#carousel rondo

[fuuchanszukablog]

Carousel Rondo Question

Hey just because I really wanna know - can anyone figure out who the baby is singing in Chapi's "New York" section (I think it's scene 4)? At some point as Chapi is dancing with Shimon, two people start singing. I'd like to know the name of the otokoyaku, but I can't figure it out...

Help please??

[kamirazuka]

Has anyone else who picked up the Grand Hotel/Carousel Rondo Blu-Ray noticed how poor the video quality is or is it just my copy? I can’t tell if I got a defective disc or if Hankyu screwed up the release. When you look at the blacks in the background, they’re all boxy and pixelated. The revue also looks really washed out and the blacks aren’t as crisp as they should be.

These screencaps are straight from the OFFICIAL release Blu-ray itself and NOT a downloaded bootleg. If you blow the pictures up full size (ESPECIALLY the ones from the revue), you can see better what I mean about the poor video quality. It honestly looks like an illegal downloaded version and it’s driving me crazy when I actually shelled out for the official release.

Has anyone else had a similar or different experience with their Grand Hotel/Carousel Rondo Blu-ray? I’m trying to figure out if mine is defective and I need to send it back and get a new copy or if this is just the way it is and I have to live with that awful video quality.

Please help?

[scorpio16x]

My Thoughts on Tsuki Gumi’s “Grand Hotel/Carousel Rondo”

I watched Tsuki Gumi over the weekend and was pleasantly surprised!

The musical tells the stories of several individuals who stayed at the Grand Hotel. The overall theme is summarized by Doctor Otternschlag’s line: “Grand Hotel, Berlin. Always the same – people come, people go – One life ends while another begin.” Life goes on, regardless of what people are going through. It doesn’t make you cry like “Hoshi Ai Hitoyo” or “Konsaba,” but there is a rather melancholic tone to it. A sense of hopelessness as you see the characters become trapped by their struggles.

"Grand Hotel” is very un-Takarazuka. Since the beginning you get the “foreign musical” feeling as each character walks out (the part when the hotel workers come out with plates and smash them along with the music is my favorite). The set doesn’t change (they just move the chairs around), the outfits are simple (though when Tamakichi came out in the end in her white suit I took a deep breath because… damn she looked good), and they never use the ginkyo until the very end when they bowed. But that doesn’t make the show any less great. As expected from 芝居の月組, there’s so much depth to everyone’s role. The acting was so convincing that as an audience I wanted time to stop so each character can have the opportunity to “redo their lives.” Sadly, as the musical illustrated, that cannot happen.

Carousel Rondo was pretty good. Personally I wouldn’t say it was anything “special” because it’s a typical Takarazuka revue. It doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, just that it has many of the elements from other revues. My favorite part is “Silk Road.” Mayupon (Kizuki Yuma) and Shirayuki Sachika’s singing was impeccable and the dancing was beautiful. Then Tamakichi and Chapi came out in blue and danced to Toka Yurino’s epic singing, followed by the rest of Tsuki Gumi. It just felt warm and happy and had the “this is a new beginning!” feeling.

I also loved the otokoyaku dance. It started out with Tamakichi standing on the big stairs surrounded by musumeyaku holding feathers so it looked like she had wings. The whole otokoyaku dance captures the Takarazuka aesthetics – simple tailcoats (which is kind of rare in recent Takarazuka shows?), gorgeous white dresses, and little duets between otokoyaku and musumeyaku. It was like a fairy tale, especially with the two white horses beside the big stairs.

I’m going to talk very quickly about Tamakichi, Chapi, and Miya because I know too little about Tsuki Gumi…

Tamaki Ryou: Baron Felix Von Gaigern is an unconventional character for a top otokoyaku. He isn’t exactly a good person, yet you can’t hate him. He TRIES to be good (like when he first took the wallet from Otto and then gave it back) but because of pride he became entangled in unfortunate circumstances. Tamakichi’s acting was solid. Her Baron was a smooth womanizer, a kind friend, and a young fool all in one. She brought out the character’s loneliness, sadness, confusion, and naiveté. However, at times Tamakichi does not bring those emotions to her singing. Her singing can be a bit flat and doesn’t match her acting. Though considering this is her first big show, I have high hopes for her. Good luck Tamakichi!

Manaki Reika: Now, don’t kill me, but before this show I’ve never really LOVED Chapi. I liked her, but I didn’t understand why so many people say she’s the “shadow top” of Tsuki Humi. But after this show, I have been converted. Her acting was perfect for “Grand Hotel.” She sounded like a 40 year old woman (how???) and effortlessly switched between an anxious ballerina struggling with her fading popularity, and a woman who just discovered love. Her solo song was adorable, and her dancing was formidable. Her singing also surprised me because back when I saw her in Manon I didn’t consider her to be a strong singer. I think Chapi is one of those actresses who you need to see live. When you see her on DVDs or listen to her on CDs she can seem a bit forced. Yet when you see her live, it just works.

Miya Rurika: Though Miya is known more for her evil and seductive characters, she did very well as the fatally ill Otto. There’s something very childish about Miya’s Otto – he trusts the Baron completely (even though he seems to know that the Baron tried to take his wallet), falls in love with Flaemmchen after one dance, and just wants to live his life to the fullest before his death. Miya sounded weak, but she was also hopeful. Her Otto gave what is otherwise a rather dark musical the optimism and joy it needed (ironic considering Otto was the one who was dying).

Overall, I was impressed by the musical and the revue. Tamakichi and Chapi make a great conbi. Right now you can still tell that Chapi has more experience than Tamakichi, which may be why the mature Elizaveta and the naive Baron worked so well for them. But, as I’ve said before, there’s great potential for Tamakichi to grow. Good luck to the new Tsuki Gumi!