"Die Walküre - Act 3" Opens Tomorrow

The sneak premiere of  The Theater on the Hills production of Richard Wagner's "Die Walküre - Act 3" is now over. It was a thundering success!

The open premiere will be tomorrow, Sunday March 29, 2015, at 12 PM (noon) SLT, after which the performances will continue through April.

Please read my friend Eddi Haskell's raving review over on his blog: Eddi and Ryce Photograph Second Life.

Here is your ticket to ride to The Theater on the Hill (SLurl).

Attention Opera Lovers!

During the coming week the Theater on the Hill will premier the third - and final act - of Richard Wagner's epic opera Die Walküre (The Valkyrie). This is the act that is many opera lovers favorit.

I am alas not at liberty to reveal the date of the semi-closed premier, however, after that the regular performances will commence from March 29th and onward.

In an exclusive interview Othon Weiland-Nootan revealed to Bock in SecondLife,
- "Bock,  even  opera  haters  will be  amazed! Nothing like this show has never been seen before  in  SecondLife."

ACT III: On the Valkyries' Rock, Brünnhilde's eight warrior sisters - who have gathered there briefly, bearing slain heroes to Valhalla - are surprised to see her enter with Sieglinde. When they hear she is fleeing Wotan's wrath, they are afraid to hide her. Sieglinde is numb with despair until Brünnhilde tells her she bears Siegmund's child. Eager to be saved, she receives the pieces of the sword from Brünnhilde and ecstatically thanks her rescuer as she rushes off into the forest to hide near Fafner's cave, a place safe from Wotan. When the god appears, he sentences Brünnhilde to become a mortal woman, silencing her sisters' objections by threatening to do the same to them. Left alone with her father, Brünnhilde pleads that in disobeying his orders she was really doing what he wished ("War es so schmählich"). Wotan will not relent: she must lie in sleep, booty for any man who finds her. But as his anger abates she asks the favor of being surrounded in sleep by a wall of fire that only the bravest hero can pierce. Both sense this hero must be the child that Sieglinde will bear. Sadly renouncing his daughter ("Leb' wohl"), Wotan kisses Brünnhilde's eyes with sleep and mortality before summoning Loge, the spirit of fire, to encircle the rock. As flames spring up, the departing Wotan invokes a spell forbidding the rock to anyone who fears his spear.

The actors
Brünnhilde: Oliver Elton
Wotan: Silvano Korobase
Sieglinde: Yanneck Docherty

Valkyries: Joshua Swords, Louie Bisiani, Rick Carson, Richardson Nootan-Weiland, Remi2000, Ronny Swords, Wolfhard Gelman Chaffe, WildSummer Destiny

The production

Produced and Directed by Immerdar Fredriksson

Scripting by Blaise Timtam

First Life Ring Machine designed by Robert LaPage for the Metropolitan Opera and adapted for SecondLife by Immerdar Fredriksson and Blaise Timtam

This production has been made possible in part by a generous grant from THE CHETZ R. SZONDI FOUNDATION

Executive Director Garth Raleigh

The recording

Brünnhilde: Birgit Nilsson
Wotan: George London
Sieglinde: Gre Brouwenstijn

Conductor: Erich Leinsdorf
The London Symphony Orchestra

Recorded 1961 by Decca Records

The TotH X-Mas Show 2014

I am told that The Theater on the Hill's 2014 Christmas Show is a great success and runs with a house packed to capacity every time it plays.

I have not had the chance to catch a show yet, but I most certainly will try.

Here are the dates and times for the shows (all times are SLT):

Friday December 19th at 01:00 PM,

Sunday December 21st at 11:00 AM,

Tuesday December 23rd at 01:00 PM,

Sunday December 28th at 12 PM (noon) and

Tuesday December 30th at 01:00 PM. 

Your deluxe sleigh ride to the Christmas Show

Theater on the Hill: 2014 Christmas Show (Updated)

Shows are scheduled for
December 9 (Premier), time not posted yet
December 12, time not posted yet
December 14, 12 PM (noon) SLT
December 15, 1 PM SLT
December 19, 1 PM SLT
December 21, 11 AM SLT
December 23, 1 PM SLT
December 28, time not posted yet
December 30, time not posted yet

Your sleigh to the 2014 Christmas Show (SLurl)

Lets hope Othon - or someone else who knows . comes by and can enlightens us about which times the shows run on the days where the times are missing!

Update December 5th
Concerning the unannounced time slots I just read this on the Gay Archipelago weblog; By design, all shows of this production will begin at either 11 am, 12 pm or 1 pm slt. Not all scheduled show times have been assigned a curtain time yet, as much depends on when cast members are available in SL to delight you! Invitations and announcements will be made in advance in all major SL groups. For further information, please contact TotH Publicity Manager, Othon Weiland.

Memorial Services for Avacar Bluestar

Avacar Bluestar    ★ September 21, 2010 (SecondLife) - † November 14, 2014

Today, Saturday November 22nd on his birthday @ 3:30 PM SLT, join friends in celebrating the life of our dear friend Avacar Bluestar.

Directly following the service there will be a celebration and remembrance with DJ MissBigRed.

We lost our friend Avacar to complications from heart surgery on November 14th, 2014, we shall celebrate his life and legacy and the music he loved so much. Avacar was a pillar of our community so join us in this celebration

The Rose Garden at Greymyst Estates (SLurl)


Tomorrow, Sunday November 23rd @ 12 PM (noon) SLT, there will be a memorial for jointly Avacar Bluestar and Fabrice Snook.

To the Theater on the Hill (SLurl)

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) 

"Duelling Divas"

When I logged into my second life yesterday I was in a rather foul mood. Nothing important at all, I was just feeling sort of generally annoyed with a few - temporary - bastards at work.

Garth Raleigh must either be really intuitive or knows me well enough to ascertain my current mood from reading my posts. Well, almost as soon as I had logged in he contacted me and suggested two great mood enhancers, 1) shopping and 2) a bit of light entertainment.

I was very grateful for both tips and jumped right into shopping, where I managed to get my son Guyke and my friend Butch to accompany me on the shopping trip. (The two are actually co-founders of SecondLife Shopaholics Anonymous). When I after a while of shopping suggested that they come with me to a show the two uncouth philistines flatly refused and called me pretentious. Moi pretentious, is that fair I ask you?

Well anyway, I left them at The 24 still shopping away like crazy and teleported to the Theater on the Hill all set to enjoy the company's production of "Duelling Divas". The show starred Oliver Elton and Juve Wheelwright, with Othon Weiland as a lesser diva and a whole lot of cute child avatars as supporting acts.

The enthusiastic audience were treated to a string of songs and show tunes - including but not limited to - "The Winner Takes It All", "Performance of My Life", "Gracias a la Vida", "Someone Like You", "This Is My Life", "Out Here On My Own", "Il n'y a pas d'amour heureux" and "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Juve Wheelwright

Oliver Elton

Juve

Oliver

Juve

Oliver

The kids

The finale with Othon center stage

I had an excellent time and was in completely different mood when I logged out than when I logged in. Thank you Garth, Guyke, Butch, Othon, Oliver and Juve for salvaging my Monday!

GA Community Mall - Grand Opening

"A FIRST-EVER within the LGBT Community in Second Life!  GRAND OPENING, SUNDAY MARCH 17TH, 2013

After many months of planning and construction, the newest service offered by the GA Coronal estate is a mall  dedicated to non-for-profit organizations in the LGBT Community.  These organizations are not asked to pay any rent or lease for the spaces provided, however they can sell some of their  products to help raise funds to maintain their varied goals and pass out their information to everyone.  We've got some of these groups installed comfortably - and more on the waiting list as we continue to build!
The GA Community Mall (SLurl)

The new GA Library is ready to receive visitors as well with it’s welcoming space for people to relax in the new Community Mall complete with video-streaming of LGBT events courtesy of videographer and VJ, Teno Theriac.
The GA Library (SLurl)

The Gay Land Office / Travel & Tourism Center is set to go for this weekend as is the outstanding Fine Art exhibition at the GAllery nearby!   􀀈
The GA Land Office and Travel & Tourist Center (SLurl)

You are all invited to the Grand Opening Events to celebrate this achievement and help support this growing venture for the LGBT Community in Second Life!

Garth Raleigh, Lead, Gay Archipelago"

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

12:00PM (noon) SLT      

To kick off this day-long celebration, the one-and-only Oliver Elton from Theatre on the Hill, headlines the stage at the Oval Concert Hall to get you in the mood for St. Patrick's day.

The Oval Concert Hall (SLurl)

12:30 PM SLT   

A very special live performance by Second Life performer, AM Quar.  Come hear AM rock the Oval with his hot guitar licks in Blues, Latino, Rock and Love Ballads!

The Oval Concedrt Hall (SLurl)

1:30 PM SLT  Posh Plaza Party

Posh Club continues the upbeat festivities with a 'Naughty Paddy Plaza Party' on the GA Coronal Plaza -  featuring the awesome DJ Alum with leprechaun hosts Lickinu and Megan. There's $L500 on the contest board for (what else?)  'Best In Green'  

The luck of the Irish to you all!

The GA Coronal Plaza (SLurl)

(Thank you Garth for this press release!)

Miss Wigstock 2013 - The Fabulous Event

As a veteran in SecondLife I know that some events you go to an hour before they start if you want to get in at all. The annual Miss Wigstock contest at Gay Riviera is one of those events.

So I was ready to go at 11 AM SLT while Butchella DeVille, mon compagnon à la fête, was still sauntering around in some stunning casual attire. I admonished her strongly and told her that I would go ahead and she should call out when she was ready.

As I arrived at the Theater on the Hill at Gay Riviera I saw all the green dots indicating other clever avatars who had learned their lesson. Luckily Butchella is a fast dresser for a gay man. She actually does it in half-speed compared to the tempo in which she runs her mouth but it was fast enough and we squeezed her big ass in before the sim was full.

I was heading for a humble seat among the dazzling glitterati of the SLebrities that had assembled at the theater this evening, but Butchella called me back and told me she had found two empty seats suitable for us.

It was in the royal box no less. I told her that OK we could sit there for a while but we should expect to be ousted from the best seats in the house when the top brass arrived.

As I had seen on the mini-map the beautiful theater was already filled with the most dazzling, studly and fabulous avatars.

...but I and Butchella had the best seats in the place in the place, in the two center seats of the royal box. To my right was a sweet but silent man named Rob Colter and to Butchella´s left was the famous Hotboy Lockjaw.

Butchella and I settled in our chairs fit for queens and started to relax and feel cosy and happy to have arrived in time and gotten such splendid seats, with a good view of the stage and all of the audience. Poor Rob almost had his view of the stage blocked by mt gown, but as I said he was sweet but silent so he never said a bad word about it, a real gentleman I am sure. Butchella told me we both looked too fabulous because we were almost  certain to outshine the contestants.

When Butchella said that I just had to show her how stylish we looked with our feet sticking through the floor.

We started looking around to see who was there and here are some SLebrities we spotted.

Eddi Haskell, (blogger, photographer, fashion guru and all round good guy)
with his alts partner Benja Aquila (blogger and a very pleasant new friend).

Ricogenu with his partner Avacar, owners of Gay Fun World,
with a to me unknown beauty

Our hosts for the evening Mitch and Garth Underhill-Raleigh

Oppps, this is of me, Butchella and Hotboy again,but its
too much of a hassle  to rearrange so I will leave it here

Frolic Mills of BOSL

Ohiomike Lockjaw with Oliver Elton and Othon Weiland

MC Queen Edman, dressed in a tux for once, with the female MC,
whose name has unfortunately slipped my mind at the moment.

The Winner and Miss Wigstock 2013
Juve Wheelwright

First runner up,
Silvano Korobase

Jean Marc, which was the performer that I had as winner

Hotboy in his wonderful interpretation of
Lady Gaga´s "Born This Way"

After the prize ceremonies there was a dance. Butchella and I joined for a while but we soon realized it was close to midnight in Europe and we had to leave to crawl to bed. Happy after a fabulous and magical evening.

Mr´s Yifu; sexy Ty and always amusing and sexy Regi wearing "the hair that needs it´s own postcode"

Miss Wigstock 2013 (LM added)

Prepare yourselves for the event of the season! Today is the day for Glamour, Bling & 'Cha-Ching'.

The 5th Annual Miss Wigstock contest is being held today, 12 PM (noon) SLT, at The Theater on the Hill (SLurl) at Gay Archipelago.

I am going in elegant, award winning at OrmDricka 2010 or 2011. drag attire with a few minor adjustments (but I cannot find the post I did on that victory) and I am looking forward to seeing you all there.

Rumor has it that the SLebrity Mr. Eddi Haskell is going to be one of the judges at the event... so if for nothing else you should come to take a look at that sexy piece of man meat!

...shit, only 8 hours to get ready why am I wasting my time talking with ya´ll?

P.S. Guyke, ma´ buoy, get your ass in gear! I need high-heeled shoes that fit my feet!

P.P.S. I went wild and crazy and have created a completely new look with the help of my new friend BM Oh and Diana and Carol!

Glamour, Bling & 'Cha-Ching'

My friend Garth Raleigh at Gay Archipelago sent me this pressrelease for Miss Wigstock, 2013

"Did you know that January is Drag History Month? This month-long celebration salutes the richness of drag culture and pays tribute to the courageous queens & kings who have fought for equality while inspiring, educating & entertaining us all.

As part of this celebration, the Gay Archipelago pays homage to these pioneering members of our Community with the 5th ‘Miss WigStock’ Show & Contest in Second Life to be held Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 12pm (noon) slt.

We're inviting ALL members of the LGBT Community who are interested in competing for the title, the Crown and the cash prize of $L15,000 to choose a song to perform and gather their best Drag outfit (complete with wig of choice). No worries - the great Oliver Elton will be helping contestants with their sets and their steps. There'll also be a prize of $L5,000 to the 1st runner-up and a purse (pink fur-lined) of $L2,500 to the 2nd runner up - All chosen by a panel of 3 independent judges looking for appearance, performance and originality.

Contact contestant coordinator - Rico (ricogenu.resident) in SL before the cutoff date of January 16th, 2013, to get your name in the hat.

Audience members........prepare for the wildest, most fun show and contest to be presented on the main stage at Theatre on the Hill. Come root for your favorite Diva as he/she struts the stage and showers you with the attentions that only a true Diva can. There'll be surprise special guest-appearances, over-the-top musical performances / sets and or course.........smiles and laughter for all!

***

YOU can help get the word out about this unique and FUN upcoming celebration within the SL LGBT Community. Here's a texture poster for you.

There is also a Miss Wigstock Info-giver kiosk available for your sim, club or venue that will distribute a highly-entertaining guide to 'how to be a Diva in the Wigstock Contest' at no cost when touched. Please contact either Othon Weiland, publicity, or myself to get yours today!

With champaign dreams and rhinestone stilettos,

Garth Raleigh
Lead, Gay Archipelago"