Day Eleven - Ballet Perfection - and a Bird
The clocks went back overnight as NZ inches slowly forward in the battle against Covid-19. Apparently the curve seems to be flattening which is good news. Please, NZers, do not let this news create complacency. Otherwise, we're back to square one.
It rained in the early hours. Alas, I hadn't been able to find a way to watch the virtual Grand National live in those early hours as I had wished. Checked in this morning and saw the finish. Not the same as the real thing of course, but a project with some degree of purpose, and great to see that huge numbers in the UK tuned in to occupy a bit of time.
I bet that no one thought they'd see the day when racing became about the only sport in the whole wide world still happening and viewable!!!
Upon checking what other sports were taking place today around the world - table tennis, football in Nicaragua and an exhibition baseball game in Taiwan!
I've watched only a few hours of TV since lockdown, mostly the news and The Chase, and have been relieved to note that we are no longer being endlessly bombarded with the same old same old tedious ads ... funeral costs, quick finance, specials that aren't at all special, and messages that entice spending on things no one really needs. All of the above designed to make money for them, not necessarily a fabulous future for you as they'd have you believe.
There are still Lotto ads, which equates to gambling and is anything but essential. But I guess the funds leftover from the millions won by lucky punters do go back to the community ...
I have seen ads for pain relief, cleaning products, broadband services, giving to charities, things that might be useful (a head lamp!), Covid announcements and cooking shows that will help you do a better job. Nissan is showing an ad about cars you'll be able to drive again when you can drive again! This is admittedly a more purposeful collection of messages than the nonsense we used to have to endure.
My message ... think twice; think thrice; beware of being conned!
During my beach walk today - it was blustery - I watched a juvenile Southern-black-backed gull grapple with a bird carcass. It was both intriguing and kind of horrible. I videoed what I thought was fantastic footage of this bird in flight trying to move the carcass from high on the foreshore to the water's edge, battling the strong winds and dropping it several times much to his dismay. It was a real mission and looked hilarious. But then I realised, dammit, I didn't have the video on.
Still, here's a short video of the said bird - it's a young gull and one day soon it will become all grown up and change to black and white. There seem to be more gulls flying and crying than previously - a sound that always reminds me of the UK seaside.
Also some photos of today's beach meander. Hardly anyone there, definitely no one in the water - it was pretty rough.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: roast pork
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Ballet Perfection ...
This morning I tuned into the live Facebook stream of the Royal NZ Ballet's production of Hansel & Gretel. Every element of this ballet is outstanding.
This performance was a special and memorable retelling of the Brothers' Grimm classic; the production showcases dance, music, costumes, staging, storytelling and overall creativity to perfection. Exquisite.
Flickering B&W movie nostalgia is done with aplomb as a stage concept in Act One; vibrant cabaret, burlesque, slapstick, mystique and a measure of grotesque Roald Dahl-like quirkiness fills Act Two. Loughlan Prior's choreography is clever and insightful.
I must highlight the music. Composed by Claire Cowan, it is masterful at every level. Hearing every note to every step was effortless; testament to how potent and relevant the music is. It delights and intrigues. It has one on edge, it has one rejoicing. The kitchen percussion makes one smile and is apt beyond description.
The violin solo, played by the wonderful Amalia Hall (during the second pas de deux of the parents) takes your breath away. Exquisite.
This performance of Hansel & Gretel (the filming of a rehearsal) was amazing and up there with the best. I love ballet but don't get along to live performances often enough so it was a real treat to be able to watch this, up close (like a front row seat) from my home on a Sunday morning during lockdown.
I did ballet myself for more than a decade and have seen, through the years, the Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre ballet, the various London ballet companies, Rudolf Nureyev dance Romeo & Juliet in Paris, as well as the NZ Ballet through the years - including, as a young girl, at the long-gone His Majesty's Theatre (built 1901, demolished 1987). Oh how I loved those outings!
Classical, modern, contemporary, cultural, character ... I've always loved all forms of dance and watching this ballet, which is right up there with the best of the best, has reignited my passion for it all over again.
I'd say there will be full houses for the RNZ Ballet going forward, based on this livestream initiative that captivated and converted many. Genius.
In summary: H&G is a story told to perfection in the most creative and memorable of ways; a ballet that will reside in the soul for a very long time.
Next weekend: The ballet production of A Midsummer Night's Dream - tune in through their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/nzballet/ Don't miss it!
I've asked the WOW team if they might livestream some previous WOW shows in similar vein to what RNZ Ballet have done. Hope so!
Meanwhile, if you want to watch a beautiful performance of Swan Lake by the Kirov Ballet, click this link. Superb traditional ballet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rJoB7y6Ncs
And to wrap up: Claire Cowan has also written an evocative composition in three parts - Stark (based on the life of Freda Stark) - which Amalia Hall plays sublimely. Check out the haunting first movement in the link below.
Imagine a ballet based on the life of Freda Stark at the Civic with this music and Loughlan's choreography. I can envisage it now ...
https://www.rnz.co.nz/concert/programmes/musicalive/audio/2018686165/claire-cowan-stark-violin-concerto-1st-movement
https://www.clairesmusic.com/
It rained in the early hours. Alas, I hadn't been able to find a way to watch the virtual Grand National live in those early hours as I had wished. Checked in this morning and saw the finish. Not the same as the real thing of course, but a project with some degree of purpose, and great to see that huge numbers in the UK tuned in to occupy a bit of time.
I bet that no one thought they'd see the day when racing became about the only sport in the whole wide world still happening and viewable!!!
Upon checking what other sports were taking place today around the world - table tennis, football in Nicaragua and an exhibition baseball game in Taiwan!
I've watched only a few hours of TV since lockdown, mostly the news and The Chase, and have been relieved to note that we are no longer being endlessly bombarded with the same old same old tedious ads ... funeral costs, quick finance, specials that aren't at all special, and messages that entice spending on things no one really needs. All of the above designed to make money for them, not necessarily a fabulous future for you as they'd have you believe.
There are still Lotto ads, which equates to gambling and is anything but essential. But I guess the funds leftover from the millions won by lucky punters do go back to the community ...
I have seen ads for pain relief, cleaning products, broadband services, giving to charities, things that might be useful (a head lamp!), Covid announcements and cooking shows that will help you do a better job. Nissan is showing an ad about cars you'll be able to drive again when you can drive again! This is admittedly a more purposeful collection of messages than the nonsense we used to have to endure.
My message ... think twice; think thrice; beware of being conned!
During my beach walk today - it was blustery - I watched a juvenile Southern-black-backed gull grapple with a bird carcass. It was both intriguing and kind of horrible. I videoed what I thought was fantastic footage of this bird in flight trying to move the carcass from high on the foreshore to the water's edge, battling the strong winds and dropping it several times much to his dismay. It was a real mission and looked hilarious. But then I realised, dammit, I didn't have the video on.
Still, here's a short video of the said bird - it's a young gull and one day soon it will become all grown up and change to black and white. There seem to be more gulls flying and crying than previously - a sound that always reminds me of the UK seaside.
Also some photos of today's beach meander. Hardly anyone there, definitely no one in the water - it was pretty rough.
 |
| Omaha Beach Photo of the Day: Juvenile gull at water's edge with carcass. |
 |
| The sand had an extra silky feel about it today - like the softest talc |
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: roast pork
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Ballet Perfection ...
This morning I tuned into the live Facebook stream of the Royal NZ Ballet's production of Hansel & Gretel. Every element of this ballet is outstanding.
This performance was a special and memorable retelling of the Brothers' Grimm classic; the production showcases dance, music, costumes, staging, storytelling and overall creativity to perfection. Exquisite.
Flickering B&W movie nostalgia is done with aplomb as a stage concept in Act One; vibrant cabaret, burlesque, slapstick, mystique and a measure of grotesque Roald Dahl-like quirkiness fills Act Two. Loughlan Prior's choreography is clever and insightful.
I must highlight the music. Composed by Claire Cowan, it is masterful at every level. Hearing every note to every step was effortless; testament to how potent and relevant the music is. It delights and intrigues. It has one on edge, it has one rejoicing. The kitchen percussion makes one smile and is apt beyond description.
The violin solo, played by the wonderful Amalia Hall (during the second pas de deux of the parents) takes your breath away. Exquisite.
This performance of Hansel & Gretel (the filming of a rehearsal) was amazing and up there with the best. I love ballet but don't get along to live performances often enough so it was a real treat to be able to watch this, up close (like a front row seat) from my home on a Sunday morning during lockdown.
I did ballet myself for more than a decade and have seen, through the years, the Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre ballet, the various London ballet companies, Rudolf Nureyev dance Romeo & Juliet in Paris, as well as the NZ Ballet through the years - including, as a young girl, at the long-gone His Majesty's Theatre (built 1901, demolished 1987). Oh how I loved those outings!
Classical, modern, contemporary, cultural, character ... I've always loved all forms of dance and watching this ballet, which is right up there with the best of the best, has reignited my passion for it all over again.
I'd say there will be full houses for the RNZ Ballet going forward, based on this livestream initiative that captivated and converted many. Genius.
In summary: H&G is a story told to perfection in the most creative and memorable of ways; a ballet that will reside in the soul for a very long time.
Next weekend: The ballet production of A Midsummer Night's Dream - tune in through their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/nzballet/ Don't miss it!
I've asked the WOW team if they might livestream some previous WOW shows in similar vein to what RNZ Ballet have done. Hope so!
Meanwhile, if you want to watch a beautiful performance of Swan Lake by the Kirov Ballet, click this link. Superb traditional ballet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rJoB7y6Ncs
And to wrap up: Claire Cowan has also written an evocative composition in three parts - Stark (based on the life of Freda Stark) - which Amalia Hall plays sublimely. Check out the haunting first movement in the link below.
Imagine a ballet based on the life of Freda Stark at the Civic with this music and Loughlan's choreography. I can envisage it now ...
https://www.rnz.co.nz/concert/programmes/musicalive/audio/2018686165/claire-cowan-stark-violin-concerto-1st-movement
https://www.clairesmusic.com/
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