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Sweethearts in songs
Victoria and Bruce perform an unforgettable
interlude
Story and photos by Peter Cummins
The two Pattaya Mail Peters (Malhotra and Cummins)
last week attended a classical dinner/concert in Bangkok. With the
tragedies, madness and terror which seem to be engulfing our world on an
almost-daily basis, this concert, this beautiful, nostalgic and romantic
musical interlude was, indeed, an oasis in a desert of despair!
Sweetheart(s) in songs
The title really said it all: “Sweetheart in Songs”,
the concert-cum-opera gala dinner held at the splendid Grand Ballroom of the
equally splendid Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel. The show was held the day
after the unusual coincidence of Loy Kratong and Halloween falling on the
same day - or, rather, night - the unique occasion dubbed by the Pattaya
Mail resident wit (the good Dr. Iain) as the confluence of “Loy
Kraween and Hallowkrathong”! (Pattaya Mail, Vol. IX, #45, 9 November
2001).
 Victoria
launches into an aria
No doubt, whatever one chose to call the phenomenon, the
audience packing out the Sheraton last week were well primed by the previous
night’s festivities, to enjoy the splendid dinner and the magnificent
performance of two internationally-known opera singers, Soprano Victoria
Atwater and Tenor Bruce Reed.
The opera gala dinner for which Pattaya Mail was a
leading sponsor, was timed to commemorate the Tenth Anniversary Celebration
of the D & M Impresario of Classical Music. Impresario Mongkol
Chaiyasirisobhon and his wife, Duang Dao - both musicians in their own right
- promoted and arranged the concert as a part of their Impresario of
Classical Music ongoing series, emanating from the D and M Music Studio.
The ambience of the beautifully decorated ballroom was
electric, as these two top professionals regaled the assembly with excerpts
from Verdi’s “La Traviata”, Puccini’s “Tosca”,
Lehar’s “The Merry Widow” and Donizetti’s “Lucia di
Lammermoor”, amongst other operatic delights.
 Bruce
goes Italian with a romantic rendition of “Torna a Surriento”
Bruce’s rendition of “Torna a Surriento”
evoked images of the lovely Italian coastline around Sorrento and his rich
baritone enthralled an enraptured audience with Lehar’s “Dein ist
mein ganzes herz”, followed by a stirring, powerful “Grenada”.
Bruce is a native of Clifton Springs, New York and completed his training at
the Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, New York.
Victoria, who has been noted for her “gleaming soprano
and dazzling coloratura”, fairly floated in a white satin evening gown
which radiated her personality and talent, as she mesmerized the ballroom
with aria after aria. The beautiful lady from Ekhart, Indiana, now resident
of New York City, aptly fulfilled the role ascribed to her recently by her
hometown newspaper, as possessing “not only an excellent voice but a
warmth and charm that bridged any gap between performer and audience”.
Victoria was educated and trained at Indiana University
School of Music at Bloomington, Indiana, graduating with Bachelor and
Masters of Music degrees.
Both are known internationally to the recital and stage
circuit and have performed in a vast number of productions, operas and
musical festivals on the world’s stage over the past decades.
All the world’s a stage...
Or, so wrote the Bard some two centuries ago. Yet, at the
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit just last week, it was difficult to imagine that
this talented couple was only play-acting the romantic ambience that they
were creating up there on the Bangkok stage. They were two lovers, ensconced
in their world of music, song and joy. They are, in real-life, truly
“Sweetheart(s) in Song”; sweethearts who, in fact, are newly-weds.
 Forever
in love: a fleeting moment of sheer
beauty
A piano recital by classical artists Asayuch Chamroon and Pirapong
Surawan made an interlude to the vocal side of the concert, and then in the
second half of the performance, the stars took us on a trip “down memory
lane” - to resort to an oft-used clich้. Those among the gathering -
especially this correspondent - who were old enough to remember, enjoyed
such nostalgic themes as those from Jerome Kern’s “Showboat”,
with its splendid leitmotif duet, “Make Believe”.
Sigmund Romberg’s masterful “The Student Prince”,
exuding the heady atmosphere of Heidelberg with the magic of “Serenade”
and the splendid duet “Deep in my heart, Dear”, was followed by a
more recent Andrew Lloyd Weber composition from “Cats” and the
immortal “Kismet” numbers, guaranteed to make the memories flow:
“And this is my beloved” and, no ‘stranger’ to the majority
there: “Stranger in Paradise”.
The finale featured “All I ask of you”, the
duet from Weber’s classic “Phantom of the Opera” and closed
with a tribute to H.M. the King, with a rendition of his own composition “Love
in Spring”.
 At
Bruno’s (L to R) David, Peter, Victoria, Bruce, Duang Dao, master chef
Fredi, and Mongkol
Besides the Pattaya Mail, sponsors included,
listed in random order: Bangkok Insurance Public Company, Classic Place
Hotel, Siam Bayshore Resort, Berli Jucker Wines, Heritage Club, Robinson
Piano, Music Land, EMI Classic, Radio Thailand, Asia Books Sukhumvit,
Bangkok Post, Nation, Ms. Joyce Rainat, Expressions, Living in Thailand,
Thailand Tatler and Where magazines, Thai Language Newspapers, Voice Mail
and, of course, host Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.
Grande Finale
Following the most successful concert, the US opera
stars, Victoria and Bruce came to Pattaya with the promoter, Mongkol
Chaiyasirisobhon and his wife, Duang Dao as guests of honour at a sumptuous
- and animated - dinner hosted by Peter Malhotra, managing director of the Pattaya
Mail, at Bruno’s, admittedly Victoria’s favourite restaurant.
David Garred, club manager of the Dusit Resort Sports
Club and the Pattaya Mail special reporter Peter Cummins joined Peter
in welcoming the visitors to Pattaya. For Peter M., it was the second
occasion that he has honoured Victoria and Bruce who, it was revealed, had
just recently wed.
A splendid dinner, especially prepared by master chef
Fredi, and a selection of excellent wines from Bruno’s famous cellar, did
full justice to Peter’s gracious gesture and fired an evening of great
friendship, greater stories and even greater jokes, puns and clich้s
which flowed like the wine around the vibrant table!
One of Fredi’s many specialities, the crepes, had
Victoria in raptures, leaving as she said “just enough ‘room’ for the
evening’s surprise”: a delicious cake baked to honour the
“newlyweds”.
No wonder Bruno’s is regarded as the “Most
Sophisticated Restaurant and Wine Bar” in Pattaya. All agreed, as the
beautiful ladies received bouquets to top off a perfect evening.
A wine tasting
expedition in Europe
by Ranjith Chandrasiri
I have received several emails asking why my regular
column has not appeared for quite some time. Well, for those who didn’t
know, I was away on a four-week vacation and I must say I had a very
pleasant one.
I was fortunate to visit again some top wineries in
Europe and had a unique opportunity of being part of several harvestings and
vinifications of Europe’s highly respected wine makers. Despite the busy
harvesting period, I was also very privileged to have my accommodation in
beautiful chateaus specially in Bordeaux, France, where the entire 14
bedroom luxurious Chateau Lascombes was made available for me and my wife
exclusively to have it as our second home.
 My
vacation was also timely as it coincided with the truffle season in Piedmont
region in Italy, and I enjoyed tasting plenty of white truffles complemented
by exquisite Italian wines with the company of my winemaker colleagues over
there. Speaking of which, I have been told that this year’s truffle
harvest wasn’t really a good one.
Being a guest of Don Miguel Torres, CEO and hands-on
winemaker of Torres wines, who is dubbed as the wine king of Spain, was also
extremely enjoyable. A few days of Spanish food tasting in top eateries
there with the company of the Torres family was very memorable.
Of course, I will share with you these experiences –
and the hundreds of top wines I enjoyed tasting - through my regular column.
For now, let me share a few things about Italian wines and my experiences
with these during my vacation.
Italian wine
The state of Italian wine-making - and its international
reputation - has undoubtedly suffered over the years from unhelpful wine
laws, confusing labelling, inconsistent, often rough wine-making and a
reputation for cheap wine, supplied by volume rather quality.
 Ranjith
Chandrasiri at the luxurious Chateau Lascombes in Margaux, France where he
and his wife made it their second home during their recent vacation.
Decades of working within a straitjacket of regulations
has led to unhelpful anomalies in the Italian fine wine scene. Some of the
best, most progressive, most expensive wines in Italy have been forced to
carry the humblest “Vino da Tavola” designation: the same category as a
sea of cheap plonk, simply because the men-in-suits had forbidden the use of
certain grape varieties and treatments within the rigid Denominazione di
Origine Controllata (DOC) classification.
All that changed - or should have changed - in 1992 when
a whole new set of regulations came into force. Aimed at modernising the
Italian wine industry, the reforms should iron out the ludicrous anomalies
and re-position Italy on the world stage. For a start, a new classification
system has been introduced with a brand new designation, Indicazione
Geografica Tipica, or IGT (a similar concept to France’s Vin de
Pays). More importantly, it allows flexibility within the DOC and higher
DOCG categories. In theory, any wine can qualify if it achieves certain
quality standards over a period of time.
At the top of the 1992 quality pyramid, Denominazione di
Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) is awarded to the most prestigious
wines of a region. It enforces tight regulatory controls, such as restricted
yields. Particularly outstanding proprietary wines (namely the “super Vini
di Tavola”) can be awarded DOCG all of their own.
One rung below, at DOC level, are wines that maintain
consistently high standards. These can move up to DOCG depending on their
performance over a period of years. The new IGT classification is currently
a bit unloved and unused. Not too many have appeared on the shelves and we
must wait to see if it is embraced by the wine makers.
At the base of the pyramid, VdT wines are mostly pretty
ordinary stuff, with high yields and lax regulations. Confusingly, many of
the superstar wines still carry this classification for now.
Part II of this investigation into Italian wines will be
the next edition of this column. You can contact Ranjith Chandrasiri,
Resident Manager, Royal Cliff Grand, Royal Cliff Beach Resort, telephone 038
250 421 or email: [email protected]
The Crocodile, the
Elephant and the Monkey (Part 2)
by Geoffrey A. Franklin
Geoffrey A. Franklin was born in England. He studied Art
and Design at the Birmingham and Royal Colleges of Art. He became head of
the school of 3D Design at Somerset College of Art and ran courses for
Plymouth University. Geoffrey married a Thai lady and retired to Pattaya 5
years ago, where he is busily painting, writing and enjoying life.
“Aagh,” a frenetic screech pierced the blue sky above
Took from in between the elephant, Patchy’s ears. “Aagh, is this how you
repay me?” The high octave voice enquired. “I brought you here Toothy
when your mother was ill and could not feed you and before the other
crocodiles at the farm ate you. You were hardly out of the egg,” screeched
the hyperactive monkey Lingy. “I am in a sense your godfather.”
 Took,
immediately sensing that Toothy’s attention had been very luckily directed
away form his manhood, seized the opportunity afforded him, sprang to his
feet and retreated to a respectful, safe distance from Toothy, who seemed
totally unconcerned by him. When Took felt secure again, he tried to explain
to Lingy the monkey, Patchy the elephant and Toothy the crocodile, “It was
all an accident with my fishing line. I didn’t now that there was
crocodile living in this fishing pool. Neither did anyone else. It was never
my intention to harm or disturb him.”
The giant Patchy rolled her small eyes upwards towards
Lingy, perched between her ears. “Methinks you put the wrong baby in the
wrong pool,” she said ponderously in her most bass voice quietly.
“Aagh,” squealed the over active monkey, eyes staring
wildly. “I only did what seemed to be the right thing at the time.”
“Yes,” answered Patchy furrowing her trunk, “well
intentioned as you were, you made a mistake.”
“Aagh,” screamed Lingy. “That’s easy for you to
say. You’re an old and wise elephant who never forgets anything. Now we
have to get him out of this fishing pool. It’s too small for him, he has
grown far too big for it and he has an avaricious appetite. Where can we
take him?”
“I could go to the La Coste Bar in South Pattaya,”
suggested Toothy. “All the tennis players go there and there’s an
abundance of fat farangs and I enjoy consuming them. They all seem to like
me there and they love it when I shake my tail. I can’t think of anywhere
else to go to. Anyway,” he said addressing Patchy, “you seem to do
alright. The last time I saw you down town you were dancing away clumsily
like all the other girls at the Beer Chang bar. Afterwards,” snorted
Toothy, “I saw you walking around the residential sois in Pattaya eating
snacks of coconut bamboo and bananas given by small children and paid for by
their doting parents,” added the jealous crocodile.
“Enough of this,” barked a re-self possessed Took. He
had regained his policeman’s cap and felt better for it. “You know,”
he said sternly to Patchy, “that you are not allowed to go into Pattaya
anymore.”
“Yes I know that,” wailed the reprimanded Patchy.
“But I do get so very hungry.” A one litre tear fell from one eye and
noisily splashed before her giant foot.
“How about me?” implored Toothy. “I cannot live on
catfish forever and only the occasional farang. I’m getting far too big
for this silly little pond. It’s only a matter of time before the owners
here begin to wonder where all the fish are going to and then they will come
looking for me and,” his voice trembled and paled off plaintively. He
reasserted himself and said to Patchy, “It’s alright for you. Thai
people love you, and crocodiles can’t cry. Nobody loves a crocodile.”
“Come on Took,” screeched Lingy. “You’re the
brains around here. Surely you have some friends or know some influential
people who might be able to help them?”
Took was taken aback. All these questions were asked of
him, and he had not a clue how to answer any of them. He undid the fishing
line from the handcuffs on his belt and said earnestly, “Lets get this
hook out of Toothy’s nostril first, it must be hurting him.”
 He
knelt down beside the gross head and gently inserted his hand and arm up to
his elbow inside Toothy’s nostril and carefully felt for his offending
hook. Toothy remained very still as Took searched. When he located it he
very sensitively extracted it and carefully withdrew his hand and arm.
“Ugh,” he exclaimed when he saw his now slime covered limb. He
immediately washed the offensive mucous off his arm in the water of the
pool.
“Ooh that’s better,” sighed a grateful Toothy. “I
couldn’t blow my nose properly before.” He then proceeded to blow great
clouds of water simultaneously from each nostril, much to the amusement
of Patchy, Lingy and a relieved Took.
A thoughtful Took stood up straight as the beginnings of
an idea began to form in his head. “You said to me,” he said to the
still laughing monkey, “That I may have some friends who might be able to
help. Well,” he said thinking out loud, “it’s just possible that I may
have.” He looked at his wristwatch. “Nearly five o’clock,” he
declared. “If I’m lucky I might just catch them in time. Meet me here at
three o’clock in the morning,” he ordered the puzzled animal trio.
“What’s your idea?” squealed the intrigued monkey.
Took, leaping astride his motorcycle replied, “No time
to explain now, meet me here at three o’clock in the morning.” He rode
off quickly, almost forgetting to put on his police motorcycle helmet, which
he hastily donned.
Continued next week…
Cakes anyone?
A group of 12 young women, who are in the care of the
Observation and Protection Centre of Rayong, have been working hard to
increase their skills in the kitchen. They are participating in the Pattaya
International Ladies Club Bakery Project at the Centre. While the objective
behind the project is to give these girls an opportunity to develop some
self-reliance within the institution, they are also learning skills that may
assist them in the job market when they are no longer in government care.
The Centre, operated by the Ministry of Justice, houses
approximately 400 boys and 52 girls. While they provide vocational training
for many of these young people the Centre is always in need of equipment to
further their opportunities. Last year the Pattaya International Ladies Club
provided financial assistance to purchase items for the kitchen bakery
project, sewing and hairdressing.
 Sandy
Langford, the teachers and some of the girls whipping up some delicious
viands in the PILC Bakery Project at the Observation and Protection Centre
in Rayong.
With commercial dough mixers already purchased for the
bakery project, this year the PILC ladies could concentrate on upgrading the
facilities and working with the young women. As many of these girls have few
family visits, weekly visits provide the girls better opportunities for
their integration abilities when returning to society.
The first stage of the project was to upgrade the kitchen
at the Centre. Fly-wire screens were fitted to windows, the room cleaned and
painted, a second fridge installed and a separate area, again fly-wired, for
washing and drying all kitchen items was built.
The welfare team, Bronwyn Carey, Dr Pongchan Chandayot
and Sasipean Sripreang, qualified chef, Jayne Annan and Sandy Langford, have
been visiting the Centre weekly. Lessons have included personal hygiene in
the kitchen, kitchen cleanliness, and food storage.
With each visit motivation increased, and while it took
several weeks to cook the perfect fruitcake, the girls were not daunted. The
first cakes went on sale at the PILC Holiday Bazaar. The Christmas Cakes
were a great success, and sold quickly. PILC will be holding a coffee
morning on November 20 at the Pattaya Bowl, and members will be treated to
the Bakery Project’s increased selection which now includes a most
delicious chocolate cake, carrot cake, fruit cake, biscuits and ้clairs
and bread.
Anyone wishing to further enquire and support this
project should contact Bronwyn Carey, e-mail [email protected]
Finish Christmas to come
early in Pattaya
Finnish pastor, Juhani Waarna, from the Finnish
Pentecostal Church in Florida, has brought Christmas to Pattaya early this
year. On Saturday November 24 starting at 7 p.m., the pastor will be hosting
a Christmas Singing Show on the second floor of the Jomtien Palm Beach
Hotel.
This type of Christmas show, traditionally held in early
December before Christmas, is aimed at providing festive feelings for many
of the Scandinavian community on the Eastern Seaboard and is the first of
its kind in Pattaya. The show will feature the Finnish Children’s Group
and the Finnish Bible School group, all of whom have volunteered their time
to bring festive cheer to Pattaya.
The first 100 guests will also receive Christmas
cassettes and a special publication of a popular Christmas magazine.
Everyone is welcome to attend. You can call Juhani Waarna on 09 890 4118 or
Risto Vierula on 01 842 8645 for details.
Anyone know a little
Italian?
Italy has long been known as the home of fine wines and
food. Resident manager of the Royal Cliff Grand, captain of the Royal Cliff
Wine Club and the Pattaya Mail’s wine columnist, Ranjith Chandrasiri has
just returned from a four week trip to the vineyards of Europe.
The good news is that you do not have to go as far as
Europe to enjoy Italy’s exquisite wines and its famous cuisine. There is a
month-long Italian Food and Wine Fiesta at the Royal Cliff Grand’s Rossini
Restaurant throughout November. Aside from the superb Italian dishes and
wines, there will be free Italian wine tasting for diners during this
festival. Those who are really into Italian food and wine should take
advantage of this special opportunity.
For further details contact Ranjith Chandrasiri, Royal
Cliff Grand, Royal Cliff Beach Resort, telephone 038 250 421 or email:
[email protected]
The PILC Ball tickets
selling fast!
The Pattaya International Ladies Club Moonlit Night
Charity Ball is being held on Saturday November 24th in the Siam Ballroom of
the Royal Cliff Beach Resort. As this issue of the Pattaya Mail went
to press, special events chairlady, Arlette Cykman reported that the ticket
sales were going well, but a few were still available for those last minute
folk.
With the event a major fund-raiser for the PILC and the
recipient being the Redemptorist Street Kids Home for Girls, this is an
event which can have a wonderful effect on the lives of some
under-privileged young ladies. All it needs is you to buy a ticket. Tables
have been arranged and are set for eight people (so it won’t be too
squeezy), and the cost is only 1,500 baht per head and includes the four
course dinner with wine and all the entertainment as well. There are also
some charity auction items which will be snapped up by those with an eye for
the bargains.
The ball is truly THE glamour event for Pattaya, dress is
formal (for gentlemen a jacket and tie is acceptable) and you can expect the
ladies to break out the finery on this occasion. Make sure you can dance in
your shoes too, ladies, as the live band will be playing till 2 a.m.;
however, you are allowed to kick them off and really get into the swing of
it all.
Many of the major companies have got behind the PILC for
this event, with Volclay Siam the Diamond sponsors. Gold sponsorships were
received from Foster Wheeler, SCC-Dow Group, Pattaya International Hospital,
PIC Kitchen, and the Sugar Hut. Silver sponsors are BHP Steel and the Laem
Chabang International Terminal and the Bronze sponsors are the S&P
Syndicate and the Four Winds Group.
All that is missing now to make this one of the most
successful charity balls of all time is to have you sitting down to dinner
at the Siam Ballroom too. Contact Arlette Cykman on 038 300 325 or Julie
Garratt 038 306 150 to reserve your tickets. Do it today, or you may be just
too late!
First all gay disco in
Pattaya opens it doors at Day Night
The Day Night Disco opened its doors for the first time
last weekend. Located in the west wing of the Day Night Hotel in South
Pattaya, it bills itself as the first venue of its type to cater to the gay
community in Pattaya.
Chairman of the Day Night Disco Group, Edward Hodgson
said, “Unlike Bangkok and Phuket which have their own famous all gay
discos, Pattaya has been without this concept for what has always been a
large and active gay community. We intend that our disco will become the
principle place for late night cruising, dancing and partying in Pattaya for
all our gay friends.” The concept and the layout are based on the
‘traditional’ style of disco with a large dance floor in the centre and
seating located around it. The Day Night Disco is open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
nightly.
During the grand opening evening, as crowds of people
made their way into the new venue, a raffle, sponsored by the Pattaya Gay
Festival was held to further raise funds for their chosen charities:
Heartt2000 and the Naklua Drug Rehabilitation Centre.
During the opening month, the Pattaya Gay Festival will
also hold a number of functions, as the festival draws to a close on
December 2 with as many as 2,000 expected to attend the festivities.
Updated every Friday.
Copyright 2001 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel. 66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax: 66-38 427 596
Updated by
Chinnaporn Sangwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.
E-Mail: [email protected]
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