Florence Foster Jenkins

--- By Speranza
----- for the Grice Club

Someone brought this to my attention about yesterday´s opening gala at the Met. You see, this Canadian (we love him), LePage, of "Cirque du Soleil" fame, staged Wagner´s "Das Rheingold". The Financial Times review in London read:

"Mr. Lepage, who was booed at his curtain call, .... "

As it has been pointed to me, he was booed by 25 people at most -- while a few others (the rest -- check the Met´s seating capacity) applauded and cheered.

--- We seem to have a case here of an implicature. But not quite. It resembles, talking musically, but not quite, Grice´s example:

"She produced a series of sounds that corresponded pretty closely to the score of "Home Sweet Home". Not quite, but you get the point.

Incidentally, this is the area of musical reviews. Florence Foster Jenkins, if you´ve heard her, was famous for getting a few reviews in the New York press -- she would perform at Carnegie Hall and other venues -- The Plaza, as I recall having read -- is said to have been given some "back-handed" reviews, or rather, reviews which were, on the surface of it, positive, but not quite. Favourable in a back-handed way, as it is.

----

Anyway, it´s always nice to recall Florence, though!

If you comment, feel free to focus on the FT exact quote, as per above, or beyond. I may provide further context, and a more "relevant" title but you get the gist.

Cheers.