SteveJamieson.com

[Background: My evil plan to get a life]

Thus it begins. Last year’s plan to provide myself with prime dating opportunities by purchasing series tickets to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra was mildly successful, so I had decided to give it another shot this year. Over the summer, I finally settled on the Friday B series, and bought the tickets. The first concert was last night. (Or should that be two nights ago, since it is now the wee hours of Sunday?) Anyway, this year started out quite similarly to last year in that I didn’t have a date, despite my acquisition of a spiffy new suit (for preaching and leading worship too). Of course, I guess I didn’t try all that hard. After all, I’m not one to just randomly ask girls out, and to make matters worse, it seems that all my channels for getting acquainted with eligible, young, symphony-appreciating bachelorettes have pretty much run dry. Perhaps it’s a good thing that I only have two of the six concerts in the fall, and the rest in the spring. Perhaps by springtime—when it can be sung…

The joyous face of Spring is revealed to the world.
Winter’s army is vanquished and routed;
In dapple and colored dress is Flora arrayed,
And the woods sweetly resound
With birdsongs in her praise.

Reclining in Flora’s lap, Phoebus once more
Laughs merrily, covered with many-hued flowers.
Zephyr inhales the perfumed fragrance;
So questing for the prize, let us compete in love.

Trilling her song, sweet Philomel is heard
And with flowers smiling, the peaceful meadows lie,
A flock of birds rises from the woods,
A chorus of maidens brings a thousand joys.

(“Veris leta facies” from Carmina Burana)

Perhaps then the dry spell will be over, and I will have better luck. Then I could sing…

Come, come, pray come, do not let me die,
Your face is so lovely, your shimmering eyes,
Your braided hair, how beautiful you are!

Redder than the rose, whiter than the lily,
Fairer than all others, I shall always glory in you!

(“Veni, veni, venias” from Carmina Burana)

And in addition, it might so happen that all of you could then sing…

If a boy and girl linger together,
Happy is their union.
Swelling love leaves and keeps afar tedious good sense,
And ineffable pleasure fills limbs, arms and lips.

(“Si puer cum puellula” from Carmina Burana)

Of course, all this would have been so much easier if I had a date for Friday, since all these songs, and indeed many more were sung at the orchestra concert, which featured a magnificent performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Powell Symphony Hall was packed for this opening night performance conducted by David Amado, and no one should have went home disappointed. The Orchestra, Symphony Chorus Choir, and Children’s Choir (all packed onto the stage themselves) gave an energetic and powerful performance that ranks among the best I’ve ever heard, and that well earned them the standing ovation that they received.

After the concert, Greg (the friend that I took to the concert) and I went to The Pub Above at Dressel’s where we had Martinis (a delicious mocha martini for me), and then we wandered around the Central West End—home to St. Louis’ young urban professionals—until the alcohol had fully worn off.

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 14th, 2003 at 2:18 AM and is filed under Concerts, Love. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.