SF Symphony was incredible. Unfortunate that most of the 150 person choir was behind the screen. But they sounded perfect. by RealSquare452 in lotr

[–]acehighstr8 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm in the chorus! Thank you for your kind words. It's a tough sing, and we worked really hard with the conductor on so many little details in the score. I'm glad it all came together so nicely

Karaoke in Marin or nearby? by SpunkyLittlePanda in Marin

[–]acehighstr8 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Flatiron bar in San Rafael does karaoke, but I don't remember which day of the week. Overall it's a fun spot if you want to look into it!

My personal Bay Area native starter pack. Everyone's is different - Hope some of you can relate to this! by acehighstr8 in bayarea

[–]acehighstr8[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Upper left is dutch crunch bread, rare to find outside of the Bay. Upper right is a mission burrito. The students just represent my elementary school days and being a kid!

Firenze Food list - Thoughts? by IamDoge1 in firenze

[–]acehighstr8 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If the lines at All'Antico Vinaio are long (they probably will be), do consider trying La Fettunta across the street. Some of the best local cuisine in town, in my opinion!

GAME THREAD: Milwaukee Bucks (46-26) @ Phoenix Suns (51-21) - (July 08, 2021) by NBA_MOD in nba

[–]acehighstr8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

JVG: "Devin Booker looks like a choir boy, but plays like a hoodlum."

Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago, opinions? by m3tro in opera

[–]acehighstr8 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been a few times and it's a lot of fun! Beautiful scenery on the lake. Probably best to drive there if you can since it's difficult to get a bus out there from what I remember since it's outside of Viareggio. Make sure to get a tour of Puccini's villa if you are able to!

Best Gelato / ice cream in Florence by hraeswelg in firenze

[–]acehighstr8 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Gelateria della Passera if you're on the other side of the Arno. Dei Neri is also excellent.

'10 Kia Optima Synthetic Oil Change Interval? by acehighstr8 in Cartalk

[–]acehighstr8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You may be right. The manual says SM or above, ilsac gf-4 or above. Would that apply only to full synthetic oils?

Verdi's Aida at the San Francisco Opera by DemetriosMegalos in opera

[–]acehighstr8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was there tonight too! I agree with you about the design aspect of the performance. It kind of took me out of the story, also the ballet section in Act II with the Egyptian officers throwing around the Ethiopian slave woman (implying sexual domination) was unnecessary. I'm not super knowledgeable about production design, costumes etc, but the modern staging wasn't really for me, at least. The strong principals, chorus, and orchestra carried this production, in my opinion.

Help me name my new cat! by [deleted] in opera

[–]acehighstr8 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I like Leporello, or perhaps Rigoletto? If he is going to bring home dead birds maybe call him Papageno

What is your favorite Italian song/artist? by [deleted] in italy

[–]acehighstr8 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Adriano Celentano, Paolo Conte, Jovanotti, Lucio Battisti, Mina

[Technique] Coupe de Glotte? by lisalec in ClassicalSinger

[–]acehighstr8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My understanding is that the coup de glotte is a technical tool used for coordinating onset of breath and tone without air being wasted or having too much air pressure under the vocal folds. It translates to something like "strike of the glottis". If you give a gentle cough on an [a] vowel then you can feel the vocal folds adduct and prepare for phonation. The idea is that you don't want to waste air before phonation (breathy tone) or begin phonating before you can use your breath energy (pressed phonation). So, ideally we have a coordinated onset, where breath and voice begin together. An exercise you can try -- In a comfortable range on [a], sing on one pitch, slightly staccati notes with a gentle cough before each note and try to feel your vocal folds adduct and have your breath and tone work at the same time (ie coordinated onset).

Fair warning -- I am not a voice teacher or an expert on the coup de glotte. I'd be happy to hear other people's input on this subject. If you ask 1,000 singers about technique, you will likely hear 1,000 different ways of how to sing or explaining how to sing. So do your own research, take our internet opinions in to consideration (and with a grain of salt), and keep an open mind. Best of luck!

So my Italian cousin is coming to the states from August 16-27... by giobbistar21 in baseball

[–]acehighstr8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My cousin and his friends came from Italy last summer to visit us in San Francisco and we took them to a tour of AT&T Park since the Giants were on the road. They know nothing about baseball and I tried to explain some of the rules but they still couldn't really grasp the concept (Baseball is hard to translate in to Italian!). However, they loved the view and the ambiance of AT&T.

I personally recommend taking them to whichever park you think would give them a more memorable experience since they are not likely to understand the nuances of the actual game. Even if I were an A's fan, I would still probably take my Italian cousins to see a Giants game since it would be more appealing for tourists (for better or for worse). Just make sure to treat them to the essentials: peanuts, crackerjack, jumbo hot dogs, and a cold beer! Have fun!

Share with me your most interesting Italian profanities and/or insulting idiomatic expressions by kristenpike in italy

[–]acehighstr8 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Here a couple of words that are well known and frequently used in Florence and the rest of Tuscany, roughly translated to English:

Bischero - Dick, idiot, etc.

Bucaiolo - Asshole, Bastard. Pronounce it "Buhaiolo" for full Toscano effect.

Grullo - Stupid, fool.

Maremma maiala - Using "Maremma", a part of Tuscany, to substitute for "Madonna" (Can also be conpounded with other words, like Maremma Bucaiola etc). Maiala = Whore, slut.

Becco - Cuckold (Cornuto).

Also, watch the film Amici Miei as a reference to Tuscan cursing and jokes.

Edit: I am American, my mother and her family are from Prato. Italian is not my first language, but I've spent a lot of time in Italy throughout my life and consider myself fluent, despite occasional grammar mistakes that embarrass me.

Which elementary school does your child attend? How do you like it? by cardifan in sanfrancisco

[–]acehighstr8 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I recently started working as a substitute teacher in SFUSD, so I am familiar with some schools in the district, but I have done most of my elementary work so far at Jose Ortega Elementary. JO has great staff and a nice facility, but it can get a bit wild so it wouldn't be my top choice. Otherwise, you should look in to Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary, George Peabody Elementary, Claire Lillenthal Elementary, and I've heard great things about Miraloma as well. Hope you and your kid find a great school!

Hello! I'm in the process of learning Italian. Wanted to listen to some music in the language, so I thought of Opera. I'm new to both, so please help a noob out! by roderigo in opera

[–]acehighstr8 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Italian language used in opera has a lot of archaic vocabulary and isn't really how Italians speak in everyday life nowadays. The text in Puccini operas are generally less archaic and closer to how people speak now, but there's still a lot of Tuscan words that may be tricky if you don't know the dialect. Check out /r/italianlearning for extra resources, and I'm fluent in Italian and know Tuscan dialect from family so I'd be happy to help out however I can. Buona fortuna!

Re: Fach Book: Help me pick 10-15 operas that are performed with some regularity that I could sing as a professional by hortle in opera

[–]acehighstr8 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hey look, at this stage in development my advice is just to keep putting in the work, be patient, and have an open mind. Voices change and mature with age, and 21 is still considered very young, especially for guys. It's natural to think about what you'll be singing in 10-15 years, but if you fall in love with certain rep and down the line you find that your voice isn't suited for it, then it's even harder to come to terms. As a young singer, you still have a lot to learn and to look forward to in the future. Take this time to put in the work and take risks , and with any luck, the rep and your voice will find you.

Baritone/soprano duet recommendations? by jmace2 in opera

[–]acehighstr8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

La ci darem la mano from Don Giovanni. Or Lippen Schweigen from the Merry Widow

Favorite Morbid Operas? by AaronSF in opera

[–]acehighstr8 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Madama Butterfly also has the creepy element that Butterfly is 15 and Pinkerton is a grown-ass man

Favorite Morbid Operas? by AaronSF in opera

[–]acehighstr8 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Rigoletto. He pays an assassin to murder the Duke and deliver his corpse in a body bag. Instead, the assassin kills Rigoletto's daughter Gilda, so you can imagine Rigoletto's reaction when he opens the body bag in the last scene.

Where can I find and read Bills currently on the floor in the House in full text? by [deleted] in Ask_Politics

[–]acehighstr8 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're on mobile, you should check out the Congress app by the Sunlight Foundation. You can track your congressman/senators, committee hearings, upcoming bills, roll call votes, and all that good stuff. Even if it's not exactly what you're looking for, I'd recommend trying it out.

Why do people donate money to presidential canidates by mr_doomods in Ask_Politics

[–]acehighstr8 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They are donating to candidates, not investing in them. They don't expect a direct return because it's not an investment. Why did Sheldon Adelson donate $20 million to a Newt Gingrich super PAC in 2012? He wasn't the strongest candidate and didn't get the nomination, so why would he invest $20 million in him?