Fascinating

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Byronic kisses

Byron makes a date with a young Greek woman for midnight at the Parthenon. Lady Elgin has a rendezvous there at the same time. Chekhovian confusion and a kiss.

Pirates

During his return from Greece, Byron discovers that he is traveling with a shipment of Elginian booty. He also learns, from a singularly garrulous soprano, that Elgin has been humiliated by his adultrous wife, has lost any chance of a diplomatic career, and is broke. When North African pirates board the ship, Byron determines to save the Pathenonian booty from savages who might dump it in the ocean.

Byron vs. Elgin

The two lords never met, but they will in my opera. Picture the beautiful young poet landing a headbutt on poor Elgin's already infirm nose. All in the name of Greek self-determination.

Who is Hermester Barrington?

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Music

I've discovered the archive of musical performances at KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" web page and have recently listened to The Guillemots, Rosanne Cash, Jackie Greene, and Jenny Lewis. These performances are archived in video and audio, meaning that one can see a bit about how a radio studio works. The host's interviewing skills are limited, certainly (e.g., when Rosanne Cash explains that she wrote _Black Cadillac_ over the course of a time when she lost her parents and stepmother, commenting "Luckily, I don't think I'll ever have to write this kind of record again," the host replies, "Well, I guess not. Obviously. Um . . .") and one often wants to skip through the talk portions. The music is marvelous.

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