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Loved and lost
Apr. 16th, 2013 01:59 amA lot of death seems to be happening right now. I am in particular mourning for two.
My dear Liana passed away last night. (Of all the ways to learn this, I am kind of glad it was via![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nanashi_jones, whom I met in her company the same evening I met her. We danced, we three.)
This is a 2008 drawing of hers; her style evolved considerably since then, but I think it says all that needs saying right now:
...well, actually. Here's one more. She called it "And The Stars Go With You," in memory of her aunt who signed her name with a star. I don't think she'd be displeased with it as an In Memoriam.
My friend Robert Presley, who died terribly suddenly last week at 55, grew up in Alabama. Every word he spoke, every filthy laugh, every ounce of attitude he evinced displayed the sheer goddamn bullheaded strength of character it took to grow up gay in Alabama in the '70s. He took no bullshit, tolerated no idiocy, and was funny as all hell.
He was an incredible singer, and I wish there were YouTube footage to link to. I saw him sing Gianni Schicchi and Wagner's Alberich-- he was hands-down the best Alberich I've ever heard, with the voice and the acting and the high notes and everything. He was also a great interpreter of Verdi. What I will miss most are the post-show conversations-- the bitchery and laughter and sheer loveliness of the man. I was looking forward to seeing him again, and so were many of the finer singers I know.
The world has lost two people who greatly adorned it by the lives they led. It feels terribly wrong that they are gone. The art Liana had yet to make, and the music Robert had yet to sing, are a bitter loss.
I don't have the composure yet for eloquent farewells. I just really wish they weren't gone.
My dear Liana passed away last night. (Of all the ways to learn this, I am kind of glad it was via
nanashi_jones, whom I met in her company the same evening I met her. We danced, we three.)This is a 2008 drawing of hers; her style evolved considerably since then, but I think it says all that needs saying right now:
...well, actually. Here's one more. She called it "And The Stars Go With You," in memory of her aunt who signed her name with a star. I don't think she'd be displeased with it as an In Memoriam.
My friend Robert Presley, who died terribly suddenly last week at 55, grew up in Alabama. Every word he spoke, every filthy laugh, every ounce of attitude he evinced displayed the sheer goddamn bullheaded strength of character it took to grow up gay in Alabama in the '70s. He took no bullshit, tolerated no idiocy, and was funny as all hell.
He was an incredible singer, and I wish there were YouTube footage to link to. I saw him sing Gianni Schicchi and Wagner's Alberich-- he was hands-down the best Alberich I've ever heard, with the voice and the acting and the high notes and everything. He was also a great interpreter of Verdi. What I will miss most are the post-show conversations-- the bitchery and laughter and sheer loveliness of the man. I was looking forward to seeing him again, and so were many of the finer singers I know.
The world has lost two people who greatly adorned it by the lives they led. It feels terribly wrong that they are gone. The art Liana had yet to make, and the music Robert had yet to sing, are a bitter loss.
I don't have the composure yet for eloquent farewells. I just really wish they weren't gone.