The sound of silence
After reading that ‘‘Christchurch has missed out on more than $100 million because of failed concert bids’’ (May 5), I thought I’d go to a classical concert on Sunday afternoon. I was astonished to find there were four concerts on, two at 2pm and two at 3pm! As I couldn’t decide which one to go to, I stayed home.
How can a small city like Christchurch have so many concerts on the same day? I wonder what audiences were like? Recently I have attended several classical music performances and have been amazed at the inconsiderate behaviour of a few concert goers who cough out loud repetitively during performances without muffling their coughing or getting a drink. I find this behaviour very distracting from a performance and disrespectful to the performers.
Recently Christchurch was treated to a solo piano recital by Raphael Lustchevsky that was so well received that he gave three encores to a thrilled audience. Even in some of the quieter sections of the pieces there was a person who coughed very loud consistently through these sections.
It spoilt the atmosphere and was disrespectful to the performer as well as the rest of the concert-goers. The CSO is paying for a 23 year lease on space in the Town Hall. I imagine this is the sort of arrangement we can expect with the rugby union and other major users once the new covered stadium is built.
But then, I have always had a vivid imagination. I do not often agree with Mark Reason but his article regarding cheats, thugs and referees was right on the mark. The referees must get sick of continual infringements but they seem to lack the courage to adjudicate with yellow and red cards.
Two weeks ago, in the Blues game there were 15 penalties before half time. That’s one every two and a bit minutes. I turned over to the league. Last night in the Hurricanes game there were 11 penalties before half time and three in less than three minutes after half time. The penalties reaped heaps of warnings but no action.
In contrast on Saturday evening the referee just before half time warned the Tigers league team that any more infringing in the 10 metre zone and there would be a yellow card. Three minutes into the second half – bang ! Yellow card. Ten minutes in the sin bin.
Cheating in rugby is ruining the game and it’s time for the refs to toughen up. In view of the pending staff cutbacks at CityCare, residents and ratepayers are entitled to reproach both Christchurch City Council and CityCare management for being ‘‘CityCare-less’’ respecting the challenging situation said company finds itself in (May 7).
If CityCare’s woes are a consequence of corporate topheaviness then, by all means, trimming some of the deadwood at that level is understandable – nay, desirable. However, to cut roading and trucking staff numbers is so short-sighted as to defeat the very purpose of said organisation to the point of making it non-functioning. Surely maintaining the resilience of core services and infrastructure benefiting the community has legitimate precedence over profit-making? In the circumstances, it’s no bad thing to yearn for the good old days when people mattered and one’s rates weren’t frittered away by big-spending councils drawn to grandiose nonessentials. It has often been said that the second most fertile arable land in New Zealand is around Lincoln, and that it is being swallowed by urban sprawl. I was surprised to see no mention of this assertion among the many thoughtful issues raised in Saturday’s lead feature, ‘‘Mill town to boom town’’.