A Night at the Opera/ Insight at the Opera

My RMIT colleague, Jane, has a playwright friend named Linh Huyen who created a libretto in traditional cải lương style about a famous 18th C Vietnamese poet, Hồ Xuân Hương. The opera, entitled Bà chúa thơ Nôm, translates into Queen of Nom Poetry. Ho Xuan Huong was a woman who was ahead of her time. She was married at least twice and is believed to have been a second wife ... a concubine, a role she did not cherish ... "like the maid/but without the pay" (Thanks, Wikipedia!). Hồ Xuân Hương obtained a reputation of creating poems that were intelligent, witty, and occasionally erotic. Her poems are usually irreverent and full of double entendres, (which I have come to believe are very popular here).

At any rate, it is always lovely to go to the Municipal Theater or Opera House as it is more commonly called by foreigners. It is a jewel of a building and a lovely example of French colonial architecture.

Although the opera house can seat 800 people, the performance was very sparsely attended that evening and there is really no music pit to speak of, so the musicians were not separated much from the audience. We were really able to see who was playing what. With the exception of a guitar and a keyboard, the instruments used seemed to be traditional ones, namely the đàn nguyệt or đàn kìm and a little clicker-er that I could never identify.

At any rate, I loved the music from the first chord struck and thoroughly enjoyed the production. I might do as Jane did ... go to another performance, where I will undoubtedly understand more. It will give me an opportunity to take my other camera and maybe get some better shots. I know that cải lương is but one form of three styles of Vietnamese opera and that there are other cải lương operas performed, especially in the south, so I will try and learn a bit more about them and see a few moiré performances. I really enjoyed the evening and need to continue to see what cultural activities are available ... and take advantage of them!

Which takes me to my insight and how often I realize (and am sometimes grateful for) the learning/understanding which can occur when I take the time to reflect on certain issues that are concerning me at any given time. So, right now I am concerned about the participation of students in preparing for their internship placements and the level of engagement in attending class or sessions, investigating employers, dealing with their resumes/CVs, etc. etc. etc. And I know that students are busy, bored, falling in love, scared, tired, hungry, confused, and apathetic. And I am aware of my own resistance/reluctance to get out there and see and do and learn. And I recognize a connection ... so, it is not exactly psychological projection ... well, at least I am trying not to deny my own failures and fears. I guess it is about becoming more open to them (and maybe not being so judgmental) and being creative in terms of trying to address lack of engagement... or being engaged in a different way from my own (expectations).