Shen and Zhao using "Madame Butterfly" as Free Skate...........For Now

**SailorGalaxia518** · 05-25-2005, 01:20 PM

I read on FSU that Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao will use "Madame Butterfly" as their Free Skate but Bin Yao states that it might change during the season to a music selection with an explosive ending.

**Joesitz** · 05-25-2005, 01:33 PM

1. I hope they don't follow that storyline. Zhao does not look like a Pinkerton.

2. Puccini seems to grab skaters. Lots of melodies and crescendos. I wonder if T&M will keep Tosca.? Two Puccini opera melodies. Oh well.

Joe

**attyfan** · 05-25-2005, 03:26 PM

With the Olys in Italy, I am expecting a lot of Puccini. Now to the important questions -- what will happen if Michelle, Sasha, Jenny, Angela, and any other California ladies, all want to skate to Puccini's "Girl of the Golden West"?

**Doggygirl** · 05-25-2005, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by attyfan

With the Olys in Italy, I am expecting a lot of Puccini. Now to the important questions -- what will happen if Michelle, Sasha, Jenny, Angela, and any other California ladies, all want to skate to Puccini's "Girl of the Golden West"?

LOL - the first thing I thought of when I read your post was "if that happens, what kind of costume disaster will we have - AKA the year of the Swans??" At least it shouldn't inlcude feathers, right?

DG

**attyfan** · 05-25-2005, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Doggygirl

LOL - the first thing I thought of when I read your post was "if that happens, what kind of costume disaster will we have - AKA the year of the Swans??" At least it shouldn't inlcude feathers, right?

DG

I thought the Swans were Tchaikovsky.

**Kateri** · 05-25-2005, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Joesitz

1. I hope they don't follow that storyline. Zhao does not look like a Pinkerton.

Bad luck......

"After GPF last year Yao had said that Shen/Zhao only need to perfectly portray themselves instead of trying to act as the original characters for the music. Now they have to act again, Zhao joked, "I am no longer a prince, I am a heartless military officer. But unfortunately, she died." Zhao pointed at Shen and laughed."

- from an article translated on fsu by DinDonShamu.

There have been some wonderful articles tranlated in this thread lately:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...2&page=1&pp=15
- they are such a sweet pair, and Hongbo is so funny!

k.

**Joesitz** · 05-25-2005, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by attyfan

With the Olys in Italy, I am expecting a lot of Puccini. Now to the important questions -- what will happen if Michelle, Sasha, Jenny, Angela, and any other California ladies, all want to skate to Puccini's "Girl of the Golden West"?

Fanciulla is my favorite Puccini. Since I finished Music Appreciation 202 I got away from beautiful melodies and got more into complicated music. I do like the other Puccini operas.

I can just see Kostner coming out wearing a jacket with sleeves trimmed in fringe and a deerskin skirt and holding a rifle. Minnie gets her way!

Anyone to dress up Kwan, Cohen and Joannie as Mimi, Tosca and Turandot?

Joe

**hockeyfan228** · 05-25-2005, 06:06 PM

Since Andrew Lloyd Webber stole the main "Music of the Night" melody from Fanciulla, the music would lock in the crowd. The tenor aria, "Ch'ella mi Creda," is as beautiful as anything from Tosca, and the first act has a lot of rich orchestration.

I don't know why Bin Yao thinks Butterfly doesn't have a big climax: the end of the love duet ending Act I is one of the biggest screamers in opera.

**Hikaru** · 05-25-2005, 10:09 PM

I think Puccini brings out the best of Shen and Zhao (remember Turandot?). I'm really looking forward to see their program. I don't know why Yao said about changing it later (maybe a different cut of the music), but we'll see what happens, it is still very early.

I do agree that we'll see lots of italian themes this season. So T/M are doing Tosca? when was that annouced??

I would like to see someone skating something from Cavarelia Rusticana. I love the "Intermezzo", it always brings tears to my eyes, it's that beautiful!

**Joesitz** · 05-26-2005, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by Hikaru

So T/M are doing Tosca? when was that annouced??

It was not announced. It was just wondered if they will keep Tosca. However, I was getting T&M mixed up with N&K.

I would like to see someone skating something from Cavarelia Rusticana. I love the "Intermezzo", it always brings tears to my eyes, it's that beautiful!

So would I and I think Kwan should use it for her SP.

Joe

**hockeyfan228** · 05-26-2005, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Hikaru

I would like to see someone skating something from Cavarelia Rusticana.

I think Totmianina/Marinin or Savchenko/Szolkowy should use the "Intermezzo" from Cavelleria for a SP, particularly since pairs are now given credit for switching positions and using difficult holds in the footwork section, and both pairs are great at flowing serpentine skating (Peer Gynt for T/M and Casablanca for S/S). There's not a really good section in the music for standard singles footwork, but those skaters like Weir, Maniachenko, and Drei, who've done sweeping, flowing footwork to similarly lyrical music could pull it off.