, urges him to tell his tale. Siegmund describes returning home with his father one day to find his mother dead and his twin sister abducted. He then wandered with his father until parting from him as well. One day he found a girl being forced into marriage and fought with the girl's relatives. His weapons were broken and the bride was killed, and he was forced to flee to Hunding's home. Initially Siegmund does not reveal his name, choosing to call himself Wehwalt, 'filled with woe'.

When Siegmund finishes, Hunding reveals that he is one of Siegmund's pursuers. He grants Siegmund a night's stay, but they are to do battle in the morning. Hunding leaves the room with Sieglinde, ignoring his wife's distress. Siegmund laments his misfortune, recalling his father's promise that he would find a sword when he most needed it.

Sieglinde returns, having drugged Hunding's drink to send him into a deep sleep. She reveals that she was forced into a marriage with Hunding. During their wedding feast, an old man appeared and plunged a sword into the trunk of the ash tree in the center of the room, which neither Hunding nor any of his companions could remove. She expresses her longing for the hero who could draw the sword and save her. Siegmund expresses his love for her, which she reciprocates, and as she strives to understand her recognition of him, she realises it is in the echo of her own voice, and reflection of her image, that she already knows him. When he speaks the name of his father, Wälse, she declares that he is Siegmund, and that the Wanderer left the sword for him.

 Siegmund now easily draws the sword forth, and she tells him she is Sieglinde, his twin sister. He names the blade "Nothung" (or needful, for this is the weapon that he needs for his forthcoming fight with Hunding). As the act closes he calls her "bride and sister", and draws her to him with passionate fervour."

It was overall an extremely interesting experience to watch and listen to the performance, although I am not an opera buff myself and cannot tell you who the singers were. Opera is in itself an acquired taste and will, in my humble opinion, most likely prove to be so in SecondLife also.

Those of us at the premiere and sharing the experience with the cast and crew were overwhelmingly enthusiastic, but more so for the effort the company had put into this production than anything else.

You have a chance to catch the performance on Sunday September 22, 2013, at 12:00PM SLT. Your limousine to the opera (SLurl)

"An Overwhelming Experience"

The Theater on the Hill Company has given its guests many wonderful and entertaining musicals, shows, cabarets and plays through the years, but now they are pulling all the stops and going all out and promise their guests "an overwhelming experience".

For - perhaps - the first time in SecondLife The Theater on the Hill is going to treat its patrons with a full blown dramatic opera with stunning effects. The opera is Richard Wagner's "Die Walküre", act 1.

"Siegmund" will be portrayed by Silvano Korobase, "Sieglinde" by Oliver Elton and "Hunding" by Richardson Nootan.

Subtitles in English will be provided for those who are not fluent in the German language of the opera.

The opera premieres on Tuesday September 17, 2013, at 1:00PM SLT. If you cannot catch that performance you have a second chance on Sunday September 22, 2013, at 12:00PM SLT.

Your limousine to the opera (SLurl)