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how to attend a Music@Menlo concert
Jul. 30th, 2010 06:56 am1. The concert is at 8, but arrive at 4:30, because that's when they start giving out the tickets for the free "Prelude" concerts. These might or might not run out before the Prelude starts in an hour, but you don't want to risk it. Besides, the Preludes are open seating, and you do not want to get stuck seated in one of the side transepts of St. Mark's Church, because the acoustics are terrible there. I've tried it and I know.
2. Wait in line with the other Prelude ticket-holders until they let you in at 5.
3. The Prelude is at 5:30 and will last until nearly 7, despite a program that looks as if it should be over closer to 6:30.
4. Learn from the ushers that there is now assigned seating for the main concert in this venue, so you don't have to wait in line again after they clear the hall following the Prelude. This is good, because you have things to do, to wit:
5. Run back to your car and fetch the bag lunches you've brought as a substitute for dinner.
6. Go to the box office table, which is just being set up, to pick up your tickets. They're not ready yet.
7. Go back five minutes later, to be told that the chief publicity officer has your tickets. On the one hand, you know her on sight. (She looks like Delia Sherman.) On the other hand, she is nowhere to be seen.
8. Go back fifteen minutes later and report this. Be told by the festival's executive director (who looks like Joe Haldeman), who happens to be standing nearby, that she's in an interview. He will volunteer to interrupt and get your tickets, and will return soon with them.
9. Enjoy the concert. Be very glad you attended the open rehearsal of the most difficult piece three days earlier; otherwise it wouldn't make a lick of sense.
10. Go home and write the review.
11. Commit various grammatical and stylistic awkwardnesses during a hasty rewrite of the opening section on editorial request, impeded by 1) a tight deadline, 2) a malfunctioning trackball, and 3) an Internet connection that keeps freezing up and also messing with the browser.
2. Wait in line with the other Prelude ticket-holders until they let you in at 5.
3. The Prelude is at 5:30 and will last until nearly 7, despite a program that looks as if it should be over closer to 6:30.
4. Learn from the ushers that there is now assigned seating for the main concert in this venue, so you don't have to wait in line again after they clear the hall following the Prelude. This is good, because you have things to do, to wit:
5. Run back to your car and fetch the bag lunches you've brought as a substitute for dinner.
6. Go to the box office table, which is just being set up, to pick up your tickets. They're not ready yet.
7. Go back five minutes later, to be told that the chief publicity officer has your tickets. On the one hand, you know her on sight. (She looks like Delia Sherman.) On the other hand, she is nowhere to be seen.
8. Go back fifteen minutes later and report this. Be told by the festival's executive director (who looks like Joe Haldeman), who happens to be standing nearby, that she's in an interview. He will volunteer to interrupt and get your tickets, and will return soon with them.
9. Enjoy the concert. Be very glad you attended the open rehearsal of the most difficult piece three days earlier; otherwise it wouldn't make a lick of sense.
10. Go home and write the review.
11. Commit various grammatical and stylistic awkwardnesses during a hasty rewrite of the opening section on editorial request, impeded by 1) a tight deadline, 2) a malfunctioning trackball, and 3) an Internet connection that keeps freezing up and also messing with the browser.
