More than a year after now-retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, 704 F.Supp.2d 921 (N.D.Cal., Aug. 4, 2010), that California's Proposition 8 violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the trial judge to whom the case was reassigned after Walker's retirement, James Ware, granted a motion by the plaintiffs to unseal the digital recording of the trial that Judge Walker ordered to be made for his own use after … <Read More>
Equal Protection Challenge to Louisiana Sex Offender Registry May Proceed
Rejecting in part a motion to dismiss by the State of Louisiana, U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman found that a group of individuals who are required to maintain registration as sex offenders upon their conviction under Louisiana's Crime Against Nature by Solicitation Act can sue for a violation of their rights to Equal Protection of the Laws under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The ruling in Doe v. Jindal, 2011 Westlaw 2935042 … <Read More>
100th Anniversary of Mahler’s “Das Lied von der Erde” – Sort of….
Shortly after Gustav Mahler died in 1911, his symphony for voices and orchestra, Das Lied von der Erde, was performed for the first time. To mark the centenary of this momentous occasion, the Orchestra of St. Luke's decided to put on a series of performances. But since this piece calls for a full symphony orchestra and they are but a chamber orchestra, they had the idea of instead using a chamber ensemble drawn from their … <Read More>
“The Debt” – Movie Thriller
I saw The Debt last week, mainly drawn by Helen Mirren, whose work I always enjoy. Not having paid too much attention to the details of reviews, I was surprised to find that she was sharing the role of Rachel with Jessica Chastain. But then, this film is full of surprises. I'll try not to include any plot spoilers here.
This is billed as a "spy thriller" in various movie listings, but it is at … <Read More>
9th Circuit Says Arizona Partner Benefits Should Continue While Lawsuit Proceeds
In a decision that strongly signals the likelihood that Arizona's statute repealing health benefits eligibility for domestic partners of state employees will ultimately be held unconstitutional, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on September 6 against the state's challenge to a preliminary injunction that had been issued by District Judge John W. Sedwick requiring that the benefits continue while the litigation proceeds. Diaz v. Brewer, 2011 Westlaw 3890755.
Tara L. Borelli, a … <Read More>
Opera Omnia’s Presentation of Cavalli’s “Giasone”
On Thursday night I attended the opening night of Opera Omnia's presentation of Francesco Cavalli's opera "Giasone," at Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village. Written to a libretto by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini and premiered in 1649, "Giasone" was reputedly one of the most popular operas of the 17th century. For this production, Opera Omnia General Manager and Artistic Director Wesley Chinn used an English translation by Paul C. Echols and Martin Morell.
Le Poisson Rouge … <Read More>
Nebraska Supreme Court Extends “In Loco Parentis” Doctrine to Same-Sex Co-Parent
The Nebraska Supreme Court has joined the growing list of state courts that have adapted the common law doctrine of "in loco parentis," which has been used to consider parental rights of stepparents and grandparents, to provide a basis for allowing same-sex co-parents to seek to preserve their relationships with children after the end of a relationship with a biological or adoptive parent. Ruling in Latham v. Schwerdtfeger, 282 Neb. 121, 2011 Westlaw 3763776 (August … <Read More>
French Night at Mostly Mozart
Last night I attended a Mostly Mozart concert where the accent was French: the conductor was Jeremie Rhorer, and the piano soloist was Bertrand Chamayou. This was quite a marvelous concert.
First, Maestro Rhorer led the orchestra in Joseph Haydn's Symphony in Eb Major, No. 22, which has been nicknamed "The Philosopher." This is unusual for a Haydn symphony in reversing the usual order of movements, beginning with a slow movement, then a fleet Presto, then … <Read More>
Deported Peruvian Civil Partner Wins New Hope With Appellate Ruling
A unanimous decision by a panel of the Philadelphia-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, issued on August 24, gave new hope to Jair Izquierdo, a gay Peruvian who was deported and separated from his civil union partner last year after the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) upheld an Immigration Judge's decision to deny asylum and a different panel of the 3rd Circuit denied his petition for review.
Izquierdo and his partner of … <Read More>
Charles Busch’s “Olive and the Bitter Herbs” at Primary Stages
I attended the matinee performance on Sunday. Charles Busch's dramatic comedy, "Olive and the Bitter Herbs," takes a familiar stereotype, the elderly Jewish New York City stage & TV actress, and stands it on its head. Marcia Jean Kurtz is fabulous in the lead role of Olive, who manages to antagonize almost everybody she meets, until some determined individuals can break through to establish a human connection. I think that Richard Masur as the father … <Read More>