就算我聽的只是一隻CD，她的聲音，她的演繹居然還是那麽可以帶動我的情緒，讓我在腦海中完全可以重組那個畫面，感情完全可以和角色相連。她高興的時候我會笑出來，她悲傷的時候我會掉淚。她對每一字的演繹那麽細膩，唱一句“Close my eyes and l-e-a-p”, 我真的會覺得她在縱身一跳！就是一把聲音，就把故事演出來了。
Wicked - For Good: Behind the Scene Rehearsal (Idina Menzel & Kristin Chenoweth)
看過一個Washington Post的訪問，她說，她覺得自己做得比較出色的地方，不是她著名的廣闊音域，而是她的演繹，她對於音樂、歌詞的感覺的Truthfulness。她最仰慕的前輩，不一定是能唱最高音的，但是他們最能感染觀衆、 觸動他們的靈魂。 ("As much as I appreciate people putting me in the category of these very acrobatic belters, I feel like my strength is my . . . interpretation and my truthfulness with songs, and I don't want young people to think it's all about the high notes that they have to hit. It's about what they're saying and feeling, and a lot of the singers that I am inspired by are not the range-iest singers, but they're the most authentic," says Menzel.)
最近Idina舉行美國巡迴演唱會，在DC一場演出後，一個記者寫了一篇很好的報道：We Love Music: A Date with Idina Menzel & The NSO Pops。我還沒有可以現場看到Idina的運氣，但是單看這篇報道，已經可以感受到演唱會的氣氛是如何震撼人心。這篇報道裏插入了Idina在一個向芭芭拉史翠珊致敬的晚會上的演出，同樣精彩！那是 Lea Michele 在 Glee 裏 Sectional 比賽中也唱過的 Don't Rain on My Parade。Sorry， Lea/Rachel 迷，我必須說，Lea 的表演已經很不錯，但是和 Idina一比，那 theatrical 的戲劇張力又是差天共地了。
而且，說她會寫，並不是說隨便哼哼便算作曲。Idina是一個很有思想的人，她的歌裏，有很多信息要表達。在2004年獲得Tony Award的致謝辭，她說：I'm very honored to be in a show that celebrates women - the inner beauty and strength, and their differences。沒錯，在 Wicked裏，Elphaba某程度上其實是一個 tragic hero，她敢愛敢恨，不慕富貴，有勇氣反抗權勢去爭取公議。因此，就算她是個綠膚女巫，還是獲得男主角和所有觀衆的深愛。很喜歡她強調了這個信息。
但現實生活中，她卻沒有一點像個high power career woman，反而非常溫柔親切，幽默得帶點傻氣。
三十多歲的她，更嬌氣得像個小女生！可以在演唱會中緊張兮兮的牽著裙角問觀衆：Do you like my dress? Oh I love my pretty dress. Do you like it? It's coral, salmon, with orange... Can I sit in my pretty dress (on the floor)? （真的坐了下去）But oh it doesn't go well with the carpet... （又站起來）像個三歲的嬌兒，就是可愛。
每次接受訪問或作現場演出，她也像和朋友聚舊一般，喋喋不休的訴説自己的笑話，每次都讓觀衆捧腹。有些人說，如果 Idina 不唱不演，她也可以做 stand up comedian！她就是那麽風趣。 但是她的笑話可不是設計出來的，總是圍繞她的生活，只是從她嘴裏很率性的娓娓道來，效果就是惹笑。
2007年她第一次上Craig Ferguson的 Late Night Show，一開始她就對主持人說：This is my first talk show ever! You are my virgin... my virgin experience...
主持人一呆，壞壞地笑說：It's been a long time since I'm anyone's virgin experience...
她可愛的側頭又說：I'm very nervous, it's just very hard to be sitting here in this chair and I need to think about how to cross my legs and make my boobs look good...
她仿佛真的有點不自然，雙手不停的撫弄著椅子的靠手，主持問她幹嗎，她居然來一句：（I'm) Making love to the chair... Rule no. 1... Oh it's a nervous habit... The leather feels good... （又傻笑起來）
主持人驚訝的說：Making love to a chair is a nervous habit? Are you on Ecstasy? I'm glad we found you this chair... Do you want to take the chair home?
!!!
Late Night Show with Craig Ferguson (2008) - Pretty funny one
大學時，唸過一科 Thinking Through the Culture of Film，每課就是看電影和做影評。還記得交term paper寫得是"大紅燈籠高高掛"，電影看了5次：一次看故事、一次看對白的用字、一次看顔色、一次看攝影角度和構圖、最後一次重新看看所有元素連起來後的隱喻有沒有看漏什麽。期末paper寫的是 Titanic and a discussion of social inequality，那份paper的手稿還在呢！一如以往，數千字難不倒我，我的挑戰永遠不是最低字數限制，而是最高限制。
一直以來，看過的喜歡的電影、戲劇，就是喜歡分析、喜歡思考、喜歡寫。還記得當時電影如Titanic, Life is Beautiful, Truman Show, Troy 以及較近期的 Everybody's Fine 都曾經讓我想了很多。
當然，像我之前說過，Les Miz 對我的影響最深，是以年計的。近期當然是Wicked，我想，迷上音樂劇，因爲故事配合音樂的感染力更大吧！劇中的音樂可以一直一直停留在腦海裏，一次又一次把你帶回那一幕的情緒。 而且，by the way，中小學年代的我也是曾經參演音樂劇，作過公開演出的。
這麽多年，我知道有WICKED這個音樂劇，零零碎碎的知道這是 Land of Oz的女巫前傳，解釋爲什麽會有 Good Witch of the North, Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked Witch of the East，也大概知道Good Witch of the North和Wicked Witch of the West之所以會反目，是因爲學生年代同時愛上一個男人。
Hands touch, eyes meet, Sudden silence, sudden heat Hearts leap in a giddy world. He could be that boy, But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far, don't lose sight of who you are, Don't remember that rush of joy. He could be that boy, I'm not that girl
Every so often we long to steal, To the land of what might have been, But that doesn't soften the ache we feel When reality sets back in
Blythe smile, lithe limb She who's winsome, She wins him, Gold hair with a gentle curl, That's the girl he chose And heaven knows, I'm not that girl
Don't wish, don't start Wishing only wounds the heart, I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl, There's a girl I know, He loves her so, I'm not that girl.
二人情不自禁擁抱熱吻，Elphaba突然偷笑，Fiyero問她怎麽了。她說：Nothing ... It's just the first time... I feel... wicked... 那麽可愛聰慧的女巫，最Wicked的時候，也不過是對愛情投了降，吻下了本來不屬於自己的愛人。
As long as you're mine是全劇唯一的情歌，不是一般 easy listening sweet soft ballad，沒有看過劇的人可能會覺得這首情歌不是很impressive。但想想，這是一段禁戀，他們在逃亡，所以歌曲有一種很黑暗的undertone。時日無多，壓抑已久的激情，末日前的悲哀。
Dancing through life Skimming the surface Gliding where turf is smooth Life's more painless For the brainless Why think too hard? When it's so soothing
Dancing through life No need to tough it When you can sluff it off as I do Nothing matters But knowing nothing matters It's just life So keep dancing through
Dancing through life Swaying and sweeping And always keeping cool Life is fraught-less When you're thoughtless Those who don't try Never look foolish
Dancing through life Mindless and careless Make sure you're where less Trouble is rife Woes are fleeting Blows are glancing When you're dancing
When I see depressing creatures With unprepossessing features I remind them on their own behalf To think of Celebrated heads of state or Specially great communicators Did they have brains or knowledge? Don't make me laugh!
They were popular! Please - It's all about popular!
It's not about aptitude It's the way you're viewed So it's very shrewd to be Very very popular Like me!
也許不只是拂頭髮的姿勢，但是，popularity is all about perception，也許跟包裝的關係不必真材實料少(if not more)。
ELPHABA Something has changed within me Something is not the same I'm through with playing by the rules Of someone else's game Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep It's time to trust my instincts Close my eyes: and leap!
It's time to try Defying gravity I think I'll try Defying gravity And you can't pull me down! ....
I'm through accepting limits 'Cuz someone says they're so Some things I cannot change But till I try, I'll never know! Too long I've been afraid of Losing love I guess I've lost Well, if that's love It comes at much too high a cost!
I'd sooner buy Defying gravity Kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity And you can't pull me down:
(spoken) Glinda - come with me. Think of what we could do together. (sung) Unlimited Together we're unlimited Together we'll be the greatest team There's ever been
GLINDA
Dreams, the way we planned 'em If we work in tandem:
BOTH There's no fight we cannot win Just you and I Defying gravity With you and I Defying gravity
ELPHABA They'll never bring us down! (spoken) Well? Are you coming?
GLINDA I hope you're happy Now that you're choosing this
ELPHABA (spoken) You too (sung) I hope it brings you bliss
BOTH I really hope you get it And you don't live to regret it I hope you're happy in the end I hope you're happy, my friend ...
這是一首很有力量的歌，内容卻有點悲涼。基本上是一個沒有人愛的弱女被逼到牆角後，終於反抗壓力，不想爲了獲得認同而被腐敗的Wizard 利用，被逼上成爲Wicked Witch of the West之路。 同時，也是兩個年輕女孩第一次面臨前途、友情的取捨，也為Act 2更深的矛盾作出鋪排。
Thank Goodness
這是 Act 2的開場曲。Elphaba失蹤幾年後，Glinda已被Wizard封為 Glinda the Good，成爲一個政治領袖，名成利就，同時宣佈和Fiyero訂婚，女方夢想成真，"couldn't be happier"。男方卻為Elphaba抱不平，厭惡人人抹黑她是女巫，而未婚妻Glinda卻為自己的利益沒有走出來説話，在訂婚的晚上丟下她跑掉。
於是，Glinda逞強地獨撐下去，強顏歡笑，唱了這麽一段：
That's why I couldn't be happier No, I couldn't be happier Though it is, I admit The tiniest bit Unlike I anticipated But I couldn't be happier Simply couldn't be happier (spoken) Well - not "simply": 'Cause getting your dreams It's strange, but it seems A little - well - complicated
There's a kind of a sort of cost There's a couple of things get lost There are bridges you cross You didn't know you crossed Until you've crossed
And if that joy, that thrill Doesn't thrill you like you think it will Still - With this perfect finale The cheers and ballyhoo Who Wouldn't be happier? So I couldn't be happier Because happy is what happens When all your dreams come true
於是，她崩潰了，放棄了，既然No good deed goes unpunished, no act of charity goes unresented，她屈服了。既然世人覺得她是一個Wicked Witch，她就成全世人的期望，不再做好事。
... Fiyero, where are you? Already dead, or bleeding? One more disaster I can add to my Generous supply?
No good deed goes unpunished No act of charity goes unresented No good deed goes unpunished That's my new creed
My road of good intentions Led where such roads always lead No good deed Goes unpunished!
Nessa! Doctor Dillamond! Fiyero! Fiyero!!
One question haunts and hurts Too much, too much to mention: Was I really seeking good Or just seeking attention? Is that all good deeds are When looked at with an ice-cold eye? If that's all good deeds are Maybe that's the reason why
No good deed goes unpunished All helpful urges should be circumvented No good deed goes unpunished
Sure, I meant well - Well, look at what well-meant did: All right, enough - so be it So be it, then:
Let all Oz be agreed I'm wicked through and through Since I can not succeed Fiyero, saving you I promise no good deed Will I attempt to do again Ever again No good deed Will I do again!
GLINDA I've heard it said That people come into our lives for a reason Bringing something we must learn And we are led To those who help us most to grow If we let them And we help them in return Well, I don't know if I believe that's true But I know I'm who I am today Because I knew you
Like a comet pulled from orbit As it passes a sun Like a stream that meets a boulder Halfway through the wood Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you I have been changed for good
ELPHABA It well may be That we will never meet again In this lifetime So let me say before we part So much of me Is made of what I learned from you You'll be with me Like a handprint on my heart And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine By being my friend
Like a ship blown from its mooring By a wind off the sea Like a seed dropped by a skybird In a distant wood Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you
GLINDA Because I knew you
BOTH I have been changed for good
ELPHABA And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness For the things I've done you blame me for
GLINDA But then, I guess we know There's blame to share
BOTH And none of it seems to matter anymore
GLINDA // ELPHABA Like a comet pulled // Like a ship blown From orbit as it // Off it's mooring Passes a sun, like // By a wind off the A stream that meets // Sea, like a seed A boulder, half-way // Dropped by a Through the wood // Bird in the wood
BOTH Who can say if I've been changed for the better? I do believe I have been changed for the better
GLINDA And because I knew you
ELPHABA Because I knew you
BOTH Because I knew you I have been changed for good
在 2003年，WICKED 首演那年已經聞說這個新音樂劇。當然，新劇的票子不好買。同時因爲那時還沒有很多口碑，也沒有特別注意。依稀知道，這是 Wizard of Oz 的前傳，說的是女巫念書年代的故事。當年，我對女巫的印象都是老、醜、壞，她們與蝙蝠、蜘蛛為伴，總是有一個大煲在煮一些不知什麽的怪湯。看過好些現代的新劇，總是有點強差人意。故事沒有一種震撼力，頂多只有一兩首歌算是動聽。所以也不以爲然。
2005-7年，在波士頓念書，當時已經聽過很多關於WICKED的好評，也很有衝動到紐約看。但是總是買不到便宜的票子，或者有朋友想看其他的，如 Hairspray等，結果總是與WICKED有缘無份。我也沒有堅持到自己一個人去買票看。回想起來，當時住得離紐約這麽近，看的劇這麽少，What a shame!!!!! 只看當時沒有收入，沒有考慮以後會Broadway有多難，實在蠢！沒有第二個字好説了。
終於，這次到紐約出差，碰巧小S之前去倫敦看了WICKED，大力推薦，我終於下定決心，不計代價，買了orchestra前面的位置，自己一個人去看。（謝謝小S!!!! This is definitely a highlight of my trip!)
十六年前，第一次看了Les Miserables，異常震撼，當時還在念中學的我，也沒有計較一張票等於我半個月的零用錢，立刻在掏腰包再看了一次。那個故事的餘震持續了多年。之後許多年，看過許多其他劇目，包括四大經典名劇的其餘三齣及很多近代獲獎的大型音樂劇，在沒有找到一齣能與Les Miz相提並論的。雖然很多人喜歡Phantom，但是我總是覺得那只是一個自私的愛情故事，跟 Les Miz的親情、 友情、兄弟之義、 苦戀、相戀、 愛國之情的複雜深層次不能相比。而且，Les Miz的歌曲，每一首獨立聽起來都那麽動人震撼。曾經一度，我可以從頭到尾背部來的。可想而知，我把soundtrack聽了多少次！
整整十六年，我再沒有試過在劇院裏掉眼淚，終於，這次，為綠色女巫Elphaba (Wicked Witch of the West) 痛心地哭了，同時也為Glinda (Good Witch of the North)的選擇感覺到無限寂寞和唏噓。
如果香港是一家有限公司，終日和parent company搞政治，子公司有搞黨派搞内部分化，沒有人好好的坐下來想一想外面的競爭環境、自己的制勝策略。你會投資這家公司嗎？就算幾年後，誰當上CEO也好，但是失去了幾年黃金時間去制定並實踐戰略，就算那個新任CEO曉飛，也只能玩 Catch-up Game 了。
In response to "Fair Assessment--- China is not a Superpower---Not Yet" by Helen Wang (from the US), perhaps you should read the following poem "An Awakening Message" by D.L. Lin (also from the US), dated April 2008.
AN AWAKENING MESSAGE A Poem published by the Washington Post
Duo-Liang Lin, Ph. D.
Professor Emeritus of Physics
University at Buffalo,
State University of New York
Buffalo, New York 14260-1500
Email: DLLIN@buffalo.ed
When we were the Sick Man of Asia , We were called The Yellow Peril.
When we are billed to be the next Superpower, we are called The Threat.
When we closed our doors, you smuggled opium to open markets.
When we embrace Free Trade, You blame us for taking away your jobs.
When we were falling apart, You marched in your troops and wanted your fair share.
When we tried to put the broken pieces back together again, Free Tibet
you screamed, It Was an Invasion! When we tried Communism, you hated us for being Communist.
When we embrace Capitalism, you hate us for being Capitalist.
When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said we abused human rights.
When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your national debts.
When we build our industries, you call us Polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.
When we buy oil, you call it exploitation and genocide.
But when you go to war for oil, you call it liberation.
When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you demanded rules of law.
When we uphold law and order against violence, you call it violating human rights.
When we were silent, you said you wanted us to have free speech.
When we are silent no more, you say we are brainwashed-xenophobics.
Why do you hate us so much, we asked.
No, you answered, we don't hate you.
We don't hate you either,
But, do you understand us?
Of course we do, you said,
We have AFP, CNN and BBC's...
What do you really want from us?
Think hard first, then answer...
Because you only get so many chances.
Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for This One World.
We want One World, One Dream, and Peace on Earth.
This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of us.
************************************
When Japan was economically successful, it was Japan bashing . Now its China bashing when China is getting a bit successful. If you haven't heard of China bashing before, the above poem pretty much summarised it. In the following paragraphs, I'll try to clarify some of the facts and mindsets about China , hoping they can help some people to understand. The West ( US & formerly Europe & Britain) practice hegemony and don't seem to care what the third world feel at all. Third world countries have a right to grow, be strong and be successful too!
Inspite of the last 30 years of advance in city infrastructure and other hardwares, China is still a very poor country of 1.3 billion including a poverty-stricken farming population of 650 million, and a corrupt /backward government. Anyone who have been to China can see that. We in HK are so close to China that we probably know it better than anyone else. But the West blows the whole thing out of proportion, calling China a Superpower, and a threat, which is simply not the case. Author Helen Wang rightly pointed out in her book, saying........ China is in many ways, too backward to qualify as a superpower........it has a long way to go. However what she should realise is that the West is using the rise of a Superpower as a covenient pretext to blame and bash China for their own economic woes and diplomatic failures. Yet business is business. Trade still go on as long as there is a profit.
As far as I can see, China has a lot of catching up to do. China has more internal problems than it can handle. China is more involved in solving its own problems, such as feeding its millions, providing them with jobs, keep the rich/poor gap narrow down , fighting corruption & inflation, and give people a decent living .....etc etc. So far the progress made are stained with blood ,sweat and tears. Every time one uses an INTEL, HP or Apple, there are many parts inside that are made in China 's sweat shops. This is just one example which is all over the news in recent days. Cheap products from China actually kept US inflation down for years! Sounds like a win/win situation. However what does the average worker gets for assembling the IC chips..........a mere US$120/m. They work very hard, but very very sad. I have stories to tell........much later.
Its really a conspiracy of the West to contain China from expansion, just like containing the Soviet Union from expansion in the Cold War days. Why is there a European Union and NATO, SEATO and other alliances? Its the post -WWII Western strategy to contain the two communist giants, a strategy which is still in force today, but rather out-dated, since Russia and China are no longer communists. Why does the US has over one thousand military bases around the world and seven fleets patrolling the seas? ( China has none.) Because the politicians in the West have to justify their governments' expenditure on the military. Because the arms dealers and manufacturers have to lobby the politicians to sell their weapons. Because the Western nations want to perpetuate a Western dominant world. Fair assessment?
200 years ago , after fallen behind the West , China was attacked by Britain first, then plundered, looted, colonised by a league of 8 nations , even conquered by Japan. The next 100 years, China suffered 2 revolutions, 2 World Wars, plus Civil War and internal struggle, China , as a nation , is flatout, downtrodden, and experiencing total collapse . All it wants now is to rebuild a country from its pieces , to give its people food, shelter, clothing , a decent life and restore some dignity to a "sick" nation. What can be more noble and humanistic than that? Many people do think China 's leaders deserve to be awarded a Nobel Peace Price for their contribution to lead a quarter of mankind out of poverty and starvation! President Gorbachev received a Nobel Peace Price for liberating the Soviet Union in 1989, a huge political change for Eastern Europe . I think China 's achievement is more internal, but economical change is just as great if not greater. Why the West are so negative about China ! Fair assessment or not?
What about the arms race? The US and Russia have enough nuclear arsenal to destroy the world ten times over. But China can hardly defend itself against the real Superpowers. China just want to stand on its own two feet, and not being bullied by any other powers. If one should understand the Chinese mindset, our culture of Confucius, Mencius, Laotze, Chuangtze and Buddha, all teaches harmony among men, harmony between men and nature.........what 5000 years of history has taught us that wars and killings will not solve any problems, but will create more problems. Thats why China's leaders kept stressing China's position is not to seek the first strike in any conflict, a sharp contrast to some other country's "pre-emptive trike" mindset. China has not invaded any country in the last 200 years. China has not one soldier combating abroad today. It seems that China may not want to be a Superpower now. Its Economics 101 ......guns or butter? The answer is clear.
Guess I spoke enough.........not in defence or accusation, but to help international understanding.
complainless: (adj.) 1. to be free of complaints 2. a pleasure to be around
Remember... Your words move others. Your words move you. Let yours send everyone in the right direction. Be the spark.
To be ComplainLess...
Be aware. Recognize your typical paths to complaining - what (who) sparks your tendency to gripe. Minimize your exposure to them (eliminating those 'sparks' altogether may not always be realistic or the best thing). Know that your grumbling is a complete waste of energy.
Be thankful. Regularly reflect on all the good in your life (people, opportunities, things). Understand and enjoy how lucky you really are. Be entitled to nothing.
Pause before you begin. Clip a complaint as you feel it coming. Put a smile or thoughtful statement in its path. Blame no one. Blame nothing.
Be accountable. Focus on solving problems rather than having them. Set the example for others and recommit when you slip. Care for yourself and create a positive habit.
Let's lead by example.
If you like the idea, encourage someone else (talk about it, forward this email, tweet or Facebook it). Here's the post...
If you want to talk live, my contact information is below.
Love your people...
Sam
Author of Smile & Move and 212
Sparker@GiveMore.com
804-762-4500 ext. 303
PS... Here''re other ComplainLess quotes I love...
"If you have not slept, or if you have slept, or if you have headache, or sciatica, or leprosy, or thunder-stroke, I beseech you by all angels to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning... Love the day."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
American writer and activist
"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."
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