MPO - Swan Lake

Friday 16^th Nov 2007 8.30pm

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
Carl Davis conductor
Tchaikovsky Swan Lake (Op.20)

Prima ballerina - How many times I’ve looked at a picture like this and wished that that was me?

Or even this, to suddenly arouse a longing to be part of ballet?

At a tender age of 6, I told Dad that I want to take up ballet. I cannot recall what sparked the interest in me at that age. I only remember that it was me who wanted it.

The first day in ballet class, I had no ballet slippers yet so I had on my stockings and I was ready to start in the clothes I was in. There were many other little girls there, appropriately dressed for class – the thighs, the leotards, the slippers, the hair in a bun. I took it all in. The room was not big. It had polished wood floors, one wall full mirror and opposite it, a tinted glass wall looking out to the streets below. But I never looked out. The feeling that I had at that very moment, the feeling that this is where I want to be, I can remember it so well even after almost 25 years has passed from that very first day.

Ballet - my first love.



When I bought tickets online for this MPO presentation, I thought that it was just going to be the scores from Swan Lake.

Turned out they have this big screen at the front and showed a recording of Swan Lake. BALLET! Watching ballet on big screen, I could hardly keep myself from jumping out of my skin! I was thrilled!! Surprises like this are most welcome anytime!

Apparently this is the 3^rd installment of such a show i.e. MPO plays the scores while the big screen displays the play the scores are for. The previous ones were Nutcracker and erm, can’t remember what the other was.

The moment the film showed the curtain opening and there stood the ballerinas, I was lost! I totally lost the plot. It’s not about listening to the orchestra anymore. I was engrossed, entranced by the spectacular dancing of the Bolshoi Ballet ensemble…. And brought back to reality by the occasional coughing and sneezing of the audiences!

The elegance of ballet and the beauty, the strength and yet the gentleness, the precision of execution of the steps, the expression through it, the lines, the footwork, the extension of the arms and legs, the pointe shoes, the pirouettes, the grande jete, the movements, so light yet strong, so free yet controlled, everything about it…

I was afraid to blink lest I miss any part of it. Some of it was so beautiful and perfect that I think I had a brain freeze! You know, your eyes take it in but the emotions that it brought was so overwhelming that your body feels numb, in a state of disbelief. And your eyes just keep taking it in…

God, I love ballet!

… Oh yeah, by the way, the orchestra was good.

Saturday 17^th Nov 2007

I finally gave my Semalam album a break from spinning non-stop since I bought it. Put on Westlife’s Allow Us To Be Frank CD which I just bought.

After allowing it to play for maybe three times over, favourite song so far -

Smile (Music: Charles Chaplin, Lyrics: Geoffrey Parsons & John Turner)

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrows
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through
For you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear maybe ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

Then, suddenly I had the urge to listen to Buble next. Now I’m stuck with
Lost (Michael Buble/ Jann Arden/ Alan Chang)

I can't believe it's over
I watched the whole thing fall
And I never saw the writing that was on the wall
If I'd only knew
The days were slipping past
That the good things never last
That you were crying

Summer turned to winter
And the snow, it turned to rain
And the rain turned into tears upon your face
I hardly recognized the girl you are today
And God I hope it's not too late
It's not too late

Cuz you are not alone
I'm always there with you
And we'll get lost together
Till the light comes pouring through
When you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe you're not lost
When your world’s crashing down
And you can't bear the thought
I said, babe you're not lost

Life can show no mercy
It can tear your soul apart
It can make you feel like you've gone crazy
But you're not

Though things have seemed to changed
There's one thing that's still the same
In my heart you have remained
And we can fly fly fly away

Cuz you are not alone
And I am there with you
And we'll get lost together
Till the light comes pouring through
When you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe you're not lost
When the world’s crashing down
And you can not bear to crawl
I said, baby you're not lost

I said, baby you're not lost
I said, baby you're not lost
I said, baby you're not lost

Evening: Zombie shopping at Mid Valley. Soooo sleepy… But got a dress none the less!!.. Hahaha…