Page 22 - Boca Exposure - March '23

Page 22, Boca Exposure
Book Review

The Midnight Library certain to make the Olympic Library and try another. But at some point her time will run
team, she decided to give out.
By Nils A. Shapiro up the sport. A talented Mrs. Elm reaches for a particular volume from a shelf
Have you ever wondered piano player, songwriter near her, The Book of Regrets, as a possible reference for
what your life would be and member of her brother, Nora to consider.
like now if you had made Joe’s, band, the Labyrinths, I will leave it for you to discover the life that Nora believes
different decisions at various she quit just as they were will make her happy, among them:
critical moments in your about to get their big break. • The life of a rich and famous rock star she became by
life? Taken a different job? Inspired by her interest in the staying with her brother’s band.
Decided to take that vacation environment, she considered • The comfortable wife of the kind, gentle man whom
trip instead of canceling it? becoming a glaciologist, but she had always regretted turning down years ago when they
Asked a different girl out on gave up the idea. That’s the were young and he asked her out for a cup of coffee, and
a date? Married a different way her life has been, for now he is a successful surgeon and she the mother of their
person? reasons she chalks up to adorable daughter.
Each decision you make has the potential to change problems in her relationship Or, as the author puts it (with ellipses added here to take
everything about the rest of your life. with her parents. the place of text left out for lack of space): “She had been a
What if you were offered the opportunity to see what your The book’s brief opening section begins, “Nineteen years rock star, an Olympian, a music teacher, a primary school
life would have been like if you had made different decisions before she decided to die, Nora Seed….” Several pages later teacher, a CEO, a PA, a chef, a glaciologist, a climatologist,
at those critical moments? we begin, “Twenty-seven hours before she decided to die, an acrobat, a tree-planter, an audit manager, a hairdresser, a
That is the intriguing premise of author Matt Haig’s Nora Seed.…” A knock on her door provides for an already professional dog walker, an office clerk, a software developer,
newest bestselling book, the third of his novels that I depressed Nora yet another blow: A young man is sorry to a receptionist, a hotel cleaner, a politician, a lawyer, a
have thoroughly enjoyed and will have now reviewed in tell her that her cat, Voltaire, has been hit by a passing car shoplifter, the head of an ocean protection charity, a shop
this column. The earlier two were: The Humans, about an and is lying on the street, dead. Nora writes a brief suicide worker (again), a waitress, a first-line supervisor, a glass-
alien sent to our planet by his kind to assassinate a college note, swallows a few antidepressant pills and a bottle of wine, blower and a thousand other things … There had, in short,
professor who has made a major scientific discovery they then passes out. been a lot of lives … Sometimes she was in a life for less than
feel is too dangerous to be left in the hands of “inferior” Not expecting to awaken, when her eyes open Nora is a minute, while in others she was there for days or weeks …
Earthlings, and How to Stop Time, an equally captivating surprised to find herself outside a strange building. Inside It seemed the more lives she lived, the harder it was to feel
story about the life of a 400-year-old man, member of a small, is a single giant room filled floor to ceiling with countless at home anywhere.”
secret global society of ageless humans who dare not let the aisles of books covered in shades of green, on metal racks Importantly, what Nora – and we – learn is that the
rest of mankind know they exist. Their one cardinal rule: as far as she can see – all of the racks moving rapidly back decisions we all make affect not only ourselves but others
Never fall in love! You can make no personal attachments. and forth, stopping, then moving again. in our lives as well, sometimes profoundly, and must be
Instead, he must change identities and move often before Suddenly, she sees one person, a woman she recognizes: weighed in the consideration.
people realize that he ages so slowly as if not at all. In the Mrs. Elm, the kind, gentle librarian she knew from her high There is, very near the end of the book, a one-and-a-half
present, he is a college history teacher – the perfect role for school, who explains to Nora that she is now in the Midnight page note ostensibly written by Nora, but which I assume
one who actually performed with Shakespeare and lived Library, a place between life and death … and that each of to reflect the views of the author. Under the title, “A Thing
through the centuries of events he discusses with students. the many books on the shelves is the story of a life that would I Have Learned (Written By a Nobody Who Has Been
A wonderful book! have been Nora’s if she had made a different decision from Everybody),” it is a wise and thoughtful reflection about life
The Midnight Library is another absorbing read, 288 the one she did make at so many important points in her life that for me is the most memorable passage in these pages
pages that I finished in three sittings. – each taking her down a different path toward a different – one that deserves to be copied, printed and hung in every
Nora Seed is a 35-year-old woman who has given up on journey. And now Nora was being offered an opportunity to home as an uplifting reminder about the present lives we
life. She lives alone, except for her cat, Voltaire. Volts, for select a different life, rather than the one from which she has have chosen for ourselves.
short. Everything she had thought she wanted never panned decided to escape. If she finds one that fulfills her, she can This one belongs in your library, any time of day or night.
out. Among the top high school swimmers in America and stay and complete it; if not, she will return to the Midnight
Rex Recommends

yearning and rueful, its dramatic melancholy nicely spun out. In,
By Rex Hearn the concert during a champagne and dessert reception. For Franz Lehar’s Vilja Graham had the audience sing the chorus;
Palm Beach Opera tickets please call (561) 655-2833. she conducted them well! A Berlioz aria from Les Troyens did
March 24 to 26, this Kravis Center not belong here, but again, it showed her magnificent ability
distinguished company Famous for the excellent Broadway shows they present, with scales and runs. Returning after a superb performance by
present Verdi’s comic you can see the new Pretty Woman based on the Richard Geer, the orchestra of Debussy’s Prelude a L’apres midi d’un faune
masterpiece, Falstaff. Taken Julia Roberts movie of the same name from March 7 to 12. The she sang Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythm at speed, and Richard
from The Merry Wives of New World Symphony appears on Monday, March 13 at 8 p.m. Rodgers Sound of Music – the song.
Windsor and Henry lV by An African American Film Festival begins on March 16 in the A high school performance of this musical decided her to
Christopher Marlowe, I’m of Rinker Playhouse. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld appears on March switch from 12 years of piano to singing. Our gain! Her encore,
the belief Marlowe wrote the 18 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The Zurich, Switzerland, Chamber perfect for her true mezzo range was, Climb Every Mountain
bard of Avon’s plays. Verdi, Music Orchestra gives a concert on Sunday afternoon, March for which Graham rightly received a long standing ovation.
in retirement some years, 19, at 2 p.m. as part of Kravis Center’s Classical Concert Series. Intermission over, the large audience stayed for Dimitri
had visits from his friend and And the musical Wicked as part of their Kravis On Shostakovich’s (1906 to 1975), 10th Symphony written in
librettist, Arrigo Boito. Sensing the old man’s restlessness, Broadway series goes up on March 29 through April 9. 1953. The composer and then leader of Soviet Russia, Marshall
Boito left a copy of his draft of Falstaff for Verdi to find Ballet Palm Beach presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream Joseph Stalin, had their differences, going back to 1936
after one of his visits. The trick worked. At 80 years of age from March 31 to April 2. when Stalin wrote a denunciation of Lady Macbeth of Minsk,
Verdi produced a brilliant work. Company favorite, Michael For tickets call (800) 572-8471. Shostakovitch’s most successful opera with 180 performances,
Chioldi returns as Sir John Falstaff. Antonelllo Allemandi in the newspaper, Pravda; Stalin was exercising cultural
conducts. Event is at the Kravis Center. Call the box office Rex’s Review control over him. The composer retreated to the shadows
at (561) 833-7888. Don’t miss it. writing only small chamber works. Reinstated in 1940, given
Palm Beach Symphony Palm Beach Symphony: A Splendid Mix honors galore, he was again censured with Prokofiev this
Also appearing at The Kravis Center on Tuesday March 14 By Rex Hearn time in 1948 by Stalin for “formalistic perversions and anti-
at 8 p.m., conducted by Maestro Gerard Schwarz, the orchestra The Jan. 30 concert at the Kravis Center harkened back to democratic tendancies!” But Shostakovich had the last laugh.
opens with Sojourn: Reflections on Thoreau commissioned by Victorian times when orchestras threw together soloists, popular At the death of Stalin in 1953 he returned to the symphonic
the symphony. The composer, Joseph Schwanter, 1943, from songs and heavy and light music pieces. It was a night when genre after an eight-year silence and made the 2nd movement
Keene, N.H., writes, “It is a musical journey inspired by the Palm Beach Symphony showed their versatility, brilliantly of the 10th Symphony a “Musical Portrait of Stalin.” In total,
words of Henry David Thoreau, who said, ‘Music is the sound accompanying the great mezzo, Susan Graham, playing a Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies.
of the circulation in nature’s veins.’” Next, noted pianist Misha Debussy work with sensitivity and refinement, and delivering a Palm Beach Symphony played this 10th Symphony like
Dichter plays George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, a serious heavy Russian work with conviction. Under the baton of Gerard demons possessed. It was a magnificent performance. Briefly,
work, commissioned by Walter Damrosch, conductor of the Schwarz they have become a great orchestra comparable to the the 1st movement marked “Moderato” was a sincere work re-
New York Symphony in 1925. He had heard Rhapsody in Blue London Philharmonic, across the pond, whose new dominance establishing the composers’ bona fides. It rambles and uncoils
and knew of Gershwin’s desire to be accepted as a classical of that city’s 10 professional orchestras is due to their new Music in heavenly ways so pleasing on the ear. Movement 2, Allegro,
composer. Webern’s Adagio follows, arranged by Maestro Director Edward Gardner – a comparison that is not lightly made. the Stalin portrait, is rambunctious, noisy, with militaristic brass
Schwarz. Stravinsky’s exciting The Firebird ballet suite ends What is the key to this glorious sound? It is in a word – featured prominently. The 3rd movement is contemplative.
the program. Call (561) 281-0145. refinement. Professional musicians at this level need only two or Using signature notes to spell out his own name, he also spells
Flagler Museum Music Series three rehearsals to be up to speed, but it is the conductor’s vision out, in notes, the name of a pupil from before 1948, pianist and
Attracting only the highest quality chamber groups, these and direction that gives them polish, distinction and beautiful composer, Elmira Nazirova, who said of him “he was a muse, a
concerts are regularly featured on National Public Radio’s playing. They respond to Maestro Schwarz enthusiastically and symbol of beauty and musical inspiration.” The last movement
Performance Today. The fifth and last concert of the series the two are as one. His leadership is inspiring. is full of merriment using folk dances and repetitive note codes
is on Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Neave After the lively Marriage of Figaro overture of Mozart, spelling his own name about 14 times throughout the orchestral
Trio: Anna Williams, violin; Mikhail Veselov, cello; and Eri singer, Susan Graham, began with the two popular mezzo arias sections. It has a sunny conclusion – and was met by thunderous
Nakamura, piano. Often compared to the late Beaux Arts from that same opera and a serious piece from Mozart’s Le applause and a standing ovation. Their next concert is on March
Trio, a Boston music critic said of them, “Their unanimity Clemenza di Tito. Naturally chosen to show off her amazing 14 with Misha Dichter playing Gershwin’s only Piano Concerto.
of style, communication, variety of touch and expressive range, she delivered in spades; the Figaro songs fast and Stravinsky’s Firebird suite ends the program. You can contact
sensibility are of the first rank.” Meet the musicians after romantic with some lovely quiet passages and the Tito aria the box office at (561) 281-0145.