Valentine’s Day is the celebration of love, romance, and relationships … and your local florist. But mostly love, I guess. Id est, Valentine’s Day is the celebration of the most complex, perpetual, make-the-rules-up-as-you-go life gauntlet that any of us will experience. I think it’s agreeable that much like art, love is ubiquitous, subjective and open for interpretation. Therefore, what’s a more appropriate way to honor Valentine’s Day than by taking time out to appreciate art (both visual and musical), with a romantic theme? At least this was my thinking when I purchased my tickets to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art’s Music at the Museum: “Chamber of Love” concert.
The Music at the Museum event is a regular happening, which varies in subject matter, but has two consistent elements: a concert and featured works of art often pulled from Bechtler’s private collection and thus not on exhibition at the museum regularly. The Chamber of Love theme was specific to the timing with Valentine’s Day and consisted of the story of two works of art, the two artists who fell madly in love over a long holiday, face-melting vocal stylings from a very talented soprano, and guitar duets both original and classical (each love songs of course).
The only way for me to possibly to explain my experience is to say that it was a downright religious one. It was sensory ecstasy. No kidding, I saw a grown man with a mustache openly weep.
As a foundation, the Bechtler space is incredibly beautiful and with the additional layers of impassioned and incredibly talented composers, performers, and musicians, it was wholly transcendent. Granted, you have to have a taste for this kind of thing. Opera and music with no words isn’t for everyone, I know, but if it is your cup of fancy artsy fartsy tea, you simply must check out the next Music at the Museum.
For more information on Music at the Museum and other Bechtler Museum of Modern Art events, visit www.bechtler.org.
Megan Henshall is a project coordinator by day, favorite child, rollerskating enthusiast, blogger, and lover of all things social and under appreciated. For more writing/ramblings/rants visit www.dearsuchandso-keyboardventing.blogspot.com.