iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I rather like Forest Hills Stadium! Here for Geese

John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Yeah, the witches kind of match the rubble. And it could be very easy to miss them looming over the walls from higher in the house

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

But, like, very mild praise. And some baffling decisions

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The production felt disjointed opening night; perhaps I was just expecting less second time. I do like the witches all over the place, crawling out of the walls. I do like the three-part turntable with one smaller space and two larger ones.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I was dress circle opening night and orchestra last night; I do think being closer helped. Part of it was Kelsey and Green felt much fuller.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

If it helps I think tonight went better than opening night

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

conclAIve (would work better in a font that distinguishes L and i in the other case)

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

That was probably the most I've enjoyed a Mahler symphony in a decade. Not sure how much of that is Dudamel and how much is my pulling back from Mahler to reframe. And like, it's still a lot

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It's time to try a bit of Mahler again, lured in by the WP opener by Tania León. Hilarious to have a 12-minute piece then an intermission

Tilted and bent program page.

New York Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor
September 24-27 & 29, 2026 17,376th-17,380th Concerts

Tania LEÓN (b. 1943)
Imágenes Mestizas (2026; World Premiere-New York Philharmonic commission)

Intermission

MAHLER (1860-1911)

Symphony No. 5 (1901-02)

PART I
Funeral March: With measured step. Strict. Like a cortège
Stormily, with greatest vehemence

PART II
Vigorously, not too fast

PART III
Adagietto: Very slow
Rondo-Finale: Allegro giocoso

Black text on white page.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Alas! But what an amazing sky. It was unreal

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Reposted by John Fenster

Possum Acquainter @possumacquainter.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Winkin' In The Boudoir: A Burlesque Tribute To George Saunders's "Lincoln In The Bardo" Oct 3, 2009 7:15 PM

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Distracting and confusing Volta and Figment so Ritzy can get a birthday treat

Person standing in a kitchen holding two cats in their hands, one grey and white with legs hanging almost out of frame, face pushed forward towards the picture taker. The cat on our left is a brown tabby with a lot of white underbelly showing. She is significantly smaller and looks very confused. She is doing a blep. There is a stainless steel refrigerator door and tan wood flooring. The human is mostly blocked by the cats, but you can see their red plaid flannel shirt and a bit of their head sticking up, with unkempt hair

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It is eye catching... but a lot of that is trying to parse what it says. I would probably give up

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I'm seeing captions on the video?

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I really loved The Surge at the Joyce!

View from a balcony with red chairs. Stage is hidden by a large red curtain

Marquee. Says Joyce in a colorful, unique font.
Below that in red: The Surge an ode to Sinead O'Connor Sep 16 thru 27

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I'm seeing the exhibit this weekend! Enjoy the concert!

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I've heard from other people that really liked it, too. One of the things I love about opera is how much variety there is, both on stage and in what gets on stage. Glad you liked it!

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Mungojerrie is in Queeney Todd is a thing that makes complete sense

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The production felt somewhat disjointed, so it made a lot of sense that Proske replaced Sher only like a year ago

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I wasn't thrilled by Macbeth at the Met last night, but there was a lot to enjoy

Lincoln Center Plaza, the facade of the Met in the background with a hanging banner that says Macbeth. People sitting on the metal ring around the central fountain, cloudy skies

Stage with the cast, chorus, and dancers assembled on the a set that evokes ruins

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I love open window season, and so do the cats

Two cats sit in front of an open window. They are on a clear plastic table, the long-haired gray and white cat on the left is laying front paws in the windowsill. The medium hair brown tabby on the right is in a crouch. Outside is green with some bushes and a bird feeder. There is a small sparrow on top of one of the bushes

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Is this a requirement for new productions at the Met now?

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I'm happy we'll be done about 9:30, at least

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I would expect Alden Ehrenreich to be wearing a mechanical

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Such a rough list that this didn't even make it! - had to critically watch ai ring cycle That's a lot of horrible nonsense but congrats on making it this far and being gay!

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Reposted by John Fenster

Chef Kennedy🐸🏳️‍🌈 @kennedy.northsky.social · 17/09/2026

Tired: asking if someone is your "real friend" or an "internet friend" Wired: asking if your friendship is real-time or turn-based

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Reposted by John Fenster

Kyle Thomas @kylehemingway.com · 16/09/2026

Went here and everybody knew you.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I realized my preferences for ice cream are that I miss Cold Stone Creamery

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Heard the crows outside and there was so much commotion. Turns out they were chasing a fox off

A red fox trots at the edge of a street in front of a house with brick and shingles. There is a patch of grass below and branches of green trees above

Fox is in front of the same house, but a little further, close to a yellow and silver fire hydrant.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Sorry! I was confused enough by the question that I missed that. Moving too quick and I got cot

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

What if we pronounce caught and cot with the same vowel?

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I think it's important that the kid is not paying anything at lunchtime. The money certainly has to come from somewhere, but not directly from any kid.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I hear Mike Leigh is in talks to do the next installment

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

When will media include something like, just to pick a random example, "straight adult guys don't say 'Sexy Link' is their main in Kart"

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Storm clouds are making their presence known! Just got some lightning

The sky is full of clouds, some giving dark shades of blue. Large white baffles that look like fun sculptures and the high overhang of the roof

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Anyway, tonight's opera will be the first one I've seen here not in English! Madama Butterfly. But first there's a clown murder mystery show by a local theater ensemble on George RR Martin's train

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

And by singing, I mean Papageno led a sing-along, not just the guy that sat next to me that kept humming/singing throughout the rest of it. And, honestly, fair. He was a pioneer and anyone taking this too seriously (raises hand partially, puts it back down) wasn't going to enjoy themselves

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

It was silly and fun and the audience sang more than at many operas I've attended. The circus animal costumes elicited lots of laughter. I might have enjoyed it more in a significantly smaller house (SFO holds ~2200) but it was nice enough.

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

This newish English translation tries to smooth over some elements of the opera; not entirely successfully - and obv leaving intact the very trad core - but this old Pantomime style production also leans heavily into the variety show side of the opera

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I also really need to hear it again because I swear I heard some Rosenkavalier in there (which could make sense)

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John Fenster @mountmccabe.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

The pair for the Magic Flute have been taken. Saturday's Madama Butterfly are still available

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