C is for Cookie

 

Christmastime (which C is also for) also means it’s Maersk butter cookie time!!! Mallory’s dad works for the shipping company and for the past 7 years I have gotten a tin of them.  When I lived in Ann Arbor I would always fly into Houston, which meant a stop in The Woodlands on the way back to Crockett, which meant getting to see Mallory, which meant *breath* MAERSK COOKIES!

Mallory’s parents, Greg and Denise, actually got to deliver them this time because when we met up for breakfast with Santa earlier this month.  

Joseph, Denise, Greg, and the Star of Maersk

 

My favorite ones are the ones that look like braids, and my only instruction to friends eating from the tin is: “Okay, but none of the braids.”  One time my friend, Will, just laughed and grabbed three of them.  Our friendship almost ended on that day.

Ingredients: Butter, sugar, love, flour, crack, more butter

 

So… THANK YOU BELL FAMILY for feeding my sugar habit! Also, just because it’s Christmas, and according to that scene from Love, Actually, at Christmas you tell the truth, these cookies are basically the only reason I have kept up my friendship with Mallory.  She’s actually pretty boring.  Sorry you had to here it here first, Mal! HAVE A FUN TRIP TO DISNEY!!!!!

Artist: Marilyn Horne 

So this isn’t so much a song from an album as it is a song from a Sesame Street episode.  Deal with it! (Also, you might remember it from my previous post about opera singers who sang on the show)

The Kids Don't Stand a Chance

 

Last night I had the honor of getting to sing in a master class for world renowned bass Samuel Ramey.  A master class, for those of you who don't know, is an opportunity for a guest artist to come in and coach students in a performance setting.  (In a nutshell it is basically a one-on-one lesson but done in front of an audience). 

While Professor Katz was giving an introduction to the audience-- "Mr. Ramey is the most recorded bass ever in history" "he is known for his portrayal of the devil in many different operas" "he has sung roles by composers from Mozart to Mussorgsky, from Bellini to Bartok"-- Sam leans over to me and says: "He left out the most important role I've ever done: I've sung on Sesame Street!"

So here you are folks... a collection of all the opera stars that have sung on Sesame Street!!! Oh, and by the way... I've met every single one of them! Now that my Opera/Sesamie Street collection is complete, I can now move on to the cast of Designing Women.  One down (Delta Burke), four more to go!

 

Samuel Ramey:

 

L is for Low (to the music of  the Toreador from Bizet's Carmen) Look at those cape twirling skills! Btw I don't think his hair has moved an inch since this video.

Renee Fleming*:

 

 

 

 

Counting is so much fun! (to the tune of Caro nome from Verdi's Rigoletto) Oh, Renee... there are so many amazing moments in this clip.    I'd like to note that Texas gets a shout out in reference to the pigs from Galveston and, though the way she pronounces "fun" ("fine") doesn't really rhyme with our island city, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt because she pulls off that amazing plaid sheet wrapped around her shoulders.  Honestly, I want one seven. [*Technically from The Muppet Show and not Sesame Street, but whatevs!]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marilyn Horne:

This isn't so much a picture of me with Marilyn Horne as it is a picture of me with a record of Marilyn Horne and one signed by Marilyn Horne and Martin Katz

 

What I love most about this video, aside from the obvious inclusion of a cookie literally springing forth from Marilyn's head, is that I can just picture Professor Katz coaching her on this.  "How much do you love this cookie, Marilyn?" "Pretend your coloratura is a landscape of chocolate chip mountains on a soft, chewy landscape!" "I can't tell what's hotter: these snickerdoodles or those slavepuppets?"

 

 

 

 

 

Denyce Graves:

The Michelle Obama of the opera world... you should see her arms!

 

Because what doesn't a seduction aria have to do with getting your kids to sleep? I also appreciate that the dancing sheep are all representatives of different operas.  I think I count Aida, Madama Butterfly, La traviata, Turandot, I Pagliacci, Le nozze di Figaro, Die Walkure and Salome.  I'll be honest...chickens one and three have kinda thrown me for a loop.  On the plus side, though, I would absolutely love to see a chicken do the dance of the seven veils.

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE: Well unfortunately I am going to have to put my stalking of Dixie Carter on the back-burner, because I have been rightly informed that there is another opera singer who has been on Sesame Street!! Janai, when you work with him next year at L.A. Opera, could you introduce us, please?  I have a collection to complete.

 

Artist: Vampire Weekend / Album: Vampire Weekend