German poets in Cardiff

A truly dramaturgical evening yesterday - a mysterious invitation from the Modern Languages faculty at the University took me to Chapter Arts Centre, where an equally mystified group of poets had gathered. It turned out that we were to hear readings by the (former East) German poets Uwe Kolbe and Richard Pietraß. Kolbe is tall and lean and comes from an inland-waterway family, while Pietraß, a Berliner, looked properly poetical, bearded, bespectacled and beaming - translates Seamus Heaney, whom he somewhat resembles. Readings in German, English and Welsh, the latter mesmerisingly beautiful, by Mererid Hopwood, and clearly fascinating to the non-Welsh-speaking German poets. And to drink - provided by the generosity of Literature Wales - Blue Nun. Honestly. I haven't seen it for years. I wondered if it was a joke, but it wasn't. The poetry was much about purifying German after the war, and restoring words (like 'Lebensraum') to use. Today we have a workshop on translating poetry, and I'll bring my Ringelnatz and Morgenstern versions along. 

Nature notes from Bute East Dock

Hot weather brings out the carp, who come up into the Dock Feeder and the shallow water to spawn, frolicking about and leaping out of the water. Huge creatures over two feet long, with bronze scales and pig-like snouts. The grebe chicks are riding on their mothers' backs (two breeding pairs have successfully hatched their eggs) and the coots and swans are flourishing likewise. And so it was alarming to read (on a notice pinned high on a lamppost) that plans are afoot to start a Wakeboarding club on the dock, with a huge pylon and a 700m cable tow, artist's impression available on the web for inspection. I have written to the council to object (it will be noisy, disruptive to wildlife, and the dock is known to have a lively colony of toxic blue-green algae, perfect for surfing) and anyone else who wants to do so should email developmmentmanagement@cardiff.gov.org, quoting the name of the proposal, 12-00691/DCI.

Off to Buxton

Broke off from the (sublime) Tristan dress rehearsal at the WMC to go to Buxton to give two lectures on three operas tomorrow - so on the train from 6 till 11. The Maiden in the Tower (Sibelius), Kashchey the Immortal (Rimsky Korsakov) and Jephtha (Handel, and not strictly an opera). For anyone attempting to lecture on operas they haven't seen, the rules are 1) read the Viking Opera guide, 2) look it up on Wikipedia (can be surprisingly good on musical items), 3) find a libretto by fair means or foul, 4) check out Spotify for the rarer items, 5) pray nobody in the audience has seen the operas in places like Savonlinna, Wexford or other locations where rarities are commonplace. Oh, and 6) don't allow questions, whatever you do. Wish me luck.

Sermonise

Just discovered what 'Simon Rees' gives as a one-word anagram. Sums it up, really. My great-grandfather was a Congregational minister, so it's all in the genes. This evening I talk to the Ladybirds at Pantmawr Inn (just across the hedge from the M4, but good, I'm told) and tomorrow it's the Cardiff Gas Board Retired Employees Association who get the sermon, in an upper room in the Pentecostal Church, so watch out for stray tongues of flame. Tristan and Boheme, which should be a good mixture of love duets and untimely deaths. I shall also hand out as many business cards for Blomefylde and the Necromancer as I can get away with - and then watch Amazon Kindle for signs of life.

Complicite

Yesterday's job involved interviewing Annabel Arden about her production of La boheme. She's updated it to the years immediately before World War I, allowing the last flickerings of the Belle Epoque to cross over with the first sightings of conscripts in uniform. What was particularly fascinating was to learn of her background with Theatre de Complicite, and her training in Paris and Berlin in theatrical dance. This will have an interesting impact on the production, as there's a huge amount of choreographed movement in Boheme - I'd never realised until talking to Annabel that the four Bohemians form a commedia troupe in Act 1 and again in Act 4, cavorting around with parrots and herrings, making fun of each other in the style of the Lazzi used by the Italian comedians. Inspirational stuff - it'll be fascinating to see how it works out on stage.