Our much-awaited Christmas and wedding anniversary gift that came in the form of enjoying a night of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Entertainment
This is one musical that I truly enjoyed. The movie “Lion King” was a great movie with songs that made us fall in love, laugh and cry. The musical production gave us that and more. To see the characters come to life and perform in colourful costumes were a sight to behold. At the end of the show, I loved the musical more than the film.
I’m most amazed with the actors because other than act, sing and dance, they also had to control the puppet above their heads. The task wasn’t easy but their movements were graceful, as if they were one with their respective puppets.
My favourite productions were: “Circle of Life” (start of the show), “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”, “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?”
A few photos to remember:
A peak at the orchestra which was located below the stage.
A peak at the orchestra which was located below the stage.
The Husband and I outside Capitol Theatre.
Rafiki in wax, located at the ground floor lobby of Capitol Theatre.
The Lion King will run until 31 August 2014. You can buy tickets via Ticketmaster. If you have time this weekend, check out the website for tickets and see it before it ends.
I grew up watching his films. He’s known for being a brilliant comedian but in all of his films, my favourites were about celebrating life and death: Jack, Patch Adams and What Dreams May Come.
Robin Williams
1951-2014
I don’t have very much time these days so I’ll make it quick. Like my life. You know, as we come to the end of this phase of our life, we find ourselves trying to remember the good times and trying to forget the bad times, and we find ourselves thinking about the future. We start to worry , thinking, “What am I gonna do? Where am I gonna be in ten years?” But I say to you, “Hey, look at me!” Please, don’t worry so much. Because in the end, none of us have very long on this Earth. Life is fleeting. And if you’re ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky when the stars are strung across the velvety night. And when a shooting star streaks through the blackness, turning night into day… make a wish and think of me. Make your life spectacular. I know I did. – Jack
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly without complexities or pride. I love you because I know no other way then this. So close that your hand, on my chest, is my hand. So close, that when you close your eyes, I fall asleep. – Chris Nielsen (What Dreams May Come)
What’s true in our minds is true, whether some people know it or not. – Patch Adams
Death. To die. To expire. To pass on. To perish. To peg out. To push up daisies. To push up posies. To become extinct. Curtains, deceased, Demised, departed And defunct. Dead as a doornail. Dead as a herring. Dead as a mutton. Dead as nits. The last breath. Paying a debt to nature. The big sleep. God’s way of saying, “Slow down.” – Patch Adams
Thank you, Robin Williams, for the gift of laughter and inspiration.
A night of wonderful music by the one and only Idina Menzel and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House. Did I just wrote that in one sentence? Did that happen not too long? Yes. Yes!
It has always been a wish to watch a concert at the Sydney Opera House. I feel very blessed that I was able to experience watching a concert at the Opera House with Idina Menzel as the performer. Another dream come true!
Idina Menzel was the first Elphaba (of the musical WICKED) in Broadway, of which she won a Tony Award. On TV, she was known as Shelby Corcoran, Rachel’s mother in Glee. She has also appeared in a Disney movie entitled, “Enchanted”.
I’ve only seen Idina sing on videos in youtube and Glee. The only recording that I have of her is the OST of Wicked. When I learned that she will have a concert in Sydney, I immediately got tickets so I can watch her. I have always admired her singing voice and I thought that this might be a once in a lifetime chance for me to see her perform live.
She came out on stage in a simple but classic black lace dress. She was barefoot. According to her, she feels free and more grounded when sings with bare feet.
She took our breath away the moment she sang her first song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Her voice was amazing. Her stage presence made us not take our eyes off her. And her humour! She was so funny and spontaneous. Like she was talking to a friend the whole time she was on stage.
I wrote down some of the songs Idina sang that night…in the dark! That’s what you call dedication haha. Here’s a part of her repertoire: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Wizard and I, Don’t Rain On My Parade, Both Sides Now, Let’s Dance, Love For Sale, At The Ballet, What I Did for Love, God Save My Soul, Poker Face (the song she sang in Glee), Take Me For What I Am, Defying Gravity and For Good.
My favourite parts of the evening:
When she sang “The Wizard and I”. One of the songs from WICKED. Even if I will never get to see her play Elphaba, this was good enough for me.
When she sang “What I Did For Love”. A song written by Marvin Hamlisch from the musical “A Chorus Line”, Idina sang the song in tribute to Marvin Hamlisch who was her conductor, orchestrator and close friend. The song is a classic and hearing Idina sing it that night made it more meaningful and sentimental.
When she sang “Let’s Dance”. It was at this point that Idina talked about how she started as a wedding singer. She even danced a few moved which very much entertained us.
When she sang “Poker Face”. In between singing this song, she talked about her hesitation to go into TV and star in Glee as Rachel’s mother. She showed us her funny take on the song which she thought doesn’t really make sense when you carefully listen to the lyrics.
When she sang “Defying Gravity”. The song the character “Elphaba” is known for. To hear the original Elphaba sing my super favourite song in such a powerful voice just made me indescribably happy.
When she sang her finale song “For Good” in acapella. She put down her microphone and sang this song in all its rawness. The whole concert hall in silence and the only voice heard was hers. It was beautiful, it was touching. Singing “For Good” with no music made us feel her sincerity and gratefulness for having performed for us. It was her best gift to us that night.
I was able to buy a Idina’s concert playbill and it came with stories of her achievements and a short interview. The most important question was asked, “Would you ever return to Wicked?” And sadly for now, she doesn’t think she’ll ever do it again.
I watched Idina’s concert with the Husband and two of my dear friends. We all enjoyed it immensely and felt very spoiled for living here in Sydney, having the chance to watch concerts at the Opera House with performers such as Idina Menzel.
Below are videos of her performances in her Barefoot at the Symphony concerts where she sang “Defying Gravity” and “For Good”:
Two things.
We’ve been having chilly mornings in Sydney and the weather has turned me more sentimental than I already am. *Cheesy na nga ako, naging cheesy pa lalo!*
The song “Buko” has been my LSS for days. Songs like these are what I call the modern type of harana. Eto yung tipo ng kanta na simple pero may lambing at madaling awitin. Maaring corny sa iba pero para sa akin, na-appreciate ko na OPM siya.
Naalala ko pa nung nililigawan pa lamang kita
Dadalaw tuwing gabi masilayan lamang ang ‘yong mga ngiti
At Ika’y sasabihan bukas ng alas siyete sa dating tagpuan
Buo ang araw ko marinig ko lang ang mga himig mo
Hindi ko man alam kung nasan ka wala man tayong komunikasyon
Maghihintay sa’yo buong magdamag dahil ikaw ang buhay ko
Kung inaakala mo na ang pag-ibig ko’y magbabago
Itaga mo sa bato dumaan man ang maraming Pasko
Kahit na di mo na abot ang sahig
Kahit na di mo na ‘ko marinig
Ikaw pa rin ang buhay ko
Naalala ko pa nung pinapangarap pa lamang kita
Hahatid, susunduin, kahit mga bituin aking susungkitin
Kung inaakala mo ang pag-ibig ko’y magbabago
Itaga mo sa bato dumaan man ang maraming Pasko
Kahit na di mo na abot ang sahig
Kahit na di mo na ‘ko marinig
Ikaw pa rin ang buhay ko
Araw-araw kitang liligawan, haharanahin ka lagi
Kitang liligawan, haharanahin ka lagi
Kung inaakala mo ang pag-ibig ko’y magbabago
Itaga mo sa bato pumuti man ang mga buhok ko
Kung inaakala mo ang pag-ibig ko’y magbabago
Itaga mo sa bato, dumaan man ang maraming pasko
Kung inaakala mo na ang pag-ibig ko’y magbabago
Itaga mo sa bato, dumaan man ang maraming pasko
Kahit na kumulubot ang balat
Kahit na hirap ka nang dumilat
Kahit na di mo na abot ang sahig
Kahit na di mo na ako marinig
Ikaw pa rin (ikaw pa rin) ang buhay ko