Farewell

I am overwhelmed with indescribable emotions again, after watching this short video clip of the film that "rocked my world" a long time ago... "霸王別姬" (Farewell My Concubine).

I think I fell in love with Leslie Cheung after watching "Farewell My Concubine," another one of my favourite cinematic treasures and probably the first film I felt so strongly about. My love affair with Chinese opera (both Beijing Opera and Kunqu) also started around that time. Since then I constantly dream of Chinese opera, like a stylised and quiet painting depicting exquisite landscapes decorated with tiny delicate jewels, presenting a mixture of its music, singing, movements, costumes, make-up, lyrics, a kaleidoscope of colours and beautiful narratives.

I still remember going to the cinema with my dad when "Farewell My Concubine" was first released - I was 13. I felt as if I was never going to be the same afterwards, and that I was so filled with something inexplicable that I could not allow anything else to enter my psyche for a while. Perhaps one of the definitions of a truly great film is that it gives the viewer a life-transforming, and sometimes out-of-body, experience.

Below is this beautiful video with Leslie Cheung singing the movie theme song, accompanied by some of the most gorgeous, intoxicating, as well as heartbreaking scenes from the film. I really must re-watch this gem one of these days.

張國榮, 著實地傾國傾城...


Ah, looking at Leslie now just makes me want to cry...

張國榮於霸王別姬片中詮釋名旦程蝶衣演繹白蛇傳之白素貞

Bai Su-Zhen of The Legend of the White Serpent, as interpreted by Leslie Cheung in Farewell My Concubine

 

張國榮於霸王別姬片中詮釋名旦程蝶衣演繹牡丹亭之杜麗娘

Du Li-Niang of The Peony Pavilion, as rendered by Leslie Cheung in Farewell My Concubine

You can see the complete film (at the moment) here.

幽蘭操

《幽蘭操》唐 韓愈

蘭之猗猗，揚揚其香。眾香拱之，幽幽其芳。
不采而佩，於蘭何傷？以日以年，我行四方。
文王夢熊，渭水泱泱。采而佩之，奕奕清芳。
雪霜茂茂，蕾蕾於冬，君子之守，子孫之昌。

~ 出自《全唐詩》

【墨蘭圖】——鄭思肖捲紙本水墨(日)大阪市立美術館藏

此圖以淡墨寫幽蘭一叢，蕭散清逸，風韻自標。無水土雜木，​​簡潔疏朗，高雅不群。畫家於宋亡後作蘭皆不寫土，人問何故，答日：“土為蕃人所奪，汝尚不知耶?”拳拳愛國之情，於此可見。

鄭思肖(1241 ～1318)，字億翁，號所南，連江(今屬福建)人。宋末曾以太學生應博學鴻詞試，授和靖書院山長。宋亡後，隱居平江(今江蘇蘇州)。坐臥必向南，誓不與北人交往，因號所南。擅畫墨蘭，兼工墨竹。畫蘭根不著土，以寄故國之思。

釋義

　　蘭花開時，在遠處仍能聞到它的幽幽清香；如果人們不去採摘蘭花卻好像它仍然佩戴在身上，對蘭花本身有什麽損傷呢？今日的變故,並非我的過錯。我常年行走四方，看到隆冬嚴寒時，荠麥卻正開始茂盛地生長，一派生機盎然，既然荠麥能無畏寒冬，那麽不利的環境對我又有什麽影響呢？一個君子是能處于不利的環境而保持他的志向和德行操守的啊。 

賞析

　　深谷幽蘭，清芳自足，甘于淡漠，正是象徵著一個人不管是做學問還是要成就事業，都要能夠承受寂寞和忍受別人的不理解，用達觀、平和的心境去面對風雨人生。然而，這並不只是某種孤芳自賞的清高，而是因爲學習君子之道的過程本身就是快樂和充實的。

　　【序釋】

　　蘭，在中國文化中，是“入我門中，能諫我心之草”是先祖留給後人的無字天書。

　　孔子酷愛蘭花，有“蘭為王者香”之語。此言含義一是蘭香為香中之王，一株好的蘭花開放的時候，整個山谷聞不到別的花香，這是蘭香香芬豐富的生物學特性。二是，蘭只為王者而香。蘭隱於幽深的山谷中，不開花時，與群草無異，只有王者，才能認識蘭所蘊含的思想價值，從而去深山中尋訪。

　　蘭獨特的生物學特性還有“春化”，就是蘭要經歷一個長期的低溫期(0℃-10℃)才能順利開花，保證花品和香品。野生的蘭花，秋天孕育花蕾，經歷整個冬天的休眠，第二年春天才開花，春分前後花期結束。

　　【總釋】

　　本詞分為上中下三闕。

　　上闕，中心是蘭香是王者之香。

　　譯文：蘭花的葉子，長長的，在風中搖曳，優雅而飄逸;蘭香，在風中升騰，向四方飄揚。蘭香所及之處，所有花香都黯淡無味，並成為蘭香的一部分，眾多的花香拱衛著蘭香，蘭花的芬芳，遠而不淡，近而不濃，幽幽的從中心向八方輸布。蘭是香中之王，如果沒有人認識到而不去采摘佩戴他，對蘭花而言，又有什麼妨害呢。

　　中闕，中心是蘭只為王者而香。
　　譯文：一天接一天，一年接一年，東南西北，四方都走遍，我雖然像香蘭一樣，不以無人而不芳，不過我也在積極地尋找實現自身社會價值的機會。周文王夜夢飛熊入帳，渭水之畔訪遇太公望(姜子牙，因周文王有“興周之業，先祖早寄希望於太公也”之說，故名太公望)，從而奠定周朝八百年基業，這是多麼讓人嚮往的啊。蘭一旦被王者采摘佩戴，定會讓其清雅的芬芳和其間蘊含的思想如日月般光耀。

　　下闋，中心是蘭歷苦寒而成其香。

　　譯文：雪霜鋪天蓋地，樹冠上厚厚的一層，雖是冬天，但看起來萬物都像更加茂盛了一樣。嚴寒中，蘭的花蕾，靜靜的孕育和等待，在忍耐中積累。蘭之所以有王者之香，是因為在寒冬中孕育了花蕾，如果人們能明白這是君子應該遵守的道理和法則，那麼後世子孫必定昌盛。

古琴曲《幽蘭操》又稱《猗蘭操》。“猗”字在古漢語中有四種解釋：一是歎詞，表示贊美，如《詩經·周頌·潛》“猗與漆沮”（漆、沮是河流名）；二是句末語氣詞，如《詩經·魏風·伐檀》“河水清且漣猗！”；三是通“倚”字，依靠，如《詩經·衛風·淇奧》“猗重較兮”（重較是古代卿士乘坐的車子）；四是柔順的樣子，如《史記·司馬相如傳》“猗柅從風”（猗柅又寫作“旖旎”）。 “操”，指琴曲名及演奏方法，如《箕子操》、《龜山操》。

原文

　　習習谷風，以陰以雨。之子于歸，遠送于野。

　　何彼蒼天，不得其所。逍遙九州，無所定處。

　　世人暗蔽，不知賢者。年紀逝邁，一身將老。

　　傷不逢時，寄蘭作操。

出處

　　樂府詩集（郭茂倩編）卷五十八 琴曲歌辭二

相傳爲孔子所作。

蔡邕（蔡文姬之父）在《琴操》中說：“《猗蘭操》者，孔子所作也。”“孔子歷聘諸侯，諸侯莫能任。自衛反魯，過隱谷之中，見香蘭獨茂，喟然歎曰，夫蘭爲王者香，今乃獨茂；與衆草爲伍，譬猶賢者不逢時，與鄙夫爲倫也。”“乃止車，援琴鼓之雲：習習谷風，以陰以雨；之子于歸，遠送于野；何彼蒼天，不得其所！逍遙九州，無所定處；時人諳蔽，不知賢者；年紀逝邁，一身將老！自傷不逢時，托辭于香蘭雲。”

　　《古今樂錄》曰：“孔子自衛反魯，見香蘭而作此歌。”
　　《琴集》曰：“《幽蘭操》，孔子所作也。”

　　古詩《幽蘭操》，是精擅琴藝的孔聖人自感生未逢時的絕世作品。唐代著名詩人韓愈曾作同名作品，以唱和孔子。《幽蘭操》只有短短的六十四個字，卻韻味十足，清冽之中隱含冷豔。汲取了史詩與英雄傳說的浩渺氣質，帶著蘭花冷漠的美豔，但又說著人生的變動和永恒。

A Frozen Kiss under Beethoven's Moonlight

All of a sudden, out of the blue, I decided to look up the Russian figure skating husband-and-wife team Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, whom I discovered and loved years ago when I was in middle school. I found quite a few video clips of their beautiful 1993/1994 long programme (entitled 'Moonlight Sonata') set to Beethoven's Sonatas Moonlight and Pathétique. Back then it instantly caught my eyes. I fell in love with this unique performance and the very special couple, around the same time I encountered rhythmic gymnast Maria Petrova's beauty, soul and artistry (I have written a post on Maria Petrova before - Silk and Steel). For me, the aura, simplicity, harmony and elegance in their performance, are what distinguish them as artists in the field of competitive sports.




Long program (Moonlight Sonata) 1993-94
Choreography: Marina Zueva
Music: Beethoven's Sonatas: "Pathetique" No.8 and "Moonlight" No.14 (Adagio & Allegretto)
Performances:
Skate Canada (Ottawa) 1993
Russian Championships (Saint Petersburg) 1994
European Championships (Copenhagen Denmark) 1994
XVII Winter Olympics (Lillehammer Norway) 1994

*Read more about Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov here.

黃眞伊之詩: Poetry of Hwang Jin-Yi

冬至漫長夜

截取冬之夜半強， 春風被裡屈幡倉。 有燈無月郎來夕， 曲曲鋪舒寸寸長。

“ 我要把這漫長冬至夜的三更剪下，
輕輕捲起來放在溫香如春風的被下，
等到我愛人回來那夜一寸寸將它攤開。”

— 陳黎 譯

青山裡的碧溪水

青山裡碧溪水， 莫誇易移去， 一到滄海不復還。 明月滿空山， 暫休且去若何？

“ 青山裡的碧溪水啊不要誇耀你的輕快，
一旦流到滄海你將永遠無法再回來，
明月滿空山何不留在這兒與我歇息片刻。”

— 陳黎 譯

時調中的「碧溪水」指的是黃真伊一位筆名為「碧溪守」的李朝宗室友人，在韓文中水與守同音，「明月」又是黃真伊的妓名，此詩寫於與碧溪守於窄橋上相遇，詩中具有挑逗的情意。

“동짓달 기나긴 밤을...”

동짓달 기나긴 밤을 한 허리를 버혀 내어
춘풍 니불 아래 서리서리 넣었다가
어론님 오신 날 밤이어든 굽이굽이 펴리라

Oh that I might capture the essence of this deep midwinter night
And fold it softly into the waft of a spring-moon quilt,
Then fondly uncoil it the night my beloved returns.


“청산리 벽계수(靑山裏 碧溪水)야...” 

靑山裏碧溪水 (청산리벽계수)
莫誇易移去 (막과이이거)
一到滄海不復還 (일도창해부복환)
明月滿空山 (명월만공산)
暫休且去奈何 (잠휴차거나하)

청산리 벽계수(靑山裏 碧溪水)야 수이 감을 자랑 마라.
일도창해(一到滄海)하면 다시 오기 어려우니
명월(明月)이 만공산(滿空山)할 제 쉬어간들 어떠리.

Respectable Byuk Kye-Soo, do not boast of leaving so early.
When you venture out to the sea, it will be difficult to return.
The full bright moon above the empty mountain, how about staying here to rest.

(*Two sijo attributed to Hwang, translated by Larry Gross, via)

About Hwang Jini (Hwang Jin-Yi)...


黃真伊（諺文：황진이，朝鮮漢字：黃眞伊，約1506年－1544年），朝鮮王朝‎時期女詩人，亦是一位著名的妓生（藝妓），京畿道開城人，別名真娘，妓名明月（명월），父親是黃進士，母親金氏（一說為盲妓生陳玄琴）為黃進士之妾，因此她是庶女。為松都三絕之一絕（另二絕為松都景點朴淵瀑布、理學家徐敬德）。

十六世紀是韓國文學的黃金時代，而黃真伊是當中最出色的詩人，擅寫時調。其詩作的風格委婉含蓄，以描寫愛情為主，有人認為其詩作風格像十七世紀善用曲喻的英國玄學詩派。她的詩作是現今韓國中學課本的教材。

古時記載黃真伊才貌出眾，使她很快成為著名的妓生，獲文人雅士垂青。相傳她在十六歲時與一個地方官的兒子和在成年後與一個王室宗親相戀，可是依照當時的從母法，她繼承了母親的賤民身份，不能作士大夫和貴族的妻子，致使這兩段戀情最終不能開花結果。


Hwang Jin-i (1520c.-1560c.), also known by her gisaeng name Myeongwol (literally bright moon), is one of the most famous gisaeng of the Joseon Dynasty who lived during the reign of King Jungjong. She was noted for her exceptional beauty, charming quick wit, and extraordinary intellect. Her personal life has become almost myth-like, having inspired movies, a 2006 TV series, operas, and numerous novels. Due to her renowned assertive and independent nature, she has become a modern popular cultural icon of Korea.

Although only a handful of sijo and geomungo pieces exist today, they nonetheless show skilled craftsmanship of words and of musical arrangement. Her sijo often describe the natural beauty of Gaeseong and its famous sites such the palace of Manwoldae and the Pakyon Falls. Others hint at the tragedy of her lost loves. Some are also responses to numerous famous classic Chinese poems and literature, the majority of them reflecting on lost love.

(中文資料轉載自; English text & information via)

Wie lange noch?

Wie lange noch? - the song (and ballet) that made me fall in love with Kurt Weill's music. I later discovered Teresa Stratas' album "The Unknown Kurt Weill" whilst searching for Wie lange noch? and enjoyed her interpretation as well as many other Weill songs...


‎I will confess there was a night when I willingly gave myself to you.
You took me and drove me out of my mind.
I believed that I could not live without you.
You promised me blue skies, and I cared for you like my own father. 
You tormented me -- you tore me apart. 
I would have put the world at your feet!
Look at me.
When will the day come that I will be able to tell you: it's over.
When that day comes... I dread it. How much longer? How long?

I believed you. I was in a daze from all your talk and your promises.
I did whatever you wanted.
Wherever you wanted to go, I was willing to follow.
You promised me blue skies, and I -- Ah! I didn't even dare to cry.
But you have broken your word and your vows.
I have been silent and tortured myself.
Look at me!
When will the day come that I will be able to tell you: it's over.
When that day comes -- I dread it.
How much longer?
How long?

Author: Weill, translations via.


*About Wie lange noch?

Kurt Weill’s “Wie Lange Noch,” with an enigmatic text by his fellow German-Jewish emigré Walter Mehring, was written for broadcast behind enemy lines on Radio Free Europe during the Second World War. Reworking a tune he had set previously to a French text, in“Wie Lange Noch,” Weill speaks of lost trust and the betrayal of a man who had promised and inspired a nation with dreams of hope in the guise of a torch song. The sparse opening begins with a painfully beautiful duet between Julie Baumgartel (violin) and Paul Pulford (cello), which is marked by starkness and quiet desperation. With the change in tonality from minor to major, a sense of light and hope glimmers in the distant future. The accordion here becomes musical portrayal of a sorrowful memory while the intensity of this text explodes in the questioning of time, as Mehring desperately asks: Wie lange noch—how much longer. The underlying meaning of the words cannot possibly have been lost on Germans listening to this song in 1944.

{info from Radioindy.com}

Listen to a beautiful rendition of this song by L'Accordéoniste here...

Kurt Weill at the piano, Dessau, 1916.

Ballet choreographed by Krzysztof Pastor (director of the Polish National Ballet) and set to Kurt Weill's Wie lange noch?

Margot's Princess Aurora

I am in love... Such a Princess Aurora simply does not exist in the ballet world nowadays. Wish I could see Dame Margot Fonteyn dancing The Sleeping Beauty on stage. And this DVD (if it is released as one at all) is a must-find/must-have for me!

Margot Fonteyn as Aurora in Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty, choreographed by Marius Petipa at Covent Garden theatre, photo Houston Rogers. London, England, c.1960 {via V&A}

Margot Fonteyn's tutu from Act I of The Sleeping Beauty 1946, designed by Oliver Messel

© ROH Collections {via}

Costume for Princess Aurora in Act l of 'The Sleeping Beauty'

worn by Margot Fonteyn

Designed by Oliver Messel

The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London

1960

Museum no. S.301 - 2001 {via V&A}

Left: Coppelia costume (1954). Right: The Sleeping Beauty costume (1946)

© ROH Collections {via}

"How to put something so visual, so potent with theatrical moment that even film cannot capture it, into plain words? How to explain why it is that when, to a particular strain of music, an ordinary mortal steps forward on one leg, raises the other behind her and lifts her arms above her head, the angels hold their breath?"

(from the prologue of Margot Fonteyn, by Meredith Daneman)

*See also here for Margot's Entrance of Aurora & Rose Adagio...