Surrounded by Piscis ...

I had no idea I would be invited for three birthday celebration moments in a row, as I had never realised I was surrounded by "Piscis", (whom I actually get along with very well). It started off with Beta's, the owner of the hairdresser salon I often go to and whom I consider my friend, being followed by the ones of two of my working colleagues', Paulo and Pitta.

Beta's birthday (Beta blowing the candle of a small cake brought in by some clients).

Paulo's birthday (Paulo, Elsa and Pitta from left to right)

Some of the new Air Traffic Control Abinitio course students in the picture on the left and Florival and Paulo in the picture on the right.

Pita's birthday (Pitta and Helena)

 

A group of working colleagues celebrating the event

Getting older ... and getting closer ...

My brother and I used to be very close as youngsters and more so when we got to University. Despite the fact that in the process of growing older we seem to have gone apart and further away from each other, even geographically speaking and our lives turned out to be rather different I have always felt his concern and "protection" if not directly towards me, at least in regards to my daughters, who have always considered him a father figure.

We have been seeing a lot more of each other recently and though we seem to be together  for very short periods of time there's a rather unique connection between us that leads me to believe that we are still very much attached to memories of our childhood, which surface whenever we stroll around Figueira da Foz, where he often finds refuge in and where I only ocasionally drive to.

Getting older ... getting closer ...

Moving away ... moving forward ...

Moving away... (which very often means moving abroad) is what many youngsters in Portugal have to do (have been doing) in order to feel they are (still) useful, even if what they'll be doing wherever they move to, has apparently nothing to do with what they had expected to be doing for the rest of their lives ... among those are artists, such as my daughter whose scarse salary (when there's work) is not enough to get by on their own ...

I can put myself in her (their) shoes and understand why they temporarily (hopefully) turn their backs to their Art  ... the one they dedicated themselves to for years, yet to little or no avail ... believing there would be a turning point somewhere ... in the apparently distant horizon ...

Leaving is not going to be easy for her or anyone else for that matter, as well as those they care for and are strongly attached to ... but right now moving away means moving forward ... and that's what she (and many of those who will make similar decisions now and in the near future) have to do ... 

I wish she could be singing  "it's a new day ... it's a new life ... and I'm feeling good ..." ... but only the future will confirm this assumption ...

May she also remember the family farewell gathering support organised over this past weekend ... as she moves forward and away from us ... and above all may her artistic soul be projected in whatever she does, whether it is Art oriented or not ...

The latest books I have read ...

I have recently read two books on travels that couldn't be more different than they actually were, despite having been both written in a sort of diary format. The facts which have been described took place in completely different epochs 3 Ans de voyage  just a few years ago and Quinze jours en Hollande back in 1893; the related issues span through equally different periods of time, one  three years as against the other which corresponds to a mere fifteen days, and their authors being a young French couple going on a reduced budget adventure around the world, whilst the other happens to be a well known French poet (Paul Verlaine) on a series of conferences in Holland following an invitation. 

They are both very interesting and though I could easily see myself in the shoes of the authors of  3 Ans de voyage,  Paul Verlaine's way of writing and meticulous observations in Quinze jours en Hollande (in its Portuguese adapted version) did touch me profoundly. 

 

They both have illustrations, which is something I feel for and would like to be able to do while travelling myself. If on one hand 3 Ans de voyages' pages are interspersed with incredibly beautiful water colour and pen sketches made by one of its authors, the other provides the reader with a few interesting black and white sketches and photographs that add to the  Literary and Artistic feeling of the epoch as well as the author, which they are related to.



I can't deny I have spent some rather comforting hours "in the company" of these authors, whom I praise.

 

 

 

 

 

The latest film I have watched ...

Being a rather sensitive and taboo-like subject in countries like Morocco, where the scene sequencing  is set and the main characters of this film, a group of prostitutes is said to work, Much loved has led to controversial opinions and drastic decisions such as having the film banned in Morocco and strong threats against the film makers made.


 

 

What is nevertheless undeniable, and according to my personal opinion important, is the fact that despite all of these controversial issues Much loved has brought prostitution in Marrakech (it could be anywhere else in Morocco) into the public eye and provided a thorough insight into the equally controversial Moroccan society.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"To be surrounded and yet be alone. To be loved and yet be invisible. To be cast away even as you are embraced (...)  from the testimonies of 200 real-life sex workers , Nabil Ayouch defied censorship to provide a fascinating intimate and luminous glimpse into the Moroccan underworld."

 

Franz Liszt ' s Via Crucis by the Choir Vox Maris at São Roque Church, Lisboa - The 13th of March 2016

Franz Liszt being a devout Catholic is said to have written quite a few sacred music compositions, especially in the last years of his life and Via Crucis is precisely one of those Mia and I together with some friends went to listen to at Igreja de São Roque.


Being one of a series of  programmed Choir concerts to be held during the Lent season throughout Portugal  despite not being particularly exceptional, with just a few exceptions as far as choir voices are concerned,  this concert provided us with the opportunity to get to know one of Liszt's musical pieces I was not acquainted with and a unique possibility to sit quietly in one of the most beautiful churches of Lisbon under a rather spiritual reflective mood as I listened to the organ and the accompanying interspersed voices as  the composition ran throught he various cross stations.  

Vox Maris Choir
Conductor - Esteban Etcheverry
Organ player - Prof. Luis Cerqueira







 

Anton Tchekhov 's Ivanov adaptation by Amir Reza Koohestani at Teatro Nacional, Lisboa - The 12th of March 2016

I was speechless at this Iranian adapted version of Ivanov by Amir Reza Koohestani, not only because the whole interpretation was second to none, whith no particular actor being better than any other but also because the original play has been made contemporary and therefore more "approachable", despite being set in an Iranian type of social atmosphere, which doesn't differ that much from ours in what concerns nostalgia and a certain degree of passivity.


Farsi being the language of the ongoing dialogues made it sometimes difficult to follow the scene sequencing and reading the projected translation simultaneously, but it was nevertheless worth it. The overall stage atmosphere was one of a rather intimate rapport with the audience and the changing of stage scenary and lighting particularly well designed.


I should have immediately realised who Koohestani was because I had written down his name some years ago (never to forget) when mesmerised by his creation as I watched "dance on glasses" at the Cultural Centre in Lisboa. I didn't though, and it wasn't but when I was reading the brochure that  I came across that reference, at least one the Portuguese public would easily relate to.

 

"What to do? Nothing. There is nothing to be done. A sofa. A bed. All body movements tend to a neutral immobility. Nothing announces the hope of a change. However something strange happens: there are some fugitive sequences of luminous scenes, just before the curtain closes, at the end of the acts. During these fragile instants, one can perceive the loneliness of the contemplative characters. Thes visions don't last because the possibility of dreaming is gone. But who knows, this spark of a dream, this unexpected search for a richer inner life will, maybe, bring back the hope of a better future." - Leyli Daryoush

 

Adapted version as from Anton Tchekov's Ivanov by David Hare and Senario setting - Amir Reza Koohestani
Actors:
Vahid Aghapour Azar
Reza Behboodi
Saeid Changizian
Fatemeh Fakhraee
Negar Javaherian
Fariba Kamran
Mohammadreza Najafi
Mohammadhassan Madjooni
Mahin Sadri
Scenary - Amirhossein Ghodsi and Amir Reza Koohestani
Costum design and subtitle setting - Negar Nemati
Music - Hooshyar Kahayan
Sound and light design - Mohammad Reza Hosseinzadeh
Stage manager - Mohammadhossein Nafariazad
Video and technical direction- Davoud Sadri