We love Bern. Here's to Bern!

AC Douglas and Portland's SMB (via an email) point out a recent review from the NYT's Bernard Holland.  Evidently the charges leveled by some are that Mr. Holland spends too few words on the performance itself and thus bloviates extensively with historical background "filler" along with other entertaining displays of erudition.  The problem is Holland may give his readers too much credit with lines like "anyone familiar with the reputations of these three singers can imagine the quality of the performances." On the other hand, that can be seen as the worst kind of critical laziness.  I like Holland too much to decide which is the case. 

I remember an office hours discussion I had with my literary theory professor in grad school.  I asked him why Derrida and Lacan wrote such intentionally difficult prose to convey their ideas.  He replied in earnest: "They can do anything they want.  They have jobs."   

Comments

[ab]

Are you on vacation?

Don't know Mr Holland's work, but after you stop on that quote for a minute, you realize it might well be code for 'there's nothing much to say about this performance'. But I'll admit I had to have it pointed out. I admire the editors who trust their readers so completely.

[Bryant Manning]

Actually I am. Whenever I have actual work to do, it's break time on Abysmal.