Comments for Anna Chen

Comment on St Ives and Me: my programme on my favourite town by dave williams

dave williams — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:14:04 +0000

I heard part of the programme and am now trying to listen to it again but can’t find the programme anywhere, any idea when it will be on again or where I can download it

Comment on Live Dates by Irene

Irene — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 06:04:13 +0000

Yes, I did hear them say that. And it is true that the way poetry is prnteesed makes all the difference in the world. The class I teach at COM came out of a class in the novel that I’d been teaching for a few years. Typical Marin County group: really well-read, sophisticated adults, some of whom could teach the class. I began to get used to what I thought of as the confession which was always at my desk after class and always, because they knew I was a poet, would go something like this: I read an enormous amount of fiction, and New Yorker from cover to cover. Everything but the poems. I just don’t get the poems. The poetry class started for people like this and always draws large numbers, including people like me who’ve been reading poetry their whole lives. I think there is a real hunger for poetry and a sense of feeling stupid when confronting much of what’s out there.This is probably because of bad teaching as Matt and Brenda mentioned, but not all. That’s why I argue that the Modernist move (which probably followed the revolution of Darwin, Einstein, and Freud) started moving poetry into directions that were simply less accessible to the average reader (just as relativity and quarks continue to be). Would I turn the clock back—hell, no! It’s 20th century poetry that most speaks to me and I love the crazy leaps and jumps of writers like Eliot and Williams and Stevens. I think, so far as painting and sculpture are concerned, there are probably still people—maybe a majority—who continue to prefer representational art. Maybe it’s only a small group of people in any time, who value the contemporary.I think I write fairly accessible poetry because that’s the way it comes out. On the other hand, I’m crazy about Ashbery, less so Graham, and when the poetry becomes completely language-y , I’m simply bored by it. On a desert island? Shakespeare, the Psalms, Rumi, Yeats, Dickinson, Whitman, Eliot, Stevens. That would keep me pretty busy for a while.And I think your poem is terrific! What I like about Ashbery is the amazing language, the rhythms, the humor, the non-sequiturs. I’m always interested in the poem. I think you’ve got some of that here.

Comment on The Steampunk Opium Wars by JoHnny de-Lux

JoHnny de-Lux — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:04:43 +0000

opium & child labour put the ‘Great’ into Britain my dear _

Comment on Contact by Anna

Anna — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:58:51 +0000

Yes, saw it at the Colosseum a few years back. Loved it. Music was great. Humour was quite wry — it wasn’t crude China-bashing. Would like to see it again as I’ve forgotten much of it.

Comment on Contact by Rudi Affolter

Rudi Affolter — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:46:06 +0000

Hi Anna
With your background and wide interests I am curious to know if you have seen or heard John Adams’ opera “Nixon in China”? I am a political activist as well as a classical music lover and I rather like his music. But so far I have not yet heard this particular piece and thought you might have done and wondered what you made of it both musically and politically.
Yours sincerely and in peace
Rudi Affolter

Comment on Madam Mao’s Golden Oldies: Anna Chen on the Chinese model operas, BBC R4 by Anna

Anna — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:32:07 +0000

Thank you, Robin. I’m afraid I can’t find them here, either. My lovely DVD box-set was brought back to me from Hong Kong where all this Cultural Revolution kitsch can still be found on sale. If you have friends visiting, ask them to do a trawl for you. Otherwise, there are clips on YouTube. Thanks for listening to the programme.

Comment on Madam Mao’s Golden Oldies: Anna Chen on the Chinese model operas, BBC R4 by Robin Carey

Robin Carey — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:02:01 +0000

I enjoyed listening to your programme on BBC Radio4 today 17/7 at 11.30-12.00. Afterwards I searched online for dvds of the Chinese Cultural Revolution Model Operas to buy to watch & listen to but I could no locate. Can you help? It does not matter that I do not understand a word of chinese, it still reaches the heart, and there is the spectacle. Regards

Comment on Contact by click

click — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 05:30:56 +0000

Good Stuff, do you currently have a youtube account?

Comment on The Steampunk Opium Wars by Taiy

Taiy — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:37:43 +0000

why not pay the poppy growers to not grow the poppy ?,,,,,,be much ceapher than a big american/uk and other armies,,,,,,,,,,,,ooooopppppps, silly me,,,,,,,,,,,no big drug profits for the real criminals,,,,,,, fatcats wearing suits and living a clean looking life in america, europe,,,,,,uk,,,,,,,,, much better to be at war and the heroine still getting through

Comment on The Steampunk Opium Wars by THE STEAMPUNK OPIUM WARS: Lin Zexu Just Says No! « Punjapit

THE STEAMPUNK OPIUM WARS: Lin Zexu Just Says No! « Punjapit — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:38:22 +0000

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