05.23c Our Nights Out; Music for the Fall of Constantinople. We do lead an odd life. Typical Rasmusen date nights: Last week: eat at one of the two or three Tibetan restaurants in town, go to an art gallery featuring a cake decorating exhibit, and end up looking at the giant new Target buying diapers. This week: go to the Canada House to see how various designers show their stuff in renovating the Japanese garden and hobbit-style underground mansion with castle tower lost by a Lilly heiress who squandered her fortune, have a rushed supper at a Chinese noodle house, and go to the BLEMF opening concert, commemmorating the 551st anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453. It was a good idea for a concert: some Byzantine music, some Latin music of the same period associated with the Fall. I liked the simple monastic stuff; Helen prefers operatic voices and the relative complexity of Dufay. We both liked this idea for a concert:

Cappella Romana
Music for the Fall of Constantinople

Under the direction of Dr. Alexander Lingas, Portland, Ore.-based vocal ensemble Cappella Romana, is dedicated to combining passion with scholarship in the celebration of the glory of medieval chant and polyphony, and has been garnering international critical acclaim for its innovative programming and recent recordings. In their BLEMF 2004 offering, Cappella Romana will transport you to the medieval twilight of the Roman Empire with mystical Byzantine chants, songs for Crusader kings, and Dufay�s poignant Lament for the Fall of Constantinople.

... [in full at 04.05.23c.htm]

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