What's in a name.......?

As Shakespeare wrote - "What's in a name ? A rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet..." This reference alludes to Anna's (Larsson) blog "Madge and Homer"... which was prompted by the many versions of "Samson and Delilah" title that she has encountered in the run up to the presentation of her forthcoming interpretation of "Dalilah" (here we go again....), next month at The Royal Opera, Stockholm. My first instance of the various spellings was when I 'breathed' with singers of the Folkoperan Company, in Stockholm, some years ago. For me it was the publicity banner on the front of the building which boldly declared " Simson Delila " . What's this "Sims on Delila" I giggled ? Well really, I thought it sounded a bit rude - what a prude..... oooops... Seriously though, there's a new series on BBC t.v at the moment -"Maestro" and it's a real gas - (hysterically funny). A group of celebrities, not trained as conductors, learning how to control/direct an orchestra. Lucky they - it's the excellent BBC Concert Orchestra, who couldn't play badly if they tried. How rib tickling it is observing them, making fairly good sense out of the mysterious gestures and grimaces of these 'conductors' - it's such great fun, and so AWFULLY Eeeenglish !!! (Taking the p... out of ourselves is a National sport, don't ya know...?!) One of the participants is called Goldie, because in his youth he had a magnificent head of golden curls. Today he sports a shaven head to fit in with his Pop D.J. image. Unable to read music, and left handed, he is not daunted by the prospect of standing in front of these illustrious musicians and flinging his arms about - maybe bus conducting is his natural genre methinks ....? Mercifully, he is in fact, very musical, and the panel of judges are united in their opinion that he IS a natural music conductor - fascinating. At one of the rehearsals he sported a large black, curly haired wig - a la Gustavo Dudamel, the Mercurial Venezuelan conductor, who scored yet another major triumph with the Gothenberg Symphony Orchestra at a Promenade concert in London last week. Such an inspired evening, featuring Martin Frost, Director of the Vinterfest in Mora, Dalarna, Sweden, a scintillating clarinetist; I've never seen or heard anything like it before , not only playing but dancing - talk about genius, wonderful when a group joins forces, Anna L. was one of the artists in that same festival - life enhancing event.... Interesting how the circles overlap...which leads us back to the beginning of this epistle, with the delectable Dalarna Delila/Delilah/Dalila/ - whatever - yes, the enigmatic Anna Larsson - Megabreather Extraordinaire ..... O.K. I am totally in awe of this lady - is there no end to her talent - not that I've discovered yet..... what a joy .......the nickname her gorgeous, vocally gifted tenor husband Goran has bestowed upon me is 'Simsibimsi' - ain't that greeeaat, I just loooove it . As Noel Cowerd, that unique English wit wrote " I don't care what you call me, as long as you call !" So, 'bye for now - Anna Simsibimsi ....na - na - nana - na... and pleeeease k..p b.......g...