I Claudius

I rarely watch TV, but I find it hard to resist a well-done BBC-series!

John Le Carré – interview

Part 1

 

Part 2

 

Petra, Jordan

It seems no work
of Man’s creative hand,

 

 

 

 

 

Ulun Danu temple, Bali

A day on Bali
21 April 1988
Extract from my diary

The Rite of Spring

‘not the usual spring sung by poets . . .
[but] spring seen from inside,
with its violence, its spasms and its fissions’.

Amaury Vassili – La Quète

French baryton-martin,
Amaury Vassili,
sings La Quète
from the musical
L’homme de la Mancha
in a concert in Romorantin,
on 24 Jan, 2013

And how he sings it!

 

 

La Quète – lyrics

Rêver un impossible rêve
Porter le chagrin des départs
Brûler d´une possible fièvre
Partir où personne ne part

Aimer jusqu´à la déchirure
Aimer, même trop, même mal,
Tenter, sans force et sans armure,
D´atteindre l´inaccessible étoile

Telle est ma quête,
Suivre l´étoile
Peu m´importent mes chances
Peu m´importe le temps
Ou ma désespérance
Et puis lutter toujours
Sans questions ni repos
Se damner
Pour l´or d´un mot d´amour
Je ne sais si je serai ce héros
Mais mon cœur serait tranquille
Et les villes s´éclabousseraient de bleu
Parce qu´un malheureux

Brûle encore, bien qu´ayant tout brûlé
Brûle encore, même trop, même mal
Pour atteindre à s´en écarteler
Pour atteindre l´inaccessible étoile.

Stephane Lambiel – Water

Stéphane Lambiel,
Le Petit Prince,
is my absolute
favourite skater.

 

 

 

 

 

Water – Lyrics

Innocent, they swim
I tell them no
They just dive right in
But do they know

It’s a long way down
When you’re alone
And there’s no air or sound
Down below the surface

There’s something in the water
I do not feel safe
It always feels like torture
To be this close

I wish that I was stronger
I’d separate the waves
Not just let the water
Take me away

There was a time, I’d dip my feet
And it would roll off my skin
Now every time I get close to the edge
I’m scared of falling in

‘Cause I don’t want to be
Stranded again on my own
When the tide comes in
And pulls me below the surface

There’s something in the water
I do not feel safe
It always feel like torture
To be this close

I wish that I was stronger
I’d separate the waves
Not just let the water
Take me away

Verona, ooh
Verona, ooh

From the first time that I saw you
Verona, I knew
That tomorrow would be different
With a lady like you

Verona, ooh
Verona, ooh

From the first time that I saw you
Verona, I knew
That tomorrow would be different
With a lady like you

The Café Terrace

Like stepping into the painting…