鄧永鏘（DavidTang）
中國會、上海灘創辦人
Ialmostdiedfromsublimitylastweekend.Icannotwaittotellyouhow.SoI'lldeferwritingaboutEnglishpalindromesandanagrams,onomatopoeiasandlitotes,ironiesandzeugmas.
IwasinVenice.Thenightwassultry.Therewasnotahintofthefamoussciroccothatfansthelagoon.Butintheunspeakableromanceofthatmagicalcity,nobodywasbotheredbyherheatnorhumidity.Venice'smystery,evenwiththereputationofShylockandmercenaries,mockedusallwithanirresistiblecharm.
IhadarrivedattheGrandTeatroLaFenice.Thetheatrewasglorious.ItwashowIimaginedheaventobe.Noplaceonearthcouldhavegrabbedyoubythethroatandchokedyoumorewithitsbeauty.Everyfeaturewasperfecttohumanscale.Everylineofgiltglittering.
At19.10sharp,thelightdimmed.Ingreatexpectation,thewholetheatresettleddown.OnlythelogooftheGrandTeatrowasslightlylit,hangingagainstadramaticbackdropofdeepvelvet,floatinglikeagleaminggondolaaboveanopenedSteinwayconcertgrand.Thenhush.Andsilence.MoredarknessdescendedandincamethelegendarySokolov,GrigorijSokolov,themostenigmaticpianistofourtime.Thelargefiguresatdown,hunchedoverthekeyboard.Astheexcitedapplausereluctantlystopped,hebeganthemonumentalAmajorsonatabySchubert.
For45minutesinthatfaintestglowofember,Sokolov'sfingersdancedoverthekeyboard,asifGingerRogersandFredAstairemighthave-producingharmoniesandmelodieswhichcouldnothavebeenacrediblepartofourvulgarandmaterialisticworld.FranzSchubertmusthavebeenthinkingofparadisewhenhewrotethissonata.Allthehumanmoodsbegantostir;allofoursentimentssuccumbedtoaresignationofbeautyandadmiration.Itwastranscendental.Nootherwordforit.
What,however,isthepointofallthisinthecontextofHongKong?Alot.Irealized,inthatephemeralecstasy,thatinHongKong,weseemtocarefar,fartoomuchaboutsucceedinginthematerialworld.Ourgeneralupbringingisdevoidofartistsensibilities.Oureducationsystemcontinuestopaylessandlesstoteacherswhousedtobeproudoftheirvocations,butarenowatthebottomofthepaypile.Littlewonderwehaveahugescarcityofinspirationalteachers,nottomentionavastvacuumofartisticappreciation.Onlythoseluckyenoughtohavebeensentabroadforsecondaryeducationhaveadecentchanceofacquiringaculturalinclination;aninclinationfreeofcorporateprofitsandunshackledfromtheusualparentalanxietywiththeirchildrenofqualifyingasaprofessionaldoctororlawyer.
Letmesoundawarning.WecandebateadnauseamaboutWestKowloon.Butallthediscussionshavereallyconcentratedonthehardwareoftheproject.Wedesperatelyneedtoaddressthesoftwarethatisrequiredtogohand-in-handwiththebrickandmortarofamuseumoraconcerthall.UntiltheGovernmenttakesaleadandbellowsdownfromLionRockHillthemessagethatindividualcultureisvitaltoourwell-being,wewillendupbuildingaculturalcentrethatwouldresemblethenouveauxrichesfittingoutexpensivehouseswithmockantiquesandutterkitsch.
TheGovernmentmustbeboldandadventurousinitspolicyforartandculture.Theymustriskhavingindividualswhowouldcauseartisticfrissonstoripthroughourparochialcity.Weneedartisticrisks.Sowemustgetridofallthoseculturalleaderswhoarereallydeadbeatsandasdullasdishwater.Otherwise,wewillneverbeonthecuttingedge.Andweneedtobeonthecuttingedgeifweeverwanttobecomeacentreofculturalexcellence.SokolovtaughtmeandallofuswhowereinVeniceathissuper-humanrecitalthenecessityofspiritualandartisticnourishments;nourishmentswhichmakeallofusmoreeducatedandrefined,lessboringandlessinsular,andmostimportantly,moretolerant.Artsoothesandpacifiesoursouls.
Letusdebatemuchmoreabouthowweshouldappreciateourheritageandculture.Howwemustfindinspiringandupliftingteachers.Howwemusttakeuptheimportanceofart.HowwemustbuildawonderfulculturalcentreofMINDSbeforewefretabouthowtoletpropertyphilistinesshapetheWestKowloonbuildings.JustlookatthelavatorialCulturalCentreatTsimShaTsui.WheneverIdo,Iinvariablydiefromdespair.