Category: Arts

I have heard of live screenings at the Michigan Theater before but had never attended one before King Lear. There were live screenings of Julie and Frankenstein just recently. The Madness of King George (starring Mark Gatiss) and The Nutcracker will be playing December 9th and December 23rd respectively.

King Lear, often considered as the greatest tragedy ever written, was broadcast live in HD from the National Theatre in London. I am really glad I experienced the live screening. I liked how the camera showed the audience before and after the show, as well as during the intermission. It added to the illusion of being there in person.

Before the show, there was a video interview of the actors. It was informative to hear how the stage was designed to promote an intimate experience for the audience. A center stage and walkway (which divided the audience into two sections) was set up. Audience members were so close to production that they could hear the actors’ inhalation and exhalations.

I loved the setup and props used in the show. During the storm that happened in the play, real water poured down the actors’ faces. I could see water splashing as they walked onto stage during the rainstorm. I also really liked their use of a mirror to extend (or at least give the illusion of extending) the stage.

All the actors were fully realized. I appreciated the skill and artistry of each actor. During emotional scenes, I saw real tears run down their faces. My appreciation for Ian McKellen as an actor also grew when I saw him in King Lear. Prior to the show, I only knew him from the X-Men film series. I was surprised to find that he has been involved in more theater productions than movies, and I was blown away by his physical and mental capacity at the age of 79. Memorizing a complex script and performing in physically intensive scenes (kneeling, engaging in fight scenes, carrying other characters, etc), I imagine, are difficult on the body.

It was an emotional play. The fight scenes were entertaining and choreographed very well. There were also scenes that were quite disturbing (i.e. the eye gouging scene) and incredibly well done. No wonder the Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of King Lear received five-star reviews.

There were definitely differences (disadvantages?) between seeing a live screening of the play and being there in person. There were some issues with the microphone during the show which were generally minor but distracting. Additionally, the camera dictated which character’s expressions or part of the stage the audience focused on in a particular moment. In movies, blocking is done specifically for the camera. But in a play, blocking is designed for live audience. The audience gets to absorb what’s happening on the entire stage at all times and can choose what to pay particular attention to. A camera changes these dynamics. But to me, these sacrifices demanded by a live screening are well worth it to see a fantastic production of King Lear.

• Website and Video: http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout29-king-lear
• Full Gallery from the Show: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ntlive/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1015573232651385

This performance was very unique because Gao Hong didn’t just play the Pipa, she interacted with the audience throughout the performance to teach us as much about the Pipa as possible. I learned that although the Pipa looks like a guitar it is played very differently. With a guitar, you strum the strings, brushing a finger against a string upwards or downwards to get it to vibrate. A Pipa the strings are plucked outwards away from the instrument, this makes it harder to play because it requires more work to play.

Gao Hong explained that the Pipa is about storytelling. The Pipa is able to mimic sounds, and she began by demonstrating different sounds of the Pipa. The sounds she made was that of blowing wind, clam and bubbling water, Chinese gongs, horses, and people talking and laughing. The diverse sounds of the Pipa especially came out in the songs, During the song “King Xiang Yu Takes off His Armour” her Pipa was not even making musical notes, simply mimicking the sound of clashing metal and bringing the audience to the playing field. Every song that was played had a story behind it for the Pipa would tell. My favorite song was “Chen Xingyuan Placates the Tribesmen”. This song was full of sorrow and I could hear her Pipa moaning as it played. During the song “Mother-in-Law Arguing with Daughter-in-Law” I closed my eyes and could picture slamming pots and a father trying to play a peacemaker amongst his wife and daughter.

Gao Hong also played an original piece that she had written about her life. She has been travelling playing music since the age of 12 and mentioned that she has experienced many lonely moments in her life. Seldom are single notes plucked on the Pipa, notes are usually played together in a stream of plucking. However, when single notes are played they are particularly powerful. Her composition “Flying Dragon” was powerful because of how many single notes she emphasized in the song.

After playing traditional Pipa songs, Gao Hong did something different by showing us a project she worked on, a video that she narrates and plays the Pipa for about her experience of driving in the US. At first, I was not a huge fan because of all the other sounds and music she was playing in the video. I only wanted to hear her Pipa and found the other sounds in the video distracting. My feelings soon changed as the video became my favorite part. Not only was it hilarious, authentic, and relatable especially for immigrants, but I realized that she was doing something different by combining her Pipa playing with everyday sounds and American music. I got to hear country rock songs played on the Pipa.

The Pipa is an extremely delicate instrument and is not meant for everyone to play. I am glad I was able to hear it played by an expert.

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra gave an astounding performance on Thursday at Hill Auditorium. Lead by Semyon Bychkov, the group played three beautiful pieces, each which lead to standing ovations. The audience appreciation at the end was large enough that two encore pieces were played as well, Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances 1 and 2.

Starting off the concert was Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in b minor. Soloist Alisa Weilerstein played absolutely exquisitely for the duration of the 40 minute composition. There was such a fantastic balance between the full orchestra and the melody of the cello. My favorite part of this section was definitely the second movement, which was slower and a lot more lyrical than its preceding or following sections which were marked by faster and brighter sounds. To me, this second part did the best job of showcasing Weilerstein’s skills as well. 

Following intermission, the orchestra next played Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. This is one of my favorite classical pieces, as renowned choreographer George Balanchine choreographed his famous Serenade to this piece. Even as the Czech Philharmonic played the very notes I could already picture the starting formation of the dancers. The string instruments are showcased in this piece and they did not disappoint. For me, it was noticeable that I was not the only one who felt this way when at one point when I looked around me  and everyone was raptly concentrated on Bychkov and the music that was being performed.

The third piece of the program was another by Tchaikovsky, this one titled Francesca da Ramini. Probably the easiest to follow out of the three pieces, it is a musical translation of Canto V  from Dante’s Inferno. It was such an experience to hear this piece played and to know what parts of the story were being referenced. In the beginning, the music was explosive and descending chords signaled Dante’s further descent into hell. This was followed by a transition into haunting and lyrical melodies as Francesca da Ramini explains her tragic story. The last part of the piece is marked by more fiery and ominous music to signal Dante’s horror at the pain surrounding him until he finally faints and descends into another layer of hell. 

It was hard to know what could follow the phenomenal ending of that piece, but the encores were so much different in their intensity levels and actually provided a very fun ending to the program. Each of the pieces was very short, only around 5 minutes, but it was a pleasure to listen to these as the rhythms were very much reminiscent of dances, albeit with an entire orchestra. The first one characterized by really triumphant chords. The second one was just as vibrant, just slightly slower and softer in sound. 

Overall, it was such a privilege to be able to come and see this renowned orchestra perform in Ann Arbor. I look forward to the next time we are graced with their presence and what new pieces they will bring.

G-Fest reminded me of why I love live shows so much. The call and response component makes it feel real. I enjoy feeling the swell of anticipation within the audience. When the music builds up, and then it ‘crashes’ back down into a quieter melody, everyone goes wild.

A total of five groups performed during G-Fest: Photonix (performance art group that utilizes glow-sticks and other implements to manipulate light), Oren Levin (singer, guitarist), Revolution (Chinese Yoyo/Diabolo performance art group), The Impro-fessionals (improv group), and the G-Men (all-male a cappella group).

My favorite part of the show was seeing Photonix and Revolution perform. I was mesmerized by the culmination of skill, choreography, and musicality. Also, it was funny to see the members of Photonix rush off stage once the lights came back on. They clearly loved the art form but were not used to being on a bright stage with a large audience—which I find totally understandable. There were at least 500 people there that night; stage fright is real.

During Revolution’s performance, performers made mistakes, but that was okay. The performance wasn’t about perfection. It was about people coming together to celebrate the joy of art. Watching the tricky maneuvers and choreography reminded me that art is a skill.

It was cool to hear Oren Levin’s original songs. This was his third year performing during G-Fest. He clearly had a lot of experience in front of a live audience; he knew how to make the right jokes to make tuning and setting up less awkward. He tried to get the audience to participate in one of his songs which turned out to be a little bumpy, but I appreciated his enthusiasm.

My favorite songs performed by the G-Men were “Day n nite” by Kid Cudi, and “Other Side of Paradise” by Glass Animals. I was enthralled by the lead singer’s vocals; his voice was like liquid gold. The corny jokes the G-Men made in-between songs made me laugh and cringe.

G-Fest was a great way to unwind and relieve stress. It felt like a formal, yet informal way of celebrating art with other people. It was formal in the sense that it was an organized event where hundreds of people showed up, fliers were made, and a host announced each event and group performance. It was informal in the way that there was no pressure for performers to be perfect. I loved that. One of my favorite quotes is: “To live a creative life we must first lose the fear of being wrong” (Joseph Chilton Pearce). A lot of the time, art is about the process rather than the finished product. Allowing other artists to share their skills and passions with others in a nonjudgemental environment promotes creativity and collaboration.

Here are some links to check out the groups and their latest works and upcoming performances:

• Oren Levin
  • https://soundcloud.com/oren-levin
• Impro-fessionals
  • https://www.facebook.com/UMichImprofessionals/
• Photonix
  • https://uac.umich.edu/photonix/
  • https://www.facebook.com/PhotonixGlowsticking/
• Revolution
  • https://www.facebook.com/Revolution.Chinese.Yoyo/
• G-Men. Find them on Youtube and Spotify. Their latest album is out now.
  • https://linktr.ee/michigangmen