Great performances

Saturday morning I self-diagnosed severe cultural deficit syndrome. I'm in a rut. Artist, heal thyself! Get thee to a symphony!

What a symphony it turned out to be. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra performed Mahler's Ninth under the direction of Claus Peter Flor. My spur-of-the-moment cheap ticket put me in the Choral Terrace of the Meyerson Symphony Center, behind the orchestra and facing the conductor. Watching Flor's communication with the musicians was as riveting as Mahler's music. Sitting on the narrow bench of the choir loft behind the sound may not be the optimum way to experience an eighty-one minute work. I can honestly say I was "on the edge of my seat" the whole evening (and will need Aleve for my back today).

I also watched Geraldine Page's Academy Award-winning performance in "The Trip to Bountiful". My library is going to withdraw this amazing video because it isn't checking out. What a shame. She had me both on the edge of my seat and on the verge of tears.

on the edge of my seat

Definition: Feeling anxiety, nervousness or great expectation
Example Dialog:
A：Did you go to the US Open this year?
B：I sure did and saw Agassi play Sampras.
A：Wow, that must have been great!
B：Yeah, I was on the edge of my seat the entire match.

I had great fun reading the selection of mixed metaphors from Calvin College English Department.

Makes the hair stand up on the edge of my seat
(Pete Kneppel, contributed by Doug James)

I think I may be climbing up to the brink of my rut.

© 2007 Nancy L. Ruder