Andrea Bocelli, his music and will to power

 
The fourth tenor: Italian tenor. Antara/Apriyanto
He may have only supported the stance of the Catholic Church, which reigns over Italian life, but when opera singer Andrea Bocelli said he thanked his mother for not having an abortion while pregnant with him, we could not help but think that the world should be grateful for having him around to sing with that beautiful voice.
Bocelli may not be able to stop wars between nations or find the cure for cancer but his beautiful tenor is certainly a gift to the world, as his millions of fans would tell you.
High-minded critics may have frowned upon his lack of technique and poor phrasing. This is what New
York Times classical music critic Anthony Tomassini said of his show at the Detroit Opera House, “His sustained notes wobble and his soft high notes are painfully weak.”
But ask his fans and they will disagree. They certainly like him — if his multi-platinum records and sold-out gigs are anything to go by.
Considered as one of the biggest crossover success, Bocelli has recorded 13 studio albums of both
pop and classical music, two greatest hits albums, and eight complete operas, selling over 70 million copies worldwide.
As an indication of his appeal to the masses, in 1998, Bocelli was named one of People magazine’s 50 most beautiful people. His name was even put on a plaque of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as a mark of appreciation for his contribution to live theater in March 2010.
Surely 70 million people can’t be wrong.
His legion of fans also proves that it is almost futile to consider music or genres in music as always tied to material wealth, or that there is a direct correlation between socio-economic status and cultural expression.
It would be easy to conclude that seeing Bocelli’s live performance at the Grand Ballroom of Ritz-Carlton Hotel over the weekend, with the attendance of some of the city’s crème de la crème, ministers and high-ranking government officials as well as the super rich, is indeed a proof of such correlation, that the adoption of certain musical genres follows one’s socio-economic standing in society.
But the chauffeured and the well-heeled Bocelli fans make up only a tiny percentage of his 70 million-plus fans. The majority of his fans are probably just college students or office workers who can’t stand rock and roll but find it difficult to digest lengthy and serious opera.
And for the latter type of music fans, Bocelli represents what French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu calls “cultural capital”. Bourdieu’s “cultural capital” refers to the appropriation of aesthetic alternatives in which some choices are more highly valued than others and that such an adoption has little or nothing
to do with the ownership of material wealth.
More than 3,000 ardent fans of Bocelli who flocked the concert venue certainly valued the tenor
of this visually impaired tenor singer more than any other performers in the genre or in the music scene in general.
These Bocelli devotees had no problems sending thundering applause and a standing ovation over and over for the rendition of “Amor ti Vieta”, “Meco All’Atar di Venere” or “O Mio Babbino Caro”.
And dissecting the technical side of Bocelli’s performance and the impressive work of his backing orchestra and choir would be superfluous as the flawless performance itself was certainly soul-stirring, a fitting reminder that certain forms of art, when performed by the right performers can speak directly to the heart and soul of man.
Seeing Bocelli’s performance, its aural and visual spectacle, something that an opera in general
should deliver, certainly reminded the audience why all those high-profile politicians and businessmen attended his concert in the first place.
There is a certain air of heaviness with which Bocelli and all opera performers carry their tunes, whether or not they sing about Greek or Shakespearian tragedy or just a plain unrequited love song. Such a performance requires the audience to pour their hearts into the story or whatever emotions being promoted by the performers on stage.
Those politicians and businessmen certainly have stepped into the dark corners of human lives in their pursuit of money and power, and opera no doubt helps provide a kind of grandiose soundtrack to their travails.
It is said that Napoleon Bonaparte was a big fan of opera and that he attended the majority of performances in all seasons.
But many have said his seeming love of opera may have stemmed from his need for love and approval.
Not only did he always arrive late, but once he was there, what went on stage had to stop and everybody had to applaud him. This in a way made him part of the opera.
Napoleon in his unique way has outdone all aristocrats before him who flaunt opera as a symbol of wealth and prestige.
He made it the symbol of his power.
The night Bocelli performed, everyone in the audience wanted to be with Napoleon.

Exploring RyuGin with Chef Yamamoto

 Seaperch grilled on Kishubincoutan charcoal with roaster rice over the skin and black vinegar sea urchins (uni) soy sauce. — Photo by Triwik Kurniasari

Seaperch grilled on Kishubincoutan charcoal with roaster rice over the skin and black vinegar sea urchins (uni) soy sauce. — Photo by Triwik Kurniasari
 One of Japan’s most celebrated chefs, Seiji Yamamoto, flew in to indulge Jakarta’s food lovers with an exquisite menu from his restaurant, RyuGin.

A white 20-by-15 centimeter menu was placed on each table at Orient8, a Pan-Asian and French restaurant at the Hotel Mulia in Senayan, South Jakarta.

The front of the card read “RyuGin by Chef Seiji Yamamoto”. The Japanese chef is renowned for fusing traditional with modern styles using astonishing gastronomy techniques.

RyuGin, derived from Japanese word ryu (dragon), opened in Tokyo’s upscale Roppongi district in 2003.

The restaurant received a rating of two Michelin stars for four consecutive years and was recently named one of the world’s 50 best restaurants by San Pellegrino.

Decorative black-and-white glass mats featuring Chinese dragon motifs strengthen the feel of the chef’s famous RyuGin style. It is believed the dragon prevents evil and heralds good fortune.

That evening, only a few guests were lucky enough to experience a culinary event well prepared by the chef himself.

Staff from RyuGin restaurant explained to guests the 10-course menu, revealing a deep knowledge.

The first course was the Chateau Ryugin 1970 Cuvée Hamaguri. The servers brought out a shot glass of oysters and seaweed topped with jelly and vegetables before presenting a wine-like bottle.

The server opened the bottle of Chateau Ryugin and explained that it was hot clam soup before carefully pouring it into glasses.
Monkfi sh Liver with akagai shell.— Photo by Triwik Kurniasari
Next up was Chef Yamamoto’s specialty — monkfish liver with akagai shell. Similar to French foie gras, the liver from Hokkaido was smooth like tofu and served with a special white miso and apple vinegar sauce and vegetables.

Next was kuruma ebi shrimp ball with soft simmered abalone cooked for 10 hours in a special shellfish soup. The soup consisted of five different broths: crab, dried bonito, scallop, shrimp and seaweed. The crab had a strong taste as the chef used crab broth as the main ingredient.

A Japanese culinary experience would not be complete without the famous sashimi. Chef Yamamoto prepared a combination of sashimi and came up with blue lobster and grouper in Kobujime style.

He combined Bretagne blue lobster with grouper from Maluku dressed in  Sudachi soy jelly and chilled vegetables. The lobster and fish were wonderfully juicy yet smooth, matching the freshness and sourness of sudachi (Japanese lime).

The fifth dish on the list was grilled Japanese sweet corn cold egg custard with zuwaigani crab meat and beluga caviar in a refined style.
The dish was a modern take on Japanese cawan mushi and presented in a sophisticated manner. The mashed sweet corn was mixed with egg custard, topped with succulent crab meat and salty caviar. Servers later explained that the best way to enjoy the dish was mix all parts of the dish to lower the salty taste.

Halfway through, it became interesting to find out what Yamamoto’s next creation would be.

Not long after the egg custard was served, servers brought out kishubincoutan charcoal to the tables, briefly explaining that the rock-hard charcoal, usually made from Japanese oak, produced high temperatures and was good for grilling fish and wagyu beef.

Then we got our chance to taste sea perch grilled on kishubincoutan with roasted rice over the skin and black vinegar sea urchin soy sauce. The texture of the perch was soft, contrasting with the crunchy roasted rice.

Next up was kuroge wagyu beef fillet with hot beef Achilles tendon collagen sauce and fragrance of vegetables. The beef, also charcoal broiled, was tender and tasted even better with the sauce.
Next was premium blue fin tuna donburi style with pine nuts and mitsuba shrimp broth, completed with red miso soup served in a small cup — best simply drunk like tea.

The dish was a combination of Japanese steamed rice from Niigata, tuna from Miyazaki and rich shrimp broth.

Even feeling full after the eighth course, we could never turn down the two desserts, served on the table in a stunning and beautiful presentation.
 
-196 degrees Celcius candy apple and hot apple jam. Photo by Triwik Kurniasari
It started with a RyuGin specialty: a candy apple frozen to -196 degrees Celcius and hot apple jam.

The candy apple was cracked open with spoons to reveal a cold apple powder inside that tasted cool and light before melting in the mouth. The apple powder combined well with the sweet and sour taste of the warm jam.

The second dessert was grilled Ehime mandarin soufflé in RyuGin style with mango yogurt ice cream. The sweetness of the soufflé matched the coolness and sourness of the yogurt. Squeezing the fresh sliced orange onto the soufflé resulted in a fresher and stronger orange flavor.

Child attacked by leopard at Kansas zoo

(CNN) -- A child on a school outing was attacked by a leopard at a Wichita, Kansas, zoo, authorities said Friday.

The boy, a student from Linwood Elementary, was with classmates on a field trip at the Sedgwick County Zoo when, around 1:15 p.m., witnesses said, he "went over a railing" and approached the Amur leopard exhibit, said Lt. Jay McLaurian of the county sheriff's department.

The leopard was able to reach into the mesh covering of its enclosure and grab the boy by his head, McLaurian said.

The child was rescued by bystanders who rushed in and "beat the animal" away from the boy, officials said. According to McLaurian, the boy received injuries to his face and neck and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

He is expected to "be OK," McLaurian said.

The boy, who is 7 years old, was in fair condition Friday afternoon at Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis in Wichita, CNN affiliate KWCH said.

Students from several Sedgwick County schools were at the zoo on Friday and witnessed the attack, and the school district immediately took steps to notify parents, according to Susan Arensman, spokeswoman for Wichita Schools.

"One of our first-graders was injured by one of the animals," a letter that was sent home to parents whose children attended the same school as the victim read.

A similar letter was also sent home to parents from other Wichita schools.

Shortly after the attack, school officials assembled a crisis team to help the students process what happened, and assure them that the victim would be OK, said Arensman.

"Counselors will also be available on Monday to offer additional help to students," Arensman said.

The zoo was evacuated for a short time after the attack but remained opened after the incident, officials said.

Amur leopards, which are listed as an endangered species, can grow to 4 to 6½ feet long and weigh anywhere from 60 to 150 pounds, the zoo's website says. They are native to Far Eastern Russia and northern China.

State TV: At least 12 killed, 232 wounded in clashes at Cairo church

Cairo (CNN) -- Egypt's prime minister called for an emergency Cabinet meeting Sunday, a day after officials reported at least 12 people were killed in sectarian clashes outside a Cairo church.

Officials said the violence began over rumors that a Christian woman who converted to Islam was being held at the church against her will.

Prime Minister Essam Sharaf postponed a trip to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the church attack, according to EgyNews, Egypt's official news agency. Egyptian state TV said 10 people died and 232 were wounded in the violence Saturday. At least 190 were arrested.

Tensions between Egypt's Muslim majority and its Coptic Christian minority have been on the rise in recent months, with a number of violent clashes reported between the two groups. 

During clashes on Saturday, witnesses said an armed group of Muslims marched on Saint Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest churches in Egypt.

Witnesses said Muslims and Christians exchanged gunfire, sending people running for cover.

"With my own eyes I saw three people killed and dozens injured," said Mina Adel, a Christian resident. "There's no security here. There's a big problem. People attacked us, and we have to protect ourselves."

There were conflicting reports about who attacked the church.

Some witnesses said the group was made up of Muslim fundamentalists, known as Salafists. Others, including Interior Ministry spokesman Alla Mahmoud, said it was angry Muslims from a nearby mosque.

Mahmoud said the clashes were sparked by reports of a Christian woman who married a Muslim man and was allegedly being held inside the church.

Military, special forces and riot police were called in to try to break up the violence, firing warning shots in the air, according to witnesses.

At the same time, at the nearby Coptic Church of the Holy Virgin, firefighters responded to a blaze that witnesses said appeared to have been started by the members of the same group that attacked the other church.

Hundreds of residents in the working class neighborhood of Imbaba stood outside as the church burned and two men were seen jumping from a window of the building, according to witnesses.

Across the street, residents standing outside the Al Wehda mosque blamed "thugs" for the violence.

"It was thugs who burned the church, not Salafists (fundamentalists)," said Jamal El Banan. "We never had such sedition before the revolution."

Tensions were high in the neighborhood following the clashes, with soldiers firing shots into the air overnight to break up the crowd, witnesses said.

CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman, based in Cairo, described the crowd as "very hostile," saying he was forced to leave the neighborhood after his vehicle was targeted with rocks.

A Coptic church in the town of Alexandria was bombed on New Year's Day, killing 23 people -- the deadliest attack on Christians in Egypt in recent times.

Ten days later, a gunman killed a Christian man and wounded five others on a train in Egypt.

In November, a group with ties to al Qaeda in Iraq announced that all Christians in the Middle East would be "legitimate targets," as the group's deadline for Egypt's Coptic church to release alleged Muslim female prisoners expired.

The group's claim that the Coptic Church in Egypt is holding female prisoners is based on widespread rumors of Coptic women in Egypt converting to Islam and being detained by the church in an attempt to compel or persuade them to return to their original faith.

About 9% of Egypt's 80 million residents are Coptic Christians. They base their theology on the teachings of the Apostle Mark, who introduced Christianity to Egypt, according to St. Takla Church in Alexandria, the capital of Coptic Christianity.

The religion split with other Christians in the 5th century over the definition of the divinity of Jesus Christ.