What I’ve been up to lately, apart from the usual

Last updated on: January 25, 2018 at 12:45 am by Dan Peterson

What I’ve been up to lately, apart from the usual 2018-01-25T00:45:40-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Bill Clinton, Yitzhak Rabin, and Yasser Arafat at the White House
(Wikimedia Commons public domain)

Every year, in connection with the annual Sundance Film Festival, the Sundance Institute — joined by Zions Bank and the World Trade Center Utah — sponsors a “Thought Leader Symposium.” This year the focus of the symposium was on “Israel and Palestine,” and it took the form of a three-person panel discussion that was held this morning at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. I participated as one of the three panelists, along with Tarek Mango, a Jordanian/American businessman and consultant focused on international commerce with and within the Middle East, and Hilla Medalia, a Peabody Award-winning Israeli filmmaker whose newest work, The Oslo Diaries, is currently being shown in connection with the Sundance Film Festival.

The discussion was quite interesting, I thought. One of my assigned tasks for the panel was to provide a very brief opening historical introduction to the Arab-Israeli conflict. I may write up what I said and post it here when I get the time.

***

We just returned a few minutes ago from a Utah Opera performance of the 2010 composition Moby-Dick, by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer. I wasn’t previously familiar with it and didn’t have any particular expectations. But I enjoyed it very much. Two spoilers: The legendary white whale has no speaking part and sings no arias. And fans shouldn’t be looking forward to Moby-Dick II: The Return of the Pequod. I just don’t think that a sequel is likely to happen.

***

Last night, we took in a performance of the musical Bright Star, by Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) and Edie Brickell, at the Pioneer Memorial Theater in Salt Lake City. The play had a moderately successful run on Broadway (109 performances, if I remember correctly) but was eclipsed by another new show: Hamilton. I haven’t seen Hamilton. But my wife and I bought the soundtrack some time back, and neither of us has warmed to it. Bright Star, though, was rather touching — even if my wife and I both saw its conclusion coming about a light year away. Hearing a musical done with a bluegrass flavor — those who know Steve Martin’s musical work won’t be surprised at that — was really nice. (Especially for someone who, like me, was a member of the San Gabriel Valley Bluegrass Association and once spent an entire enraptured afternoon literally sitting at the feet of Doc Watson and his son Merle in a friend’s living room.)

***

On Monday night, my wife and I enjoyed dinner with a group of neighbors and friends who then went on to the Orem Hale Center Theater for a performance of Dear Ruth. I, alas, was feeling under the weather with my second major cold of 2018 and, at the last minute, dropped my wife off and headed home. Which I really regret.

***

Late the previous week, though, we took in the Peking Acrobats on the BYU campus. As always, they were spectacular. Almost another species.

I feel a bit guilty about enjoying such performances, though. Some of the contortions are so unnatural looking. And, from what little I know about the training of these superb Chinese acrobats, I wonder whether I should really be supporting such troupes. It’s rather like the issues surrounding eating veal. Veal is delicious, but the requirements of making it seem inhumane, even cruel.

Posted from Salt Lake City, Utah

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 24, 2018

A little-known testimony from Oliver Cowdery

Next Post

January 25, 2018 The deepest image of the sky ever made

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Christian principle is highlighted in the parable of the Good Samaritan?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Seek praise Ignore strangers Compassion for all Only help friends