Haunted forerver by M

You know it's good music when it stops you in the track of whatever you were doing before....you just stand there and for a few seconds you forgot to breathe and just taking in the notes.

It's been exactly two years and five months since M! The Opera took its last bow in Istana Budaya. A handful of other musicals later, the hauntingly beautiful melodies of Saidah (composer & creator & M!) never left me. Every time I remember to visit the music, I play the sound track of the opera in my house over and over again.
an evening session of music workshop in 2005 at Saidah's house ended with the directors goofing around for the cast' entertainment. Saidah Rastam (left) & Jo Kukathas (director)






Issac, warming up before a rehersal @ Sunway College Rooftop Theatre



















Doreen Tang, played Sepi, at a sponsor's music preview meeting


















Michelle, Zum & Shiraz - backstage @ preview event @ Zouk, 2006










a retreat & weekend workshop @ Magick River (Kuala Kubu Bahru)

Listening to M!

Got a new pc, it's all good...life moves so much faster with a brand new machine.

I'm almost done with migrating all my files (music file especially!!!) from the old laptop to the new hard disc.

Was listening to the my recording of the last vocal warm-up for M! The Opera, now saved in my new pc. The recording ran up to about 20 minutes. After the warm up Saidah gave the cast the (last) briefing for that run, the every first run of the opera...

and then the sounds came...

pic by Alex Wan

My hair stood uncontrollably for a good whole one minute when I heard POW1 being rehearsed. POW1 was the longest, if not the biggest ensemble scene that has about three different songs sung back to back.

The opening of POW1 featured Mia's honeyed-voice singing for a good whole, about 16 bars of music...then the sounds came, female voices shriek, heavy panting, loud sighs, orgasmic screams...floaty fortissimo and many other sounds you don't hear in an conventional opera.

The goose bumps stayed throughout that whole section, that bit of singing has got to be most challenging one in the entire opera. Precision and effects, from earty grunts and growls to classical tessituras, from singing on a spot to contorted bodies.

Clearly I would do it all over again, this beloved opera.

The way we were...Jan 2005 to April 2006

After Curtain Call

Taufik was sobbing uncontrollably the moment we walked off stage after our last curtain call for M!

Pretty soon a shocked cast joined him, we are a family who survived many uncertainties and pretty damn good memories for the past one year. The passion to create something bold and different never burn out in both the cast & creative team.

The cast party saw some serious action on the dance floor, half the time we spent on signing more souvenir books. There were tons of food left on the buffet spread, many glasses and bottles were emptied. Goodbyes lasted hours, from outside of Cochine to mamak down the road.

While I still read the free-for-all forum on Kakiseni, I realised that people will stop talking about the opera soon, the debate will cease and people will eventually start another senseless bitching on another production. My prayers are that some sector of the industry benefited from the production and that more artist will take on bolder productions and that Saidah never stop creating.

I have told myself to start planning my life and try out things (to do), while I cruise many upcoming gatherings by the cast who is having withdrawal symptoms. Some think I will have it worse for I don't have a day job now...I hope not, with all the things I hope to do now...it's now or never.

Sent myself an email on the action plan of Life After M...

in no particular order:

write, pitching to editors
learn up new arias
make photo albums of M pics
make contact database
jumble sale - make space in wardrobe
...
....
meet old friends from M

Thank you for the music

Sepi and gown













A gaze for glory
















Some of the world's best sounds I know come from people when they are doing group vocal warm up. Last night Roland led the vocal warm up before our performance and I thought the humming scale sounded like the most beautiful thing :)

And later as I looked on my reflection on the grand piano while Saidah and Roland discussed a few music cues, I admired the fine make-up I had on with my sexy hairdo and thought to myself, if not for Saidah and her vision and gift of music, none of these would be here...

the costumes, the cast, the words, the choreography, the hair stylists, stage managers, audience, front of house, musicians, TV crew....

It just touched me to be reminded that we are all here in the theatre everyday on a noble mission of bringing Saidah's pure genius to live audience. All the glamour that is seen on stage, in the hallway after a show, in the magazines, are results of disciplined rehearsals, studied music, endless hours of working together, activities that were far from glamorous...

This, I guess, it's what alluring about the performing arts, credits are due for all the backstage hard work, in exchange you get to bask in glory for job well done on stage and be showered with praises and respect for how you shine on stage.

It's harsh, but oh, so romantic.

Here's to M! The Opera...for it is a piece of work that has musical integrity and soul, it does not try to be all crowd pleasing, spirits lifting...keeping everyone happy with brain numbing tunes.

To Saidah who is the creator of the production who did not water down her writing for fear that people can't understand it or perform it. I thank her for not making compromises to the music and gave the cast the chance to challenge ourselves.

To us, who dare to be true to our souls and not conform.

M! The Opera...Extra show on March 28th

wohooo

Wea re playing one extra show on Tuesday the March 28th (a no show night previously) due to the overwhelming response in the box office :)

Show details

M! The Opera

Date: March 23 - April 2, 2006

No show on March 27th -- EXTRA SHOW ON MARCH 28

For tickets..

Purchase at Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

or

Buy tickets over the phone: 603 7726 2002

Online information - http://www.ticket2u.biz/

Istana Budaya Box Office: 603 4026 5558

For more information: 603 2166 5946
inquiries@mtheopera.com

The beginning of the end of an era

This afternoon when I was getting ready for my make up check at Istana Budaya, it suddenly hit me that this is the beginning of the ending of my M! The Opera journey. I was saddened....

The show will open in three days, a year and three months after I auditioned at Istana Budaya. I think most cast members who have been on board since December 2004 could write a book on their experience with M! I don't think there will be another production like this in a long long time to come. The powerful time has created a special bond among cast members, the enthusiasm and passion for Saidah's music really do drive us together.

SM saw me today for a short time and said she felt like M! The Opera has eaten me up because she hardly get to see me. For months I have been telling her, "No I can't see you...I will be in rehearsal, till late."

All I ask of everyone is to come and see and listen to Saidah's music and the magic it has on you and the cast...and musicians.

It's a sad day....life after M! -- missing it all already even before I start...

Read Kakiseni's story on Saidah Rastam & M! The Opera.

Charmed

I'm so glad I attended the M! press conference yesterday, on Sri Endon award winners sponsoring some costumes...read today's Star, nation news desk, page 16.

After sorting out my media clippings...I sneaked into the theatre and into Roland (conductor)'s rehearsal with the (western) orchestra.

Enchanted. Epostoflaunt.

They were rehearsing Sepi's first aria, Mr Wolf.

Too beautiful, I stood at the doorway and forgot to breathe...too moved to move away. When I recovered I took the nearest chair and sat there totally fixated on the music and I wish I didn't have to go home to work on some media papers.

Keeping this short, am finding it hard to translate the magic I experienced onto the screen, in words. Something, some magic you can't spell in words, you have to experience it.

Come experience the magic...

M! The Opera

March 23rd - April 2, 2006
Istana Budaya

No shows on 27th, 28th, 31st

blog - M! The Opera blog

tickets - Ticket2u

Rain Dancers

I asked TV Smith what should I call this blog entry with the pictures he took earlier.

He said, "Rain dancers, taking KL by storm."

Taken towards the end of the shoot TV did on Michelle as part of media promo for M! The Opera. It was drizzling and there were leaves, sand and strong wind and Michell and I were having a ball dancing and jumping just outside Mandarin Oriental, on the way back to KLCC for refuge from the storm that was looming in the distance.

Watch out, this is part of a series of exclusive pictures and interviews by TV Smith, featuring some folks from M!

Two and a half weeks....

Horray, M! is moving into Istana Budaya next week! It's exactly 17 days more before M! The Opera premieres. The conductor is dreaming music from the opera, the cast bursts into songs at any given time, the production team are falling in love with the music and our acting, and people throw lines from the opera in any conversations, make up artists talk enthusiastically about making our faces into stage creatures......we breathe, eat and sleep M! -- it can't get anymore exciting than this.

Finally did something about my arms, well, something actually happen to my arms yet but I took the first step -- after whining for months -- and bought this latex/rubber resistant band to use for work out. It's RM 26.90 and I can use it to tone not only triceps/biceps/etc, but also chest, thighs, back, ab, etc.

I hope to embrace this band with all diligence when we do technical runs at Istana Budaya. Imagine the number of times I get to work out between 9am (call time for cast on tech run days) and 12 midnight (if we have it good). It's that time of the year to really love the food at Istana Budaya...I think I can do with Malay canteen food for over two weeks. I wil slurp all that soya sauce with white rice and eggs, and imagine kangkung with chilies, tempeh for three meals (love it), tofu in kunyik soup...etc.

It's steady progress all the way in rehearsal room, with scene blocking and music marking done at the same time, with Roland's constant reminder on getting the singing right. I feel that the work is getting easier for me, especially when we have to run the same scene over and over again, marking singing and movement together -- the memory work is then half done.

Today's work was stressful and tiring, but the results were unbelievable and I think everyone left feeling justified.

I haven't been spending time planning my `life after M!' -- think void, lost. Haven't found my travelling mate for the Bangkok trip yet...go alone?

I'm high...

One of the biggest perks for me in being in an opera is the music rehearsals...if you REALLY love music. Forget the fact that the money that you take home at the end of production can't get you a new car, I do it for the fact that I get to get totally high on having to rehearse, and watch others rehearse with orchestra. It's watching magic unfolds in front of my eyes, seeing how the magic of music is made...with the stroke of a finger, slap of palm...

I love lying down to catch my breathe from running through my scene, and listen to singers rehearse with the musicians. I only hope I could tell my friends who think little of performing arts the `remuneration' I'm getting is really, beyond what a lot of money can buy. I also love watching other singers in the operas going thro their scenes and lines, with full gusto.

Of course then the downside of falling in love with your production inside out is that, you won't be able to watch the magic on stage. I guess being able to witness the behind the scene magic will make up for it.

As for you, those of you who aren't in the production, come watch and listen to the most intelligent music being performed, I challenge you...I wouldn't con you into saying this is mainstream entertainment but Malaysians have got to start somewhere, in getting used to intelligent arts, and substance.

Yes, am talking about M! The Opera...

Show details here and information on music here. Constantly being updated with media coverage is here.

Unofficial website for M!

M! Team

This is the drama minggu ini.

M! folks rock.

Beware of sleepy driver...

I'm officially dangerous on the road...am not proud, but am recording it down here as a reminder and warning to myself.

I fall asleep on the wheels a lot these days. The best solution has been stopping half way and nap before I continue the painful journey home. The tricks I have tried to stay awake have been, singing out loud, slapping my thighs really hard, stretching, listening to my mp3 player. None of these help.

Apart from that, I have developed a serious addiction to eating while driving...there's a high I get in scooping a mouth-full of nasi lemak while overtaking the Satria next to me. Meals taste seriously good while I eat it, driving.

It sounds seriously wrong to me, because I can't explain why I like it so much.

Nowadays I have my little pink vacuum cleaner in my bedroom, when the floor gets too `hairy' I get another kind of high vacuuming it before I get back to my endless emailing business. I know I really should just keep the cleaner in the store room so that my housemate (whom I don't see much) can share it. I bet she is still confused about what I do for a living.

While we are rehearsing mad for M!, PGL has sold out all tickets. If you go to their website you'll find there's a lot of `coming soon' information...but who cares, the box office is burning with bums!!

In the midst of crazy media interviews and lots of broadcasting, the producers whip things together for our Monday launch at the JW Marriot. Looks like I might get to debut my other Zara dress. AM excited to be seeing all sponsors, and media people all in one hall, with cast and creatives...

I will have break after this epic opera, this time I actually plan it, a shopping trip to Bangkok.

M is for Monday...launch....

Making Faces....

Updated the M! blog with some pictorial stories...go check it out.

One of the pics..The Atelier girls in act two, silly posing at the publicity shoot done before CNY.


















SC Shegar, our photographer, guided us through a session of making faces that day...he talked us through some fantastic poses that were natural and not pretencions...look at how we luaghed!!

















Completed three interviews in one week before CNY with the M poele, will update the blogs on the stories when they run the print.

Hmm...past healthy bed time, better hit the sack, got radio interview tomorrow for our dramaturg, Jo, on rasio 4, 10am.

Justin not Timberlake

May I present, the other Justin in my life? Who has been quite impatiently waiting his debut on my `talk show' on Soul Doctor channel...



He wears purple....and he is training well under the wings of Signal Master who has generously taken him as her bxxxh. These folks made it to the festive do at YTL's massive celebration at KLPAC, on the night Cindy, Signal Master and I sang with the Selangor Philharmonic Society.


Here's Cindy looking regal...introducing her French song that evening. Picture by the ever clever TV Smith...isn't she stunning? She went on to blow the audience away with her graceful but powerful O Holy Night.















Coming back to Justin...here's his resume.

Status: unknown...he claims he has a lover from afar
Talent: give him a cover story and he will pour the story
Talent(s): Sings, write songs, guitar, TV host...has friendly accent and is friendly

Yo dude, can I post your mobile number here?

Coming back to the evening of Christmas Carols and lots of women in one dressing room. Cindy didn't want to be lonely in her dressing room allocated for her, she ended up making up in the loo....next the our dressing room full of women of all ages, singing in the choir, most didn't bring any make-up with them and I enjoyed screaming at them for not bringing, for I was assigned to take care of the looks department that night.

Selangor Phil, you owe me some ounce of my MAC bronzing powder, my MAC eye shadow...eyeliner, etc. I suggest you hire me to run one quick course of `preparing for that show in the grooming department'.

Cindy insulted the boys' (Justin and Fuad) masculinity by paying for all food later...they paid back in dragging the party to the pool bar next door.

That was mt first sip of beer and pool tables in years. I had fun, Merry Christmas.

Of Monkeys and Dinosuars

Last night rehearsal had me on my feet most of the time, the second half of it anyway. Did breathing exercises from 7pm, I was to look at Cindyin a steady gaze and `share' my breath with her and hers. Who would thought breathing is difficult, I literally forgot to breath when I use all energy in just, looking at her in the eye.

Slowly I catch up with my breathe with Jo's help and constant reminding. We eventually went from steely gaze at each other to our song lines in the scene...eyes were moist, teary and throat dried with mixed emotions.

We continued with group exercise on group breathing....then the animal business started. To work on our ensemble energy, we turned into penguins, yes, we literally TURNED penguins and you could tell when we stopped `acting' and be what we were told to BE. Then M walked into the studio late as the slightly-confused polar bear on the hunt of penguins (Sweet J told me that polar bears and penguins can never meet -- North pole and South pole -- I told him that it was a rehearsal in Sunway college, so it was possible for these creatures to be there).

Then more polar bears on the hunt were created and soon, Jo introduced dinosaurs within the group. The remaining penguins stayed true to their community spirit and stayed closed to each other but eventually were out-numbered and left a lone dinosaur in the space.

It was good exercise in working on body awareness. But the real killer came after the break -- we were monkeys with a busy surrounding, with hyenas, elephants, models, leopards, humans, peanuts and bananas. We were told to do beyond just `look like' monkeys but have the characteristics and instincts of monkeys, and be alert and mindful. can't articulate the teaching much but I know it's towards strong acting, with clear body language, and ensemble energy.

More rehearsal with Jo, of Monday's session, read Michelle's entry on her blog...she records really well :)

M People

Got quite efficient with the scanner, had some `scanning projects'...will scan some past production shoots for my singing site, etc.

Speaking of scanning pictures...

I would like to showcase this group of people, I call us, the unlikely family...people who came together in similar artistic vision of a kind, became quick friends...

Issac in his usual pose
























Michelle is our role model when it comes to the right moves..




















This is when my point-n-shoot behaves and captured M's men department in their soulful strike
















Pointers, buy high speed films for moments like this where you wish you could do without flash. Women galore, babes of M in their element, vain la.

































The folks who made the date at Sepi's wedding on Sunday.