Songs: The Flower Duet

This is from the opera Lakmé, by Delibes.   No, I haven't seen it, I, like most other people know it from its frequent appearance in adverts.   I think it's just beautiful.  

 

Songs: Could You Please Oblige Us With a Bren Gun

Noel Coward can be quite funny, right?

Photography: Northern Ireland, Day 1

Some pictures from my Northern Ireland trip a couple of years ago.   Once again, using HDR to pretend the light was interesting.   the first couple are of these are Belfast, and the rest were taken in Portstewart, a tiny town on the Causeway Coast.   Enjoy!

Songs: Moustache

This was France's entry for Eurovision last year.   I totally loved it!   It was fun and silly and was about a really important issue in the modern world: men who can't grow moustaches.   I really can't understand why it did so badly.   It's brilliant!

Cosmetics: Manifesto

I love perfumes.   I smell them all at the airport, looking for new ones I haven't tried yet.  But at the same time I'm very fussy about which ones I buy.   I know what I like on me, and that's not that many of them.   I'd been looking for a new one for a good couple of years before I found this.   It's by Yves Saint-Laurent and it's just awesome.   It's bold without being overpowering, sophisticated, not overly girly girly and has loads of staying power.   I love it!

 

Songs: Moi Je Joue

Well, it's news to me that Brigitte Bardot could sing, but here it is.  A sexy, playful song for your Sunday:

Show Reviews: Rigoletto

As far as I'm concerned, the best way to see opera is outdoors, in the Roman arena in Verona.  As well as being guarantied a great show, it's also a really lovely atmosphere.   Imagine a warm Italian summer night, a magnificent stage, and you sitting on the ancient fossil-strewn stone steps, still warm from the sun.   People are drinking beer, eating sandwiches and relaxing.   My friend said he wasn't sure if he was at an opera or a football match.   The stage might be far away, but everthing is Big, so there's plenty to look at, a huge cast, magnificent costumes....   We saw Rigoletto, which was one I hadn't seen before.   It was very enjoybale, and of course has the very famous La Donna e Mobile, which everyone will recognise when they hear it.  

 Stage of Rigoletto

This one is actually Aida, but I think it shows what I'm trying to get across