Yearly Archives: 2012

First Lines: Die Leiden des jungen Werther

In a 1975 review, Gerrit Komrij characterizes Goethe’s Die Leiden des jungen Werther as that novel about a lovestruck zealot that blows himself to bits because the object of his affection has been engaged elsewhere. And that sums it up pretty well: young Werther meets Lotte, and falls truly, madly, deeply in love with her…. Read more »

Zijnswijze

De Nederlandse Energie Maatschappij had een reclamespotje: De Bond tegen het vloeken was—ondanks de erkenning dat dinosaurussen samen met Adam en Eva in het paradijs vertoefden—niet gecharmeerd, en stapte naar de Reclame Code Commissie. Godslasterlijk, respectloos en kwetsend voor christenen, dus verbieden de boel. Vandaag kwam de uitspraak. Hoewel de Commissie erkent dat de reclame… Read more »

First Lines: The Enchantress

And so it’s come to this. Two gates, two portals await… No, wait. Wrong story. Still, it has come to this. Chronologically speaking, it’s been just a few days between the opening lines of The Alchemyst amd the epilogue of The Enchantress, the sixth and final installment in Michael Scott’s The Secrets of the Immortal… Read more »

Seen Live: Jon Oliva’s Pain

Jon Oliva’s Pain was touring Europe in honor of the 25th anniversary of Savatage’s classic Hall of the Mountain King album. Which makes sense when you know that Jon Oliva once upon a time was the frontman of Savatage. And Savatage, well, it is no more, will probably never be again. It was my fifth… Read more »

Seen Live: Carpe Noctem

Almost exactly a month ago, on a sunday, I went all the way halfway across the world to Rijen, Brabandt* to see an amateur production of my favorite musical, Tanz der Vampire. It was being performed by Theatergroep NoNonsense, called Carpe Noctem – Pluk de nacht and it was quite awesome. A few years ago,… Read more »