#NZ Opera School 16

[thewertsearch]

Asks Comp - 16/4

I literally did not know The Baby Is You was a thing. To be welcomed back into the comic like this after four months is very on brand for Homestuck.

... and wow, its outro really does match the end of this song, doesn't it? That's even funnier than if he'd snuck some of Megalovania in there.

Ooh, that's another liveblog I'll want to check out when I'm done! I've never actually seen a Worm liveblog before. Adding it to the list myself!

Nothing's really changed since I've been gone! I make a conscious effort not to do much Homestuck analysis off-blog, since I want my journey to be fully documented here.

It's good to be back! I'm looking forward to a full reread when I'm done.

Would you believe I didn't even know there was a book?

I also didn't know the movie had two (allegedly) terrible sequels, which is very funny. Neverending story indeed.

Thank you! I can't take too much credit, though - most of my tagging system has been crowdsourced from askers!

At some point, before we reach the end of the comic, I'm going to have to formalize my approach to liveblogging Homestuck's side content.

What I'll probably do is give each of them the 'lite' treatment initially, but if they turn out to be more canonical than I thought, or particularly interesting to liveblog, I'll 'zoom in', and analyze them properly. We'll see how we go!

Could you imagine the relationship dynamics in your average troll soap opera? The shipping web for a single season would make our heads explode.

It's a fun question. What sort of object symbolizes everything?

The first thing I'd try would be a star chart, Dave's magnifier and a literal planetful of Grist.

Added to the list! Not until later later on, though - I'd worry that the opinions and theories of another liveblogger could interfere with my own, especially if they're talking about it with someone who's already read it!

I would find it hard to disagree.

Do people think Act 1 is pointless?

I mean, it is the slowest Act in terms of pacing, but slow pacing isn't always a bad thing. You sort of have to take it slow when your readers have this much to get to grips with.

...okay, maybe we didn't need quite as many Sylladex mishaps as we got. But we still needed some. Homestuck has a lot to introduce you to.

I always pictured an English accent for Hass - although, interestingly, I didn't picture one for Jade. As a headcanon, I like the NZ one better.

Where did Grandpa grow up again, actually? He was raised by Fake Mark Twain, who was from Missouri - but I don't have a clue what a Missouri accent sounds like, let alone one from a century ago. I have a funny feeling that it's not the accent I'm imagining coming from Jade.

Now that's a ship I'd never have seen coming. Props to Hussie for coming up with something more controversial than my Feferi<>Equius.

All four kids, with four endgame weapons, might be able to challenge Jack's current incarnation - but they're not going to get the chance. You've hit the nail on the head - he's semi-perfect Jack for a reason.

I have several theories for Jade's prototyping, and every single one of them would make Jack even more dangerous than before. It's just barely possible to challenge him now, but things will only get worse.

Read the room, Serket!

Would Vriska have tried to negotiate? She feels like the type of person who'd rather take a beating than admit they're outclassed. Plus, I'm not sure how much she'd have to offer Aradia, who seemed entirely motivated by revenge (and, possibly, secretly motivated by timeline stuff).

All that said, I would have loved to hear Vriska trying to worm her way out of this.

I love it! Please send in the completed house, if you get the chance. That's going to look so cool with a moving meteor.

And they're both easily distractible! This feels like two people who might actually get on surprisingly well, if they were in, say, the same high school class.

It's hard to say what's a rarepair, since I don't know what ships are rare in the fandom - although I'd have a few guesses about the most common ones.

If we're going for a ship with very tenuous connections, I will submit Rose x Feferi for your appraisal. They're both fans of the Noble Circle, and their signature colors are pretty close.

You know what, I'll just review all of your ships. Tavros/Gamzee - PB&J - is pretty cute. [] I'd recommend Miracle Child for a number of reasons, but it does include a well-written Gamtav. Jack/Droog is more <> to me than it is <3. Like One Sundered Star might be influencing that? I'm not really sure. Somewhere I think I saw a Jack<>Droog. Your pre-shipping chart post isn't in the chrono; also, I'm pretty sure the A6A6I5 ask is one of mine. Gamzee/Eridan is a rarepair; I've seen it, but not often, and it's a <> in the fic I'm referencing. Kanaya<>Terezi and Feferi<>Vriska are strange enough that I've never seen them anywhere, really. [] And finally, Vriska and Tavros. These two are the textbook example of why the ashen quadrant needs to exist, and they're a perfect pair for it. [] ~LOSS (8/1/23)

I don't even know if Carapacians have moirallegiance - but those two would definitely work if they did.

Out of all my ships you flagged as rare, I think my favorite is Feferi<>Vriska. I just think they'd gel weirdly well together!

[workerapp591]

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[septmilleneurones]

Hey look, actual "unique" questions

Via @quietandinviting, and apparently this was the original source.

I’m doing this LiveJournal style because I ultimately prefer to take my destiny into my own hands when it comes to answering questions like this! :D 1:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? >I actually don't have a closet in my current place! My room used to be the laundry room. I am OK with this because it has a door leading directly outside. 2:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? >No. I'm picky about which shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. I use. 3:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? >One side in, one side out. 4:Have you ever stolen a street sign before? >No. 5:Do you like to use post-it notes? >I used to love them, but these days I've switched to the Errands app. 6:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? >I forget about coupons all the time. 7:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? >I'd rather not think about either of those things. 8:Do you have freckles? >Some. 9:Do you always smile for pictures? >Yes, although it doesn't always look natural because I get self-conscious. I do want to take more pictures of myself, though. 10:What is your biggest pet peeve? >Self-righteousness, probably. There have been times when I've really wanted to reblog something here but decided against it because of the "if you don't reblog this, you're a terrible person" crap. 11:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? >Not personally, but my current phone has a pedometer and I've been really enjoying using it. 12:Have you ever peed in the woods? >Yes, while hiking. It was gross and I don't want to do it again. 13:What about pooped in the woods? >No. 14:Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing? >FUCK YES. 15:Do you chew your pens and pencils? >Apparently not as much as I used to! 16:How many people have you slept with this week? >None. 17:What size is your bed? >Queen! It came with the room I'm renting. 18:What is your Song of the week? >Most of the songs in the Moana soundtrack. 19:Is it okay for guys to wear pink? >It should be more socially acceptable. 20:Do you still watch cartoons? >A lot of cartoons that are primarily marketed to kids seem to be of higher quality than a lot of adult TV and movies. 21:Whats your least favorite movie? >At the moment, Passengers. I'm just so mad that they had this amazing concept and did something so crappy with it. 22:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? >I'd probably just hire a safe for it. I don't want to risk some other fucker finding it and taking it. 23:If you're a girl, bra size? If you're a guy, pants size? >18D, I think. 24:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? >I tend to eat foods like that at buffet restaurants, so I'd pick whatever sauce looks nicest there. Or maybe in the broth of some of the other foods on my plate. 25:What is your favorite food? Potato chips. 26:What movies could you watch over and over and still love? >Mostly childhood favourites, like Miss Congeniality, Legally Blonde, Teaching Mrs Tingle, Center Stage, Bring It On, etc. 27:Last person you kissed/kissed you? >My mum. 28:Were you ever a boy/girl scout? >No. (Incidentally, it's Pippins, Brownies and Girl Guides for New Zealand girls. Not sure what the boy organisations are called.) 29:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? >No, and it's almost entirely because of the stigma. I'd love to do comedy nudity like Air New Zealand, though. 30:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? >To my grandmother, shortly before she died in 2015. 31:Can you change the oil on a car? >I can't even drive a car. 32:Ever gotten a speeding ticket? >See #31, but my brother did when following my dad home in separate cars, and my dad apparently instructed the cop to make my brother squirm a little. XD 33:Ever ran out of gas? >See #31 34:Favorite kind of sandwich? >The meatball sandwich at Subway, with onion, green pepper, jalapenos, pickles and chipotle sauce. 35:Best thing to eat for breakfast? >The *best* thing is a nice egg, bacon, etc. breakfast when I eat out, but when I eat at home I just eat cereal. I eat it dry and drink milk on the side because I hate the texture cereal gets when it sits in milk for more than a couple of minutes. 36:What is your usual bedtime? >10ish. 37:Are you lazy? >No. 38:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? >We didn't really do Halloween all that much. We have a *bit* of trick or treating in New Zealand but it's not celebrated to the same extent as America. 39:What is your Chinese astrological sign? >The Rat. 40:Are you horny? >No. 41:Do you have any magazine subscriptions? >No. 42:Which are better legos or lincoln logs? >We don't have Lincoln Logs in New Zealand. I enjoyed playing with Lego, though. 43:Are you stubborn? >When it comes to personal things (as opposed to activism, where the rights of oppressed groups > the feelings of privileged groups), I tend to want to know *why* you want me to do something differently or see something differently, and I want you to not treat me like I'm defective or otherwise make it about my character when it's not appropriate to do so. If you're good about those things, I'll often consider what you're asking for. I still have some absolute non-negotiables, but I'm often willing to be flexible if I understand the reason and am being treated respectfully. 44:Who is better...Leno or Letterman? >Those are talk shows, right? I don't even know what kinds of talk shows we have in New Zealand (if any), but I do enjoy Jimmy Kimmel's Mean Tweets segments. 45:Ever watch soap operas? >I might watch a New Zealand one like Shortland Street, but it's more because I want to watch more of our own stuff. Local entertainment is vastly outnumbered by overseas entertainment, especially from America, and while I enjoy a lot of that stuff, I want to see my own country in the stuff I'm watching. 46:Are you afraid of heights? >I won't bungee jump but I don't mind just being up high. I like roller coasters and looking straight down from the Skytower, and I have used the words "That was the best turbulence I've had in a while." 47:Do you sing in the car? >If I drove, I totally would. 48:Do you sing in the shower? >If my flatmates aren't home. I also sing while cooking sometimes. 49:Do you dance in the car? >Again, if I drove, I would absolutely do this. 50:Ever used a gun? >I think we might have done rifle shooting at my school camp when I was 10 or so. 51:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? >When I taught English in Japan and they did yearbook photos. This was almost 10 years ago. 52:Do you think musicals are cheesy? >NO THEY ARE AWESOME. 53:Is Christmas stressful? >It used to be, because I had all the stress of buying presents but didn't actually get to see my family. Last year was my first Christmas after coming back to NZ and when I did my Christmas shopping I was stressed because my mind hadn't adjusted. But then I got together with my family on Christmas and it was great. I don't think it's going to be so stressful next year. Still a little stressful because I have to make time for Christmas shopping during my industry's busy season, but not nearly as much as before. 54:Ever eat a pierogi? >No, but it'd be cool to try one. 55:Favorite type of fruit pie? >Apple or cherry. 56:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? >I didn't. I went from not knowing at all, to knowing I wanted to do something with Japanese (confession: when it came to choosing between Japanese and German, I think my choice to go with Japanese was influenced by a crush on the teacher...and it worked out! Like, obviously I didn't end up with her because non-creepy teachers aren't attracted to 17-year-olds, but I ended up in a good career.) Anyway, so I went from no idea to a moment of total clarity with what I wanted to study at university, then I went from no idea to a moment of total clarity when I decided that I wanted to be a translator. 57:Do you believe in ghosts? >Not really. 58:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? >There have been a couple of minor occasions. 59:Take a vitamin daily? >Yes. 60:Wear slippers? >No, I don't like how they feel on my feet. 61:Wear a bath robe? >Only when I need to cover up in front of my flatmates. 62:What do you wear to bed? >Nightgown in summer, pyjamas in winter. 63:First concert? >A 90s revival concert just a couple of months ago! 64:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? >Over here, our main big box store is The Warehouse. It's pretty good, I go there quite often. 65:Nike or Adidas? >Nike's stuff seems to have caught my eye the most often. 66:Cheetos Or Fritos? >CHEETOS. When I used to get my friend to send me American chips, I always asked for Cheetos and Doritos. 67:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? >They're both yummy. 68:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? >No! Google isn't bringing up anything definitive either. 69:Ever take dance lessons? >I did yosakoi in Japan. It was alright, but I prefer dancercise, where the moves are very simple. I don't like learning a lot of moves. 70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? >No. I try not to stereotype people based on their profession. 71:Can you curl your tongue? >No. 72:Ever won a spelling bee? >We didn't have those in New Zealand in my day. I heard on the news that a New Zealander qualified for the Scripps one year, but I think it's still not a part of our school culture and I kind of wish it was. I did do foreign language contests when I was in high school, though! I won a bunch of times and placed high a bunch of other times. 73:Have you ever cried because you were so happy? >Mostly when reading reassuring messages. 74:Own any record albums? >No, but my parents do and I own the mp3 versions of some of their stuff. 75:Own a record player? >No, but my parents do. 76:Regularly burn incense? >No. I have a stuffed toy whose smell is comforting to me, and incense would change its smell. Also, my boss's neighbour's house burned down because she lit candles and knocked one over or something. 77:Ever been in love? >No, but I've had a crush and it was fun. 78:Who would you like to see in concert? >Really any of the artists I like, as long as it doesn't take a lot of effort for me to go. Like, if the tickets sell out in an hour, no. If I have to queue for a long time, no. This revival concert had assigned seating and didn't sell out too quickly. 79:What was the last concert you saw? >The revival concert. 80:Hot tea or cold tea? >None. 81:Tea or coffee? >I will sometimes drink a very milky/chocolatey coffee, like mochaccino or latte, but I mostly prefer water.   82: Sugar or snickerdoodles? >Both sound really good! 83:Can you swim well? >No. 84:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? >You mean underwater? No. 85:Are you patient? >Moderately. I can generally turn it on if I need to when I'm dealing with people, but if my computer's running slow, then to quote The Wolf of Wall Street, it's "fuck" this, "shit" that, "cunt", "cock", "asshole". 86:DJ or band, at a wedding? >Probably DJ, but unless it's my wedding, I don't really care. 87:Ever won a contest? >Multiple foreign language contests in high school, multiple colouring contests in my early to mid teens, including a PlayStation that my brother was ecstatic about (I liked colouring before it was cool!) and I also won a huge hamper of beauty products a few years ago. I ended up donating most of the beauty products to a DV shelter, though, because I didn't use them. I still use the towel and placemats that came with it, though. 88:Ever have plastic surgery? >No. 89:Which are better black or green olives? >I don't think I've tried green olives. The black ones are alright, but I'm not a huge fan. 90:Can you knit or crochet? >No. 91:Best room for a fireplace? >The lounge...of a house that somebody else is responsible for. Like, if my live-in landlady or one of my family or friends got one, I'd think it was cool, but I don't want to be solely responsible for one because I'd be scared of setting the house on fire. 92:Do you want to get married? >Probably; it seems to carry certain legal benefits that I'd want to have in a long-term relationship. 93:If married, how long have you been married? >Not married. 94:Who was your HS crush? >My Japanese teacher, who was younger then than I am now. 95:Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? >No, but I cry over things that seem inconsequential because there's deeper stuff going on below the surface. For example, last weekend I tried to go to the gym but my key didn't work. I cried when I got home, not because I couldn't handle waiting until Monday to speak to the staff about it, but because I felt like I'd somehow done something wrong that I needed to be embarrassed about. I used some anxiety techniques to deal with that, then had a reasoned conversation about it during their staffed hours. 96:Do you have kids? >No. 97:Do you want kids? >No. 98:Whats your favorite color? >Pink. 99:Do you miss anyone right now? >Nope!

[rlinmin]

note to self:

1. The Norwegian Fjords

2. Glowing Rivers, Peurto Rico

3. Incan ruin in Machu Picchu, Peru

4. Vienna, Austria to visit the Spanish Riding School

5. Penang, Georgetown Festival

6. Bhutan - March to May

7. Auschwitz, Krakow, Poland

8. The lake city of Pokhara in Nepal

9. Salzburg, Austria for the Annual Music Festival

10. The Tasman Glacier in NZ

11. La Scala Opera House, Milan

12. The River Rhine - to take a cruise from Switzerland to Amsterdam

13. The Taj Mahal at Agra, India

14. The Galápagos Islands to see the Giant Tortoises

15. Holy Island (Lindisfarne)

16. The Giant's Causeway in Antrim, Northern Ireland

17. Sequoia National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of Central California

18. The Winter Palace at St Petersburg, Russia

19. Lake Titicaca in the Andes via the Rail Journey uniting Mollendon with Puno

20. The Floating Garden Islands of Palau in the West Pacific

21. The pyramids and great Sphinx, Giza, Egypt

22. Monte Carlo's Casino Complex

23. Mont Blanc in the Alps

24. Safari in South Africa

25. The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs

26. Lego House, Billund

[night-speak-blog]

Jennifer Shennan has a history of performing as a dancer on Courtenay Place.

Jennifer Shennan (JS): Can I say this? I’m not a party girl. I’m too busy with books and such. But I’ve been on Courtenay Place many nights and there are two buildings I can talk about, The Opera House and the St. James Theatre.

lr: And you performed in both of them?

JS: I’ve both performed in them and I’ve watched and reviewed what I’ve seen. I’ve been to thousands of performances in those two buildings. Let me say, I saw a performance in The Opera House before I was born. What on earth do I mean? In 1926 Anna Pavlova toured with her own company to NZ. Little woman, wore size one shoes. This tiny little person took a company on a ship all around the world…India…Survived all that. In the 1920s. She escaped from Russia, escaped from Diaghilev. Apparently she believed in only the beautiful and the good to lift people up. But if you danced the seedy, sexy, dirty, dangerous, murders and such—well, she just didn’t want to know about the dark side. She would have known about it—I mean Russia, Diaghilev, Nijinsky...That was the boiling pot of things. And she opted out and ran her own company. Diaghilev was frightened of the water so he wouldn’t get in a boat to go anywhere and there were no planes. He was a big, extraordinary man, and a bully and a coward. Pavlova was none of those things. So she toured the world and came here to New Zealand. And by bus—I suppose—they went up and down the country. She sent her dancers to Ngāti Pōneke Māori Culture Club. They learnt haka. Incredible. My father paid sixpence to see Pavlova in 1926. I said “Dad! What was it like? What was it like?”, and he said “I don’t remember anything about it but I know I paid sixpence.”

My dad didn’t go to any ballet really but she was billed as the greatest dancer in the world and so everybody went. I mention this because it’s something I know happened there, in The Opera House. I also know—and this is going to break your heart—that a young dancer burned to death in that theatre. Because it was the gaslight era and the stage is lit by a fire—a live flame in the wings. And the dancers wore tulle skirts, just below the knee, very fluffy and full. And you run off stage after dancing and you get too close to the light and—whoosh!—and her skirt was on fire. And she ran so as not to enflame the other dancers she was with...Outside into the alleyway, and it fed the flames, and she was a ball of fire. So they grabbed her the best they could and bundled her up in blankets and she was terribly burnt. And they take a slow ambulance to the hospital [in 1923, all forms of transport would have taken a long time to get from one place to another]. And the hospital has a mile of yellow stripe on the floor to lead you to the children’s ward.

lr: She was a child?

JS: Well the ambulance medics thought she was. She was so tiny. And they took her all the way along this yellow road to the children’s ward. It was a long, long way...Don’t ask me how long, but I do remember it, only just. You didn’t know where you were going, no windows, you just follow this yellow path...And they got her there and unwrapped her, saw that she wasn’t a child, she was a little woman. So they bundled her back up and took her to the adult’s ward, and she lingered in agony for two or three days and then she died. There should be a statue to that dancer, right outside the theatre. There is one in Paris for Emma Livry—exactly the same thing happened to her. Burnt, miserably, then died. And there’s a statue, and a headstone and pilgrims go there from all over the ballet world to see Emma Livry. Well they could come here. It’s beautifully written up in an early issue of Music New Zealand [written by Peter Averi]. Peter Averi the broadcaster? The dancer was his Aunt or Great Aunt. And I know her name but I can’t bear to remember it [The dancer’s name was Phyllis Porter.]. It’s unfinished business for Courtenay Place. We need to get a photo of her or tell her story or something. I mean people go on about there being a ghost in The Opera House... The Opera House turned 100 two years ago. The authorities did absolutely nothing to mark it…Sometimes you can do a guided tour, go out the back and look at the ropes and pulleys, the stage door…And they tell you “ooo there’s a ghost”. You know, it’s the old Phantom of the Opera thing. Well get off, get away. You’ve got a real live dancer who died in this theatre. I don’t think we should make a shrine for sentimental reasons but for proper historical reasons. The architectural, social, artistic. history of this town. So there’s that lovely little woman who died. I’ve seen performances galore, I’ve performed as an extra with the Royal New Zealand Ballet (before it was Royal). I performed in Air for the G String, Bach...Doris Humphrey’s choreographer, New York, one of the most important of the 20th Century. Exquisite work. It’s a piece you might dance at a funeral, to remind people that spirits live longer than bodies. It’s an extraordinary work, a dance so well set for that building, you’ll never see a better example. I’ve danced in the St. James Theatre…Well never mind dancing…Even being in there…Yes, in 1983, I suppose, when the company turned 30. It’d had extraordinary beginnings with Poul Gnatt. He was my first teacher, who was the artistic director. He formed that company. When the company turned 30 the artistic director at the time held a gala…I danced in that production.

lr: You mentioned the blue silk garment [earlier]. Was that when you wore it?

JS: No that was in The Opera House, and that was actually The Dance of Blue Silk. It’s just five women, all wearing blue, saari-like garments. But the train (when you walk), the train, you leave behind you is longer than you by along way. And your train crosses the other dancers’ trains. And you turn and it’s a whole pattern of the silk tails. [Jennifer discusses planning a public memorial after the death of Poul Gnatt...]JS: I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. We were going to keep talking until we got it right. There’s got to be a public farewell for Poul Gnatt. Where—and when? So a week later...The St. James Theatre—it was black for many, many years. It was crumbly and had to be restored and people would say, ‘Demolish! Build a 96 bed boutique hotel!’ or all this crap they go on about. But it was black in the meantime, no shows could play in there. Douglas Wright persuaded the powers to let him have the key and he put on a work in there when nothing else was going on. They’d Cellotaped up the gargoyles to stop them falling down and hitting you on the head. Anyway I knew the man who had the key, Peter Frater, and I said, “Peter, could we use the St. James for a farewell to Poul Gnatt, it would be most appropriate wouldn’t it?”—“Couldn’t agree more.”—got the key so in we went. And we danced Air for the G String that day too. I wasn’t—it wasn’t the older women, it was the current students at the school of dance. And I’ll never forget, you get the taller one in the centre and then two that match, and then another two that match. And as she came walking slowly down the stage (at the very forefront of the stage) and then turned, she starts to walk back her long train dripped down over the edge of the stage and into the orchestra pit. And I thought Mother of God, don’t let there be a rusty nail down there in case it catches, pulls, rips and she’s exposed...I prayed...Didn’t know to whom but I prayed. And the silk came back up as slowly as it had gone down. Perfect. It looked like God had choreographed this work. For decades I have seen performances in these venues and reviewed for the Dominion Post. To do that you don’t even wait for the curtain calls—you run out of the theatre and you run to your car and you rush home, and you hope the lights are green because if they’re red you’re wasting time. And you have about 40 minutes to get your review in before the deadline at the newspaper. In the early days of the Evening Post, I could write all night. Something like, five or six in the morning was the cut off point. And if it’s a challenging thing to review, it could take all night to write. The courier came to pick it up as the sun was rising and then I would go to bed or not if I was teaching.[Jennifer goes on to discuss dance writing].JS: You’ve got to look up this reference: New Yorker, January 16, 2017. Simon Farley says, “Classical ballet is this elevating form. You have to rise to meet it, whether you are the dancer or the audience…The thing is, the audience possesses the same instrument. The audience members have the same body—it’s like a cello playing for an audience of cellos.” What a thing to say! A cello playing for an audience of cellos. Not a cellist playing for an audience of cellists, but a cello. And that’s the most profound truth of how you know if it’s good or not. Does it allow the audience in?

Jennifer Shennan (b.1945) is a dancer, choreographer, dance critic, historian for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. She has a history of performing on Courtenay Place.

[thinktosee]

Sarjit

In Chapter 3 of our continuing series on The Bully, I am pleased to post here an essay by David’s aunt, Sarjit. She was born and raised in Singapore. She has been living in Auckland, NZ for the last 20 years. She has 3 boys, all grown up and great cousins to David and Sara: Justin, Thomas and Shane. She is also a grandma.

Sarjit was a successful practising lawyer in Singapore before she moved to NZ.

 -       David’s father

-       Apr 01, 2017

 Chapter 3   - The case of a teenage Singaporean blogger, Amos Yee

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Is Amos Yee Pang Sang ("Amos Yee") a genius? Did the Singaporean teen blogger referred to by Amnesty International as a "Prisoner of Conscience" outplay his veritable army of accusers and like Rudich in the book "Factus Annals", bring a remarkable psychological insight into the dynamics of persecution in the island Republic of Singapore? Has he achieved what other Singaporeans dissidents failed to do? Read the 13 page written decision of a United States Immigration and Harvard-trained Judge Samuel B. Cole which was made on the 24th  March 2017 and decide for yourself. I am reminded to think of the David/ Goliath story about the stones in the sling shot doing its thing on Goliath. Then again, I am also thinking of the thrilling "Chess Match of the Century "between Spassky and Fischer. Did Amos Yee play his cards well? Did he play them better than the Singapore Government?

Amos Yee. Courtesy of CNN.

In 2015, Amos Yee was at the tender age of 16 years not yet an adult when he posted on YouTube an expletive-laden video but by then, Amos Yee, the only child of a Computer Engineer father and a Mathematician teacher mother was showing signs of intellectualism and brilliance! At the country's PSLE Examinations, he obtained according to a post on Wikipedia, a score of 244 with A for Mathematics and Science and A for English and Chinese. He went on after completing his 'O' levels to pursue his career in film and YouTube videos. His videos were not mediocre. On the contrary, he won a Best Short film award  for his video 'Jan' and Best actor award at a local film festival. He had a huge following on the media; about 54,000 followers on YouTube, 43,000 followers on Facebook and 80,000 followers on twitter! He was no 'ass'. You know..the quote : Be careful when you blindly follow the Masses..sometimes the 'M' is silent? His expletive laden video on 'LKY is dead' was explained at the asylum hearing in the US. He said that he believed the former leader of Singapore, PM Mentor Lee Kuan Yew was "absolutely awful" and he felt a moral obligation to spread the truth. He made the video to tell his fellow Singaporeans not to be afraid and to stand up against the tyrants.

How did Goliath react? Probably wanted to teach the young upstart David a lesson he will never forget! According to Judge Samuel Cole in his written decision, Singapore prosecuted Amos Yee under the guise of its laws prohibiting insulting religion and obscenity. The learned Judge added that the evidence presented at the hearing demonstrated that Singapore's persecution of Yee was a pretext to silence his political opinions critical of the Singapore Government. Further, his prosecution, detention and general maltreatment at the hands of the Singapore Authorities constituted persecution on account of Amos Yee's political opinions. Amos Yee, the judge determined is a young political dissident and, political asylum was granted to Amos Yee. I think this is how Yee has won by changing the forum and by the evidence presented of maltreatment of a young person then aged 16. Perhaps the army of veritable accusers should have taken note of the caution made by the Singapore Kindness Movement who urged netizens to act responsibly and civilly especially when facing views they find offensive. The writer had always personally admired PM Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and one of the mottos he advanced was " Know yourself, know your enemy, one hundred battles, one hundred victories". Amos Yee's age, his talents, his creativity should have been better understood even when a line is deemed to have been crossed! Did they know that many would respect his courage in the face of incarceration, a slap on his face, time in adult prison, being taken to be reviewed for mental disorder and treating his stalwartness and resoluteness as admirable and valued? The fact that he did not chase a degree did not make him any less intelligent. There are different ways of seeing things. His worth to Singapore was overlooked. You know the story of the millionaire choreographer Gillian Lynne of Cats and Phantom of the Opera fame? She was sent to see a specialist by the school when she was a child because they thought she had a mental disorder because she did not do well in school. Yet when music was played, she got up and danced...beautifully! It is called dancing to your individual calling. There was no need to put her on medication or to control her. On the contrary, she was allowed to be herself. Why? Because she was not sick. She was a dancer! Likewise, Amos Yee, as the mental review carried out showed  he was not suffering from any mental illness. (It was sad he had to experience that)

Let me end by quoting Ayn Rand from her  book, "Racism. The virtue of selfishness": Do not make the mistake of the ignorant who thinks that an individualist is a man who says " I will do as I please at everybody's expense. An individualist is a man who recognises the inalienable rights of men - his own and that of others.

Perhaps the army of veritable accusers should also have taken note of the following also: "The mind is an attribute of the individual. There is no such thing as a collective brain. There is no such thing as a collective thought. An agreement reached by a group of men is only a compromise as an average drawn upon many individual thoughts. It is a secondary consequence. The primary act - the process of reason - must be performed by each man alone. We can divide a meal among many men but we cannot digest it in a collective stomach. No man can use his lungs to breathe for another man. No man can use his brains to think for another man. All the functions of body and spirit are private. ( The Ayn Rand Column 'Textbooks of Americanism")

In conclusion, how did the Singaporean Authorities get checkmated? Fisher Amos Yee played on their weakness....they were guilty of narrow thinking. Approaches applicable to one dissident and case won does not necessarily apply to another. The approach was erroneous from the start and by that I mean it started with their perception of Amos Yee and now Amos Yee has a decision all 13 pages full in his favour. Well Done you persevered, stood your ground and got the victory! SARJit Sutcliffe Love writing and David's Aunt.

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Kiri a ‘fine singer’ in first Wanganui Performance | NZ Herald.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa gave some celebrity weight to this year's Wanganui Opera Week and left a lasting impression on some of the singing students.

But the last time she was here her fame had yet to be established.

It was 1965 and the 21-year-old Miss Kiri Te Kanawa was a guest artist at a concert held by the Wanganui Male Choir. She was one of eight students of Dame Sister Mary Leo who performed with the choir over 16 years throughout the 1960s and 70s. The Wanganui Herald reported on the June 28, 1965 concert. The report - filed by 'DF', possibly Dorothy F Abernethy - says Kiri first sang some solos with the choir then performed a bracket of her own, accompanied by pianist Muriel Tinker. "Miss Kiri Te Kanawa, of Auckland, highly excited her listeners. having a mezzo-soprano voice of beautiful quality and power, musicianship in style and phrasing, excellent stage sense, and the gift of colouring words with tonal expression: all the ingredients necessary for the shaping of a fine singer seem to be hers. "Her choice of songs was operatic. Arias by Puccini ranged from the supplication of Suor Angelica to One Fine Day (Madame Butterfly), and Vissi d'Arte (Tosca). Excellent characterisation was given to Une Voce Pocofa (Rossini) and we saw and heard a vivid Carmen in Habanera and Seguedille (Bizet). In response to demands she sang Songs My Mother Taught Me (Dvorak) and Waiata Poi (Hill). "Mrs Tinker upheld the singer with her piano work, an essential asset to the choir as well.

Floral tributes were presented to Miss Te Kanawa and to the other ladies." The singer received £15 for her appearance. Dame Kiri was studying on a bursary from the Maori Education Foundation, and, two nights before, reached the finals in the Mobil Talent Quest. Choir member Dick Mitchell remembers the concert as a "fabulous night".

- Wanganui Midweek

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Opera Icon Heaps Praise On Students | NZ Herald

7:03 AM Tuesday Jan 19, 2016

Wanganui Opera School director Jonathan Alver said students may have met Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with trepidation but left her company delighted at what they got out of her masterclass.

The New Zealand born international opera star was the highlight of this year's opera schools held in Whanganui over the past two weeks at Wanganui Collegiate.

The 22nd annual summer opera school finished at the weekend with students performing a showcase of great opera moments before a packed Royal Wanganui Opera House and guest of honour Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

Mr Alver said during the two-week intensive residential school 20 students, who were selected on merit, worked daily from 7am until nightfall, under the guidance of international and New Zealand world class tutors from the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation International Vocal Faculty and the Freemasons Music Faculty.

"It was clear, however, that the school's first ever visit and masterclass given by Dame Kiri was a highlight for many of the students who are mostly in their early 20s."

Mr Alver was full of praise for the tutors.

"Dame Kiri told us that she would be tough and that students would have to overcome their nerves. She would be looking for exceptional young singers, and she believed nerves are a part of the learning process. After some understandable trepidation, there was relief and delight at her strength of perception, her encouragement and her gracious instruction of the students at her masterclass. "While at the school Dame Kiri made a point of hearing all students, and she was generous with her time and in her comments. She is a wonderful role model."

Dame Kiri also attracted a full house for "in conversation", over 90 minutes where she talked publicly and candidly to singer Rodney Macann about her career, her personal challenges, and her foundation which supports not only the NZ Opera School but many young New Zealanders who are working to carve a professional opera career in Europe.

He said Dame Kiri flew out for Europe on Sunday "having captivated the sponsors, audience, tutors and students whom she addressed at a school finale on Saturday night". She presented the Spirit of the School award to baritone Jarvis Dams from Waikato, and the $5000 Dame Sister Mary Leo scholarship to soprano Eliza Boom, also studying in Hamilton.

Mr Alver said Dame Kiri's calls for more projection, more character and more breath seemed to have been heard by the students. "Tonight I was more than surprised by some of the voices," Mr Alver said she told the students. "Some that I couldn't hear clearly the other night (at the masterclass) were doubly strong.

"The ensembles were wonderful, the choice of music was wonderful. You should be incredibly proud of your young people for such an amazing performance, along with the team of workers behind you. It flowed so well - we couldn't wait to see the next one coming on; it was absolutely wonderful," she had said.

Dame Kiri singled out for particular praise a trio from la fille du rgiment by Donizetti, sung by Madison Nonoa, Filipe Manu and Jarvis Dams.

Whanganui mayor Annette Main also gave tribute to the opera school, which has remained at the same campus since its inception. "It is an honour to be mayor of a place that hosts such a fantastic school," she said.

School chairman Donald Trott reiterated the intention that the nursery of opera talent would stay in the city.

Dame Kiri commented on the school and programmes: "They don't know how lucky they are with the town right behind them. It's so precious. I could almost say I envy you!"

Dame Kiri referred to her foundation and its work both overseas and at the school.

"We're not looking for ordinary, we're looking for exceptional, because that's what the world wants."

She also talked of the "third stage" in her professional life "which is morning, noon and night.

"Helping these young people is a great reward - almost better than my own career."

"There is a real buzz about the school, the top tutors that the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation and the Freemasons facilitate, and the success of past pupils like Simon O'Neill, who is now a tutor himself. We already have hands up for next year."

- Wanganui Chronicle

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa arriving at the Royal Wanganui Opera House on Saturday evening for the NZ Opera School Gala Concert. (c) Wanganui Opera Week.

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NZ Opera school ends on high note with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa | VOXY NZ

Monday, 18 January, 2016 - 12:34

New Zealand’s 22nd annual summer opera school finished over the weekend with students performing a showcase of great opera moments before a packed Royal Wanganui Opera House and guest of honour Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

During the two week intensive residential school hosted at Wanganui Collegiate, 20 students, who were selected on merit, worked daily from 7am until nightfall, under the guidance of international and New Zealand world class tutors of the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation International Vocal Faculty and the Freemasons Music Faculty. It was clear, however, that the school’s first ever visit and masterclass given by Dame Kiri was a highlight for many of the students who are mostly in their early twenties.

School director Jonathan Alver was full of praise for the tutors and especially the visiting opera icon. "Dame Kiri told us that she would be tough and that students would have to overcome their nerves. She would be looking for exceptional young singers, and she believed nerves are a part of the learning process. After some understandable trepidation, there was relief and delight at her strength of perception, her encouragement and her gracious instruction of the students at her masterclass. While at the school Dame Kiri made a point of hearing all students, and she was generous with her time and in her comments. She is a wonderful role model."

Dame Kiri also attracted a full house for "in conversation", over 90 minutes where she talked publicly and candidly to singer Rodney Macann about her career, her personal challenges, and her foundation which supports not only the NZ Opera School but many young New Zealanders who are working to carve a professional opera career in Europe.

Dame Kiri flew out for Europe on Sunday (17 January) having captivated the sponsors, audience, tutors and students whom she addressed at a school finale on Saturday night. She presented the Spirit of the School award to baritone Jarvis Dams from Waikato, and the $5000 Dame Sister Mary Leo scholarship to soprano Eliza Boom, also studying in Hamilton.

Dame Kiri’s calls for more projection, more character and more breath seemed to have been heard by the students. "Tonight I was more than surprised by some of the voices," said Dame Kiri. "Some that I couldn’t hear clearly the other night (at the masterclass) were doubly strong."

"The ensembles were wonderful, the choice of music was wonderful. You should be incredibly proud of your young people for such an amazing performance, along with the team of workers behind you. It flowed so well - we couldn’t wait to see the next one coming on; it was absolutely wonderful."

Dame Kiri singled out for particular praise a trio from la fille du régiment by Donizetti, sung by Madison Nonoa, Filipe Manu and Jarvis Dams.

Whanganui Mayor, Annette Main, also gave tribute to the opera school, which has remained at the same campus since its inception. "It is an honour to be mayor of a place that hosts such a fantastic school," she said.

Chair of the school, Donald Trott, reiterated the intention that the nursery of opera talent would stay in the city. Dame Kiri commented on the school and progammes, "they don’t know how lucky they are with the town right behind them. It’s so precious. I could almost say I envy you!"

Dame Kiri referred to her foundation and its work both overseas and at the school. "We’re not looking for ordinary, we’re looking for exceptional, because that’s what the world wants." She also talked of the "third stage" in her professional life "which is morning, noon and night students. Helping these young people is a great reward - almost better than my own career."

Applications for the 2017 NZ Opera School are expected to open mid year, and Jonathan Alver says that "as usual" it will be well over-subscribed. "There is a real buzz about the school, the top tutors that the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation and the Freemasons facilitate, and the success of past pupils like Simon O’Neill, who is now a tutor himself. We already have hands up for next year."

- VOXY NZ (Article Source)

- NZ Opera School

- Wanganui Opera Week

- KiriOnLine The Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Fan Site

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with the students of the 2016 NZ Opera School.

#NZOperaSchool16

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Dame Kiri Te kanawa and Terence Dennis being filmed at the New Zealand Opera School during Wanganui Opera Week.

#NZOperaSchool16

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Kiri Te Kanawa - NZ Opera School Maori News Report (English Subtitles)

Dame Kiri talks to Maori TV about her time with students at the 2016 NZ Opera School during Wanganui Opera Week.

- KiriOnLine Youtube Channel

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa talking to Stuff NZ about her participation in this years New Zealand Opera School.

- KiriOnLine Youtube Channel

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa talks to Māori TV about giving a masterclass at the NZ Opera School. #NZOperaSchool16 (at Wanganui Collegiate School)

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa talks to Māori TV about giving a masterclass at the NZ Opera School. #NZOperaSchool16 (at Wanganui Collegiate School)