Year 2007 is full of sweet memories, fun and happy moments... - Music recital in April; - Helena's visit to Hong Kong; - Visit to Canada to meet new born Kezia;
- Father baptised in July; - Meeting with Stephanie, Dina, Kieran and Stuart;
- Travel to Sabah, cruise trip to Xiamen, wonderful dinner in Vietnam, scorpian dinner in Beijing and spicy TuFu pudding in Cheng Du, bla, bla, bla...
Let me freeze all these wonderful moments and don't let them slip away with time....
Get up now Get up now Get up out of bed Wash your face Brush your teeth Comb your sleepyhead Here's your clothes and your shoes Hear the words I said Get up now! Get up and make your bed Are you hot? Are you cold? Are you wearing that? Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at? Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat Don't forget! You gotta feed the cat Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it's the most important meal of all Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play Don't shovel Chew slowly But hurry The bus is here Be careful Come back here Did you wash behind your ears? Play outside, don't play rough, will you just play fair? Be polite, make a friend, don't forget to share Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare Get along! Don't make me come down there Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day? Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay? Can you even hear a word I say? Answer the phone! Get off the phone! Don't sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table No more computer time tonight! Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home? Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam You'll appreciate my wisdom someday when you're older and you're grown Can't wait till you have a couple little children of your own You'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me Close your mouth when you chew, would appreciate Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate Use your fork, do not burp or I'll set you straight Eat the food I put upon your plate Get an A, get the door, don't get smart with me Get a grip, get in here, I'll count to three Get a job, get a life, get a PHD Get a dose of, "I don't care who started it! You're grounded until you're 36" Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven's sake And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too? If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before That you're too old to act this way It must be your father's DNA Look at me when I am talking Stand up straighter when you walk A place for everything and everything must be in place Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about Oh! Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs on Get in bed, get up here, say a prayer with mom Don't forget, I love you And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never ends You don't need the reason why Because, because, because, because I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so I'm the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!! Ta da!!!
明天我將起程前住越南胡志明市吃喝玩樂一番, 突然想起多年前看過的這套有關越戰的音樂劇.其實自己很怕看悲劇, 但因看了Les Miserable, 太喜歡Schonberg 的作品, 所以也看了這套劇. 其中故事大綱太像意大利歌劇"蝴蝶夫人"了, 令我感到少了一份新鮮感, 但戲味卻較蝴蝶夫人濃烈許多.西貢小姐 西貢小姐是一部由克勞德-米歇爾·勛伯格(Claude-Michel Schonberg )與阿蘭·鮑伯利(Alain Boublil)共同創作的音樂劇。它講述的故事背景是20世紀70年代的西貢，一個越南女子與一位美國海軍的悲慘愛情故事。 Miss Saigon Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr. It represented Schönberg and Boublil's second major success, following Les Misérables in 1980. The Plot The setting of the plot is relocated to the 1970s Saigon during the Vietnam War, it tells a tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Vietnam woman abandoned by her American lover. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Saigon) In the muscial, there is a duet that I love very much - 'I Still Believe'. It shows both women (Kim - Vietnam wife and Ellen - American wife) are deeply in love with Chris. When they both sung the last words 'I'm yours for life, until we die...', I felt really heartbreaking when I first saw this musical. Let's enjoy it again in the video clip found in U-tube ... I Still Believe KIM: (The Vietnam wife Chris left behind during the war) Last night I watched him sleeping, my body pressed to him. And then he started speaking. The name I heard him speak was Kim... Yes, I know that this was years ago, but when moonlight fills my room I know you are here, still.
I still- I still believe you will return. I know you will. My heart against all odds holds still. Yes, still, I still believe. I know as long as I can keep believing, I'll live. I'll live, love cannot die. You will return, you will return, and I alone know why...
ELLEN: (The new American wife after Chris returned from the war) Last night I watched you sleeping. Once more the nightmare came. I heard you cry out something, a word that sounded like a name. And it hurts me more than I can bear knowing part of you I'll never share, never know.
But still- I still believe the time will come when nothing keeps us apart. My heart forever more holds still.
It's all over I'm here, there is nothing to fear! Chris, what's haunting you? Won't you let me inside what you so want to hide. I need you too!
KIM: ELLEN: For still- I will hold you all night I will make it all right! I still believe You are safe with me! As long as I But I wish you would tell what you don't want to tell, can keep believing I'll live! what you hell must be I'll live, You can sleep now. you will return.(Kim) You can cry now.(Ellen) And I know why(Kim) I'm your wife now(Ellen) I'm yours for life
It's been a long time since Stuart left the office. It's great to find he hasn't changed much in these few years. Of course, I have reserved the 'B&B' in Stuart's house when I visit England! Ten years after 1997, all the expartriates in the office have gone. It's always memorable for those days which we have people came from difference parts of the world and have great sharing of different cultures.
看後也感到這是一個很好的製作. 這是2005年在Salzburg Festival 中的演出,
除了兩位主角非常出色外, 我也很喜歡它的舞台設計和表達方法.
尤其在第二幕開始, 傳統表達方法只有男主角出場, 因他有數首獨唱曲目, 述說Violetta如何洗盡鉛華, 跟他在鄉村過着快樂的生活. 然而這套DVD卻突破了傳統的表達方式,
Alfredo在唱這段開場的曲目時,
正與Violetta在追逐及捉迷藏,
充份地感到他們快樂的生活. 茶花女（La traviata）是由Giuseppe Verdi
(朱塞佩·威爾第)作曲, 改編自小仲馬於1848年出版的小說《茶花女》（The Lady of the Camellias，La dame aux Camélias）的四幕歌劇。
Complete opera with German sub-title found in youtube:
In youtube, there is a video clip on 'Sempre libera' which is the last aria
in act 1. After Violetta turns Alfredo down, she is deeply touched by
his love. Then when she is alone, she reflects. She is tired of her hectic
life, and although she knows that dreams of love are nonsense, she recalls
her wishes to find such love. She tries to throw off these fond wishes
(Sempre libera "always free"), but at the end of Act One Alfredo's voice floats back to her and she
accepts his love at last.
Sempre libera
Sempre libera
degg'io
Free as air, I love to flit and flutter on Folleggiar di gioia in
gioia,
from pleasure to pleasure. Vo' che scorra il viver
mio
Till my life is one long mad and merry Pei sentieri del
piacer, circle
of delight, Nasca il giorno, o il giorno muoia, And as each day
succeeds to the other, Sempre lieta ne'
ritrovi
fresh excitement is my lode star/ A diletti sempre
nuovi
The enjoyment of the moment must Dee volare il mio
pensier.
put care and sorrow to flight. 製作中這段"長腿"演譯. 在製作特諿中了解這段是第二幕開場時Alfredo在唱這段開場的曲目時, 編導巧妙地加插兩人與Violetta在追逐及捉迷藏,
充份地感到他們快樂的生活片段, 觀眾完全沒留意Violetta是完全靜默的.
這是一篇準備了很久但總未能完成的網誌, 現趁着網友Wing快要到美國繼續鑽研造琴的藝術, 自己也逸強趕快完成這篇網誌給他作鼓勵及臨別禮物. 未認識Wing之前, 當威廉嚷着要親手造一個小提琴自己撣奏時, 總覺得很浪漫. 直至閱讀了Wing在學習上的血汗與辛勞, 造琴的藝術確實需要很堅定的信念, 和對提琴那種無比的熱情. 所以, 如果有一天我會將這篇網誌的題目從"The Romance of Violin Making" 改為 "The Passion of Violin Making", 也許那是時候由得威廉學造琴, 追尋自己的夢想了. 祝願Wing能帶着那無比的熱情追尋自己的夢! 不要忘記您的目標 "用手造12部violin 、viola 或cello 出來。因為是榮耀神的12使徒............." 我們會在網誌中支持你呀!!! In fact, I've also found some useful websites which have violin making kits and links to guide books. Well, I'm sure they are just for "romance", not good enough for those with "passion".... 1. Violin making kits: http://www.hober.com/violin-making-kit.html 2. It says it provides a virtual violin making school: http://www.oriscus.com/mi/making.asp 3. Construction of violin http://www.centrum.is/hansi/construction.html 4. Another violin making lecture and kit website: http://www.violin-world.com/sound/lecone.html I've also included the second movement of Winter in Four Seasons by Vivaldi (performed by Itzhak Perlman) to celebrate your coming 'White Christmas' in US.
Aïda I went to watch 'Aïda' tonight. Aïda is not my most favourite opera, I love Rigoletto most, but surely you can enjoy the grandest production in Aida. In early days, they've even got cows and elephants in the victory grand march scene in Act II. Story: Aïda, an Ethiopian princess, is captured and brought into slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharoh. To complicate the story further, Radames is loved by the Pharaoh's daughter Amneris, although he does not return the feeling. Tragically both Aida and Radames died in the vault below the Temple of Vulcan. The DVD I've got at home casted Domingo as Radames in 1989.
In Youtube, I've found a 1984's production casted Pavarotti as Radames.
The video clip recorded the beautiful aria 'Celeste Aïda". Let's enjoy Pavarotti's wonderful voice again...
Celeste Aïda, Radamès's aria from Aïda
Celeste Aïda, forma divina, Heavenly Aida, divine shape,
Mistico serto di luce e fior, mystic garland of light and flowers,
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina, you are queen of my thoughts,
Tu di mia vita sei lo splendor. you are the splendour of my life
Il tuo bel cielo vorrei ridarti, I would like to give you your sky back,
Le dolci brezze del patrio suol : the sweet breeze of the fatherland:
Un regal serto sul crin posarti, to put a regal garland on your heart
Ergerti un trono vicino al sol, to build up a throne for you next to the sun
Celeste Aïda, forma divina, Heavenly Aida, divine shape,
Mistico raggio di luce e fior, mystic ray of light and flowers,
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina, you are queen of my thoughts,
Tu di mia vita sei lo splendor. you are the splendour of my life
Il tuo bel cielo vorrei ridarti, I would like to give you your sky back,
Le dolci brezze del patrio suol : the sweet breeze of the fatherland:
Un regal serto sul crin posarti, to put a regal garland on your heart
Ergerti un trono vicino al sol, to build up a throne for you next to the sun
