The star of my Foundation year studies. It was later exhibited at the London College of Fashion. Ah, back when I had university tutors who inspired and encouraged me.


Silent Interview with Commentary

I woke up today, remembering (though I couldn't find my datebook) that tonight was the last night the ROH was playing Orlando, with Olivier award winning countertenor Bejun Mehta in the title role. I'd recently seen a very stupid article in one of the free papers about an actress being topless in it. (it was accompanied by some very tantilizing photographic evidence). So I decided to go on the website and see what seats were left, and what prices were like.
With 4 pound seats for sale, why not go? Its a night off for me.. so I figure what the heck? Only thing is.. the 4 pound seats are either listening-only seats (no view of the stage) or standing room. Boo. Yes, for 4 pounds its worth just hearing it, but as long as I'm going I may as well grab a seat.....
So I took the cheapest viewing seats, which were row C, left stall circle, behind a pillar. I leave quick smart to get there in time.. skipping returning my library items.

I only realize that I've never been to the Royal Opera House before once I'm there. Its like stepping into a dream.. I know it well, but only from imaginings. Stepping into the ampitheatre is overwhelming. My heart filled with joy.

The seats were great. Very close (though I used my opera glasses to see even closer) and though the angle is limiting, it doesn't effect the experience too much at all.
This production uses three dancers as mimes, to represent Mars, Venus, and Cupid. They are HOT. I always enjoy miming characters when they are used in opera! The Cupid is mostly nude, with a band of gauze over his eyes and a gorgeous sling of arrows which he runs up and jabs into the singers. Venus is gloriously topless with an absolutely gorgeous costume, coiffure, and the most amazing set of breasts I've ever seen. The fact that they were painted to match her marble-like face and pale seaweed coloured corset and skirts probably helped. She is stunning! Mars is painted red and has a beautiful costume with a Trojan helmut and long shimmering red skirts.
All of the singers are wonderful, notably the bass, and of course Mehta is a scary and crazy Orlando. I had mixed feelings about the sets, but *loved* one aspect of them, which was the use of giant lances to represent trees.
Why the hell aren't Handel's operas staged more often? I've seen so much operetta and romantic opera and this was the first time I got to see an opera of this kind live! Why?

There is such a admirable sense of community when one goes to the opera. (excluding of course the people wearing blue jeans. Those people are to me like aliens) It's always been a dream of mine, a la Camille, to spot someone across the ampitheatre and fall in love with them. Not likely to happen, I know, with the scarce amount of under-30s who *do* go to the opera, but I can always hope.

All in all, a spontainious decision well made. I really needed that.

First of all....
Everyone who wished me luck giving a copy of my little comic to Professor Clapton.. It Worked. Oh BOY did it work. Thank you!

On Wednesday night, I went to Machines Made for Singing. It is, as Suzi said..
An hour long specially presented history of the castrati narrated by Jack Edwards, sung by Professor Nicholas Clapton (the curater of Handel House and a much-respected counter tenor), and accompanied on harpsichord by the majestical David Wright.

( This is What Happened. )

Here's the reason I haven't been around* a whole lot lately:
My "Side A: The Music Lover's Graphic Novel" comic submission....

( I, Castrato )

*aside from the whole adventures in polyamory, globetrotting, rough sex, countryside recoperation, body snatching, etc etc.

Update on the assignments due....

Mural design completed. Should be pitching it to someone soon.
Sisters in Story illustrations significantly added to.
One decent concept drawing for the Side A comic. And it is here



Other Art,
Glorious new Nino Rota doll almost complete. He needs a jacket and hair still but he is already much nicer in construction than any of my previous dolls. I'm thinking of selling the ones I've got.

When I am happy, I do good work. When I'm depressed I do fuck all. Therefore, I need to hire a bevy of young people to keep me happy so that I can function.

Urgh.. now I'm depressed again. I think I'll go back downstairs and watch cartoons.

I don't know about any of you, but I'm excited as hell about the exhumation of Farinelli. I only wish I was in Rome now to keep my head in the game! I'm quite amazed and delighted by the castrato-mania going around.. and not even started by a crappy sensationalist film! In every article you will see about it, my main man Nicholas Clapton will be displaying his sheer bitchy brilliance. I love that man so much!! I hope I get to see him perform in September... Anyway. It will be so cool to learn more about Farinelli, and a little about the castrati in general, I suppose. Though I hope people keep in mind that what is true for one is not always true for all.
This reminds me of the film The Red Violin, where they test this perfect instrument made by masters who's methods we can barely comprehend today. It's exactly the same here. They didn't think of voice production at all the way we do today, and yet they produced the most wonderful singers of history. It's utterly fabulous.. I simply can't wait to see what they find out.
Of course they seem to also be interested in finding out what he looked like.. which is fair enough. I would. But whatever they find, to me, will be just as influencial on our minds as an actor playing him in a film, or the official portraits. It's just one interpretation. And who says he can't be a gangly, fat, curvy, handsome, screechy, tuneful scarecrow? It all depends on your taste and perspective! I'm sure there are some people who clutch their ears, screaming when they hear Joan Sutherland's voice. And there is no reason the beautiful man in the portraits could not have also had feminine deformities. EEE! I'm excited.
The only thing that worries me slightly about the Farinelli dig is that some legends/myths about him might be busted! 8 octive range.. ability to hold a note for 6 minutes.. Blatantly impossible things that I think are best believed. He did transfer into myth status even within his own lifetime. One God.. One Farinelli.
At least they won't be able to disprove that his voice cured disease. Take that, science.

I suppose this is good research for my Side A comic, but.. sheesh. Still feels a bit like overindulgence.



The Diamond Wasp.
( description )

New Default Pic. Can you believe it? Me neither. It's a still frolm The Silent Film. Hey Bri and Kai and Ylva? What are we calling it?

I don't feel very emotionally sound, but hopefully eating gross amounts of semi-edible lotus paste and sitting around watching porn will help me feel better. Um. Wasn't there a time when feeling down was remedied by me dressing in costumes and taking pictures? I'll try that tomorrow.

I haven't updated in more than 10 days for this simple reason: I was in Sweden having a marvellous time with fabulous people. I have pics to prove it. Those will come later.. but believe me they are to write home about! Aside from the drama at the end (I missed my first ever flight. Go me.) it was an extremely pleasant trip, and I gained a lot of friends.

Note to self: Write about
A) Chronodysphoria's effect on national identity
B) My new best friend King Gustav III (You don't mind, right Alison?)
C) Stockholm and Being Homeless

For now... here's another castrato. His name is Diamante Vespucci. He is in no way affiliated with Nino Rota.



He's got the weird David Bowie punched-in-eye thing. Therefore... I get to draw a tinted stick-monocle. *Caligula voice* Logical?

Went to see Farinelli, Il Castrato at the Italisn Cultural Institute on Belgrave Square and it was totally awesome. Nicholas Clapton is such a genius. He gave a marvellous opening speech about Farinelli's life, how the film is inacurate but beautiful, and even did an impression of how he figured Farinelli's speaking voice might have sounded like.
( Alison and I looked like this: )

Met Suzi there and she was lovely as can be! We had much fun gagging over (my future civil partner--er) David Wright, and Prof. Clapton, and Farinelli. And had much fun and fan-flapping over the pure unadulterated melodrama in this film! I'd almost forgotten it!

( Prepare to witness the fury )

Bedridden and ill today, but only after a completely amazing week (aside from the Modern Art Fiasco, and getting rocks thrown at my head. But that's another story. All right, it was a mixed week. But the amazing parts were amazing. Read more below.)


Hanky Panky Cabaret

So I'm officially part of a comedy duo called The Regal Rascals. Tuesday night was the fullest I've seen the cabaret since it moved to a weeknight. And a really good crowd too.. a good amount of people in the bizz, including TV actors and magazine reviewers.
Tallulah and I improvised a scene to pre-recorded dialogue that Xavior had recorded that morning. It was hilarious. Even though the crowd was a bit roudy and had sat through some great (and less than great) music, they were completely with us, 100% of the way.
I have never heard an audience respond with such hearty laughs when I was performing comedy. They were roaring! I was quite startled. but I wanted more.
Oh man.. it was wonderful. I can't wait for next week and for the next Regal Rascals performance!

Early Music for the Castrati

The next morning I get a phone call while on the bus to college. (yes, I went to class the morning after performing all night, I'm amazing) It's the Handel House Museum saying they have an extra ticket for a concert I'd put myself on the waiting list for. SQUEE! So the next day I have the supreme privilige of seeing yet another of these incredible concerts. I rack my brain to try to figure out what to wear. I decide to wear the gayest ensemble I own (despite having gaybashers throw rocks at me the day before. But that's another story) which you can see a picture of here:

(yes this entry is illustrated)

Which turned out to be more than fitting because I developed a huge crush on the harpsichord player. Not only did I think "Hey THAT guy's pretty," before I even knew he was one of the performers, but he proceeded to be delightful to hear (both in lecture and in music) and watch. Both the countertenor (Magid el-Bushra) and the harpsichorist (David Wright) showed such ease with each other and their art that one couldn't help but be charmed by them. Highlights for me were watching Magid sing Purcell's The Fatal Hour with quite a lot of intensity, and David go absolutely crazy on Dr. John Bull's Fantasia. (INSANE piece of music, that!) And on that note:



Yeah. Now you see why I'm head over harpsichord-humor loving heels for the guy. This is drawn from memory (as I foolishly forgot to bring my camera this time) but I think it expressed what I saw in him pretty well.

Delightful recital choices.. delightful gents. I was thougholy pleased. And I get to go again next week for Senesino's music! Hooray! I felt Guadagni leaning on my shoulder AGAIN during this performance. And someone was dancing, but I don't know who. This time I didn't find it annoying, but comforting. The more I learn about Handel's castrati the more I'm completely in love with them. They all had such amazing personalities! I'm also rather more fond of Handel's aggressive, intense, scary songs (a la Julius Caesar) than the sentiment-driven ones.

I have to make another attempt to watch Kowalski's Orpheus.. even if the stage design and costumes offended my artistic sensibilities.

I am so lazy and useless today.. felt ill and lethargic all morning, and didn't leave bed. I suppose it's all right to have a day of rest (especially considering I'm more syphilitic today than I can ever remember being. The pain is not very great, but the sores are wretched) because yesterday was extremely eventful, and left my head swimming in euphoria all day.
I went to the Castrati Exhibition, and though it was quite small (it's a tiny museum, Handel's House) it was extremely informative, and even a castrato-snob like me learned so much from it. They had some wonderful recordings of counter tenors singing Handel pieces first performed by his castrati, and even some female singers performing the same songs, so you could compare them. (no comparison, naturally.. female voices are so shrill!) They had original portraits (including the very famous one of Farinelli, naturally) but I'll get to those later. David and Xavior were kind enough to come with me, and it was great being there with them.
Now... the recital.
This was the very first recital of the castrati series: it was given by the curator (also a famous counter tenor) Prof. Nicholas Clapton, accompanied with the harpsichord. Between songs, he would say which castrato originated or decorated it, and he also explained things like voice training of the time for castrati, and the daily educational regime of a voice student. It was *very* intense! In addition to the crowded daily class and excercize schedule, they were encouraged to spend their free time under some architecture across town where there was a good echo, singing and listening to themselves.
He sang some truly beautiful pieces (including but not limited to Handel) with But Who May Abide from Messiah, which was actually quite frightening and intense, and was so powerful that even a hardened Hellenic like myself could be moved by it. He also sang one of Senesino's arias, which was depicted in the (HOT!) painting of Senesino behind him.
It was truly magical to hear these songs in the very same room where they were first practiced by the castrati, with Handel. With three beautiful portraits of Farinelli, Senesino, and Guadagini looking on. I could really feel their presence in the room. I was lifted out of my body.. I couldnot stop smiling. Afterwords, I really wanted to say something witty/intelligent/important to Prof. Clapton, but all I could say was
"Thank you so much! May I take your picture?"

( I'm a dork. )

He was very nice, but I wish i'd said something a bit more intelligent to him. Like how much learning about the castrati changed (and saved) my life. Like how inspired I was as an artist by the entire phenomenon. About how I identified with them. How they tought me to respect myself. But no. Just "May I take your picture?" Guuh. *bangs head against wall* He is so cool!! And I was the only one there under 60 it seems. It's such a shame all the other performances are sold out already.. I really wanted to go again.

All the blood rushed to my... heart. And speaking of perversions, there were many sexy facts as well. Like some quotes from Casanova about how he basically had to keep his boner down every time he went to the opera because he loved the castrati so much. (and NOT because they looked like women!!! damn BBC..) Yeah.. Casanova? Loved the castrati. Word. His quotes were truly dirty. And they were just as big sex icons as you can imagine, which pleases me a lot. The whole thing gave me a ton of inspiration for another castrati piece. Perhaps Nino Rota's Midnight Carnival chapter. And speaking of Nino...

( Here he is )

I've been super ultra low lately, and anxious about several things that I shall not bore you with.

I had a cleansing day today.. fasted until sundown, walking around London being generally jittery, but it was a wonderful blustery day, and perfect for being alone. Visited Handel's House but didn't go in.. just had a chat with the lady at the ticket counter about the exhibition.
OH.. and the new painting? SUPER HOT. They were not lying after all.
( Hot Castrati, Bless My Soul. )

Yyyeah. Can't WAIT to see it Sunday and hear the curator siing!

Ehm... continuing. I drew in a little cafe (I allowed myself milk and sugar in my coffee, seeing as how I was fasting and all) and overheard possibly the funniest upper middle class intellectuals in deep conversation about parenting. ONe was mainly American (though had a son named Sacha) and the other was Russian, married to someone from India and living in London.
"Sacha's really into fashion right now. Like. Dolce and Gabanna. It bothers me a little because it's so expensive.. And he pays more attention to fashion magazines than to his schoolwork! Are public schools really as bad as they say? He bought a t-shirt that was like.. seventy pounds! He wanted this pair of designer shoes that were about 90 pounds.. think of that in dollars! That's two hundred dollars! And he was willing to put himself into hock for them. I said, 'let's not say yes or no right now, and see what else you find and see if you still want them by the end of the day.' So he got some of those fashionably torn jeans and it was all okay. I've found an important part of parenting is saying no.. without actually saying no. And hope they just forget about it."
All though this I thought.. I want to gay marry your son. The Russian said she DID think it was good to say "no" while parenting.. and that yes, public schools are evil and no one of any emotional depth desevers to go to one.

Well, it amused *me.*

It was then off to hug Beau Brummell.. and draw at his feet for a bit. Then I went down to Trafalgar Square and it was far too busy to sit outside and finish my drawings, so I went into the National Gallery.
Here are a few things I drew today.

( Zee Art )