On reading The Sound Inside,

the play by Adam Rapp, that was performed in New York last fall and winter. I did not get to see it then, but early in the summer, I bought a copy of the play (something I very rarely do) at Barnes and Noble and read it then---for some reason I felt a need to re read it this weekend. The story of a relationship between a 50 something professor of Creative Writing at Yale, and one of her students, on the second reading I found it to be a work of incredible control. Every word out of Bella, the professor's mouth seems real and focused. How was he able to create such a character? Adam and I were friends in the early nineties, and I read a lot of his early work---much of it seemed unfocused and out of control, but once he got that work out of his system, he found a world of language and ideas that is often amazing. I have so many books around my bed that I bought but havn't read; why did I choose to go back to this play? Lots of references to Crime and Punishment, which I have never read, but it did not matter. The sense of isolation that Bella feels, of being a person not in a relationship and experiencing things from that point of view---I guess I could really identify with that. For me, this was a weekend of isolation, but partially from my own choice; there were people I know whom I chose not to call. The play takes place in a quiet, almost dull like reflective world---I could see it being performed on stage with no scenery at all; Rapp gives no indication at the beginning of the play that there should be any scenery---just a place for Bella and the young man to exist.

For some reason I am glad that I never saw the play---maybe because I found it so readable--maybe so I create the look, sound patterns and feelings of the two characters in my own mind. My choice of it over this weekend---this long weekend---was very instinctive--somehow I knew this was the work of literature that I wanted to read. Where will Adam go from here---what outside of the world experience will he  invent next time?  This play shows that he has so much strength as a playwright. Will one of the major not for profits, after the pandemic is over, choose another play of his? No telling, but we shall see?

The long weekend ends soon--then a week until my ct scan and MRI. Again, more waiting. Have been following the NBA and certain teams a lot this weekend, now that football playoffs have been narrowed itself down to four teams. Also, listened to a complete Traviata on the Met Broadcast yesterday, from a live performance about a year ago. Have never focused on the opera so thoroughly; it too is an amazing work--Verdi's genius gets him so close to Violetta and her feelings. Beautifully sung and conducted---sometimes listening to an opera at home lets me focus on smaller but really interesting things in the music and text. Next week's broadcast is a Trovatore from 1962 with Price and Corelli, right after they made their Met debuts--should be meaningful, will report soon.