Holy cow🌷😳😳😳 the Met. Can’t wait to see it! Congratulations. I’m so happy to be here. And I’m delighted to report my micro from one of your prompts “Farkhunda” is shortly going to be published 🎺🥂😎 It's live now. Editor just told me. The link: (click on "click here" & scroll down. https://unbrokenjournal.com
Wow. What a wonderful and amazing thing to happen. Sitting at your desk all those years ago Writing tech papers, imagine if an Angel popped up and let you know that one day they would do an actual opera of your work! I can’t think of a more splendid thing to happen. Congratulations.
So the "stupid Lincoln play" will become a magnificent Lincoln opera! How's that for the ugly duckling revealing itself to be a swan. How exciting for you, and for us, your fans.
First: Congratulations! Such exciting news! (Also had no idea Breaking the Waves was made into an opera . . . am going to have to check it out.)
Week after week I marvel at the time and energy you put into Story Club--on top of teaching, on top of writing, on top of everything else you must have going on in your life. I can't presume to know what a more generous mind might look like for you, but I am so grateful for (and touched by) the generous mind that you have now.
On an unrelated note: I was recently going through old journals (and I mean OLD, from when I was a teenager, the stuff I avoid rereading because it makes me cringe) and I was absolutely shocked to see your name on a list of names, in my younger self's handwriting. I think I had copied the list from some early version of the New Yorker's 20 writers under 40 issue (?).
George, I was in NYC last fall, scheduled to leave the day before your event. My husband asked if I wanted to change our tickets. I said, "No, I'll take a road trip to Santa Cruz for November 1 event." Road trip didn't happen. Sooo, give us advance notice and we'll be there! P.S. Is there a particular piece of CommComm we're looking at for next time?
congratulations Lucinda and George. George do you know Mathew Acoin: He wrote The Impossible Art - He is an amazing writer and his opera is commissioned by the Met. His father
Don Acoin writes for The Boston Globe and once gave my first book a wonderful writeup. You’re riding with the best so Good luck and stay well. Awesome on NPR.
In Off-Office Hours over on my Substack, I thought I'd tell you about a new book called "The Age of AI" which is a pretty interesting look at the evolution of AI and how its quickly taking over large areas of business, research, and military uses. It's also something we writers are going to have to contend with with the explosive use of "Chat GPT" which can turn out boilerplate copy with ease and is rapidly learning how to mimic writers' styles. (Better watch out, George...) For those of you that enjoy Chess, I also introduce you to the Bad Boy of Chess instruction, Ben S., as well as show you some of the cutest animals you've ever seen. Come have a look!
Btw, on a personal/professional note, I urge all of you to create your own Substacks. I've been playing with it for about two weeks now and although its still more basic than I'd like it to be, it's pretty much a snap to make a simple post with graphics, even on a smartphone. The site automatically saves your drafts so its easy to bang out a draft of a piece then go back to it. Substack is free to use and only charges you ten percent when you start making money off of it (Sigh...someday) so its a good place to dip your toe into cyberpublishing. It's the Future, guys. Might as well Boldly Go and meet it...
Thank you for sharing the Vanity Fair link, George. Hilarious! Especially on reincarnation, “most marked characteristic”, and “how would you like to die” - I was laughing out loud.
The MET, bravo. My husband's grandfather who emigrated from Italy in the 1930's sang baritone with a small NYC company, The Verdi Grand Opera Company. We are a family of opera lovers.
Holy cow🌷😳😳😳 the Met. Can’t wait to see it! Congratulations. I’m so happy to be here. And I’m delighted to report my micro from one of your prompts “Farkhunda” is shortly going to be published 🎺🥂😎 It's live now. Editor just told me. The link: (click on "click here" & scroll down. https://unbrokenjournal.com
New York City 2025! What a treat!
Wow. What a wonderful and amazing thing to happen. Sitting at your desk all those years ago Writing tech papers, imagine if an Angel popped up and let you know that one day they would do an actual opera of your work! I can’t think of a more splendid thing to happen. Congratulations.
So the "stupid Lincoln play" will become a magnificent Lincoln opera! How's that for the ugly duckling revealing itself to be a swan. How exciting for you, and for us, your fans.
What fun! Royce is my second cousin.
This makes me so happy. It's the perfect novel to adapt into an opera! Mazel tov, George!
Interview with Missy Mazzoli about Lincoln in the Bardo at the Met https://operawire.com/composer-missy-mazzoli-on-working-with-lincoln-in-the-bardo-for-the-metropolitan-opera/
Congrats George!
Dear George,
First: Congratulations! Such exciting news! (Also had no idea Breaking the Waves was made into an opera . . . am going to have to check it out.)
Week after week I marvel at the time and energy you put into Story Club--on top of teaching, on top of writing, on top of everything else you must have going on in your life. I can't presume to know what a more generous mind might look like for you, but I am so grateful for (and touched by) the generous mind that you have now.
On an unrelated note: I was recently going through old journals (and I mean OLD, from when I was a teenager, the stuff I avoid rereading because it makes me cringe) and I was absolutely shocked to see your name on a list of names, in my younger self's handwriting. I think I had copied the list from some early version of the New Yorker's 20 writers under 40 issue (?).
So exciting. Congratulations, George. I hope it doesn’t evolve to resemble the Semplica Girls.
Absolutely down to tailgate opera in New York. We can wear Lincoln era top hats!
George, I was in NYC last fall, scheduled to leave the day before your event. My husband asked if I wanted to change our tickets. I said, "No, I'll take a road trip to Santa Cruz for November 1 event." Road trip didn't happen. Sooo, give us advance notice and we'll be there! P.S. Is there a particular piece of CommComm we're looking at for next time?
How wonderful! Time to make plans for a visit to NYC.
congratulations Lucinda and George. George do you know Mathew Acoin: He wrote The Impossible Art - He is an amazing writer and his opera is commissioned by the Met. His father
Don Acoin writes for The Boston Globe and once gave my first book a wonderful writeup. You’re riding with the best so Good luck and stay well. Awesome on NPR.
In Off-Office Hours over on my Substack, I thought I'd tell you about a new book called "The Age of AI" which is a pretty interesting look at the evolution of AI and how its quickly taking over large areas of business, research, and military uses. It's also something we writers are going to have to contend with with the explosive use of "Chat GPT" which can turn out boilerplate copy with ease and is rapidly learning how to mimic writers' styles. (Better watch out, George...) For those of you that enjoy Chess, I also introduce you to the Bad Boy of Chess instruction, Ben S., as well as show you some of the cutest animals you've ever seen. Come have a look!
michaeldmayo.substack.com
Btw, on a personal/professional note, I urge all of you to create your own Substacks. I've been playing with it for about two weeks now and although its still more basic than I'd like it to be, it's pretty much a snap to make a simple post with graphics, even on a smartphone. The site automatically saves your drafts so its easy to bang out a draft of a piece then go back to it. Substack is free to use and only charges you ten percent when you start making money off of it (Sigh...someday) so its a good place to dip your toe into cyberpublishing. It's the Future, guys. Might as well Boldly Go and meet it...
What? No Philip Glass score? At least say Robert Wilson is directing.
Thank you for sharing the Vanity Fair link, George. Hilarious! Especially on reincarnation, “most marked characteristic”, and “how would you like to die” - I was laughing out loud.
The MET, bravo. My husband's grandfather who emigrated from Italy in the 1930's sang baritone with a small NYC company, The Verdi Grand Opera Company. We are a family of opera lovers.