It Ain’t Over
Celeste Aida, forma divina
Mistico serto di luce fior
Del mio pensiero tu sei regina
L’amour, l’amour, l’amour, l’amour
L’amour est enfant de boheme
Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo
A te fortuna (a te fortuna, a te fortuna) non manchera
Sono il factotum della citta
Ma il mio mistero e chiuso in me il nome mio nessun sapra
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo diro quando la luce splendera
J’ai l’amour à fleur de coeur
Qui me fait souffrir sans trêve
Lorsque tu rêves
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For those of you single-linguals who really have no idea what the heck I’m going on about – it’s the OPERA!!! For those of you who actually have some culture in your lives (and when I say culture I do not mean the yoghurt variety!) I’m sure you might recognise the above mentioned lyrics of some of the world’s most famous operas:
- Celeste Aida from Aida
- Habanera from Carmen
- Largo Al Factotum from The Marriage of Figaro
- Nessun Dorma from Turandot
- L’amour À Fleur De Coeur from La Boheme
The reason of why I’m going on about this is that last Sunday my sis, a girlfriend and myself went to watch a Malaysian Opera – the first in the nation. The production, so aptly titled “M! The Opera” is new music composition that is produced and performed by the region’s finest creative talents. I have to say what a wonderful cultural experience it was – Malaysia is finally moving forward in the arts and it’s only a matter of time before they get to a world standard.
Anyway, the opera itself was rather bizarre as most tragic stories go, set in the sumptuous world of couture. It’s about this boy M from a tiny village where he watches and learns as his seamstress mother makes women beautiful. This is where the story gets a little queer – M’s mom dies in giving birth to his illegitimate brother who was born – with a needle in his fist! The villagers declare the child a bad omen and prophesises that he would destroy his family and the child is exiled but the needle is given to M, which he promptly gives to Sepi, his beautiful friend and muse for safekeeping. Fast forward to him all grown up in industrial Japan where M becomes a legendary fashion designer. As his fame grows, his friendships diminish. Then Kerabat, an outrageous designer, emerges and threatens to steal his thunder AND his muse.
So tragedy is as tragedy does, there’s betrayal and death at every corner. Little does everyone know that Kerabat is M’s half brother, the one prophesised to be the downfall and demise of M. So then as M spurns Sepi’s love and support, Kerabat covets and seduces her. In the heat of the moment, Sepi gives the needle to Kerabat and thus fulfilling the prophesy. In a bid to save himself and his love, M offers Kerabat the hand of partnership and Sepi a marriage proposal. Filled with hate and inner demons, Kerabat sews M’s wedding garments with poison and on the wedding day M dies at the alter in Sepi’s arms… And the ghost M’s mother then appears to M and Kerabat and the latter realises that it was his own half brother that he just killed and is filled with remorse…
Yeah. I love operas. The music, the sets, the costumes; everything about operas are just so decadent! It’s also so overtly dramatic and everything is blown all out of proportion and the best bit, someone always gets to die! Of course there’s no actual fat lady in the Viking costume with the cone boobs and the horned helmet at the end of every opera (actually I have yet to find a single opera that has that proverbial fat lady in the Viking costume) but its still a wonderful event to attend at least once in your life!
But in the meantime – when that proverbial fat lady sings; it’s over!
