Showing posts with label arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arts. Show all posts
Mica Bernas presents her dazzling choreography with the Yangtze Repertory Theatre
On a chilly evening last Saturday, September 26, 2009, I had the chance to see the presentation of the Yangtze Repertory Theatre entitled “Traces Variations In A Foreign Land #10” in Flushing Town Hall Auditorium in Queens, New York. The dramatic presentation was the brainchild of young talented multiracial choreographers David Chien Hui Shen, Mica Bernas, Kyla Barkin and Aaron Selissen.
Remarkable was Mica Bernas (see center lady in the picture) who came from the Philippines. Her impressive input showcased part of the culture she brought from Asia’s emerald islands. Complementing the modern innovative dances of the other choreographers, Mica’s presentations were as exuberant as they were agile--- their nuances of movement were so pleasing that I was focused thinking how the young Filipina artist and her companions could come up with those athletic, but graceful dance sequences.
“Mica Bernas was born and raised in Manila, Philippines and started her training at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance (CCP) School under the direction of Noordin Jumalon. In 2002, she joined Ballet Philippines (BP), performing and touring with the company as a soloist in works by Alice Reyes, Denisa Reyes, Tony Fabella, William Morgan, Agnes Lugnasin and Agnes Locsin.
She was a representative of the Philippines in ASEAN Arts Festival in Cambodia in 2002 as well as ASEAN production of REALIZING RAMA featuring collaborating artists from ten South East Asian Countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam) in 2003 and 2006.
Since arriving in New York in 2006, she has worked with Max Luna III, Karole Armitage, Connecticut Ballet, Zig Zag Ballet, H.T. Chen and Dancers, Leonides D. Arpon, Marta Renzi and Gallim Dance. She is currently a member of the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company and a founding member of Akin, Amin, Atin, an ensemble, which is committed to developing and presenting contemporary, multicultural works by Filipino contemporary artists. She appeared last fall in Yangtze Rep's "Variations in a Foreign Land IX: Akin. Amin. Atin.," dancing in works by Leonides Arpon.”-----News Blaze.com (09/06/09, Staff, J.)
Reading through Mica’s resume, I could tell how the young lady takes her artistic talent with seriousness, dedication, and passion. I was so proud of her being in New York, just like her parents, Benjamin and Irma Bernas, originally from Baao, Camarines Sur who were beside me during the dazzling presentation. Congratulations Mica! That presentation was simply great! Photo Credit: News Blaze/ Staff, J.) =0=
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Protesting Imelda Marcos & recalling those who were entombed in the quick-drying cement of the MIFF building
In giving honor to Imelda Marcos, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) opened old wounds and new controversies---- bringing memories of the excesses of Marcos decades ago. An overhyped supporter of arts and culture, the former first lady was feted by her CCP friends with a glittery tribute which mny believed wasn’t well-deserved. Irate critics and victims of human rights violations went out of the rain to denounce Imelda on Friday, Septermber 11, 2009.
In a pattern to make the shoe-loving woman acceptable again, CCP officials insisted on Imelda’s support for the arts as needing recognition. They said her political notoriety was a separate issue. But those who could remember the horrid past believed the woman known for the "true, the good, and the beautiful" must be jailed.
“Tama na linawin natin sa mga kabataan ang papel ng mga Marcos sa kasaysayan. Si Imelda ay bahagi ng conjugal dictatorship noong panahon ng kanyang asawa (It’s only right to explain to the youth the role of the Marcoses in history. Imelda was part of a conjugal dictatorship during her husband’s time),"
“Ang dapat sa kanya, ikulong at pagbayarin (She deserves to be imprisoned and made to pay)," ---Antonio Tinio, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) National Chairman, Philstar (09/12/09, Calonzo, A.C.)
Imelda Marcos was part of the notorious dictatorial regime that caused pain, suffering and deaths of many Filipinos. As Ferdinand Marcos' wife, she was whimsical---her interest in the arts could be regarded as incidental. There was nothing outstanding in what she did---as she wallowed in self pride and misplaced extravagance.
The tribute for Imelda coincided with her husband's birth anniversary bringing to recall the bitter memories of corruption and influence-peddling during the Marcos administration. It was reported that when Imelda rushed the building for the Metro Manila International Film festival (MIFF) in the cultural and arts complex near Roxas Boulevard, a horrible construction accident occurred. The MIFF building caved in and caused the demise and entombment of many workers in the quick-drying cement. The horrific incident was hushed for she needed the show to go on. The victims couldn't complain; they were poor and powerless. Imelda came out clean as if nothing happened. (Photo Credit: Angeles624) =0=
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Michael Jackson & his ancient Egyptian look-alike
She can be La Toya Jackson or Whoopi Goldberg---- or why not Michael Jackson?
Displayed in the Field Museum in Chicago is a 3,000 year old Egyptian limestone bust showing an unidentified woman supposed to be sculpted during the New Kingdom Period, 1550 BC to 1050 BC. The stone piece of art draws attention for its simiiarity to the look of pop idol Michael Jackson who is still mourned worldwide after his untimely death. (Photo Credit: YahooNews/ AFP/HO/File) =0=
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Reactions to Michael Jackson’s Passing
“For so great a talent, his death is too soon. He has been taxed all his life. The guy of great fame has been under extreme pressure to keep an extraordinary life going. A wonderful human being that generations all over the world will remember.”---AFM, UP Ibalon-Bicol (06/26/09)
"I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels. Words fail me."---Lisa Marie Presley, ex-wife of Michael Jackson. http://www.mtv.com (06/26/09, Vena, J)
"It's horrible news, so unexpected. The world has lost an icon and music has lost treasures. He wrote songs that generations of yesterday, today and tomorrow will all keep on singing. What he wrote was amazing."---Sophia Loren, Italian Actress. AP (06/26/09, Katz, J.)
"A friend of Michael's for the last 35 years, I call on people around the world to pray for him and his family in the hour. I have known Michael since we were both teens, worked with him, marched for him, hosted him at our House of Justice headquarters in New York, and we joined together to eulogize our mutual idol, James Brown. I have known him at his high moments and his low moments and I know he would want us to pray for his family."---Rev. Al Sharpton, http://www.wcbstv.com/ (06/26/09, Dow J.)
"It's so sad and shocking…I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones." ---Sir Paul McCartney, Former Beatles. Telegraph,co.uk (06/26/09, Swain, J; Moore, M.)
“My son is 8 years old, and… he’s listening to this song, brand new, from him. Like, I’m rediscovering Michael Jackson again. It feels like when Kennedy died, when Elvis Presley died.”---Celine Dion, recording artist. New York Times (06/26/09, Paredes, J; Sisario, B; Stelter, B; Barnes, B.)
“I can’t stop crying over the sad news…I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.”---Madonna, singer. US Post Today (06/26/09)
“I talked to him about it this morning. He said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer and a music icon and I think everybody remembers hearing his songs and watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary. But the president also said aspects of his life were sad and tragic…His condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans that mourned his loss.”---- White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs about Pres. Barack Obama’s reaction. The Christian Science Monitor (06/26/09, Orr. J.)
"Everyone’s sad... Malaki talaga si Michael Jackson sa programa namin. Kung ‘di dahil sa kantang ‘Thriller’ ‘di magkakaroon ng global recognition ang mga inmates ng Cebu." ---Byron Garcia, provincial security consultant of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) Philippines. GMANews.TV (06/27/09, Ubalde J. H.)
"My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael."---Brooke Shields, actress. People (06/26/09, freeman, M.)
"Michael Jackson enriched our lives, made us happy. The accusations, the persecution caused him so much financial and mental anguish. He was vindicated in court, but the battle took his life. There is probably a lesson here for all of us."---Imelda Marcos, widow of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. AP/ GMANews TV (06/26/09)
“We lost a great entertainer and a pop icon. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Jackson's family, friends and fans.”--- Arnold Schwarzenegger. California Governor. TMZ (06/25/09)
“Michael Jackson will be remembered, most likely, as a shattered icon, a pop genius who wound up a mutant of fame. That's not who I will remember, however. His mixture of mystery, isolation, indulgence, overwhelming global fame, and personal loneliness was intimately known to me. For twenty years I observed every aspect, and as easy as it was to love Michael -- and to want to protect him -- his sudden death yesterday seemed almost fated.” ---Deepak Chopra, author. The Huffington Post (06/26/09) (Photo Credits:AP/ Getty Images; AP/ Lefteris Pitarakis; AP/ Michael Mariant; AP/ Ibrahim Usta)
RELATED BLOG: "King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead" Posted by mesiamd at 6/26/2009
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King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead
King of pop Michael Jackson, 50, suffered cardiac arrest this afternoon June 25, 2009. Rushed to UCLA Medical Center in California in deep coma, he died at 3:15 PM PT in spite of heroic application of emergency measures.
Paramedics responded to a 911 call from the Jackson home and went to assist Michael whose heart stopped and was not breathing. All resuscitative measures failed.
The popular celebrity with prodigious talent and monumental fame started out as a child star in a band called “The Jackson 5” in the ‘70s catapulting him to full stardom. He was slated to have a series of 50 shows this year, all sold-out, starting this month in England.
“Jackson had been due to start a series of comeback concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. The singer, whose hits include "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months.”----OMG (06/25/09).
His grieving fans and supporters in California and elsewhere are starting to gather as the news of his untimely death is known. A man of contrasts, the pop star with a generous heart and astounding worldwide following left three children----Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
The cause of his death is yet to be determined. But there are persistent rumors that Michael's health has not been good. He has been under extreme pressure lately because of his upcoming stage performances. His death is confirmed by TMZ.com, LA Times, AP and Fox News. (Photo Credit: http://www.jacksonmichael.net) =0=
RELATED BLOG: "Michael Jackson's white sequined glove for sale" Posted by mesiamd at 12/15/2008; "April yard sale of Michael Jackson’s glitzy memorabilia in Beverly Hills faces lawsuit" Posted by mesiamd at 3/25/2009
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Picasso sketchbook stolen
A priceless sketchbook by Pablo Picasso worth about 7 to 10 million euros ($10.4 million to $15 million) mysteriously disappeared in a museum in Paris, France. According to reports, the missing book contained 33 original Picasso cubistic drawings which dated from 1917 to 1924.
Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973,) a Spanish painter, illustrator, ceramist and sculptor had been one among most famous artists in the 20th century. A gifted prolific master of the canvas, he made countless of valuable artworks----1,885 paintings; 1,228 sculptures; 2,880 ceramics, some 12,000 drawings, thousands of prints, and underdetermined number of art on cloth and rugs.
Included among his well-known masterpieces until his death at the ripe old age of 91 were: Garçon à la pipe, (Boy with a Pipe), 1905, Guernica (1937) and The Weeping Woman (1937) Close to a thousand of his artworks had been missing.
“Picasso's works, among the world's most valuable, have frequently been targeted by thieves over the years. In 1976, in one of the largest ever art robberies on French soil, 118 Picasso works were stolen from a museum in the southern french city of Avignon. Two Picasso paintings worth an estimated £33 million have been stolen from his granddaughter Diane Widmaier-Picasso’s apartment in Paris.”
In 1997, a gunman walked into a central London art gallery, ripped a Picasso worth more than a million dollars from the wall - "Tete de Femme", painted in 1939 - and fled in a taxi, but the work was later recovered." ---- Telegraph.co.uk (02/28/09)
The recent theft baffled police authorities, No indication of a forced entry in the Picasso Museum was noted. (Photo Credit: Tamer Youssef)=0=
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Susan Boyle comes in second in the Britain Got Talent competition
After weeks of exhausting public scrutiny, Susan Boyle, the singing phenomenon that was the favorite to win the finals of Britain Got Talent, came second to the dance group called Diversity. Third place was awarded to saxophone player Julian Smith.
Boyle’s better rendition of Les Miserables’ I dreamed a dream did not give her enough points to win the talent contest, but nonetheless, it was received with rousing appreciation from the judges and the audience alike. Her “debut” as a singer brought 100 million hits in You Tube prompting music promoter and contest judge Simon Cowell to say: “Its the biggest phenomenon I’ve ever seen out of any of my shows.”
Soon after her Saturday performance, Boyle received a glowing endorsement from Judge Piers Morgan who said it was the "greatest performance I've seen on the history of Britain's Got Talent.” Amanda Holden, the other judge was impressed by her powerful voice.
The 48 year-old Scottish songbird with an angelic voice who lives alone with her cat in Blackburn, gamely accepted her defeat acceding that the best people win. Wearing a dark blue sequined long gown during the finals, she expressed her thanks to the people who supported her.
Having gone through a lot during the competition, including the news that she almost withdrew from the finals because of pressure, Boyle’s meteoric international fame is likely to open new opportunities to the celebrated singer. Among them, an album is what her fans are eagerly expecting. (Photo Credit: Pascal Turcotte) =0=
UPDATE: Susan Boyle was taken to a hospital Sunday, May 31, 2009, to recover from emotional and physical exhaustion brought about by her instant fame. Upon the advise of her private physician, Boyle voluntarily went to the hospital after she lost to a dance group during the finals of Britain Got Talent.
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Filipino film director Dante Mendoza bags the Cannes Best Director Award
It’s with a sense of pride that Filipinos learned of Brillante (Dante) Mendoza, an upcoming film director who won the prestigious Best Director Award in the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in France. His socially charged movie Kinatay received mixed reviews during the 2009 international film festival, but nonetheless got the best director prize. “The coveted Palme d’Or went to Austrian director Michael Haneke for his austere but powerful The White Ribbon, which addresses repression and cruelty among a small Protestant community in northern Germany in the months before the first World War. “----IrishTimes.com (05/25/09, Dwyer, M)
French director Jacques Audiard was bestowed the Grand Prix du Jury Award for his film “A Prophet” which portrays the failure of the French penal system as a place of rehabilitation for criminals.
Mendoza's Kinatay (Slaughter) depicted the life a young rookie Manila policeman in a world of sordid violence. It showed the gruesome abduction, torture, rape, and killing of a prostitute by corrupt men of the police force. The severed body parts of the woman were disposed of in various places of Manila.
The first Filipino to ever been awarded the Best Director prize in Cannes, Mendoza shares the honor of past respected movie makers who won the coveted prize. Counted among them are Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman, Francois Truffaut, Luis Buñuel, Robert Bresson, Costa Gavras, and Werner Herzog---Inquirer (05/25/09, Nepales, R.)
Winners of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
MAIN CATEGORIES
PALME D’OR - The White Ribbon , directed by Austrian Michael Haneke. A small village is rocked by a series of mysterious and cruel crimes. A group of young children are among the suspects.
GRAND PRIX (runner-up) - A Prophet directed by France’s Jacques Audiard.
SPECIAL CAREER PRIZE - Veteran French director Alain Resnais. This year he presented Wild Grass .
BEST ACTOR - Austrian Christoph Waltz for his role as a Nazi officer in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds .
BEST ACTRESS - Charlotte Gainsbourg for Antichrist, directed by Denmark’s Lars Von Trier.
BEST DIRECTOR - Kinatay , directed by Filipino Brillante Mendoza. Peping, a criminology student, joins his friend on a mission to earn some cash but regrets his decision as events turn sour.
BEST SCREENPLAY - Mei Feng for his script on Spring Fever, directed by China’s Lou Ye.
JURY PRIZE (shared) - Fish Tank directed by Britain’s Andrea Arnold, and Thirst directed by South Korean Park Chan-Wook.
CAMERA D’OR (for debut film) - Samson and Delilah directed by Australia’s Warwick Thornton.
BEST SHORT FILM - Arena directed by Portuguese director Joao Salaviza. – (Reuters) Photo Credit: Paolo Feliciano) =0=
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Susan Boyle moves ahead in her bid to win in Britain’s Got Talent contest
The 47 year-old singing sensation who wowed the audience of Britain’s Got Talent last month has qualified for the next round in the talent contest. Susan Boyle whose stunning performance brought 60 million viewers to watch her sing in You Tube will compete on Sunday in a field of 40 contestants---- her bid to win in the final contest on May 30, 2009.
Boyle drew attention when she sang Les Miserables’ “I dreamed a dream” which charmed the TV judges and viewers alike. The plump middle-aged lady with a salt and pepper hair caught the attention of the incredulous audience because of the disparity between her appearance and her angelic voice.
"The youngest of nine children, Boyle grew up in Blackburn, a community of 4,750 people 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Edinburgh, in Scotland — a district blighted by unemployment and crime. Boyle had learning difficulties as a child and was bullied by other children. As an adult, she's struggled for work but had been a regular on her local karaoke circuit and performed in church choirs."---AP (05/23/09, Stringer D)
For the instant attention and phenomenal fame she received, Oprah Winfrey invited her to guest in her show. Boyle who enjoys global popularity had been a favorite to win the contest which is the counterpart of the American Idol in USA. (Photo Credit: Conceptmail.net) =0=
Boyle Advances to the Final Round
UPDATE: May 24, 2009---Susan Boyle once again electrified her fans with a spectacular rendition of "Memory." a song popularized in the musicale Cats. For her commanding performance she is chosen to move ahead to the finals among 8 contestants in the TV show "Britain Got Talent" on May 30. 2009.
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A theory behind Vincent Van Gogh’s ear mutilation
"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well." ---
Vincent Van Gogh
More than a hundred years after acclaimed post-impressionism artist Vincent Van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) died, the world is fascinated by his masterworks as much as his troubled life. His mental instability, delusions and beguiling canvas compositions form part of the lore that surrounds his genius. But nobody is clear if painter really cut his ear during a fit of insanity.
In a recent book by Hamburg art historians, an attempt to explain Van Gogh’s surreal loss of his left ear pointed to another artist, Paul Gauguin who was believed to have severed the Dutch painter’s left ear. According to researchers, the two artists wrangled over a prostitute named Rachel during a dispute in France.
Hans Kaufmann of Hamburg University said:
‘To get rid of Van Gogh, who was begging him to stay [in the south of France] Gauguin waved his weapon in the direction of the victim while they were in front of the house of ill repute... The left ear fell. We cannot say if it was deliberate or an accident. In this situation, the protagonists vowed to keep silent. Then Gauguin disappeared, abandoning his friend”--- Mail Online (05/06/09, Stares, L)
After painstaking work, investigators concluded Van Gogh and Gauguin decided to keep the incident for themselves. Van Gogh told the police that it was his demons within that drove him to self-mutilation which many people believe
The artist with a tempestuous life battling sexually transmitted disease, poverty, and lack of artistic recognition during his time committed suicide at the age of 37. He bequeathed the art world with outstanding masterpieces in canvas which include Starry Starry Night, Irises, Sunflowers, and Potato Eaters.=0=
Paul Gauguin (7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903)
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Vincent Van Gogh
More than a hundred years after acclaimed post-impressionism artist Vincent Van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) died, the world is fascinated by his masterworks as much as his troubled life. His mental instability, delusions and beguiling canvas compositions form part of the lore that surrounds his genius. But nobody is clear if painter really cut his ear during a fit of insanity.
In a recent book by Hamburg art historians, an attempt to explain Van Gogh’s surreal loss of his left ear pointed to another artist, Paul Gauguin who was believed to have severed the Dutch painter’s left ear. According to researchers, the two artists wrangled over a prostitute named Rachel during a dispute in France.
Hans Kaufmann of Hamburg University said:
‘To get rid of Van Gogh, who was begging him to stay [in the south of France] Gauguin waved his weapon in the direction of the victim while they were in front of the house of ill repute... The left ear fell. We cannot say if it was deliberate or an accident. In this situation, the protagonists vowed to keep silent. Then Gauguin disappeared, abandoning his friend”--- Mail Online (05/06/09, Stares, L)
After painstaking work, investigators concluded Van Gogh and Gauguin decided to keep the incident for themselves. Van Gogh told the police that it was his demons within that drove him to self-mutilation which many people believe
The artist with a tempestuous life battling sexually transmitted disease, poverty, and lack of artistic recognition during his time committed suicide at the age of 37. He bequeathed the art world with outstanding masterpieces in canvas which include Starry Starry Night, Irises, Sunflowers, and Potato Eaters.=0=
Paul Gauguin (7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903)
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With more than 47.7 million viewers, what’s up for new singing star Susan Boyle?
Most of those who saw Susan Boyle sang Les Miserables’ “I dreamed a dream” were mesmerized, They probably gave her a more rousing standing ovation than Lea Salonga when she sang the same song in the Great White Way. The judges in the Britain's Got Talent were unanimously enthralled by her unexpected stunning performance. Susan Boyle, the 47 year old aspiring British talent caused a world-wide stir for that singing. She displayed pure talent, rocking her watchers on their seats and earning her 47.7 million viewers as of Friday, April 17, 2009.
Almost everybody instantly loved the matronly Ms. Boyle who dreamed of being as successful as Elaine Paige, the popular singer and actress of musical theatre. Perhaps it was because she epitomized the regular lady in the block with little chance of being noticed in the competitive arena of entertainment.
In a discriminating world, she brought down the artificiality of the glittery musical world where performers are supposed to be young, of perfect voice, pretty face, and desirable figure. For a change, people liked to watch and hear plain Susan.
Yet, B. Saunders in her comment titled “How long will Susan Boyle’s dream last” which appeared in Sunday Star Times (sstlive.co.nz) argues that in order to have a great musical career, a fantastic voice like Susan’s isn’t enough and a certain glamour is needed. Saunders vented her pessimism further saying:
“Poor Susan's private life isn't ideal either. As a child she was bullied because oxygen deprivation at birth had affected her ability to learn. At 47, she is unemployed, has never been kissed, and was recently suffering from depression after her mother died. This is tragedy aplenty but it is not the sort of tragedy that anyone much wants to identify with. That wouldn't matter if Susan was super sexy - in fact it would be great because it would fulfill the tragi-glam requirements.
Susan does not have any sort of glamour factor at all though. What she does have is a huge amount of talent and an even bigger dollop of novelty value.”
It is too early to predict what is in store for Ms. Boyle. Actress Demi Moore is said to have shed tears seeing her sing. Oprah Winfrey has invited the new darling of song to appear in her show before the talent contest winner is known. An admiring fan has a website site set up for the newest UK singing sensation at: susan-boyle.com
According to Chris Matyszczyk (http://news.cnet.com), Visible Measures, a company which tracts online audiences said there are than 200 video clips of Susan Boyle’s contest performance including those which can be viewed in You Tube. She seemed to have garnered more attention than the Iraqi shoe thrower, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, and President Barack Obama, during his presidential victory address. (Photo Credit: You Tube; AP/ Milligan, A) =0=
I Dreamed a Dream
(from the Broadway Musicale "Les Miserables")
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame
He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.
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Jaja Bolivar---A Rising Bicolana Talent of Adobo Nation & Hollywood
Nini Ragragio who celebrates her birthday on April 1, 2009, has been a friend and neighbor in Bagumbayan Street, Naga City. (Happy Birthday, LRB!) For more than 35 years, I lost track of her until I learned (to my pleasant surprise) of her smart baby who graduated in UP, many years after I left. Her name is Angela (Jaja) Bolivar, a pretty and talented young Filipina with an earthy brown expressive face and bubbly laughter. She is now a lifestyle magazine TV host for the Adobo Nation. She extends her warm regards to her fans and friends!
With an unbridled passion for life, an artistic bent, and a lot of love to share, Jaja agreed to bring us one of her exciting musings---a glimpse of her experiences before she came to the scintillating world of Hollywood. Apart from her appearances in the Filipino Channel which air worldwide every Sunday at 6:40 PM Pacific Time, Jaja is a dazzling gem to watch on KTSF (USA) and ANC in Manila. A member of UP Harong and friend of UP Ibalon, the glowing warm lady from Bicol who inspires pride can be reached at:
http: //profile.friendster.com/13125590
freespiritjaja@yahoo.com;
jajabolivar.multiply.com;
myspace.com/jajabolivar
talentola.com
www.facebook.com(Jaja Bolivar)
www.facebook.com(lilian Mae Bolivar)
Musings of a lady on her way to Hollywood
by Jaja R. Bolivar
today, i officially signed in with The Talent House SF!
after being represented by talentola in Southern California, i had longed to be represented again by an agency, this time, here in san francisco. and today, my wish came true. i am now with the talent house sf.
YES!
it's really not that easy to get an agency to represent you. first of all, there are lots of talents out there sending out their submissions just so these agencies could give them one bit of a chance to meet with them. secondly, with the numerous faces and talents they come across with, how on earth will you "stand out" such that these agencies would like to get you to be one of their talents?!
entertainment is a hella crazy world. and like what my professors used to say in college, even if you are on tv, "you are only as good as your last show!". true enough, i'd had a lot of those moments where i am already supposedly a regular of this series and then the next thing i know, they axed me out on the script. i'm not doing the show anymore. but see, it happens all the time to all actors and performers. nobody is exempt from rejections and failures in this industry.
going back to the agent meeting today, the agent asked me what i had been up to. i told her about my tv show and other mainstream stuff i'd been doing in and out of the city. she then asks me to deliver the monologue that i prepared. i chose a comedic monologue from romy and michelle's high school reunion and i would say, i kinda messed up 'coz i was nervous. hahahaa! i always get high strung and over-the-top delivering the first few lines (which works to my disadvantage 'coz casters don't care. once you're on, you're on and there's no turning back on the material)...
so anyways, she suggests a cold read of this monologue from the movie, as good as it gets. she explains the scenario and asks me to leave the room and study it for a few minutes. after about ten minutes, she gets back to me. i deliver the lines in front of her. and right when i finish the last line of the piece, she goes,
"i would love to represent you." you definitely have a lot going for you.
that's it. done deal. love ettt!
so that pretty much made my day today. after that, on my way home at about 3:30 pm, i passed by the marina and marvelled at the private yachts. the weather was charming. i sat in one of those benches and ate my chinese food that had been sitting in the car for two hours.
oh! and i met this man while i was taking pictures of the scenery on my iphone. he said he was from israel. he told me i was beautiful and i thanked him for the compliment. we ended up chatting about his life story. he said he is based in chicago and travels back and forth to cali, france, singapore and all these other countries. he seemed like a busy, well off man. what's interesting is that he shared his life story to me as if we were this instantaneous friends, hehe. i get that a lot, though. people open up to me easily, maybe because each person simply likes to be heard. it's great to listen because i get to learn from other people's stories. people, in general, amaze me. regarding his life, i would say his story is quite out of the ordinary. but then again, whose life isn't? anyways, after living in the the philippines and being in this industry, nothing shocks me anymore. oh, and of course i asked him what he thought about the israel-gaza war. he said that he used to fight for the israel army and that while he is a peace-loving man, he is undoubtedly in favor of it.
so that's how my day went.
life's simple pleasures nourish me. (Photo Credits: J. R. Bolivar) =0=
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Lucid interval in acute brain injuries: a crucial lesson on Natasha Richardson’s death
The death of Broadway star and movie actress Natasha Richardson illustrates the necessity for quick trauma management in cases of acute brain injuries. In hindsight, Richardson didn’t go to the hospital immediately after she banged her head during a ski accident in Mont Tremblant, a luxury resort in Quebec, Canada.
She had a lucid interval and a feeling of wellness not unusual in some victims of head injury. At that crucial time, blood seeped from a torn blood vessel between the brain and skull creating an epidural hematoma, an enlarging blood clot that was big enough to cause her demise. The New York medical examiner confirmed the epidural bleeding from blunt trauma that caused her death.
Richardson, the daughter of famed actress Vanessa Redgrave was conscious and well soon after the ski accident. She refused early on to be brought to the nearest hospital, hence a delay of about 4 hours before life-saving treatment was instituted. Only when she experienced headache, a sign of rising pressure within the enclosed cranium that she decided to go for the doctors’ aid.
There are questions whether an early medical intervention could have saved her life. Perhaps yes. There is a short golden period in those suffering from acute epidural bleed when doctors can still save a life. From Canada, she was flown to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City where she passed on a day later.
The coffin bearing the remains of the talented celebrity was taken out of the Greenwich Funeral Home in Manhattan. Lights of Broadway were dimmed to pay tribute to Miss Richardson, a Tony award winner and a member of a family of distinguished movie and theatre thespians. (Photo Credit: Mickey Strikes; Reuters/ Eric Thayer)=0=
RELATED BLOG: "Broadway star Natasha Richardson died of brain injuries in a ski accident" Posted by mesiamd at 3/19/2009
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Finding a William Shakespeare portrait
Believed to be the only portrait of William Shakespeare (1564-1616,) the image of the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon will be displayed for several months in London. England’s most celebrated playwright is represented as a handsome well-dressed wealthy youngish gentleman with pink cheeks, light red-brown beard, and smooth wrinkleless skin.
It’s just the right depiction of the prodigious poet credited for writing the most exquisite and inspiring words of the English language. The alleged portrait thought to have been done almost 400 years ago belongs to the Cobbes family who for years didn’t know of the gentleman’s identity until it was authenticated after three years of rigorous research.
Dated to be 1610 when the portrait was made, Shakespeare would have been 46 years old at that time. His exceptional literary works included 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. (Photo Credit Clyde Fitch Report/ Shakespeare Birthplace Trust) =0=
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Gifts, santan blooms & rainbows
"Each person has a poem to write, a book to share, a revelation to bring out in the open. Each of us has a winsome idea to think about and a compelling story to tell. Ibalonian Ona Vigil has beautiful musings which spring forth like sparkling dewdrops in the recesses of her mind. Like the rounded pregnant bead of water ready to drop from a flower, her fluid reflections bring something persuasively personal and dear." ---AFM
Gifts....with feeling
by Ona Vigil
They grew up not giving me gifts, I mean material gifts. A kiss, a hug, a greeting, a personally made holiday card---they understood these were enough to make me happy. The thoughtfulness meant more than anything for their Mom--- they knew.
Last Christmas, I received something special: a framed photo of my three children. Innocent smiles, beautiful faces, a picture almost two decades old, a survivor of harsh days, flash floods and thunderbolts, blown-up to fit a 10 x 12 inch frame. It had been by my favorite picture. Once again, I received a gift...with feeling.
The Rainbow
Just as usual, I woke up early the day after Christmas (comes with ageing, teases a friend). I felt like everyone else----my children and the neighbors were still asleep as soft rain languidly fell from the overcast sky. The day was gloomy. The sun wouldn't come out. I wish I could see a rainbow!
I sat on my favorite nook outside thinking what the morning would bring. And voila! There I saw the dazzling prism of colors arching against the clouds racing about the tall trees. Was it a rainbow?
ROY G BIV. Is it a queer-sounding name? No. That's how I learned to memorize the various colors when I was in grade school. I recalled my neighbor's fiery poinsettia and the rows of santan flowers, all brimming RED. My potted bougainvilleas were lovely in full-bloom. Their sharp flowers dotted the wide garden, just like the prolific YELLOW bells which blended with the sprouts of sedges under the bush. The hurried flowers drew the busy butterflies in frenzied flight with the wind while the bee buzzed along.
Against the BLUE roof of a house nearby. I watched the tiny luxuriant VIOLET blooms whose sweet scent filled the air. Though the GREEN leaves were a-plenty and the trees were noisy with the breeze, I wondered where the color of INDIGO I could find. From the depths of my senses, a voice whispered a line from a poem: "Close your eyes to see it!" I did. ROY G. BIV. Suddenly there, I saw my rainbow. (Photo Credit: Annalee&BS)=0=
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Para sa mga burak sa Heidelberg: An pagrumdom ki Rizal kan sarong taga-Baao
A Diciembre 30, amo a ka-aldowan ka pagka-badil ki Jose P. Rizal, kanatong heroe nacional na guinadan ka mga Kastila, 112 taon ng naka-agui. Sa pagrumdom ka guinibo ni Rizal para sa liberasyon ka Pilipinas, rumdumon ta an saiyang pamosong tula---Para sa mga burak ka Heidelberg---sinurat niya kan siya nasa Alemanya, Europa.
Galin sa Paris, Francia si Dr. Rizal--- nag-anad mag-bulong ka mga helang sa mata. Siya tinukduan ni Prof. Otto Becker sa Alemanya. Amo’dto kan siya nagsurat para sa kagayonan ka mga burak sa Heidleberg---habang namatean niya a kalipungawan kan pamilyang harayo, banwaan na saiyang 'di maling’wan. Dae nag-haloy, pakatapos ka nobela niyang Noli Me Tangere, si Rizal nagpuli sa Manila.
Sadi a magayon na paguiromdom ni P.B. Robosa (taga-Baao) ki Rizal. Sa color ka tataramon ka lugar sa Rinconada, Bicol, a amio ka burak ni Rizal magdanay man lugod kanato. Magka-igua man lugod kita ka pag-makulog sagkod pagkamoot na hanggang ngowan kaipuhan ka banwaan.
Para sa Mga Burak sa Heidelberg(To the Flowers of Heidelberg)
Ni Jose Rizal
Itinaga Baao ni P.B. Robosa
Pasadto kamo banwaan ko, dayuhan na burak
tagak sa raran kin mga nagbabaklay, iwinarak,
sa lomlom ka sirong kin azul na kalangitan,
sadto na an mga payaba ko pinag-iiningatan
iluyap ninyo, pagarang-arang kanakong rogan,
kining arayo pero di nalilingaw sa mga binayaan
Pasadto kamo, ag mabareta bago magliwanag,
kung kamo ka sirang ka aldow ibinubuklad,
sa pangpang ag agnow ka Neckar na ararom
sadto siya nakatindog, nang-guiguiromrom
pamumula sa tagsibol, darang kolor na magayon
Ipa-ngusip ninyo kun pag-abot ka saking ramrag,
ayaton kaninyo an hamot na kaninyong ambag,
habang luway na pina-iirongog “o ika, payaba ko”
siya man nagririmo-rimo, sa itaas ninyo tinotono,
kantang pagkaboot, sa sadiring bisara nya guinibo
Kun su silaw ka ramrag aboton na su kaitaasan,
tuktok Koenigsthul kalayuwan kin kaliwanagan,
namumulaag na silaw ka aldow mang-guisong na,
sa patag, kadlagan ag kakahoyan nanbubuway na,
ining lagalag, sabat man tulos an silaw na dara,
na sadto banwaan man nya, minabulos biyaya.
Isabi ninyo ku kamo luway na pinili ag pinutlan,
ku sya nag-agi-agi sa sadit ag matulid na a-agian,
sa rugbang torreng tuda ko panahon na nakaagi,
sa Neckar na may kadlagan, malimpoy na sabi.
Sabiyon su kanyang mga panambitan ag sinabi
pauno kamo luway-luway, tinulid, ingat na inani,
sadto kanyang libro isinuksuk ag pinagkahigo,
sa mga lumang pahina, kamo niyang itinatago.
Hatudan, hatudan, magayon na burak kin Rhine,
an biyong pagka-boot ko sa ngamin na nabootan,
katoninongan sa banwaan kong kinamondagan,
sa kababaihan-katangihan, kusog sa kalalakihan.
Ipagtaratara diaday, sa mga payaba kong marhay
sa ngamin, kabilugang banal, pauulian ka buway
Pag-abot sa baybayon kan pinayabang banwaan
matam-is na arok na pinamate di paglingawan,
ipatiprak sa pakpak kin angin na nakapalibot
tanganing su ngamin na inonra, ginalang, binoot,
mamate sa mga pisngi ninda--arok kong pina-abot.
Tibaad makaabot kamo sa banwaan kong tinubuan
dara pa gayon ag tinkad ninyong kolor na namasdan,
ta arayo kamo sa ragang kinabuklatan, nang-alisngaw,
namarong na amot, tibaad dagos nang naoda, nanlasaw.
An hamio ninyo, kalag ninyong tunay, di maisusuway,
di malilingangawan kan langit kun sari kamo nabuway.--- baaohistoricalsociety.blogspot.com
December 30, 2008 marks the day our national hero Jose P. Rizal was executed by the Spanish colonizers some 112 years ago. In remembrance of his martyrdom for the liberation of our country, let’s remember one of his famous poems---To the Flowers of Heidleberg which he wrote when he was in Germany.
Under the tutorship of Prof. Otto Becker, Rizal continued his advanced studies as an eye doctor there. It was about that time when he wrote the beautiful poem about the flowers of Heidelberg and his nostalgia for his family and his native land. It did not take long, after he finished the final chapters of his novel Noli Me Tangere, that he went home and met his death.
From Baao, Camarines Sur, here’s P. B. Robosa's beautiful translation of the poem. The words carry inexplicable emotions and images that only a wonderful Bicol dialect can express. May the scent of Rizal's flowers suffuse us--- his bravery and patriotism inspire us, as we celebrate his martyrdom.
To the Flowers of Heidelberg
by Jose P. Rizal
Go to my country, go foreign flowers!
Planted by the traveller on his way,
And there beneath that sky of blue
That over my beloved towers,
Speak for this traveller to say
What faith in his homeland he breathes to you.
Go and say... say that when the dawn
First drew your calyx open there
Beside the River Neckar chill,
you saw him standing by you, very still,
Reflecting on the primrose flush you wear.
Say that when the morning light
Her toll of perfume from you wrung,
While playfully she whispered, "How I love you!"
He too murmured here above you
Tender love songs in his native tongue.
That when the rising sun the height
Of Koenigstuhl in the early morn first spies;
Is pouring life in the valley, wood, and grove,
He greets the sun as it begins to rise,
Which in his native land is blazing straight above.
And tell them of that day he staid
And plucked you from the border of the path,
Amid the ruins of the feudal castle,
By the River Neckar, and in the silvan shade.
Tell them what he told you
As tenderly as he took
Your plants leaves and pressed them in a book,
Where now its well worn pages close enfold you.
Carry, carry, flowers of Rhine,
Love to every love of mine,
Peace to my country and her fertile land,
Virtue to her women, courage to her men,
Salute those darling once again,
Who formed the sacred circle of our home.
And when you reach the shore,
Each kiss I press upon you now,
Deposit on the pinions of the wind,
And those I love and honor above and adore
Will feel my kisses carried their brow.
Ah, flowers, you may fare through,
Conserving still, perhaps, your native hue;
Yet, far from fatherland, heroic loam
To which you owe your life,
The perfume will be gone from you;
For aroma is your soul; it cannot roam
Beyond the skies which saw it born, nor e'er forget.
"I embrace you"
Rizal's letter to Friedrich Ullmer (the son of Pastor Ullmer, Wilhelmsfeld) from 1887 (Photo Credits: Bill Barber; Sinaglaya; Bill Barber; Donnamarijne; Bill Barber; Bill Barber)
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UP Lantern Parade 2008
On Wednesday, December 17, 2008 the University of the Philippines (UP) staged its Christmas lantern parade to the delight of the students and the entire school. The show of lanterns did not come with the usual multi-sided illuminated stars, the traditional symbols of the light which brought the three wise men to Jesus in the manger. Instead, attractive parols like luminous heavenly bodies in the sky thrilled the crowd.
“This is the best of them all,” says former school president Jose Abueva of the annual holiday event. He explains the significance of the exhibition which marks the end of the school’s colorful centennial year.
The gleaming display materialized from the modern-day artistic imagination of Diliman's educational hub--- better known as the government-funded people's “national university.” Stunning bright contraptions under the cover of the evening’s shadows ignited the pageantry. In the backdrop of trees and "the oblation" the occasion drew elated on-lookers as the night set in.
Hordes of dolled-up merry-makers wearing garish masks and eclectic gaudy costumes came. They clowned, danced, and laughed to mark another distinctive Filipino Christmas. Fireworks, music, and lights entertained those who attended. (Photo Credit: Lynnzy; Lynnzy; Lynzzy)=0=
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The roar of thunder & the white lilies of the valley
Incongruence, alienation, and a feeling of déjà vu are some of the most inexplicable rousers of the human senses. They come and go in our guts like distant pulsations of life in a plane at different seasons.
Let's take time, pause, and write--- so strangeness, we can mend from within. We wish to rid ourselves of the angst of some smokey blur. Like the fearsome thunder behind the clouds, disturbing the fields of white lilies in the valley...the woods and trees have their barks marked by box-cutters and stabbed with imprints of our names.
Yes! How wonderful to read Bambi Ricafrente’s engaging poetry: Thunder Lilies, from Monologues and other Poems, 1982. (Photo Credits: Gorpie; Wazka)=0=
RELATED BLOG: "thunder lilies" Posted by bambi ricafrente at 12/19/2008
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Nudity in UP Campus & Rizal's Ultimo Adios
"Craftiness must have clothes, but truth loves to go naked."---English Proverb
A tradition of public nudity has developed in the University of the Philippines (UP). On its 100 years of glorious existence, the school has a rash of flesh-baring events--- inspired by the iconic metal image of a man in an act of “oblation” right at the campus gate.
The thought of giving oneself naked has turned to be an irresistible wild dream in the academe. It’s a heart-rousing idea that seems to rub the minds of people who subscribe to the sane and the absurd. Perhaps they take themselves too seriously. They can be deluded by their self-importance, believing that they are smarter than others and thus deserving of occasional tantrums. There is covert hubris in many UPians. They may be enamored by the grand words of the second verse of Jose P. Rizal's Ultimo Adios etched on the base of Guillermo Tolentino’s oblation sculpture standing in the school grounds:
"In the fields of battle,
deliriously fighting,
Others give you their lives,
without doubt, without regret;
Where there’s cypress, laurel or lily,
On a plank or open field,
in combat or cruel martyrdom,
If the home or country asks,
it's all the same--it matters not.”
---Jose P. Rizal, National Hero
The connection of nudity today in UP and Rizal’s heroism is at best tenuous. Yet, for 50 years, the oblation run has been a yearly project of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity. It started as a prank and had since then become one of the most celebrated in the university.Nudes, wearing only masks and bonnets parade themselves around the campus. The justification of the bizarre display of the mons veneris and the penile appendage is usually a protest for an “issue” that bothers the community. Although not all are convinced of the “alibi,” the event brings eager crowds nonetheless to watch the warm flesh pass by. Amidst heckles and laughter, the men give away roses to merry spectators, but many are oblivious and dismissive of the rationale behind the run.
The oblation run held on December 16, 2008 had only 10 nude men streaking their way around the campus. But I thought they had one in June where a hundred participated. For the latest run, APO chose to protest the boiling charter change (Cha-cha) controversy which is occupying the mind of the nation. They also fussed about President Gloria M. Arroyo, the environment and climate change.The fewer turn-out of those wanting to show their flesh might have been the consequence of an early morning photo shoot of about 100 nude UPians to celebrate the school’s service to the country a week before. Capping the school’s centennial year celebration, on December 13, 2008, the dawn picture session had almost a hundred UPians exposing their skins. What was once considered a joke had turned out to be a controversial collective legitimate expression of selfless offering: “UP Para sa Bayan” (UP for the Nation.)
The nude mania also caught the fancy of the fine arts luminaries of the university. Earlier in June this year, works of National Artists Fernando Amorsolo, Guillermo Tolentino, Napoleon Abueva, Jose Joya, Cesar Legaspi, Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Abdulmari Imao and Vicente Manansala, among others were displayed in a public mall in Quezon city, in an exhibit titled, “100 Nudes/100 years.” It was supposed to be a self-congratulating reunion of UP artists to show the whole world of the school’s “big reservoir of talents.”
I don’t know if the Pavlovian concept on operant conditioning works on the psychology behind this nudity hullabaloo. If I have my psychiatry straight, humans like animals, are governed by rewards and punishments. When forbidden behavior such as shedding one’s clothes is reinforced by approving attention, many will do it again. There’s no negative backlash, no punishment and no incentive to prevent UP from doing the oblation run. Nudity which can be pleasurable, is tolerated, and even approved of by university authorities. En masse in front of satisfied onlookers, the event becomes a rousing surreal occasion akin to Bacchanalia.Liberals, anarchists, and free thinkers can look at public nudity differently even if there are laws against indecent exposure. They usually laud anything contrary to the norm. They want unbridled freedom without much responsibility. Their perspective can be summed up with what iconoclastic John Lennon said when he was still alive.
“The main hang-up in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked, or whatever they want to do, then we're never going to get anywhere. People have got to become aware that it's none of their business and that being nude is not obscene. Being ourselves is what's important. If everyone practised being themselves instead of pretending to be what they aren't, there would be peace."---John Lennon, Beatles singer
Lennon’s opinion is just one side of the coin. He can’t be taken seriously all the way for there are conservative moral and cultural issues that must not be ignored by Filipinos. As a counterpoint, I can only refer at the photos of the oblation run shown in the blog. I suspect they have become raunchier and debased than the years past. With some clues of what goes on during the run, I need to repeat my two-cent worth of opinion about this school-sanctioned nude exhibitions in a supposedly sane university: Surely, there is amusement in nudity, but such display is distracting and unwarranted. Young masked students running with no clothes on, giving away roses to onlookers is such a powerful emotion-rouser that we risk forgetting the grievances behind why we do it. It’s generally regarded as a mischievous prank rather than a serious protest. In spite of the fun, there is this troubling question whether such an event brings the most benefit in the long run. It makes us think if merriment and humor are always the best ways to air our problems and solve them.
After stating my closing thought, I couldn’t help but laugh when I read a smart quip about being nude---“Don't arrest me. I was born this way." It seemed the inane controversy on nudity in campus would stay. But with the rate ethical behavior and righteousness is expended these days, I would not be surprised if UP and many of her children might go astray. Photo Credits: in dekost; in.dekost; indekost; pmt007; in.dekost; in.dekost)=0=
RELATED BLOGS: "The Oblation Run: a risque prank becomes a raunchy protest"
Posted by mesiamd at 6/20/2008; "UP Para Sa Bayan" Posted by mesiamd at 12/13/2008
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