Day 11/30 - silence


Friends have often asked if there was an artist or work I would really like to see on Esplanade’s stage. It is the second most popular question, losing only to “which is the best seat in the house”, to which I will smile coyly “Every seat in Esplanade is a good seat” haha. In similar “why you asking me to name my favourite child” way, my answer to the first question would always be, “you know I don’t make the programming choices!” But I know my answer would be Leonard Cohen, that Canadian poet, singer-songwriter, charmer.

But since we cannot call up the dead, I may now answer Bjork, as well as share with you this poem by he who sings “I’m your man.”

Gift
by Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

You tell me that silence
is nearer to peace than poems
but if for my gift 
I brought you silence
(for I know silence)
you would say
This is not silence
this is another poem
and you would hand it back to me
(
Video taken exactly this time 2018 during a rehearsal for a short piece performed by SYC ensemble, conducted by Jennifer Tham - not my relative! - with singers positioned all around Circle 1 and 2 seats in the Theatre.)

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