It was a while since we went to Kpg Som, Sihanoukville. We felt back then that the popular beaches weren't well taken care of, the road seemed always too crowded with trailers so our trips to the seaside would always stop at Kep. This time we went down to Kpg Som to see how things have changed.
We went straight to the beaches and gosh ! most of the beaches I knew have disappeared ! They were closed for developement of resorts. We finally found a great beach far away, deserted place, nobody except the fishermen. Panhlauv was first to run to the sea.
We visited Ream National Park to find the abandoned decor of the movie "Barrage contre le Pacifique" directed by uncle Rithy.
We took the boat to one of the islands not too far and I have never seen such a beautiful beach and water. All shades of blue and green, the water so clear.
We found these "crab l'hermite" which are crabs using other people's house !
On the road to Ream, we saw farmers busy replanting [...]
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Look at the stunning photos of the show Winds of Angkor in the gallery section of my website! Every song has a striking image animation on the background and lights design. We really had a fabulous night at Chaktomuk!!
On this photo from left to right: choregrapher Maritza, David, Jean Baptiste, Jessica, (me), Cham Nou (who is currently on Beeline advertising!), Roberto and Amara. Not on this photo but so part of the success are Sarah of course, but also the children from Seametrey school, dancer Belle, Bryan who designed the stunning video/images, Wolfgang for the audio and Melissa for the video. This was not the whole show but only highlights that give the team and Sarah more energy to find the funding to get the whole show in Angkor Wat.
Look at the photos and let's hope Sarah will be back soon with the cast for a full show!
We had a rehearsal in the night of Friday in costumes to try the lights and sounds. Here are some images that I hope will decide you to join today Sunday 8th August at 7:30 pm at Chaktomuk ! Tickets are on sales at the entrance gate.
With Jessica and the children from Seametrey School
With Maritza, the choregrapher.
I met finally with Sarah O'Brien, the composer of Winds of Angkor, and the international cast who will play this Sunday night. There are: Amara Chhin Lawrence, she is Cambodian but grown up there and is 30; Jean Baptiste Phou, who is a Cambodian living in France, Jessica Pennington, David Nett, Roberto Perlas Gomez.
Sarah came with a big team with Melissa making the film about the premiere, photographers, the choregrapher Maritza (she has dyed her hair to be all white!), the sound artist Wolgang (what an appropriate name, his hair is like the one of Mozart). The children choir of Seametrey School were also here. We are rehearsing the finale song (last song of the show).
Sarah, Amara and myself have been by the media. Sarah told them that she was inspired by the story of Bophana while reading an article in a British newspaper which has published the love letters that have led to her death. It took Sarah a year to write the story but another 10 years to write the lyrics, music, find [...]
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Sarah O'Brien, british composer and producer has invited me to join the premiere of "Winds of Angkor", which will take place at Chaktomuk Theater on Sunday 8 August 2010 at 7:30 pm.
This is new musical telling the story of Bophana who died in Tuol Sleng for having written love letters to her husband (you also have a book written by the journalist Elizabeth Becker that you can find at Monument Books and my uncle Rithy did also a movie about her - he was so touched by the story that he called his documentation center "Bophana Audiovisual Center").
I join the last song where I play a child prisoner singing about hope. This is a sad but beautiful story and there are great performers from the US, Singapore coming to show us their talent. Among them is Amara Chhin Laurence and Jean Baptiste Phou who are Cambodians from overseas and have already performed in the musical "Where The Elephant Sweeps".
You can't miss this event so be numerous to come, it is only 10,000 riels a [...]
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