On May 15, 2012, Jansy wrote: In a controversial article by Penny McCarthy* we find a very elaborate answer that connects Sirin,Phoenix and Firebird.

Thank you for the information about Penny McCarthy's article. I haven't read it yet, but I found this abstract:

This article argues that an important feature of Vladimir Nabokov's Ada or Ardor, is its evocation of Sidney's romance Arcadia and sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella. Ada is an Arcadian tale which is overtly long in the "Ardis" section of the book, which relates the idyllic, Edenic love of the two charmed protagonists Van and Ada Veen. Particular echoes and general thematic resonance are investigated, and found to be too pervasive to be coincidental. Reasons are offered, why Nabokov might have been secretive about such an ancestry.

What particularly caught my eye is the reference to "why Nabokov might have been secretive about such an ancestry" with its echo of Professor Taruskin's study of Stravinsky in which he "analyzes the historical trends that caused Stravinsky not to be forthcoming about some of these borrowings [i.e. slavic & folkloric]." [Wikipedia article on Taruskin]

Rather awkward wording with the quotes, but I hope comprehensible. So it would seem that while VN wishes to promote his slavic roots and hide his more cosmopolitan branches, the opposite is true of Stravinsky. Much too much here to be addressed without more digging into Taruskin and McCarthy.

Now what anagram is lurking behind V. Cantaboff I wonder! I solved one Adan (Ada-ish?) riddle today and will send the post to our editress for distribution - I think I can take the rest of the evening off.

C Kuninoff