Jan Leeming - The Official Website

GRANGE PARK OPERA

30th June 2008

GRANGE PARK and  DVORAK'S RUSALKA

My friend Doreen and I were invited again to visit Grange Park and the Opera on this occasion was Dvorak's Rusalka.

As I think you may have gathered, I am no Opera aficionado but am enjoying the experiences afforded over the last month to attend the Operas in Hampshire.

This time it was actually the first night of Rusalks so we were in Evening Dress - well some of us were.  The Dress Code was Evening  - and it surprised me how many people simply hadn't bothered and it wasn't just the young.  Perhaps it is just me but I do enjoy a sense of occasion and if the Invitation states 'Evening Dress' then I adhere to it.  All too often these days the invitation will state 'Smart Casual' whatever that is - I'm either smart or casual but can't really do both. 

We didn't have the best of seats.  Our host had booked late so we were in the front row which had the double disadvantage of being able to see into the Orchestra Pit and being distracted by the lights, having to contort one's neck to read the Surtitles and not being able to see the effect of the 'Sea' out of which our Mermaid emerges - rather central to the plot.  I really do think they should have done away with that first row.   The organisers get so much sponsorship for absolutely everything that maybe someone could have sponsored the cost of going without the takings from that row!

The first time I saw 'Phantom of the Opera' it was part of a Weekend break with no choice of tickets and we were in Row B - well, thank goodness I thought, at least we aren't in Row A - however there was no Row A and we had our noses virtually on the stage.  They were dreadful seats but I loved the show so much, I've seen it many times since and probably the most enjoyable was at the Artscape Theatre in Capetown.  It was exactly the same production but one could hear every word - a criticism I have of so much these days - either the performers don't enunciate properly or they are drowned out by the very loud music.

But back to Rusalka.  It was sung in the original Czech - not a kind language on the ear.  We didn't enjoy it as much as the previous two productions we'd seen at Grange Park - Bluebeard which was very funny and  Puccini's 'Woman of the West' which was superb.

One of the most impressive performances, for me, came from Clive Bayley as the Merman.  I was underwhelmed by JeffreyLloyd-Roberts as the Prince - he seemed to be straining for some of the top notes, looked as though he hadn't said hello to his razor for days and simply didn't convince me that he was a Prince.  But then I'm only a pleb. when it comes to Opera.

Once again we thoroughly enjoyed the ambience of the delightful theatre and being able to picnic in the intermission.  As this was a proper performance and not a rehearsal, the delightful 'tents' which we so much enjoyed last time, were charged out at £180 and we noticed several were uninhabited - not surprisingly on top of the cost of the opera.  We dined in the main marquee and that was perfectly adequate.

All in All a visit to the Opera at Grange Park is a lovely experience and if you are ever down in Hampshire at the appropriate time, I would strongly suggest that you partake of one or more of the productions.  You'll have a delightful evening.

On Friday, went to a Dinner for a retiring Judge and met several very interesting people.  One very pleasant lady was interested in hearing about the Charity - Orchid which my son and I now support.  Bless her, she is going to organize a sponsored walk and give the proceeds to Orchid.  She said it won't be a great deal of money, but the important thing is to raise awareness of the early detection of Male Cancers.  You chaps are notoriously shy about visiting Doctors to talk about your nether regions and Orchid's latest campaign is 'Checked Out' to raise awareness of looking out for signs of Testicular, Prostate and Penile Cancers.  Jonathan and I are being interviewed for a piece which will be going out in The Mail on Sunday towards the end of July so I'll keep you informed. 

I'm afraid the tour of the Life Story of Stephane Grapelli, in which I was to have been the Narrator, has been cancelled.  So I hope something else comes up, workwise, or it's going to be a boring few months at the end of the year.

There's nothing on the Agenda at the moment, so I do hope you might make contact and let me know what you'd like to read about or I shall run out of material and will have to start telling you my life story - although it would be much easier to read it in my Autobiography - Addicted to Love.

Thank you for visiting my Website - I do enjoy jotting down my thoughts and feel as though I'm talking to you.  If only there'd been Websites decades ago, I would have had all my experiences written down and that would have made interesting reading.  Over the course of my working life, I've met and interviewed so many interesting people - Omar Sharif, Peter Ustinov, Jackie and Joan Collins to name but a few.

Take care.

Fond regards, Jan.

BITS AND PIECES

21st June 2008

Would you believe it's the longest day! It's been overcast and miserable all day and despite this being the longest day, I suspect that it will be dark around 9.30.  Flaming June indeed - it has been a Flaming June with very little good weather to speak of.

I'm going off on my travels for just over a week so thought I'd put a few thoughts down before I go.

On Thursday I'd had my arm twisted by my son to go into town for the 5^th Anniversary Party of Astus  at Chinawhite's.  I really don't enjoy struggling into London - paying the Congestion Charge and a fortune to park but Jonathan was insistent.  I have to say I met a  great many interesting folk - and that's what my life has been about - meeting and interviewing interesting people.  Although I tried to leave several times, my son wanted me to stay - not much fun when you are drinking water and all around you are becoming happier and happier.  However I did stay till beyond the witching hour and, declining my son's offer to stay at his flat, I embarked on my journey home which should have been a doddle.  But No - the Limehouse Tunnel was closed and I'd just turned down the sliproad to the Blackwall Tunnel when all traffic came to a grinding halt and there we sat for over half an hour.  So the journey took almost an hour longer than anticipated and that was in the wee small hours of the morning.

Is it a process of age that one really wants an easier life and all the hassles with which one happily copes when young, suddenly assume ridiculous proportions.

Last night I attended a very interesting event.  Mind you, I'd not read the invitation correctly and thought I was meeting up with a friend of a friend and one other.  It turned out that there were about 24 of us and we were at a presentation about Juice Plus.  Actually it is a product that I firmly believe is a good one and I shall be signing up to purchase it but don't think I'll be taking on a franchise.  I'm not good at selling, even myself, let alone a product!

From a very layman's point of view - Juice Plus is the powder form of fruit and vegetables grown in California - in the best of conditions with no pesticides etc.    As I don't have any information in front of me I can't begin to relate to you the medical and scientific benefits of these capsules - but I do remember from the address that there was much mention of fighting the free radicals.  I worry very much today about our 'worn-out' soil and the amount of pesticides which have been introduced over the last few decades.

John Humpreys wrote an article some years ago where he exposed the way in which much of our food is grown and harvested.  I remember him writing about a tractor ploughing a field in Kent and there were no swarms of birds following the tractor (as one sees in paintings from a bye-gone age) - why not - because the soil is so ruined with pesticides that there are no worms etc. on which the birds used to feed. 

I buy Organic as much as possible, but I must admit that I wonder how much we are being conned by 'Organic”.

Enough of that gloom.  I'm going off on my travels tomorrow.  First stop is Grange Park again for the production of 'Rusalka'.  Tomorrow it's Black Tie etc. but the weather forecast is not good - will I be wearing my evening dress and sporting wellie boots?

Then it's off to the West country to visit family and friends and back up to Hampshire to a luncheon at which Juanita Carberry will be present - that will be fascinating.

I'm doing a sweep - not only does it make sense but is as economical on petrol as one can be - did I say Petrol - I think we can begin to call it Liquid Gold.  I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for the enormous sum the  Government take off in Duty.  If they put it back into the roads and transport, even that would be acceptable but I suspect a great deal of it goes to the feckless and to the inflated pensions of the Public Sector.

I really am becoming a grumpy old woman.

Once again I tried to put photos into the Website and came unstuck.  My manager Simon does seem to be able to manage it and, as I'm seeing him on Tuesday, perhaps I'll be able to sort the problem once and for all.

What I want to do when I get back is to start telling you about Cheetahs - creatures that I adore and showing you the difference between the Cheetah and the King Cheetah.

Will catch up with you when I get back next weekend.

Take care and bye for now,  Jan

ADULT EDUCATION AND SILVERSMITHING

14th June 2008

I've been to many Adult Education classes over the years.  When I lived in Bristol I took A Level Literature at Evening Class - in Penn I went to Art Classes and when I moved down to Kent I took up Jewellery and Silversmithing.  I've had some memorable times making beautiful artefacts under the tutelage of the late  Peter Booker who taught Jewellery and was so wonderfully patient and kind, and under Owen Madhlope Phillips our lovely Silversmithing tutor. 

I used to attend both classes regularly until I began to spend a lot of time in Capetown but I do still attend Silversmithing when I'm able and tonight was one of those occasions.  You have to hone a craft to become good at it and because I dip in and out I've been left behind by many of my fellow students in the class but I still find it wonderfully rewarding to create something from a sheet of silver.  Tonight I was polishing, with great difficulty, a pierced Silver biscuit holder I've made,  based on the design of a plated silver holder which my Father and stepmother gave me years ago.  I'd always avoided 'piercing' work as I thought it would be too difficult but I thoroughly enjoyed it and ended up with a piece of silverware with which I am quite proud.

Owen is partly Sangaan (an African Tribe) and he wears a bracelet which most of us have copied over the years and I could have sold mine a dozen times over. 

Well, tonight as there are only a few weeks left till the end of term and no time to embark on a major project, I found myself making another of Owen's bracelets - this time at the request of my son.

We've got brand spanking new premises - due in great part to the largesse of Roger de Haan the instigator of Saga.  He sold the Company for a great deal of money and decided to put some back into the refurbishment of a down and out part of Folkestone and one of the benefits of his largesse was the new Adult Education Centre.

Over the years I've met so many lovely people at Adult Ed. and it makes me so cross that the courses are becoming so pricey and are geared towards Certification.  Quite a few of the folk who used to come can no longer afford the fees because they live on pensions - and yet the classes, for many of them, were a chance to have a social meeting.  I made the point to the Head of the College that surely it was better for these lonely old people to come out and do something and to socialize rather than stay at home and be depressed.  However I get the feeling that common sense doesn't come into it and the Powers that be would rather put them on Prozac than give them meaningful social intercourse.  And, remember, most of the older folk did not have any tertiary education and yet have been paying taxes all their lives - so is it too much to ask that they get a little something out of the system in their retirement years.

At downtimes in my life, going to classes was often the focal point of my week and I looked forward to the creativity and the company.

Why are successive Governments hell bent on Certificates for everything - what about learning for the sheer joy of it. 

I didn't go to University - parents couldn't afford it but I did have a very good Grammar School Education and, although less specialized,  I'm sure a more rounded education than children have now.

I feel so sorry for children today leaving school not being able to read - in my opinion one of the most precious gifts.  My mother left school at 14 but she was more than competent in the 3 R's 'Reading, Riting and Rithmatic' !!

My son went to University and I'm so pleased that I was able to afford to send him but when it comes to a General Knowledge Quiz, I can still beat him despite his being an avid reader.

I could go on and on philosophizing but it isn't my place - all I can say is that I'm glad I was young when I was and despite all the material wealth people have today, I still think that my generation and possibly the next had the best of times.  We had virtually nothing so the only way was UP.  We had aspirations and the thought of Living without Working was anathema to us.  In fact in the Convent the nuns would have us believe that to draw the dole was tantamount to a Mortal Sin!!!!!!!!!  Imagine that.

Bye for now.  Jan

GRANGE PARK OPERA

8th June 2008

Have just had another unsuccessful attempt to load up some pictures for you in the Gallery.  I have a whole host of them but it would appear that I can only put them in one at a time and they appear to be taking ages.

Hey Ho.  I've just left a message for help but meanwhile I'll fill you in on the superb weekend we had down at Grange Park in Hampshire.

Doreen and I made friends with a very interesting man when we were cruising back from Capetown to Southampton. - he was the person who gave me a lovely oil painting to auction for the Orchid Cancer Campaign.

He invited us to Grange Park to the Dress Rehearsals of 'Bluebeard' by Offenbach and Puccini's La Fanciulta del West.  I'm not heavily into Opera tending to favour the more popular ones like Carmen and Aida.  When I told a friend that I was going to The Grange she replied that it was like Glynebourne used to be. 

Grange Park is a fabulous setting for an Enchanted Evening.  Although the house is only a shell (it was requisitioned during the war and the inside has been wrecked) it is still an imposing site - an edifice based on a Greek Temple.  The Orangery has been modified and is a superbly intimate theatre.  One picnics in the grounds and if you get there early enough you dine under the kind of 'tent' one sees where the gentry sat to enjoy Mediaeval Jousting Tournaments.  Beautiful coiffured Bay Trees and other plants are brought in huge pots and displayed around the extensive grounds. 

On the first evening, we thought we'd got there early enough to 'bag' a  tent but they were all taken.  A charming woman saw us wandering around with our picnic and volunteered to find us a seat.  We actually ended up sharing a 'tent' with the 'King' from the production of Bluebeard.  There is a 100 minute interval in which one partakes of food and whatever else and the King joined his wife and daughter.  What a small world it is, his wife - also an opera singer -  is about to go on a cruise on the Oriana - so I was able to assure her that she would have a super time.

Doreen and I agreed that, had we been given the programme and asked to choose, probably we'd not have gone to 'Bluebeard' and we really would have missed out.  It is actually an Operetta and great great fun.  As this is the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth, the director had introduced a Bond theme with a submarine and dancers in wetsuits and flippers.  All sounds weird doesn't it - but it really worked and we loved it.

The next evening was equally enjoyable in a completely different vein and we were knocked out by Cynthia Makris playing the title role of Minnie - a good hearted Saloon keeper who falls for the wrong guy and then ultimately saves him from a lynch mob.

The two productions were superbly staged and the English Chamber Orchestra played the score. 

Our weekend enjoyment was not solely centred around  Grange Park.  Jeremy had booked tickets for Kiri Te Kanawa and Brahms Requiem at Winchester Cathedral.  He booked late so we were behind a pillar but actually I think we had the best of the recital because we had a huge television screen in front of us on which we could see everything.

Kiri was faultless of course but I'm probably committing sacrilege by saying I actually enjoyed the Brahms Requiem far more and on two occasions had tingles down my spine.

Winchester Cathedral is one of my most favourite Cathedrals especially as many many many years ago I was invited to lunch and met the Architect to the Dean and Chapter - a Mr. Carpenter Turner.  He could see my interest and took me right up into the heights of the church - explained how they were taking off the frescoes onto silk and repairing the walls and then reinstating the frescoes.  They were also experimenting with trying to replicate the Fleur de Lys tiles which were very coarse and over an inch thick.  He actually gave me one but in the course of all my recent moves, it has disappeared.

Winchester is the Cathedral in which a 'Diver' spent 7 years of his life working underwater to find a way to ease the floor of the Crypt which flooded every Winter.  Winchester is built on a Marsh.  The compromise was to put in Diamond shaped slabs in such a way that they moved with the water.  I'm giving you a very amateurish explanation but it was shown to me over 40 years ago.  Currently there is an exhibition at the Cathedral celebrating the work of the Diver.  I hope we shall be able to attend when we go down for our next Opera Occasion at Grange Park which is Dvorak's Rusalka.  On that occasion we will be in full evening attire.

My car is repaired and back on the road but it has strengthened my resolve to buy another.  I shall be very sad because the Cougar is a beautiful looking car but they haven't been made for years or I'd have bought another one.  She is almost ten years old now and it's time to move on.  My son Jonathan very much wants to take it over.  I would get virtually nothing for it now so I shall let him have it with all due cautioning about speed,  the cost of tyres and spare parts etc - so at least it stays in the family.

Once again, I leave you with my solemn promise that I will, really will, get those photos into the Gallery.  I now owe you some from both cruises as well as some Cheetah ones.

Bye for now,  Jan

P.S. I am also trying to ascertain how I can get some short video pieces onto the Website - they are of Cheetah's purring and baby Cheetah's taking milk from a bottle - Aaah!

OPERA AT THE GRANGE - HAMPSHIRE

5th June 2008

OPERA AT THE GRANGE - HAMPSHIRE.

Hi there,

This is just, for me, a short note, to let you  know that I'll be filling you in about our wonderful weekend at The Grange in Hampshire.

I promised I'd see to getting up to date photos on the Gallery and I really will try - I' m longing to show you some of the fantabulous sights in Norway. 

However, I broke down on a lane in Berkshire - after visiting the Dentist for a Root Canal treatment - Yuk. - have been brought home by the lovely ROB on an AA truck  - I know Petrol is expensive but this is a rather extreme way of saving money!!!!!

Got home to find my cat had gone AWOL - there was nothing in the fridge and I don't have a car.

So please forgive me if I don't get down to writing my usual ESSAY until the weekend.

Thank you so much - my hits have doubled in the last week and I really want to get in front of Wikipedia where everyone gets a biased and incorrect Warts and all introduction to Yours truly.  In some ways I loathe the Internet. 

In my Website analysis I see that some of you have come to my site through 'Cheetah' so one of the first things I shall attempt to do is post a picture of a gorgeous King Cheetah next to an ' ordinary' Cheetah (there's nothing ordinary about the Cheetah - they are simply fantastically wonderful) because if you've never seen the difference - it is amazing.

Bye for now - back by Saturday.

With fond regards,  Jan