ICONOCLAST HEDONIST
Yes Wulf is being pretentious again.
I had gone to see 'The Ring of Nibelung' cycle opera 'Sigfried' (the third one). An acquintice of mine (CG.) has acquired by stealth or by wealth some tickets to a rebroadcast of the show. Allow me to explain the ticketing situation to the Ring Cycle. Yes there are some tickets to be had. The acquisition of the said tickets includes one or possibly two of the following techniques;
a) obscene amount of disposable personal income.
b) violence, untimely death, and the disposal of persons remains.
I had intended to go to see the 'Ring Cycle' French production in SA when it was first produced in 1998. This was done as a kind of sweetener after SA lost its F1 Grand Prix (Due to an incredible example of bueraucratic bungling). The idea beeing that Wagner always intended to hold the opera as a 'small city festival'.
Well, yes, most emphatically this noble idea has been well thought out by our glorious leaders. Though as far as Wulf can see, the interpretation of 'folksy small city festival' is translated to banners along King William Street and a number of invitation only, black tie functions for the people who can afford the $2400 A grade seats to the opera.
Did I mention the $2400 A grade tickets? Unless of course you would like to slum it in the Syberian seats at $600. Still, Wulf was prepared to live on dogfood and roadkill for a couple of months just to polish some of those rough edges off my persona (having broken a couple of industrial strength grinders in the process).
Though the opera I attended was only an opera 'Retransmission', a la-de-dah way of saying 'Lets watch the grand final on the wall projector I sneaked out from work, and oh, no you can't talk and you can't drink booze either'. It was nevertheless enjoyable. Now, let me think about the appropriatness of the word enjoyable in describing 'Sigfried'...ummm... enjoyable in the same way that one feels after your root canal session at the dentist has just finished. Thank the lord above that it is over!
An all SA production, minimalistic stage set design, apparently after all the expensive overseas producers and consultants were paid, there was not enouch money for some cardboard and paint. Modernistic costumes (ie:Wotan with bionocs) added to the sense of confusion. 'When is this meant to be happening? Legendary? Yes, here is your bus ticket, STFU.'. photo shamelessly ripped off SMH (c) Sue Adler.
No, seriously, this opera is in a dire need of a hollywood script make over.
Here is an example of the script from Act II, where Wotan meets Albrecht.
Wotan: I have balls.
Abrecht: You have balls?
Wotan: Yes I have balls.
Abrecht: Balls?
Wotan: Balls.
Abrecht: You have you balls you say?
Wotan: I do say, I have balls!
Abrecht: Balls!
Wotan: Balls.
Abrecht: Balls.
Wotan: ...BALLS!
Abrecht: You do indeed have balls.
And so ad infinitum, ad mortem defecata!
Or as a teenager of today would succintly sum it up, GAY!
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! HAVE MERCY!
The script sucks. And blows. At the same time!
The entire show could have easily been retold in 3 hours instead of 17, still maintaining all of the character development and all the 'inside' numbers that the Wagnerian afficionados (sad, sheltered, compulsive obsesives of germanic descent with a closet affection for Mr.Hitler and trains running on time, with apologies to all the Wagnerian afficionados who are not, all 2 of you).
During the meal break (an indictment in itself, an opera with a bloody DINNER BREAK in the middle ffs?!) CG sighted this noir street scene. The empty table of the feast of my soul... my veins are emptying into the hot tub as I watch this cheerful scene.
Nevertheles, a good time was had by Wulf, appearances notwithstanding.
BUT WAIT... THERE IS MORE!
Friday after work drinkies Wulf and CH. had met to see 'Hero' a Zhang Yimou movie (he of the 'Crouching Tiger, hidden dragon'. CH. is a big fan of CTHD and after seeing the shorts for HERO, I needed to see it too with someone who was into the artform. Especially since CH. is an art grad and thus highly attuned to the nuances of art. CH. is one of my old casual acquintices who looks like becoming another one of my platonic friends (the Curse of Wulfs)[shrug].
Review in a word?
AWESOME.
Zhang Yimou, is a master of poetic camerawork, colors, movement and emotions blend in one continuous brushstroke marking the rice paper canvas of the plot. The ink turns and twists like the arabesque of chinese character at the same time keeping us speech less at its exotic beauty.
The movie, though not spectacularly successful, is a triumph lasting as long as it has in the mainstream cinemas, considering its a foreign movie. Certainly not the product placement/moralistic tales for the plebians that Hollywood insists on calling entertainment.
Magic. This still photo does no justice to the continuous, enchanting, moving experience that is HERO
The only criticism, and that is solely looking at it from the individual-centric worldview of the Western mind is the propaganda aspect of the movie which becomes compelingly clear towards the end. Something the Chinese may not even see as bad, indeed, I am sure they believe it is very right.
Five stars out of Five on the Wulf scale.
I had gone to see 'The Ring of Nibelung' cycle opera 'Sigfried' (the third one). An acquintice of mine (CG.) has acquired by stealth or by wealth some tickets to a rebroadcast of the show. Allow me to explain the ticketing situation to the Ring Cycle. Yes there are some tickets to be had. The acquisition of the said tickets includes one or possibly two of the following techniques;
a) obscene amount of disposable personal income.
b) violence, untimely death, and the disposal of persons remains.
I had intended to go to see the 'Ring Cycle' French production in SA when it was first produced in 1998. This was done as a kind of sweetener after SA lost its F1 Grand Prix (Due to an incredible example of bueraucratic bungling). The idea beeing that Wagner always intended to hold the opera as a 'small city festival'.
Well, yes, most emphatically this noble idea has been well thought out by our glorious leaders. Though as far as Wulf can see, the interpretation of 'folksy small city festival' is translated to banners along King William Street and a number of invitation only, black tie functions for the people who can afford the $2400 A grade seats to the opera.
Did I mention the $2400 A grade tickets? Unless of course you would like to slum it in the Syberian seats at $600. Still, Wulf was prepared to live on dogfood and roadkill for a couple of months just to polish some of those rough edges off my persona (having broken a couple of industrial strength grinders in the process).
Though the opera I attended was only an opera 'Retransmission', a la-de-dah way of saying 'Lets watch the grand final on the wall projector I sneaked out from work, and oh, no you can't talk and you can't drink booze either'. It was nevertheless enjoyable. Now, let me think about the appropriatness of the word enjoyable in describing 'Sigfried'...ummm... enjoyable in the same way that one feels after your root canal session at the dentist has just finished. Thank the lord above that it is over!
An all SA production, minimalistic stage set design, apparently after all the expensive overseas producers and consultants were paid, there was not enouch money for some cardboard and paint. Modernistic costumes (ie:Wotan with bionocs) added to the sense of confusion. 'When is this meant to be happening? Legendary? Yes, here is your bus ticket, STFU.'. photo shamelessly ripped off SMH (c) Sue Adler.
No, seriously, this opera is in a dire need of a hollywood script make over.
Here is an example of the script from Act II, where Wotan meets Albrecht.
Wotan: I have balls.
Abrecht: You have balls?
Wotan: Yes I have balls.
Abrecht: Balls?
Wotan: Balls.
Abrecht: You have you balls you say?
Wotan: I do say, I have balls!
Abrecht: Balls!
Wotan: Balls.
Abrecht: Balls.
Wotan: ...BALLS!
Abrecht: You do indeed have balls.
And so ad infinitum, ad mortem defecata!
Or as a teenager of today would succintly sum it up, GAY!
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! HAVE MERCY!
The script sucks. And blows. At the same time!
The entire show could have easily been retold in 3 hours instead of 17, still maintaining all of the character development and all the 'inside' numbers that the Wagnerian afficionados (sad, sheltered, compulsive obsesives of germanic descent with a closet affection for Mr.Hitler and trains running on time, with apologies to all the Wagnerian afficionados who are not, all 2 of you).
During the meal break (an indictment in itself, an opera with a bloody DINNER BREAK in the middle ffs?!) CG sighted this noir street scene. The empty table of the feast of my soul... my veins are emptying into the hot tub as I watch this cheerful scene.
Nevertheles, a good time was had by Wulf, appearances notwithstanding.
BUT WAIT... THERE IS MORE!
Friday after work drinkies Wulf and CH. had met to see 'Hero' a Zhang Yimou movie (he of the 'Crouching Tiger, hidden dragon'. CH. is a big fan of CTHD and after seeing the shorts for HERO, I needed to see it too with someone who was into the artform. Especially since CH. is an art grad and thus highly attuned to the nuances of art. CH. is one of my old casual acquintices who looks like becoming another one of my platonic friends (the Curse of Wulfs)[shrug].
Review in a word?
AWESOME.
Zhang Yimou, is a master of poetic camerawork, colors, movement and emotions blend in one continuous brushstroke marking the rice paper canvas of the plot. The ink turns and twists like the arabesque of chinese character at the same time keeping us speech less at its exotic beauty.
The movie, though not spectacularly successful, is a triumph lasting as long as it has in the mainstream cinemas, considering its a foreign movie. Certainly not the product placement/moralistic tales for the plebians that Hollywood insists on calling entertainment.
Magic. This still photo does no justice to the continuous, enchanting, moving experience that is HERO
The only criticism, and that is solely looking at it from the individual-centric worldview of the Western mind is the propaganda aspect of the movie which becomes compelingly clear towards the end. Something the Chinese may not even see as bad, indeed, I am sure they believe it is very right.
Five stars out of Five on the Wulf scale.
posted by Wulfy | 4:47 PM
2 Comments:
Your eyeprint intrigues me. You look gorgeous.
I am gorgeous. Phone number thnx :D
But seriously, there are reasons my eye is the only bit of me posted;
1) Its the only bit of me that is reasonably attractive (and that I can post without violating the stringent SA obscenity laws :) )
2) So that my enemies won't photoshop my head onto the body of a goat fornicating with a dolphin.
3) Its pretentious enough (ala art photography) to appeal to my warped tastes.
PS. Thanks for your comment kind stranger.
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