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Legendary Christmas Stories Always an Epic

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By: Veronica Leighton

 

The feeling/spirit of Christmas is not actually complete without undergoing again and again, year after year, the stories or legends of Christmas through songs or carols, dances, plays and dramas, that reverberate throughout the Christian world.

Why is it so? As I don’t suppose anyone can ever fathom what it means for God to be born in a manger, modern man’s interpretations of Christmas are relayed in different versions through different media, the symbolisms of christmas tree, mistletoe, stars, reindeer, santa claus, snowmen, candy cantes, christmas cards and songs have evolved through the years the way people want to interpret and imagine Christmas. Of course, the images of Jesus have also undergone different interpretations.

So far, this year, we have gone to a couple of Christmas classical shows that no one can really get tired of seeing, again and again, around this Holiday season.

First, is Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” now playing at the Goodman Theatre until the end of December. The story centers on a meanspirited, miserly man named Scrooge, who does not want to spend a single cent on heat and helping other people and has a lot of bitterness towards people who are happy and party. Until when the Ghost of Christmas Present, a majestic giant clad in a green fur robe, takes Scrooge through London to unveil Christmas as it will happen that year. Scrooge watches the large, bustling Cratchit family prepare a miniature feast in its meager home.

I had a sweet pleasure of watching this show with VT’s Senior Columnist, Elsie Sy-Niebar, which in itself was a big Christmas treat for both of us.

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Veronica and Elsie enjoying “A Christmas Carol” play at the Goodman Theatre.

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Next is the showing of the classic “The Magic Flute” at the magical Lyric Opera of Chicago. This time, I spent this special evening with VT/CPRTV staffers Joe Mauricio, Jovie Calma and Nick Vera Perez. What makes this legendary play more exciting for us is watching Rodel Rosel, a Filipino in a supporting role in the cast, a Grammy nominated Filipino tenor. Playing the role of a bad guy in In Mozart’s classic prince-and-princess story,he plays the role of Monostatos — one of those characters audiences love to hate. And, telling you, he makes the most of the role of Monastatos, conniving with the evil Queen of the Night.

Here’s a brief description and summary of this classical play…. The Magic Flute (German: Die Zauberflöte), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue.[a] The work premiered on 30 September 1791 at Schikaneder’s theatre, the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, just two months before the composer’s premature death. In the opera the Queen of the Night persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina from captivity under the high priest Sarastro; instead, he learns the high ideals of Sarastro’s community and seeks to join it. Separately, then together, Tamino and Pamina undergo severe trials of initiation, which end in triumph, with the Queen and her cohorts vanquished. The earthy Papageno, who accompanies Tamino on his quest, fails the trials completely but is rewarded anyway with the hand of his ideal female companion Papagena.

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VT/CPRTV staffers at the Lyric Opera House, from left to right, Nick Vera Perez, Joe Mauricio, Veronica, and Joe Mauricio, our for a date to watch “The Magic Flute.”

Thanks so much to Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen River North for a superb media brunch that we had the pleasure to taste though their compliments around Thanksgiving.

Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen River North is located on 55 E, Grand Av,, Chicago, IL.that serves delicious and crave-worthy food, prepared from scratch, They partner with local farmers and small best-in-class purveyors, incorporating the highest-quality ingredients in all their homemade dishes featuring honest American food at its best

From their open. clean kitchen we enjoyed the comfy atmosphere & the delizz food served by friendly our waitress. Made myself my own concoction of Bloody Mary eaten with candied bacon; grilled chicken wings for starters, and selected Tennessee Hot Chicken with waffles for main dish while Joe enjoyed his Corned Beef Hash topped with eggs. Doc B’s has other branches in other other big cities of the country, with another one here at the Gold Coast.

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Veronica and Joe Mauricio enjoying the offerings at Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen River North.

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Merry Christmas to all! Our Mama Mary’s new gown was designed and created by fashion designer Mar Lapena. Thank you, Mar!

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