writer rachel, 21, art music literature architecture fashion philosophy

my website Cherchez Beauté

wishlist
Books I want
tree of codes - jonathan safran foer
six walks in the fictional woods - umberto eco
the separate heart and other stories - simon robson
generosity - richard powers
shades of grey 2 - jasper fforde
fiction ilustrado - miguel syjuco
mr peanut - adam ross
light boxes - shane jones
a void - georges perec
the mind's eye - oliver sacks
the fall - guillermo deltoro
bel canto - ann patchett
wolf hall - hilary mantel
my name is red - orhan pamuk
the misfortune - wesley stace
time's arrow - martin amis
darkmans - nicola barker

Skin Care I Want
Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Ice Cube
Benefit Ultra Radiance Face Re-hydrating Mist
Clinique Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream
Murad Essential C Eye Cream SPF 15
No. 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Eye Cream
Tokyo Milk - EVERYTHING. I want everything from them, darn it.

Make Up I Want
Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Anti-Aging Face Primer
Benefit Sugarbomb
Benefit Moon Beam
Canmake Cream Cheek Blush Sweet Apricot
Coffret D'or Shine Drape Rouge (Glow)
Le Metier de Beaute Creme Fresh Tint in Poppy
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful
YSL Pure Black Lip Gloss

Other Stuff I want

Nail Polish Lemmings
Essie Starry Starry Night
Chanel Ciel de Nuit
Clarins 230

a-england Lady of the Lake
BB Couture Dragon's Breath
BB Couture Napa Valley Red
Bb Couture Mendocino Midnight
BB Couture Redwood Forest and loads more BB Couture polishes...

Butter LONDON Black Knight
Butter LONDON Tart With a Heart

Color Club Untamed Luxury
Color Club Otherworldly
Color Club Scent-suous Gingerbread Man
Color Club Scent-suous Santa's Cinnamon
Color Club Scent-suous Sugar Plum Yum

China Glaze OMG! Collection

Cult Nails Hypnotize Me

Deborah Lippmann Edge of Glory Holographic top coat
Deborah Lippmann Call Me Irresponsible
Deborah Lippmann Forget You

Dior Exquis

Essie Geranium
Essie Strawberry Sorbet
Essie Swept Off My Feet
Essie Mademoiselle
Essie Marshmallow
Essie Mesmerize
Essie As Gold As It Gets
Essie Pure Pearlfection

Estessimo TiNS The Neo-Vintage Dress

Etude House BL009
Etude House WH004

Finger Paints Special Effects Asylum
Finger Paints Special Effects Twisted
Finger Paints Evergreen Dream
Finger Paints Sparkle Top Coat
Finger Paints Cordur Orange
Finger Paints Holly Good Times
Finger Paints Floatin' On a Cloud

Glitter Gal Marine Blue

Golden Rose Scale Effects: 2, 5, 11

HITS Lambada Flake
HITS Valsa Flake

Illamasqua Rampage
Illamasqua Boo! and Hiss Nail Pantomime Duo

Kleancolor Metallic Orange
Kleancolor Metallic Green
Kleancolor Holo Chrome

L'Oreal Owl's Night

Ludurana Aurora Boreal Reluz
Ludurana Aurora Boreal Emocionnante

Lynnderella (Llarowe stocks in January) Cauldron Drippings
Lynnderella Happy Holo-Daze
Lynnderella Gotta Love Brains
Lynnderella Bride of Franken

OPI Time-less is more
OPI DS Extravagance
OPI Diva of Geneva
OPI Jade is the New Black
OPI Can You Tapas This
Orly Galaxy Girl
Orly Lunar Eclipse
Orly Au Champagne
Orly Royal Velvet
Orly Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
Orly Happily Ever After

Ozotic 624
Ozotic 531
Ozotic 532

pa A19
pa Q24
pa A24
pa A134

Periphera - any polishes, especially the perfume enamels as I don't have these yet. From Korea.

Picture Polish Hypnotic (Coming out in 2012)
Picture Polish Vegas

Mavala Agena

Missha HGR01

Nicole by OPI Hard-Kourt Fashionista
Nicole by OPI Kourt is Red-y For a Pedi
Nfu Oh 51
Nfu Oh 52
Nfu Oh 56

Nubar Peacock Feathers
Nubar 2010
Nubar Swiss Chocolate
Nubar Sour Candy
Nubar Gold Feather
Nubar Greener
Nubar Indigo Illusion
Nubar WIldlife
Nubar Purple Beach

Rescue Beauty Lounge Recherche
Rescue Beauty Lounge Anne

Revlon Facets of Fuschia

Sally Hansen Nail Prisms Turquoise Opal

SpaRitual Golden Gleam
SpaRitual Howl

Zoya Casey
Zoya Adina
Zoya Kimmy


cool stuff
Style.com
City of Skies
Flickr
Spinner
Fashion Nation
Scrangie
Vampy Varnish
All Lacquered Up

credits maker
picture
brushes
blogspot
blogskins

Monday, June 15, 2009
the phantom craze

HAY LOOK WHO'S BACK :D

Harhar. I haven't been here in such a long while. This is for the benefit of the people who were wondering what I was doing in the hols apart from the usual eating, sleeping and studying... I went for the "Christian Lacroix the Costumier" exhibition about 2 weeks ago and that's about all the going out I did. The exhibition was lovely! The area was illuminated by a few dimly lit chandeliers and the walls and floor were black, bringing out the vibrancy of the costumes. Seen through a thin black wire mesh, the costumes seemed to spring to life; as if the mannequins keeping them in shape were real people standing very still, waiting for their cue to act. All the costumes were lovingly designed (by Lacroix) and made (by various people) for famous operas like Carmen, Cosi Fan Tutte, Phedre etc. And they are very intricately constructed, with each costume reflecting the personality and morality of the character in question.

There was much to learn about the importance of costume and costume design there. Most people don't really notice the significance of the detailing on a costume; a lace cuff, a smattering of velvet on a skirt... These details enhance character portrayal by making connections between certain materials and our associations of them with certain character values. A richly layered red velvet dress gives off a wealthy, sensuous air, immediately linking the dress to its wearer, allowing the audience to better remember these traits of the character. A white, long sleeved, layered dress with pastel green and blue undertones calls to mind a refined young maiden with a calm disposition and an endearingly sweet personality. A succession of red dresses, each one a deeper shade of red, shows how the wearer progresses from coy flirtatiousness to voluptuous sensuality and dubious morality. It's fascinating how Lacroix worked with such a large variety of materials (curtain material included!) to synthesise and finally produce a work of art that enhances the value of the opera.

Okay. Apart from that~

I've been playing the piano loads and reading (a little) and downloading games/manga/anime (a lot :P). Discovered http://www.mutopiaproject.org/, which has a large selection of free classical sheet music !! Ah piano heaven. I downloaded Beethoven's Pathetique and Appassionata. I shall learn them just for kicks hahah and die in the process because they are so difficult.

And I also listened to different renditions of the Phantom of the Opera. No I'm not talking about different English versions, but Phantom in different languages! Yes :D This magical and enduring musical has been staged worldwide in different countries in their native languages. Heh. I fell in love with the Korean version because of Kim So Hyun, who played the leading role of Christine Daae.



... Just get over the fact it sounds unfamiliar/strange in Korean and listen carefully to her voice. Its clarity and angelic quality have won me over completely. After listening to so many tired Christines who sound more like world-weary sophisticates with their diva-ish sounds, this Christine is a fresh breath of air (: It also helps that she's young and very pretty. Haha. Now check out the main theme...



Admittedly, her low notes aren't that good; they lack tone colour (unlike Sarah Brightman of the original cast), but just listen to the last part where her voice soars higher and higher. You'll be holding your breath until she reaches the last note, which she hits with ease. I love the way she clutches her chest at the end, out of breath and slightly shocked at what she just sang. It is incredible how So Hyun brings the right touch of innocence and naivete to the role of Christine, who's supposed to be a young chorus girl seduced by the Phantom into his dark and macabre world of music. Her voice possesses an ethereal clarity and is at its pinnacle at the high notes AND her vibrato doesn't go out of tune, unlike some singers. Never mind that her voice is not extremely operatic - I've always thought of Christine as more of a young school girl than an operatic diva. In fact, her voice encapsulates what I've imagined Christine to be like; an inexperienced innocent confronted by frightening darkness in the Phantom's lair.

She's definitely my favourite Christine now (sorry Sarah, I love you in other songs still!). Oh wait, did I mention? So Hyun is an actress by profession, not a singer, but her singing is gorgeous and pwns a great many singers who've played the role (:

Sorry Phantom guy, I think you're good too, but I relate more to So Hyun 'cos we're both sopranos/girls (: Haha. Yeah anyway Yoon Young Seok is quite believable as the lustful Phantom, but his voice isn't as powerful as some other Phantoms, I think. Michael Crawford's still my favourite for his ability to be scary and powerful during songs like Phantom, but heartrendingly tender during songs like the Music of the Night.

kay. One more fangirly thing and I'm off to do some work before the scholarship talk at 12.30pm. My favourite Korean actress: Han Hyo Joo. She has an adorably angelic face, has never had plastic surgery and is Christian too. What's not to love about her? :P


Okay. Now I guess I should iron my uniform and get ready for lunch. Haha.

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