I attended the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman International Conference on Chinese Medicine, which also noted a VIP Prof Ngeow Sze Chan who is the father of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in M'sia and passed away 10 years ago. Prof Ngeow's family members were all invited, sharing the life of late Prof. Ngeow, and a Bronze Statue of the late Prof Ngeow were held. The event also invited many local speakers and speakers from China, Hong Kong, USA, and Australia, sharing about knowledge and the TCM developments in different countries. Both Mandarin and English were used throughout the event.
The day before the conference, with my friend, who is a colleague of mine, Ping Wey, we travelled from Sg Long, took LRT to PWTC late at night to prepare for early rehearsal the next day. We were lucky being offered a room in the Sunway Putra Hotel for that night. After changing and brushing, we also helped to arrange the goodies, yes, in our pyjamas. What an experience, haha!!
The fruits of running experiments and poster presentation:
Had fun with friends, Jenny, TianXin, PingWey, all of us are the poster presenters plus stage assistant, the usher!
1 PingWey 2 TianXin 3 Jenny 4 me
I had learned a lot in this conference, part of the event preparation process, poster/paper presentation and TCM knowledge. Very thanks to my supervisor, Dr Lim Yang Mooi who helped us to get fund and gave us the chance to participate in the conference. Last but not least, it was very fun talking with Emeritus Prof Cordell, my colleague's external co-supervisor from US and listening to fellow great people! ^-^
"La Traviata" Opera Sun 9/9/2012 3pm Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
Claus Peter Florconductor Sonya Yonchevasoprano Jean François Borrastenor Alberto Gazalebaritone
VERDI La Traviata (Opera in Concert) Ticket Price (RM): 250 | 180 | 130 | 60 Dress Code:Strictly NO Jeans, denim, shorts,collarless T-shirts/singlets, sneakers and slippers at any time. Sat 8/9/2012 10pm - Sun 9/9/2012 1am:
Printing of synopsis and libretto for the opera while listening the opera in youtube. The ticket we purchased was with student price RM30 (since it is categorized in the MPO specials) instead of original price RM130 which is definitely worth watching! It's good that with student price, we can choose seats both from plan B and C (RM60). Together with my friends, who never watch opera live, we choose this concert simply because of the category and the price. The opera was scheduled on Sat night and Sun day, while only the Sun's was opened for ticket selling (Sat attendance was by invitation).
Now I came to know that this opera is adapted from a novel and composed by Verdi. According to wiki,
Today, the opera has become immensely popular and it is a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. It is second on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide, behind only The Magic Flute.
Sun 9/9/2012 3pm - 5pm:
Together with my friend, we went from Sg Besi, taking train to MPO KLCC. We reached our destiny by 2pm. Walked around taking poster picture, seeking for locker and toilets. People seems to wear more casual as compared to what I saw last time. Maybe there's a difference of day and night performance, my hypoyhesis: people tend to wear nicer at night. =)
In the ancient time without TV, I wonder opera would be their very expensive pleasure in their country, a good art to retain til today, and pass on to next generation, showing our human's creativity! Comparing what I viewed today, the opera showing from youtube is a more complete version with lotsa vocalists. However I prefer the soprano voice of today's opera (kinda lyric, not sure if coloratura). Also, she can sing softly while maintaining in high pitch. The opera today took only 3 vocalists to sing the 3 main characters: Violetta (Soprano), Alfredo (Tenor), Germont (Baritone), a simpler version. I guess the price would go even higher than RM130 if more vocalists are going to join in singing, and it is simple because the stage of MPO hall is kinda small to fit in both orchestra and the performers.
As I thought they wouldn't provide a libretto, I printed my own copy to allow myself follow the flow on what they sing. However, it's too dark to read in the hall, luckily they show the libretto on screen!
Outside the performance hall, waiting for entry.
The singers were great, I think their voice just suited to each every characters, the young lady, young man, and a father's sound. I even tear when Violetta and Alfredo struggled to get together... Soprano sang very high pitch and trembling my eardrum, tenor has a good voice yet for some parts his voice was covered by the orchestra; my friend says baritone is way better than tenor and the baritone is having more experience in singing, (no commend). Only one thing my friend commended was the light blew which representative the main character's death was blown too early but optimum to be blown off together with the music end. Lol... just a perfectionist thought.
In conclusion, it was tremendously great that my first time listening to a live opera was 'La Traviata'. Now I know the famous Libiamo ne'lieti was from this opera!
Here may you enjoy the famous part of the songs in 'La Traviata':
A very cute and lively French song, just couldn't resist listening to this song.
Understanding its lyrics, kinda romantic... ^.^
Acapella:
And people used to translate the "On the Champs-Elysees" into some funny sounded words...lol...
A piano version:
From wiki:
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (French pronunciation: [av(ə).ny de ʃɑ̃.ze.li.ze] (listen)) is a street in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world.[1] Several French monuments are also on the street, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. The name is French for Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed dead in Greek mythology. The Champs-Élysées is known as "The most beautiful avenue in the world", La plus belle avenue du monde in French.[2]
