Dana, will there be a recording? Will there be video?

Damn, I am so jealous I can barely type! How fantastic an opportunity this is. Singing in well-trained, demanding chorus was always a huge ride for me. And this music...well, enjoy the hell out of it twice--once for me!

(I have a ticket for October.) (I got it in April.)

(Geek.) (But at least we have time to think up costumes.)

(I have a ticket for October.) (I got it in April.)

And you decided not to tell anyone else about this until just now?

That is SO cool. We have tickets for the performance here in Seattle that Howard Shore is conducting, and I can't wait.

When and where, Jilli?

It's So Freaking Cool, Dana! You rock. It rocks. It's a whole lava field of rock.

Dana, you're in Houston, right?

Where and when is this performance? Dare I hope it's not completely sold out already?

Elessar update:

Now that I've tracked down the source (it's in the "History of Galadriel and Celeborn" section of Unfinished Tales), it appears that the story is a little more complicated than I outlined earlier. The Elessar was not created by Feanor; instead, the "original" stone was created in Gondolin in the First Age to capture the clear light of the sun, but it was green to represent leaves of growing trees. One tradition states that it was an Elf named Enerdhil that forged the Elessar, and another claims that Celebrimbor (who later guided the forging of the Rings of Power (save the One)) forged it. This fragment of story mentioned in Tales is the only known mention of Enerdhil. In any case, the stone was said to have healing powers and it passed on to Idril before the fall of Gondolin, and thence to Earendil and passed over the sea.

So how did Galadriel get the stone? Again, 2 stories are told. One has Olorin (Gandalf) giving the original stone to Galadriel when he appeared in Middle Earth around 1100 in the Third Age, so that she could use it to have trees and grass that do not die. Gandalf did say that she only had temporary custody of the stone until one came along to receive it. The second story has Celebrimbor forging a second Elessar in the Third Age, as a token of his affection for Galadriel. Celebrimbor could do this because he was either present at the creation of the first Elessar by Enerdhil, or he himself had created the orginal. In any of the traditions, Galadriel passed the stone to her daughter Celebrian, thence to Arwen, who gave it to Aragorn.

So all in all, no real relation to the Silmarils at all.

Dana -- that is just so exciting!!!

I am so very jealous even though I cannot carry a tune.

Thanks, Jeff! I wouldn't even be sure where to begin looking up a question like that.

Dana, do you get to keep your music?

Here is the an updated list of LotR concerts (nabbed from Howard Shore's website):

• 5/26 - Phoenix Symphony - Alexander Mikelthwate, conductor
• 6/3-5 - Atlanta Symphony (4 concerts!)
• 6/17-19 - Sydney Symphony
• 7/1-2 - Houston Symphony - Alexander Mikelthwate, conductor
• 7/13 - Philadelphia Orchestra
• 7/15-17 - Seattle Symphony
• 7/22-23 - National Arts Center Orchestra - John Mauceri, conductor
• 7/29-31 - Pittsburgh Symphony
• 9/18-19 - Hartford Symphony
• 9/21 - Hollywood Bowl Orchestra - John Mauceri, conductor
• 9/22 - London Philharmonic Orchestra - Royal Albert Hall

The website has links to places to get tickets.