taste of honey
Sep. 16th, 2021 10:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nnozomi・I did a thing I should not have done and snuck a dumb pun into a technical translation, but “Press-molded bearings, never seen before in the industry!” were so clearly “un-press-edented” that I couldn’t resist.
・I seem to have written (but not posted yet, sorry) five and a half short or short-ish fics for the Guardian wishlist thing so far, plus at least one more I want to get to. I hope I’m not getting carried away.
・In reference to the zhiji discussion I mentioned last week, A-Pei taught me guimi 闺蜜, for close female friendships, a new one on me. (I finally remembered the 閨 character from 閨秀作家, a very old-fashioned (Meiji-era) term for women writers. Funny correlations.)
・Ep. 38: Zhu Yilong is naturally a baritone and Wang Yang, apparently, a tenor, but their last scene together was the first time I noticed consciously “Lin Nansheng’s speaking voice is deeper than Chen Moqun’s,” and I wonder if they brought that out on purpose to emphasize the shift in power.
Ep. 40: I have to say, if this show had two subtitles, they would be “Lin Nansheng hurt no comfort” and “The Significance of Radio and Telephone Communication in Mid-20th-Century Chinese History.”
Ep. 41: holy shit that was forty minutes of a master class in acting, what happens when you have a whole cast that’s that good and you just let them do their thing, no big action scenes, no melodrama, just gorgeously detailed, consistent, emotionally rooted characterization. Zhu Yilong and Zhang Zixian are both absolutely as good as it gets, and the other main actors/actresses live up to them here.
・I’ve gotten fascinated by watching ballet company classes on YouTube. My mother is an honest-to-goodness balletomane who has taken me to performances several times, and while I can tell that it’s highly skilled and very beautiful, I never quite get it—if I know the music they’re dancing to, my brain has trouble adding the extra dimension of dance somehow, and I keep protesting to myself “but why isn’t the dance phrasing the same as the music?” or “but that’s the recapitulation, how come they’re not doing the same steps as the exposition?”. I like reading about ballet, and someday I will figure out what I’m not getting and learn to enjoy watching performances more. In the meantime, I enjoy the company classes a lot! I like seeing the dancers with no makeup and in various outlandish practice garb, especially the cute chiffon skirts (although I’m slightly disconcerted by how little some of the men seem willing to wear), I like seeing the individual steps broken down and the way they differ subtly from dancer to dancer, especially as it’s not a performance and so they’re not compelled to match as closely as possible, I love the little spurts of exuberance in centre work when the women spin or the men leap. In musical terms as well I’ve always far preferred rehearsals to performances, it’s much more fun to watch something taken apart and put back together again than to hear it once through in its final form.
Be safe and well.
・I seem to have written (but not posted yet, sorry) five and a half short or short-ish fics for the Guardian wishlist thing so far, plus at least one more I want to get to. I hope I’m not getting carried away.
・In reference to the zhiji discussion I mentioned last week, A-Pei taught me guimi 闺蜜, for close female friendships, a new one on me. (I finally remembered the 閨 character from 閨秀作家, a very old-fashioned (Meiji-era) term for women writers. Funny correlations.)
・Ep. 38: Zhu Yilong is naturally a baritone and Wang Yang, apparently, a tenor, but their last scene together was the first time I noticed consciously “Lin Nansheng’s speaking voice is deeper than Chen Moqun’s,” and I wonder if they brought that out on purpose to emphasize the shift in power.
Ep. 40: I have to say, if this show had two subtitles, they would be “Lin Nansheng hurt no comfort” and “The Significance of Radio and Telephone Communication in Mid-20th-Century Chinese History.”
Ep. 41: holy shit that was forty minutes of a master class in acting, what happens when you have a whole cast that’s that good and you just let them do their thing, no big action scenes, no melodrama, just gorgeously detailed, consistent, emotionally rooted characterization. Zhu Yilong and Zhang Zixian are both absolutely as good as it gets, and the other main actors/actresses live up to them here.
・I’ve gotten fascinated by watching ballet company classes on YouTube. My mother is an honest-to-goodness balletomane who has taken me to performances several times, and while I can tell that it’s highly skilled and very beautiful, I never quite get it—if I know the music they’re dancing to, my brain has trouble adding the extra dimension of dance somehow, and I keep protesting to myself “but why isn’t the dance phrasing the same as the music?” or “but that’s the recapitulation, how come they’re not doing the same steps as the exposition?”. I like reading about ballet, and someday I will figure out what I’m not getting and learn to enjoy watching performances more. In the meantime, I enjoy the company classes a lot! I like seeing the dancers with no makeup and in various outlandish practice garb, especially the cute chiffon skirts (although I’m slightly disconcerted by how little some of the men seem willing to wear), I like seeing the individual steps broken down and the way they differ subtly from dancer to dancer, especially as it’s not a performance and so they’re not compelled to match as closely as possible, I love the little spurts of exuberance in centre work when the women spin or the men leap. In musical terms as well I’ve always far preferred rehearsals to performances, it’s much more fun to watch something taken apart and put back together again than to hear it once through in its final form.
Be safe and well.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 03:12 am (UTC)Hee!
I seem to have written (but not posted yet, sorry) five and a half short or short-ish fics for the Guardian wishlist thing so far, plus at least one more I want to get to. I hope I’m not getting carried away.
Wow, that's awesome! :D *\o/* :D
I've never thought of watching dance classes. I know Kpop bands sometimes post rehearsal footage... /random association
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:49 am (UTC)I'm so grateful for you and trobadora putting the wishlist thing together!
I know Kpop bands sometimes post rehearsal footage... /random association
Oh, that's interesting! Rehearsals are always fun to watch.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 04:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:50 am (UTC)Yes, absolutely! That's just how I think about orchestra rehearsals too, whether playing or listening--discovering all the parts that make it work and how they're all beautiful in their own way as a part of the whole. With ballet you would actually understand what you're seeing, of course, where I really don't, but I enjoy it anyway.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 07:21 am (UTC)I used to be able to glance in at morning classes when I was doing consultancy work at the Royal Opera House, and then after that contract finished (alas for my stage door pass!) I booked for one of the open rehearsals. It is something to be able to watch morning class from less than ten feet away, hearing and feeling the thumps of their landings. If you ever find yourself in London at the right time I would highly recommend it.
And if you haven't found it already, Maya Plisetskaya like a queen of the Bolshoi class in the early 80s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uco-uMLeos8
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:53 am (UTC)Yes, exactly. More real and also easier to understand the whole when you see what the parts are.
I booked for one of the open rehearsals. It is something to be able to watch morning class from less than ten feet away, hearing and feeling the thumps of their landings. If you ever find yourself in London at the right time I would highly recommend it.
Oh, this sounds fantastic! I'm longing to be able to visit London again some time, and that will absolutely go on my list.
And if you haven't found it already, Maya Plisetskaya like a queen of the Bolshoi class in the early 80s:
Bookmarked, and thank you! (I know who she is, but: also Yuri Plisetsky's spiritual grandmother, right? ;) )
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 06:07 am (UTC)Right! And also I suspect more than a little of her went into Lilia.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 08:14 am (UTC)Hee! :D
I seem to have written (but not posted yet, sorry) five and a half short or short-ish fics for the Guardian wishlist thing so far, plus at least one more I want to get to.
Woohoo! :D :D :D
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:54 am (UTC)As I was saying to china_shop above, I'm so grateful you guys have put the wishlist thing together!
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 03:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:55 am (UTC)Isn't it? I have absolutely no idea if it was on purpose or just me overthinking, but these actors are so good that I wouldn't put it past them for one second.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-16 04:02 pm (UTC)I seem to have written (but not posted yet, sorry) five and a half short or short-ish fics for the Guardian wishlist thing so far
!!! That is AMAZING. Go you!
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:56 am (UTC);) I absolutely could not resist. (I did signpost it so that they can take it out before final delivery to the client if they want to, but I hope they leave it in.)
!!! That is AMAZING.
<3 I mean, I may not actually have written anything good? but I'm sure having fun trying.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 12:45 am (UTC)Oh, wow, that's fascinating!
“Lin Nansheng hurt no comfort”
LOL! Though it's very true. ;__; I loved achray's tags on AO3: "Lin Nansheng needs a hug and will not get one" "(so canon compliant)".
Ep. 41: holy shit that was forty minutes of a master class in acting
Yes! This! Everyone is so, so good.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 02:59 am (UTC)Yes! Too true to be funny, oh dear.
This! Everyone is so, so good.
Absolutely. I mean, episode 41 is basically just dialogue, it's all setup for the big dramatic set piece in the next episode, and the effect is to emphasize how incredibly skilled the acting work is. (As wonderful as Zhu Yilong is, my notes to myself while watching are increasingly devolving into iterations of "how is Zhang Zixian such a good actor omigod.")
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 03:21 am (UTC)He is amazing. I'd be very curious to see him in another role.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-19 12:45 pm (UTC)Oh, me too! I guess we'd have to watch more cdramas centered around female protagonists, then. :D
no subject
Date: 2021-09-19 12:56 pm (UTC)Maybe so! (ratbones just posted a very promising writeup of the f/f one that just came out, if I'm remembering correctly)
no subject
Date: 2021-09-19 01:14 pm (UTC)