Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
hákarl
8 views
Skip to first unread message
Tadas Blinda
Oct 14, 2011, 7:07:38 PM10/14/11
to
Hákarl: when in Iceland, eat as the Icelanders generally don’t
The farm of Berserkjahraun points the way to where hákarl is produced,
on the peninsula of Snæfellsnes.
The name of this traditional dish of fermented shark meat translates
as ‘rotten’ shark. While some Icelanders do eat the traditional dish,
many think it’s disgusting and therefore an appropriate and amusing
tourist attraction. Tourists – particularly those seeking some
fabricated notion of ‘the real Iceland’ – agree
report
Akin to the kiviaq (rotted auks aged in sealskin) produced by
Greenland’s Inuits, hákarl is a traditional Icelandic dish created
when basking shark is left to ferment for months until the poisons
naturally contained in its flesh have melted away to leave behind a
strongly ammoniac taste and the most putrid of scents. There are two
types of hákarl: red, which comes from the belly, and skyr, which
roughly means ‘yogurt’, giving you some idea of the meat’s consistency
and provenance.
Apparently some visitors – mostly hardy folk from Alpine regions –
find it comparable to really, really old, sweaty cheese, but more
normal people simply find it repulsive. One ill-advised taster here in
Iceland says it was like ‘eating the gangrenous, blackened toes of a
long-dead polar explorer which have been defrosted and left behind a
radiator for a few days.’ Most people agree that it tastes — perhaps
predictably — of rotting flesh, but that it’s the burst of ammonia as
you bite down that makes it genuinely sick-making. If you want to
avoid eating this filth, then you should probably avoid visiting the
Bjarnarhöfn farm on the otherwise magnificent Snaefellsnes peninsula
in western Iceland. The farm, in existence ‘since AD 866’, is the
epicentre of Iceland’s hákarl production and is terrifyingly
accessible by day-trip from Reykjavik.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-xhfJRdwHnU
We’re keep our breakfasts down this morning
Unfortunately, hákarl is widely available elsewhere too. It is
advertised with sensationalistic ‘if ye dare’-style signboards and
purchasable both from malodorous food carts and from souvenir shops in
vacuum-packs. It is also available much cheaper in supermarkets, but
that information is only useful if you plan to serve it at your
christmas buffet in order to hasten the deaths of wealthy elderly
relatives.
For more casual users, there will probably be opportunities to try it
for free: hotel restaurants, tourist shops, and food vendors often
pass around pasty, gelatinous little white chunks on toothpicks, which
is a more than ample portion for any sane person. But as you vomit a
little inside your mouth, do remember that this is a moment of
cultural outreach, of touching the ‘real’ Iceland. It is, maybe, even
a charitable service to the Icelandic community. After all, in some
parts of Iceland watching tourists grimace and quietly retch may well
be locals’ only form of entertainment…and entertaining it is too.
Recipe for hákarl:
Don’t. Just don’t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
‘don’t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
poisoning.’ And do you really want to know what it’s supposed to taste
like?
(Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk – T. Blinda.)
The farm of Berserkjahraun points the way to where hákarl is produced,
on the peninsula of Snæfellsnes.
The name of this traditional dish of fermented shark meat translates
as ‘rotten’ shark. While some Icelanders do eat the traditional dish,
many think it’s disgusting and therefore an appropriate and amusing
tourist attraction. Tourists – particularly those seeking some
fabricated notion of ‘the real Iceland’ – agree
report
Akin to the kiviaq (rotted auks aged in sealskin) produced by
Greenland’s Inuits, hákarl is a traditional Icelandic dish created
when basking shark is left to ferment for months until the poisons
naturally contained in its flesh have melted away to leave behind a
strongly ammoniac taste and the most putrid of scents. There are two
types of hákarl: red, which comes from the belly, and skyr, which
roughly means ‘yogurt’, giving you some idea of the meat’s consistency
and provenance.
Apparently some visitors – mostly hardy folk from Alpine regions –
find it comparable to really, really old, sweaty cheese, but more
normal people simply find it repulsive. One ill-advised taster here in
Iceland says it was like ‘eating the gangrenous, blackened toes of a
long-dead polar explorer which have been defrosted and left behind a
radiator for a few days.’ Most people agree that it tastes — perhaps
predictably — of rotting flesh, but that it’s the burst of ammonia as
you bite down that makes it genuinely sick-making. If you want to
avoid eating this filth, then you should probably avoid visiting the
Bjarnarhöfn farm on the otherwise magnificent Snaefellsnes peninsula
in western Iceland. The farm, in existence ‘since AD 866’, is the
epicentre of Iceland’s hákarl production and is terrifyingly
accessible by day-trip from Reykjavik.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-xhfJRdwHnU
We’re keep our breakfasts down this morning
Unfortunately, hákarl is widely available elsewhere too. It is
advertised with sensationalistic ‘if ye dare’-style signboards and
purchasable both from malodorous food carts and from souvenir shops in
vacuum-packs. It is also available much cheaper in supermarkets, but
that information is only useful if you plan to serve it at your
christmas buffet in order to hasten the deaths of wealthy elderly
relatives.
For more casual users, there will probably be opportunities to try it
for free: hotel restaurants, tourist shops, and food vendors often
pass around pasty, gelatinous little white chunks on toothpicks, which
is a more than ample portion for any sane person. But as you vomit a
little inside your mouth, do remember that this is a moment of
cultural outreach, of touching the ‘real’ Iceland. It is, maybe, even
a charitable service to the Icelandic community. After all, in some
parts of Iceland watching tourists grimace and quietly retch may well
be locals’ only form of entertainment…and entertaining it is too.
Recipe for hákarl:
Don’t. Just don’t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
‘don’t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
poisoning.’ And do you really want to know what it’s supposed to taste
like?
(Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk – T. Blinda.)
J. Anderson
Oct 15, 2011, 3:54:47 AM10/15/11
to
"Tadas Blinda" <tadas....@lycos.es> wrote in message
news:4e41497d-2be5-4eec...@f5g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...
> Recipe for hákarl:
>
> Don’t. Just don’t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
> ‘don’t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
> supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
> technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
> poisoning.’ And do you really want to know what it’s supposed to taste
> like?
>
> (Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk – T. Blinda.)
We have similar cases elsewhere in the North as well. There is the legendary
"surströmming" in Norrland (northern Sweden), and the Norwegians have
something called "rakørret". Both are basically fermented fish, and both are
regarded as delicacies. And, of course, lut(e)fisk/lipeäkala is common
everywhere.
news:4e41497d-2be5-4eec...@f5g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...
> Recipe for hákarl:
>
> Don’t. Just don’t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
> ‘don’t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
> supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
> technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
> poisoning.’ And do you really want to know what it’s supposed to taste
> like?
>
> (Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk – T. Blinda.)
"surströmming" in Norrland (northern Sweden), and the Norwegians have
something called "rakørret". Both are basically fermented fish, and both are
regarded as delicacies. And, of course, lut(e)fisk/lipeäkala is common
everywhere.
Valtsu
Oct 15, 2011, 5:08:22 AM10/15/11
to
valtsu
J. Anderson
Oct 15, 2011, 10:39:03 AM10/15/11
to
"Valtsu" <val...@stadissa.fi> wrote in message
news:i4cmq.7671$RY6....@uutiset.elisa.fi...
enough to open the can in the kitchen. He should have seen that it would
burst. And it did. There was horrible smelly stuff all over the place.
Carpets and curtains had to be washed right away. Luckily I was outside
myself. But I ate a few of the rotten herings. It wasn't too bad. Hope you
are not serving this in Kreuzberg though.
Markku Grönroos
Oct 15, 2011, 11:31:10 AM10/15/11
to
(smelly)?
vello
Oct 15, 2011, 1:03:12 PM10/15/11
to
On Oct 15, 6:31 pm, Markku Grönroos <cucum...@hassuserveri.fi> wrote:
> 15.10.2011 17:39, J. Anderson kirjoitti:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Valtsu" <val...@stadissa.fi> wrote in message
> >news:i4cmq.7671$RY6....@uutiset.elisa.fi...
> >> On 15.10.2011 10:54, J. Anderson wrote:
> >>> "Tadas Blinda" <tadas.bli...@lycos.es> wrote in message
> 15.10.2011 17:39, J. Anderson kirjoitti:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Valtsu" <val...@stadissa.fi> wrote in message
> >news:i4cmq.7671$RY6....@uutiset.elisa.fi...
> >> On 15.10.2011 10:54, J. Anderson wrote:
> >>>news:4e41497d-2be5-4eec...@f5g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>>> Recipe for h karl:
>
> >>>> Don t. Just don t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
> >>>> don t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
> >>>> supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
> >>>> technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
> >>>> poisoning. And do you really want to know what it s supposed to taste
> >>>> like?
>
> >>>> (Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk T. Blinda.)
>
> >>> We have similar cases elsewhere in the North as well. There is the
> >>> legendary "surstr mming" in Norrland (northern Sweden), and the
> >>>> Don t. Just don t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
> >>>> don t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
> >>>> supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
> >>>> technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
> >>>> poisoning. And do you really want to know what it s supposed to taste
> >>>> like?
>
> >>>> (Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk T. Blinda.)
>
> >>> We have similar cases elsewhere in the North as well. There is the
> >>> Norwegians have something called "rak rret". Both are basically
> >>> fermented fish, and both are regarded as delicacies. And, of course,
> >>> lut(e)fisk/lipe kala is common everywhere.
>
> >> This year the surstr mming is especially delicious.
>
> > I only tried it once. The host (although from the north of Sweden) was
> > dumb enough to open the can in the kitchen. He should have seen that it
> > would burst. And it did. There was horrible smelly stuff all over the
> > place. Carpets and curtains had to be washed right away. Luckily I was
> > outside myself. But I ate a few of the rotten herings. It wasn't too
> > bad. Hope you are not serving this in Kreuzberg though.
>
> >
> Yes, but the year 2011 vintage is supposed to be particularly delicious
> (smelly)?- Hide quoted text -
> > I only tried it once. The host (although from the north of Sweden) was
> > dumb enough to open the can in the kitchen. He should have seen that it
> > would burst. And it did. There was horrible smelly stuff all over the
> > place. Carpets and curtains had to be washed right away. Luckily I was
> > outside myself. But I ate a few of the rotten herings. It wasn't too
> > bad. Hope you are not serving this in Kreuzberg though.
>
> >
> Yes, but the year 2011 vintage is supposed to be particularly delicious
>
It's like good brandy - then older then better (well, at least -
smellier).
Do anyone here have experience with "kilu" (rotten salted sprats) what
is considered as maybe best known Estonian "national food"?
vello
Oct 15, 2011, 1:13:23 PM10/15/11
to
On Oct 15, 5:39 pm, "J. Anderson" <anderso...@inbox.lv> wrote:
> "Valtsu" <val...@stadissa.fi> wrote in message
>
> news:i4cmq.7671$RY6....@uutiset.elisa.fi...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 15.10.2011 10:54, J. Anderson wrote:
> >> "Tadas Blinda" <tadas.bli...@lycos.es> wrote in message
> "Valtsu" <val...@stadissa.fi> wrote in message
>
> news:i4cmq.7671$RY6....@uutiset.elisa.fi...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 15.10.2011 10:54, J. Anderson wrote:
> >>news:4e41497d-2be5-4eec...@f5g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>> Recipe for h karl:
>
> >>> Don t. Just don t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
> >>> don t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
> >>> supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
> >>> technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
> >>> poisoning. And do you really want to know what it s supposed to taste
> >>> like?
>
> >>> (Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk T. Blinda.)
>
> >> We have similar cases elsewhere in the North as well. There is the
> >> legendary "surstr mming" in Norrland (northern Sweden), and the
> >>> Don t. Just don t. Most recipes start with the following disclaimer:
> >>> don t try this at home unless you know what the end product is
> >>> supposed to taste like. Although cured shark is putrefied and thus
> >>> technically spoiled already, it can go bad and give you food
> >>> poisoning. And do you really want to know what it s supposed to taste
> >>> like?
>
> >>> (Sounds likes it's even worse than lutefisk T. Blinda.)
>
> >> We have similar cases elsewhere in the North as well. There is the
> >> Norwegians have something called "rak rret". Both are basically
> >> fermented fish, and both are regarded as delicacies. And, of course,
> >> lut(e)fisk/lipe kala is common everywhere.
>
> > This year the surstr mming is especially delicious.
>
> I only tried it once. The host (although from the north of Sweden) was dumb
> enough to open the can in the kitchen. He should have seen that it would
> burst. And it did. There was horrible smelly stuff all over the place.
> Carpets and curtains had to be washed right away. Luckily I was outside
> myself. But I ate a few of the rotten herings. It wasn't too bad. Hope you
> are not serving this in Kreuzberg though.- Hide quoted text -
> I only tried it once. The host (although from the north of Sweden) was dumb
> enough to open the can in the kitchen. He should have seen that it would
> burst. And it did. There was horrible smelly stuff all over the place.
> Carpets and curtains had to be washed right away. Luckily I was outside
> myself. But I ate a few of the rotten herings. It wasn't too bad. Hope you
>
They were lucky. In a summer I find my wife (1979) I made the same
mistake when staying with tent in Virtsu, Southwest-Estonia. As there
were no laundry possibilities available, all what was on me went into
dustbag :-)
Valtsu
Oct 15, 2011, 4:26:09 PM10/15/11
to
nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
glands back in working order.
vello
Oct 15, 2011, 4:58:19 PM10/15/11
to
Tallinn" :-)
Valtsu
Oct 15, 2011, 5:21:01 PM10/15/11
to
Valtsu
Oct 15, 2011, 5:25:46 PM10/15/11
to
On 15.10.2011 23:58, vello wrote:
>>
>>
>> Yes, but the aroma is definately milder. Goes well as an appetizer for
>> nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
>> glands back in working order.
>
> It would be even more exotic if to wash all this down with "Vana
> Tallinn" :-)
Btw, is the Karu Baar still operating at Viru Värav at the corner of
>> nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
>> glands back in working order.
>
> It would be even more exotic if to wash all this down with "Vana
> Tallinn" :-)
Sauna next to the McDonalds?
It used to be one of my favourite haunts, when service was good if you
spoke russian. Also more items used to be est rather than nietu if you
spoke russian.
The only negative thing used to be that credit cards were copied if you
used them.
valtsu
rahvusväline parasiit
vello
Oct 16, 2011, 3:45:40 AM10/16/11
to
On Oct 16, 12:25 am, Valtsu <val...@stadissa.fi> wrote:
> On 15.10.2011 23:58, vello wrote:
>
>
>
> >> Yes, but the aroma is definately milder. Goes well as an appetizer for
> >> nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
> >> glands back in working order.
>
> > It would be even more exotic if to wash all this down with "Vana
> > Tallinn" :-)
>
> Btw, is the Karu Baar still operating at Viru Värav at the corner of
> Sauna next to the McDonalds?
If to believe Google, it still works. I don't find myself in Old City
> On 15.10.2011 23:58, vello wrote:
>
>
>
> >> Yes, but the aroma is definately milder. Goes well as an appetizer for
> >> nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
> >> glands back in working order.
>
> > It would be even more exotic if to wash all this down with "Vana
> > Tallinn" :-)
>
> Btw, is the Karu Baar still operating at Viru Värav at the corner of
> Sauna next to the McDonalds?
too often - if, then mostly with friends from abroad.
>
> It used to be one of my favourite haunts, when service was good if you
> spoke russian. Also more items used to be est rather than nietu if you
> spoke russian.
Hardly there have ever been places in Tallinn where language makes
> It used to be one of my favourite haunts, when service was good if you
> spoke russian. Also more items used to be est rather than nietu if you
> spoke russian.
differece - or maybe something like that was 1988 - 1991 with food/
other goods in very short supply, estonians emotional over possibility
to get our country back and finnish/english quite exotic in bars. Well
- in soviet time foreigners got better service in bars for sure -
there was hope they let tips in real money - markka, D-Mark, kronor
etc.
>
> The only negative thing used to be that credit cards were copied if you
> used them.
>
> valtsu
> rahvusväline parasiit
rahvusväline or rahvusvaheline? Last means international, first "being
> The only negative thing used to be that credit cards were copied if you
> used them.
>
> valtsu
> rahvusväline parasiit
outside of (any) nation"
Valtsu
Oct 16, 2011, 5:13:13 AM10/16/11
to
On 16.10.2011 10:45, vello wrote:
> On Oct 16, 12:25 am, Valtsu<val...@stadissa.fi> wrote:
>> On 15.10.2011 23:58, vello wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>> Yes, but the aroma is definately milder. Goes well as an appetizer for
>>>> nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
>>>> glands back in working order.
>>
>>> It would be even more exotic if to wash all this down with "Vana
>>> Tallinn" :-)
>>
>> Btw, is the Karu Baar still operating at Viru Värav at the corner of
>> Sauna next to the McDonalds?
>
> If to believe Google, it still works. I don't find myself in Old City
> too often - if, then mostly with friends from abroad.
>>
>> It used to be one of my favourite haunts, when service was good if you
>> spoke russian. Also more items used to be est rather than nietu if you
>> spoke russian.
>
> Hardly there have ever been places in Tallinn where language makes
> differece - or maybe something like that was 1988 - 1991 with food/
> other goods in very short supply, estonians emotional over possibility
> to get our country back and finnish/english quite exotic in bars. Well
> - in soviet time foreigners got better service in bars for sure -
> there was hope they let tips in real money - markka, D-Mark, kronor
> etc.
>>
This was in thearly 90-ies
> On Oct 16, 12:25 am, Valtsu<val...@stadissa.fi> wrote:
>> On 15.10.2011 23:58, vello wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>> Yes, but the aroma is definately milder. Goes well as an appetizer for
>>>> nutria (rat) stake. Dessert should be mulgipuder in order to put the
>>>> glands back in working order.
>>
>>> It would be even more exotic if to wash all this down with "Vana
>>> Tallinn" :-)
>>
>> Btw, is the Karu Baar still operating at Viru Värav at the corner of
>> Sauna next to the McDonalds?
>
> If to believe Google, it still works. I don't find myself in Old City
> too often - if, then mostly with friends from abroad.
>>
>> It used to be one of my favourite haunts, when service was good if you
>> spoke russian. Also more items used to be est rather than nietu if you
>> spoke russian.
>
> Hardly there have ever been places in Tallinn where language makes
> differece - or maybe something like that was 1988 - 1991 with food/
> other goods in very short supply, estonians emotional over possibility
> to get our country back and finnish/english quite exotic in bars. Well
> - in soviet time foreigners got better service in bars for sure -
> there was hope they let tips in real money - markka, D-Mark, kronor
> etc.
>>
>> The only negative thing used to be that credit cards were copied if you
>> used them.
>>
>> valtsu
>> rahvusväline parasiit
>
> rahvusväline or rahvusvaheline? Last means international, first "being
> outside of (any) nation"
>
;-) turned out to be unintentionally correct
>> used them.
>>
>> valtsu
>> rahvusväline parasiit
>
> rahvusväline or rahvusvaheline? Last means international, first "being
> outside of (any) nation"
>
(that was my nickname when I replced the Moscow appointed glavlit at
Eesti Raadio foreign service)
Eugene Holman
Oct 17, 2011, 3:31:16 AM10/17/11
to
In article
<4e41497d-2be5-4eec...@f5g2000vbz.googlegroups.com>, Tadas
Blinda <tadas....@lycos.es> wrote:
<deletions>
vouch that the stuff smells strongly uremic.
<deletions>
Over,
Eugene Holman
<4e41497d-2be5-4eec...@f5g2000vbz.googlegroups.com>, Tadas
Blinda <tadas....@lycos.es> wrote:
<deletions>
>
> Akin to the kiviaq (rotted auks aged in sealskin) produced by
> Greenland=92s Inuits, h=E1karl is a traditional Icelandic dish created
> Akin to the kiviaq (rotted auks aged in sealskin) produced by
> when basking shark is left to ferment for months until the poisons
> naturally contained in its flesh have melted away to leave behind a
> strongly ammoniac taste and the most putrid of scents.
The author is being euphemistic. Having been through this ritual, I can
> naturally contained in its flesh have melted away to leave behind a
> strongly ammoniac taste and the most putrid of scents.
vouch that the stuff smells strongly uremic.
<deletions>
Over,
Eugene Holman
captain!
Mar 20, 2012, 8:09:23 PM3/20/12
to
this is my most recent message for this group. that can't be right.
i hope you're all well these days...
"vello" <vell...@hot.ee> wrote in message
news:b3f6d129-febc-400e...@g25g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
i hope you're all well these days...
"vello" <vell...@hot.ee> wrote in message
news:b3f6d129-febc-400e...@g25g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
J. Anderson
Mar 27, 2012, 5:26:36 AM3/27/12
to
"captain!" <nibb...@corn.com> wrote in message
news:jkb67k$luu$1...@dont-email.me...
> this is my most recent message for this group. that can't be right.
>
> i hope you're all well these days...
We're fine, thanks. At least those of us who are still around. As you see,
>
> i hope you're all well these days...
many are missing. Google made a mess of everything about a year ago, and
lots of posters disappeared. Now they are slowly finding their way back.
Your old buddy Tadas is present, whereas my pal Ostap (aka Karla, aka
Kharlamov etc.) is still missing ;-)
Eugene Holman
Mar 28, 2012, 3:58:04 AM3/28/12
to
In article <gJfcr.25423$I33....@uutiset.elisa.fi>, "J. Anderson"
I'm still around, too, although posting less frequently. I'll be going to
Tallinn tomorrow as a guide for a Canadian acquaintance, as well as again
next Thursday to see Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
Over,
Eugene Holman
Tallinn tomorrow as a guide for a Canadian acquaintance, as well as again
next Thursday to see Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
Over,
Eugene Holman
Tadas Blinda
Mar 28, 2012, 8:28:22 AM3/28/12
to
On Mar 28, 2:58 am, hol...@mappi.helsinki.fi (Eugene Holman) wrote:
> In article <gJfcr.25423$I33.18...@uutiset.elisa.fi>, "J. Anderson"
>
> <anderso...@inbox.lv> wrote:
> > "captain!" <nibbl...@corn.com> wrote in message
We Lithuanians love singing. They even use it as therapy in jails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQRGVvtefbU
> In article <gJfcr.25423$I33.18...@uutiset.elisa.fi>, "J. Anderson"
>
> <anderso...@inbox.lv> wrote:
> > "captain!" <nibbl...@corn.com> wrote in message
> >news:jkb67k$luu$1...@dont-email.me...
> > > this is my most recent message for this group. that can't be right.
>
> > > i hope you're all well these days...
>
> > We're fine, thanks. At least those of us who are still around. As you see,
> > many are missing. Google made a mess of everything about a year ago, and
> > lots of posters disappeared. Now they are slowly finding their way back.
> > Your old buddy Tadas is present, whereas my pal Ostap (aka Karla, aka
> > Kharlamov etc.) is still missing ;-)
>
> I'm still around, too, although posting less frequently. I'll be going to
> Tallinn tomorrow as a guide for a Canadian acquaintance, as well as again
> next Thursday to see Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
>
> Over,
> Eugene Holman
Let us know how you enjoy the opera.
> > > this is my most recent message for this group. that can't be right.
>
> > > i hope you're all well these days...
>
> > We're fine, thanks. At least those of us who are still around. As you see,
> > many are missing. Google made a mess of everything about a year ago, and
> > lots of posters disappeared. Now they are slowly finding their way back.
> > Your old buddy Tadas is present, whereas my pal Ostap (aka Karla, aka
> > Kharlamov etc.) is still missing ;-)
>
> I'm still around, too, although posting less frequently. I'll be going to
> Tallinn tomorrow as a guide for a Canadian acquaintance, as well as again
> next Thursday to see Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
>
> Over,
> Eugene Holman
We Lithuanians love singing. They even use it as therapy in jails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQRGVvtefbU
captain!
Apr 6, 2012, 1:33:13 AM4/6/12
to
"J. Anderson" <ander...@inbox.lv> wrote in message
news:gJfcr.25423$I33....@uutiset.elisa.fi...
years now.
p.s. google fucks up everything it touches. don't get me started on that...
captain!
Apr 6, 2012, 1:34:29 AM4/6/12
to
"Eugene Holman" <hol...@mappi.helsinki.fi> wrote in message
news:holman-2803...@c518-m3.eng.helsinki.fi...
pleasing.
captain!
Apr 6, 2012, 1:37:52 AM4/6/12
to
news:b099a7e3-378e-44c1...@k4g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQRGVvtefbU ////////////
///////////////
are you a liberal tadas? for some reason this surprises me.
///////////////
are you a liberal tadas? for some reason this surprises me.
Eugene Holman
Apr 12, 2012, 8:34:37 AM4/12/12
to
In article
<b099a7e3-378e-44c1...@k4g2000yqa.googlegroups.com>, Tadas
Blinda <tadas....@lycos.es> wrote:
<deletions>
> > I'm still around, too, although posting less frequently. I'll be going to
> > Tallinn tomorrow as a guide for a Canadian acquaintance, as well as again
> > next Thursday to see Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
> >
> > Over,
> > Eugene Holman
>
> Let us know how you enjoy the opera.
It was an extraordinry performance, conducted by Andres Mustonen, the
founder of Hortus Musicus. The Finnish company that put the opera poackage
together (Eckerö Lines) had booked a block (all the people in front, in
back, and next to me were speaking Finnish) of choice seats: I was in row
4, seat 16. I've never has such a choice seat at an opera performance and
I was able to enjoy details I would not have even noticed if I had had a
more distant or peripheral seat.
It has been said about Handel's music that it is best served up hot. That
is precisely how Mustonen conducted it, with tempos more rapid in the
allegro parts, partiularly the overture, than I have ever heard (and I
have heard at least six different performances of this opera). All of the
soloists were excellent, as were the instrumentalists, the staging, and
the lighting. Cuts were made in some of the da capa arias, with the
recapitulations being either shortened or omitted altogether thus cutting
the usually four-hour-plus opera being cut down to a more manageable three
hours and twenty minutes.
The opera's blockbuster aria, Cleapatra disguised as Lidia's *V'adoro
pupille*, was performed flawlessly by the Estonian mezzo-soprano Helen
Lokuta (cf. the benchmark performance by Inger Dam-Jensen, with Andreas
Scholl as Julius Caesar p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHBSdWftWU).
A beautifully printed opera program booklet, explaining the story,
history, and performance history of the opera in Estonian, English, and
Russian [in that order] was available for ¤3.
All in all, it was the best opera experience. in terms of both performance
and value for money (round-trip ticket, the opera ticket, and one night
including a generous buffet breakfast at the hotel Viru (****) all for
¤122), I have ever had in my life. As the performance was sold out, it
also demonstrates that there is a genuine interest in this part of the
world in baroque opera.
> We Lithuanians love singing. They even use it as therapy in jails.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DtQRGVvtefbU
But can you guys outdo the Estonians in this department?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34mYlYkzPVU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPnDtSdoDY&feature=related
Over,
Eugene Holman
<b099a7e3-378e-44c1...@k4g2000yqa.googlegroups.com>, Tadas
Blinda <tadas....@lycos.es> wrote:
<deletions>
> > I'm still around, too, although posting less frequently. I'll be going to
> > Tallinn tomorrow as a guide for a Canadian acquaintance, as well as again
> > next Thursday to see Handel's opera Giulio Cesare.
> >
> > Over,
> > Eugene Holman
>
> Let us know how you enjoy the opera.
founder of Hortus Musicus. The Finnish company that put the opera poackage
together (Eckerö Lines) had booked a block (all the people in front, in
back, and next to me were speaking Finnish) of choice seats: I was in row
4, seat 16. I've never has such a choice seat at an opera performance and
I was able to enjoy details I would not have even noticed if I had had a
more distant or peripheral seat.
It has been said about Handel's music that it is best served up hot. That
is precisely how Mustonen conducted it, with tempos more rapid in the
allegro parts, partiularly the overture, than I have ever heard (and I
have heard at least six different performances of this opera). All of the
soloists were excellent, as were the instrumentalists, the staging, and
the lighting. Cuts were made in some of the da capa arias, with the
recapitulations being either shortened or omitted altogether thus cutting
the usually four-hour-plus opera being cut down to a more manageable three
hours and twenty minutes.
The opera's blockbuster aria, Cleapatra disguised as Lidia's *V'adoro
pupille*, was performed flawlessly by the Estonian mezzo-soprano Helen
Lokuta (cf. the benchmark performance by Inger Dam-Jensen, with Andreas
Scholl as Julius Caesar p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHBSdWftWU).
A beautifully printed opera program booklet, explaining the story,
history, and performance history of the opera in Estonian, English, and
Russian [in that order] was available for ¤3.
All in all, it was the best opera experience. in terms of both performance
and value for money (round-trip ticket, the opera ticket, and one night
including a generous buffet breakfast at the hotel Viru (****) all for
¤122), I have ever had in my life. As the performance was sold out, it
also demonstrates that there is a genuine interest in this part of the
world in baroque opera.
> We Lithuanians love singing. They even use it as therapy in jails.
>
But can you guys outdo the Estonians in this department?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34mYlYkzPVU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPnDtSdoDY&feature=related
Over,
Eugene Holman
0 new messages