Optical Identity: T'ang Quartet and Theatre Cryptic

I just came back from a Singapore Arts Festival performance by the T'ang Quartet called "Optical Identity". This was a contemporary classical music performance. I'm not really a big fan - in fact I've only attended one other contemporary classical performance (see review here). What is supposed to make this concert different is T'ang's tie up with Theatre Cryptic: this is supposed to be "visual music"; a more multi-media type experience with lights, staging and other effects thrown in. Promising?

Well, I was rather worried that it would be frightfully pretentious. And, when the curtain rose to display the performers sitting with their backs to the audience, I feared (to be honest) the worst. I could not see what they were wearing clearly, but it appeared to be white pyjamas. Later on in the performance they started walking around and we could see that they were wearing what looked like jackets with the sleeves cut out, or rather white sleeveless vests in addition to their white trousers. No shirts. But at that moment, what we saw were four dark thrones arranged in a semi-circle with their backs to the audience. The backs of each throne were shaped such that they looked rather like rocks. There was also a shape cut out of the back so we could get sight of the performers. The effect was of musicians sitting in a cavern whilst we the observers watched them play.

They played their first piece, White Man Sleeps by Kevin Volans, in this position. I enjoyed the piece - in fact it was my favourite of the evening. The first dance started off with a rather rhythmic sound, continued in the second dance with the cello setting the pace for the movement. The lighting effects were not particularly interesting in this session. This changed somewhat during the third dance, where a green shaft of light hit the back of one of the thrones. Instead of a cavern, the musicians sat in a forest glade and the pizzicato of the strings brought to mind falling drops of water. I had to admit that the multi-media elements certainly added to the musical experience.

But the second piece was somewhat less impressive. I much preferred the third piece, whereby the musicians on the stage were joined by their images projected on a huge screen behind them. It was quite interesting to see huge images of the bow moving across the violin strings behind the performers. It got even more interesting when the image expanded to show the musician as well... and revealed that the vest was off! Camera started showing (at all angles) the movement of the brawny arms and muscular backs as the violinist played. But this was a major distraction. I put it to you : four musicians on stage, clad in white vests and trousers, vs images of bare breasted musicians at work in the background - where do you think everyone's eyes will be? And as for the music... frankly that just didn't register.

Far less distracting was the next segment, when this man in black starts walking around the stage with a video camera capturing the musicians as they performed and projecting this on the screen "live". I actually quite enjoyed this, as the musicians entered into a sort of musical face-off, two against two. Unfortunately the music was somewhat discordant so I was reminded of two sets of cats snarling and hissing at each other. (No doubt, due to the many such episodes taking place in my house every day).

In brief: a very different classical performance, which I would certainly say is more memorable than most. But I am a little afraid that the effects outshone the music at times, rather than enhanced it.

The complete programme for Optical Identity:

• String Quartet No. 1: White Man Sleeps, by Kevin Volans
• Phonotype I (Parts I-IV), by Rolf Wallin
• Mugam Sayagi, by Franghiz Ali-Zadeh
• Phonotype I (Part V), by Rolf Wallin
• Manual Override, by Joby Talbot

Proud as an Albino Peacock

Albino Peacocks
Originally uploaded by Taking5

Today, I received the following message in my Flickr mail:

Dear Sir/Madam

My name is Olivia and I am writing on behalf of Atlantic Books. We are in the process of putting together a hardback book entitled "Cooler Faster More Expensive, The Return of the Sloane Ranger", which Atlantic Books will be publishing in October of this year. You may remember "The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook", which sold over one million copies in the 1980s and was written by Peter York and Anne Barr, well "The Return of the Sloane Ranger" is also by Peter York, and is co-written by Olivia Stewart-Liberty. It is a witty and cutting-edge guide to Britain’s largest, most powerful, most invisible tribe: the new upper classes.

In "Cooler, Faster, More Expensive", Peter York ('The Nancy Mitford of our time') and Olivia Stewart Liberty give the
essential account of the current Sloane renaissance and reveal emerging breeds of a subtle and powerful social network. From Chav Sloanes and Party Sloanes to Eco Sloanes and Turbo Sloanes, English society will never look quite the same again.

The book is made up of text, illustrations, tables and photographs which reflect this powerful social group. We are currently collecting images and wondered if you might supply us with some, free of charge, for inclusion in this trend-setting book and you would of course be credited and sent a copy of the book, should we use your picture of an albino peacock, numbered 302764907. Permission for usage would include the right to use the image in the promotion of the book (e.g. if a newspaper decides to review the book and asks to run your image in conjunction with the review then your image would be reproduced in that newspaper in conjunction with the review).

We greatly appreciate any help you could give us.

Best wishes

Olivia

Olivia Hunt
Editorial Assistant
Atlantic Books

To which I replied, in essence, "but of course". Being a rather cautious person, I did wonder what the catch is. And why this particular photo has been selected. Surely it is not the most perfect peacock photo on Flickr. But then I googled the Sloane Rangers handbook and find out that yes, it is indeed being updated - as this report from the Daily Mail indicates. So yes, let's go for it, no such thing as bad publicity and why do I care if mine is not the best albino peacock photo ever, its the one selected!

Am flattered, excited and (let me admit it) more than a little chuffed. Am I on my way to a new, second career?

Writer's Block

I admit I have not been posting too much on this blog in recent days. But my writer's block refers not to the lack of posts. Rather, it refers to my sheer inability to get out the first paragraph of the chapter I'm writing for a book. So picture me, sitting here, next to my window with its pleasant view of a green quadrangle surrounded by white colonial buildings. A tall, lofty old tree casts its cool shadow over one corner of the quadrangle. Its branches sway in the breeze. Every now and then a bird calls. It is very pleasant, yes, but unfortunately it does not provide sufficient inspiration for me to break the block.

So, I thought I would turn to this blog because the only way to cure writer's block is to write.... anything! Is it working? Perhaps if I continue a little more...

I met a former colleague yesterday and she disclosed that she too has started a blog! Of course, she is still filled with the enthusiasm of a new blogger and is posting regularly (unlike yours truly). But it was pleasant to swap anecdotes of our blogging experience and stories of other people we know who blog. I think we were both startled to find out about the other's guilty little secret... but why should it be a guilty secret? Alas, in our case it is probably because of the prevailing work culture in our organisation. Time should be spent working and not reflecting, on "productive pursuits" instead of sitting, watching the world go by and writing about it.

Sigh. With that, it is probably about time to return to my chapter. Am not sure whether the block will re-emerge once again, but one must make the attempt....

Shakespeare in Fort Canning Park

Went to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Singapore Repertory Theatre yesterday in Fort Canning Park. The acting was pretty good. And, given the outdoor setting in the park, it should have been a magical performance. Somehow, that didn't quite happen. Perhaps it was because there were lighting towers in the middle of the park area, blocking the view of the set.

In fact, the set started off with a small stage at the bottom of the field and extends into a grid shaped walkway in the middle of the field and for those who are not fortunate enough to get into the middle of the grid, the view of the stage at the bottom of the field and parts of the grid are obscured by the lighting towers. I thought if we arrived at about 6.30pm it should be ok, of course both of us were late and it was already pretty crowded when we got in at 6.50pm. So we sat at the top left of the field (facing the stage). From there, it was not so easy to work out what was going on at the bottom of the field or on the right side of the field.

Costumes were also pretty odd. I never really got the concept. I don't like fairies with white long blouses ending with mini skirts and knee-length tights underneath. Lysander walked around in what looked like a whirling dervish costume. What gives? By contrast, Hermia wore knee-length shorts (like a little Swiss girl?) for her jaunt through the park. The best part of her costume was her backpack with the teddy bear tied at the back.

But as I said earlier, the acting was good. Oberon and Titania, the two sets of lovers were well played; Bottom was absolutely brilliantly funny and utterly believable as a man who didn't know he had an ass' head (but still walked like an ass!). The enactment of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe also took on an exotic, Asian theme, with Thisbe dressed in a cheongsam and the lion looking as though he had just finished work at an event down at the nearest community centre.

All in all, an enjoyable evening even though I am not quite sure about the rapturous reviews given for the performance.

My Cat has Fleas

Today is a big day in the lives of our two young male cats. It is the day on which we ensure they never become men :-) We have been preparing them for this day since the middle of the week, when we set out the cat carriers (well, one is a cat carrier and the other is a plastic basket with the lid fastened on with twisties) in the downstairs loo. Trust their curious little natures, they wandered into the carriers to investigate them thoroughly. Then last night, we locked them into the loo and stopped their food and drink. It is a cruel business - they do not understand why their formerly indulgent and loving owners are not feeding them. But it is the pre-op drill.

This morning, we let them wander unrestrained around the kitchen and for the first time, around the living room. The living room is Casey's territory. We have been finding it difficult to get her accustomed to the little cats and she has been showing signs of definitely psychotic behaviour - more of that later. So they wandered around the place, looking (I think) for food. Then, when the time came, I put them into their cat carriers. Unfortunately Winky showed signs of anxiety so I opened the top hatch of the carrier to reassure him. That was a mistake, as after that Winky found out how to push the hatch open. He was still small enough to squeeze through and I had to catch him and put him in all over again (this time taping the the hatch shut). Then, Minks (or Dinkie as my mother calls him) started making the mournful mew. Sigh.

My parents took the kits off to the vet and I started cleaning up the mess they made of the downstairs loo. We had put their normal litter tray inside but unfortunately when someone did his thing, he missed the tray. I don't think I need to say more. I'd finished cleaning and mopping both the loo and kitchen floor when my parents returned with the dreadful news: both little cats had fleas, and lice too!!! After we have been bathing them (irregularly) and de-worming them and all. I have not seen fleas on them but perhaps they were really small. My mother gave the run-down on their general health: Minks is overweight, and one ear is dirty; Winks is generally in good health. Aside from the lice and fleas, of course.

Anyway, the rest of the morning was spent sunning their baskets and the bathroom rugs, and in washing their sleeping mats in boiling water. We also sunned and aired Casey's bed whilst we were about it. Well, at least she is unlikely to have been close enough to the kittens to have caught fleas from them.

Pick-up time: 4.30pm.



P.S. Here is a picture of the boys after their return from the vet --->

Swedish meatballs: Visit to Ikea Tampines

I had been wanting to visit the new Ikea at Tampines for some time. I like Ikea - the way they combine practicality with modern design, the bright and fun colours in the kid's section and the whole shopping experience in general. But somehow it was difficult to find a time when my mother (the one who has the Ikea Friends card) and I both felt like visiting the new Ikea.

That is, until today. Finally! We drove down the TPE and there, just at Exit 5, was the familiar bright yellow "IKEA" sign against the blue background. The car park was large, with lots of available lots (at least when we got there) and best of all, it was FOC! The cafe was likewise large, and (in stark contrast to the Alexandra Road store) had places to sit. We got our Swedish meatballs and the herring platter (we got into herring when visiting Scandinavia) and tucked in.

After lunch we wandered through the many room displays. My cousin says that she gets lost in Ikea's maze, but I have never really had major problems. I sometimes wish I could redesign my house, whenever I see the knacky storage/organising solutions which Ikea comes up with. Sigh, some decisions are unfortunately irreversible. Moving downstairs, we swapped our Ikea shopping bag for a trolley and proceeded to fill it up - a computer lapdesk, candle holders, a new iron pot (which can be used on an induction cooker), tea lights, new file holders, a new toy for our cats (incidentally we found the pet section, which we'd never seen before!), a new plant pot etc etc. Finally we picked up a mini-console for my new office from the open shelving area. Although the place was crowded, there was sufficient circulation space which enabled us to move around, unlike the old Ikea which would have been packed with customers on a Saturday afternoon. And I finally understood the Ikea model of combining warehouse with retail space. The cavernous space was filled with row upon row of high shelving.

We spent about 3.5 hours in Ikea, we could have easily spent longer there. I suppose what I like best about Ikea is their attention paid to the customer experience - just like the way they design their furniture, it is the details which matter. There were special little trolleys in the cafe which carry many small trays of food just in case your single tray isn't enough. There is a trolley park next to the cafe, and pegs to hang your Ikea bag on whilst you eat, or go to the loo. The little note sheets, the pencils and tape measures for customer use are also very helpful for those people who (unlike my dear mother) go shopping for furniture without bringing a tape measure along. And it's this attention paid to customer needs which keeps bringing people back.

Visit to the Middle East: A Tale of Two Cities

So how would I sum up my very first visit to the Middle East? I can only say, that it was a visit to two cities which are very different in nature and character.

If Dubai were a company, it would be Richard Branson's Virgin Group. It is audacious and innovative in the projects they are implementing. Besides the highly publicised "The World", ie the islands being reclaimed in the form of the world, there is also the famous 7-Star Hotel, The Sail, and the ski slope in the middle of the Mall of the Emirates. Yes, a ski slope in the middle of the desert! The people here say that, any thing is possible. They believe it because they have seen it happen.

Doha, on the other hand, is like a stable MNC making considered, deliberate moves, one step at a time. Perhaps it is like Shell? It is also growing, but at a less frentic rate than Dubai. And it is more planned in nature. They are also (I think) aiming to fill a different niche than Dubai. Instead of a ski slope, they are building a Museum of Islamic Art. The other big difference is that Qatar has large resources of LNG whilst Dubai does not. So they can afford to take the time to plan, and have a longer lead time to see investments in their economy bear fruit. Dubai, on the other hand, has had to diversify quickly.

So which city will eventually grow faster, or become the shining city of the Middle East, the entrepreneur or the strategic planner? That's something only time will tell. Inshallah, both will prosper, grow and contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.