Author Archives: Sharon Lin

About Sharon Lin

Hi! My name is Wai-yu Lin, but I go by the name Sharon. I love going to different places, trying different foods, and meeting new people. I like to cook and swim on my free time. I enjoy watching television shows and Asian dramas.

How To Start Business In China

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Earn a few pointers about starting business in China by investing some time and money to watch the play Ch’ingŸlish, by David Henry Hwang! Hwang creatively fabricates a story of an American businessman venturing to expand his company to Guiyang, China. Leigh Silverman successfully directs Ch’ingŸlish, with the help of the actors and cast behind the scenes, to humorously portray the importance relationships have in China, especially in business.

Lead actor Gary Wilmes starts off the play with a monologue about China’s rapid development. He takes this time to mold into his character, Daniel Cavanaugh. His directness with the audience sets an interactive mood, misleading me to think that he was a narrator of the play. His laidback joking attitude fits into the comedic atmosphere he creates as he explains language’s effect on China’s growth, proving his point with the help of Jeff Sugg and Shawn Duan’s projection of mistranslated Chinese signs ranging from bathroom signs to navigational signs, causing an eruption of laughter. However, his demeanor swiftly changes when the curtains rise signaling the beginning of his story.

Throughout Ch’ingŸlish, Wilmes never loses character as an American with no knowledge of Chinese culture or language. Even though he would have understood the Chinese being spoken from countless rehearsals, he keeps me captivated the whole time. His hand motions convey his frustration of the language barrier, while his strained voice illustrates confusion, with hints of angst and love. Wilmes sets a pace for himself according to his character, but manages to flow along with the other actors.

Cavanaugh’s business consultant and translator for Cavanaugh, Peter Timms, played by Stephen Pucci surprises me as he suddenly speaks Chinese. His acting runs smoothly, blending in with Chinese culture that is advised by Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith. Pucci’s Mandarin Chinese streams out of him like it’s his first language. He explains the importance of “Guan Xi” to Daniel, attempting to illustrate his knowledge of business in China. He manages to conjure up a deal with Cavanaugh to become his business consultant. Timms holds an aura of mischief as he translates some parts of business discussions for Cavanaugh, holding back other information to him. However, Candace Chong’s translations on a subtitle screen provide the audience with all the information of what is happening. This provides dramatic irony, as the audience understands what is going on yet some of the characters do not, giving a humorous effect.

With Pucci’s character, we are able to identify the importance of relationship in China. He pushes the story into motion by arranging for business meetings to get Cavanaugh into the business industry. He helps him enter business with Minister Cai Guoliang, played by Larry Lei Zhang. Timms education of Mandarin Chinese leaves Cavanaugh clueless more than half the time during the meetings, generating laughter from viewers. Nonetheless, the mystery behind Minister Zhang and Timms becomes the base of relationships between a potential business partnership, bringing together the entire play.

Jennifer Lim does a wonderful job playing Xi Yan, a strict businesswoman, yet something more. Xi Yan leads a double life that illustrates the extent relationship plays in China. Lim’s emotions are spot on, being stoic, yet melting into freedom during her stress relievers. Her sharp Chinese tone displays her authority, blending well with her character. Xi Yan becomes Daniel Cavanaugh’s fairy godmother in a way as she helps him overcome his obstacle, which is not language, but his relationship with Minister Zhang. Lim does an excellent job conforming to her Asian ethnicity, providing the audience insight on Chinese culture and affiliations between people and reputation.

Even with the entire cast’s fantastic acting, the whole production would not have been as engaging as it were without the set by David Korins. Korins provides simple, clean simplicity of the sets hold hints of China. He sets the scene that makes you feel you have entered China, first with the Chinese restaurant and then with the simple, neat business room furnished with a painting demonstrating Chinese brush strokes. The simplicity of the set allows the audience to concentrate on the actors, while still taking note of the scene it takes place in.

The extent relationship plays in China and one’s understanding illustrate the importance of reputation and affiliation as well. Ranks and names are brought out to the open and manipulated to bend in favor of Cavanaugh, as well as other characters. To unravel the mysteries behind business in China, I suggest you see it first hand before flying half way across the world!

The Barber of Seville Becomes A Matchmaker

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Know Beaumarchais’ play of The Barber of Seville? Yes? No? Well regardless of your answer, the opera version by Rossini, showing at the Metropolitan Opera, is a must see! A simple and creative set designed by Michael Yeargan, blinding lighting by Christopher Akerlind, smooth on key music conducted by Maurizio Benini, and an explosion of pizzazz by the main cast, as well as supporting characters, brew up a wonderful production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Bartlett Sher.

Yeargan’s cleverly designed set consisted mainly of ten creamy beige colored doors, giving off an antique feel to blend in with the time period in Seville. Easy on the eyes, these doors allowed smooth transformations and transitioning of scenes throughout the opera, from outside Dr. Bartolo’s house to inside his house. To enhance the set, decorative props were brought out fluidly by the supporting cast twirling around the stage with props like the orange trees, which did not hold much significance until they were used to provide comedic relief. An obnoxiously large anvil slowly lowered in the background at the end of Act I was extremely out of place. It was a distraction when the main cast was singing, but gave the audience quite a laugh. Overall, the universal set was intelligently created and did its’ job in creating the different scenarios.

However, this set would not be much without the help of Christopher Akerlind’s lighting. Akerlind did a terrific job with the lighting as it set the mood for the scenes and created a sense of time, such as the dim lights at the beginning when Count Almaviva stands under Rosina’s balcony with a large group. The dim lights and the glowing light from Rosina’s room created a romantic mood and indicated nightfall. The only flaw of Akerlind’s work throughout the opera was the blinding bright light that shone over the whole auditorium as the backdrop rose. It did not seem to have any significance to what was occurring during the opera, besides possibly indicating that the intermission was nearing. Nonetheless in Act Two, the dark gray lighting, with flashes of white to make lightning, perfectly reenacted stormy weather and made up for the blinding light.

Conducting this opera was Benini, who started out his career with Rossini’s Il Signor Bruschino. Debuting with a Rossini opera and having conducted another one of Rossini’s works, Zelmira, Benini has a great sense of Rossini’s style. This would contribute to his wonderful conducting Wednesday evening as the orchestra played smoothly along with the main cast. The music fit the scenarios and mood throughout the opera. The orchestra did a wonderful job playing to support the voices of the singers with dynamics that followed the singers soothingly soft or determinedly loud lyrics.

What had really brought out the whole opera was the main cast. With Javier Camarena playing Count Almaviva, his smooth velvety voice in “Ecco, ridente in cielo” captured me as it conveyed his love for Rosina, played by Isabel Leonard. Rosina’s sweet voice in “Una voce poco fa” displayed the perfect image of young maiden imprisoned in her home, yet was powerful at the right parts to show her strong will to break away from her guardian, Dr. Bartolo. Also, the refreshing flow of Leonard’s voice perfectly suits Rosina who has fallen in love for the first time. On the other hand, Maurizio Muraro’s overpowering voice in  “A un dottor della mia sorta,” suits Dr. Bartolo with an authoritative power as he entraps Rosina in his house and plots to marry her against her will. These three singers formed the love triangle of the opera and did an excellent job singing their roles as they gave the feeling that they were not just characters, but real people in love.

With all these wonderful attributes combined, Il Barbiere di Siviglia was a light airy romantic opera, half filled with comedy. A live donkey on stage, a falling anvil, and a surprising present from Figaro, the opera is captivating and humorous. This opera is a bang for your buck, literally!

Fashion and Music

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A gifted pianist, Yuja Wang captures the audience not only with her music, but also with her sense of fashion. A young lady of 24 years old, Ms. Wang would have a different idea of what to wear to a recital in which she stars in. So at her Hollywood Bowl event, located in Hollywood known for its’ glamor, Ms. Wang decided to go with a bright orange, body hugging dress. This daring outfit stirred up a big commotion afterwards. Many people thought her dress was inappropriate and thought it would lower her image. That is understandable, but I think Yuja is free to choose whatever she wants to wear as she would have thought about how it would affect her before she wore it.

With her wonderful skills that show how great a pianist she is, I don’t think what she wears should have any affect on her image as a pianist. Actually, I think it’s wonderful that she dresses in what she wants and in something appropriate for the location of the event. In her event at Carnegie Hall, she wore a simple black dress with black shiny stilettos. Tommasini mentions and describes the pieces she plays with so positively that I would consider attending one of her performances. What I loved about his review is that not only did he love her music, he states that he was unaffected by her wardrobe and that he does not see anything wrong with what she wore. This just goes to show that people are making a big deal out of nothing.

Society Today

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As history shaped and reformed ideas of people in the world, everyone has their own perception of other races, ethnicity, and culture that is not their own. Much of these conceptions are influenced by what is seen on television, movies, and even commercial ads as society becomes more technologically advanced. I think that sometimes certain ideas of race, ethnicity, and culture of others and even my own are misrepresented, usually by stereotypes.

Many movies that come out in America where the main actor or actress is Asian, talents that would seem attractive to the audience and bring in revenue are the only things that are focused on. In the Rush Hour series, the plots used all revolved around how Jackie Chan would display his Kung Fu skills. Another movie that involve an Asian main actor was Ninja Assassin, that also revolved around displaying fighting skills that would awe the audience.In a way it feels as if the movie industry see Asians and think of fighting skills.

Also, in the Rush Hour series, besides the fighting, there were parts that revealed bits and pieces of the Chinese culture were not entirely correct or even seemed to mock it as well. I remember one part in one of the Rush Hour films where a a Chinese Buddhist monk was introducing his name to Chris Tucker’s character and the monk had spoken his name in an American way as to cause confusion, which then became comedic. I don’t have anything against these movies, as I find them humorous myself, nor do I have anything against this scene, since I did burst out laughing as well, but thinking back I feel a bit mocked by it because the monk’s name is actually my sister’s first name and a part of my own name as well. Not only that, but it feels as if they think the Chinese language is funny, because the monk could have introduced his character name in Chinese but instead it was introduced in the English way.

I think that for people to really understand another race, culture, and ethnicity, they have to experience and learn it themselves from where it originated. I agree with David Henry Hwang’s idea that what you are doesn’t mean you can’t try to accept or in a way be another. I love my own race, ethnicity, and culture, but I am interested in Japan’s and South Korea’s culture sometimes more than my own that my mom claims I was probably reincarnated from one of them.

Shakespeare A Fraud?!

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Roland Emmerich, director of Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012, is coming out with a new movie called Anonymous. This movie brings up the controversy around Shakespeare’s writing. Was he the one who actually wrote all those plays and sonnets? Or did he steal them from someone else like Emmerich’s movie says? This movie pulls away Shakespeare’s reputation and pushes doubt into people’s mind, especially since no one knows what happened in that period and can only base their ideas on recorded text.

I came across this movie from NYTimes.com’s ad. At first I paid no attention to it, thinking it was just another movie trailer, but then I saw that it was about Shakespeare. Learning about Shakespeare throughout my high school years and reading his plays, I was curious to see what kind of movie could one make about Shakespeare! (Not that I hated him or anything.) After watching the trailer though, I was amazed and excited for it to premiere Friday, October 28, 2011. What made me really want to watch this movie was that it made me think about what had happened during Shakespeare’s time and whether or not he wrote all those plays and sonnets.

For those of you who have not seen the trailer yet here you go!

Play Vs. Opera

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In the opera and play version of The Barber of Seville, the plot and scenes remained relatively same. However, one difference in scene is where guards/officers come to check out what the ruckus is when the Count is disguised as a drunken soldier. This scene is shown in the opera version of The Barber of Seville, and in this scene, the Count reveals his identity to the soldiers. (Slayford-Wei)

Also, at the end of the opera version, everyone’s happiness seems to be the main focus. In the opera’s ending, Bartholo is satisfied with the dowry he will be receiving from the Count. (Schaffer) In the play’s ending, Bartholo clearly states that he does not want the money, therefore not being happy in the end. These two different versions with different endings, reveal different characteristics in the characters. Bartholo in the play is shown as someone who loves Rosine not for her wealth, whereas in the opera he does not seem to love her at all since he is satisfied with receiving her dowry.

I believe that the different endings were influenced by the type of genre they are. I know plays as being more tragic from reading Shakespeare, so Beaumarchais’ ending with Bartholo being the only sad character had little effect on me. On the other hand, I view opera’s as more energetic because of their singing. Their presence and energy on stage gave me the feeling that there would be a happy ending for everyone.