The newly mended PC goes back to the estate agency this morning without that duff HP printer. I've hacked at it for a couple of hours now, but the ink flood appears to have done for the electronics inside. I loan them my old Epson for the time being and promise to spend another hour on the HP, but I don't hold out much hope. We'll see, but very soon my attempted repair bill will exceed the cost of a new machine.
And then back on down to have another look at those duff Macs from yesterday. Unfortunately there's a massive strike on of various groups including France Telecom and transport workers in France today, so getting online proves very difficult. Whether it's because the FT strikers have pulled a plug or because everyone's teleworking, I can't tell. The end result is the same.
I do work out that the Palm Desktop software from the iMac won't work on the iBook - the former has Mac OS 9.1, the latter 9.2 and Palm changed the software between the two versions. Of course, Macs are easier to use and never go wrong so this is clearly me being stupid. Not.
Back home this afternoon and then on out tonight to see the final opera of the season, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at the Opéra Comédie in Montpellier.
We get there a tad early so step over to Café Posh for a swift half. Unfortunately, this being the Midi, the word 'Swift' applies only to certain birds and we have to give up waiting for our Kir and Badoit after 15 minutes or we'll be late for the opera.
Where we have to run the gauntlet of hundreds of shouting, screaming and whistle-blowing protestors. Apparently they're applauding us for supporting live performances, but they're actually very, very intimidating and frightening. One chap insists on blowing a whistle directly into my ear and, when I politely ask him to refrain, carries on regardless and tells me that this is how to make himself heard. Right.
Finally inside, before the curtain goes up the Comédie's technical and administrative staff read out a statement: today, the French government has announced 5% cuts for Arts funding - despite one M. Chirac having promised specifically not to do just this when he was a mere candidate for the presidency. This may mean that many theatres will end up closing, and tonight's performance could be the last we get to see. These people's jobs are on the line, clearly they deserve our support and the idiot down in the posh seats who shouts 'Get off' is rightly booed down.
But equally the idiots outside who gave no indication of why they were apparently mocking everyone going in need better ways to get their message across. Then when, at half time, they blockade the entrance and make it impossible to step outside the building - well, way to go to get this opera-goer on your side, thanks for imprisoning me. And at the end of the performance the protesters lie down in the Opera foyer and force us to walk through them in single-file - well, you've all lost me there I'm afraid. We head out the back through the fire escape, along with many hundreds more they've annoyed. Idiots.
Still. The opera itself is absolutely fantastic, a classic. Le Nozze di Figaro was one of the very first CDs I bought around 20 years ago, and I must have listened to it hundreds of times since. But this is the first time I've seen it performed live, and very good it is too.
It works well as a farce, but one with some of the best tunes ever written anywhere by anyone. Ever. Just fantastic arias, and good acting and another brilliant set make this a great climax to the 2002-3 season.