鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
It'stenyearssincePrincessDianadied.Iwasveryluckytohavebeenagoodfriendofhers.ShehadtelephonedmeonthatfatefulAugustdayonwhichshemetherfate.AsshewascomingouttovisitHongKonginSeptember,Itoldhereverythingwasreadyforher.Wewerebothexcitedbytheprospect.ShewasalsocomingoutwithasecretagendaoftakinghertwoboystoChina.Inanyevent,thiswasnottobe;andtherest,alas,ishistory.Iwasnevertoseeheragain,andIhavemissedher.Shewaswonderfullybeautifulandfunny.IhadfirsttakenhertotheVeniceBiennalein1995whenforthefirsttime,twomainlandChineseartists,LiuWeiandZhangXiao-gang,hadexhibits.Shewasmobbedeverywhereshewent,andIremembervividlyourbeingallowed(orrathershewasallowedandIfollowed)togouptothedomeofthechurchoverlookingStMarcoSquare.Therewerejusttwoofus-Dianahavingtakenoffherstilettos,andIlookingdownbehindherstrikingfigure.IwishIhadacameratoregisterthatmoment,asherdresswascaughtbythefaintestbreezeoftheVenetiansirocco.
DianahadalsocometomyhouseinSaiKungforlunchonanearliervisittoHongKong.Itwasasmalllunchandwewereallveryrelaxed.Beingrelaxedisperhapsthebestluxuryanyoneveryfamouscouldafford.Theyloveitwhentheydonothavetostandonceremonies.Theideathatanybodyparticularlygrandisalwaysformalisaludicrousproposition.Onthecontrary,ofallthegrandestpeopleIknow,thegrandertheyare,themorerelaxedtheywanttobe-certainlyoninformaloccasions,butalsoonformaloccasions.Anyway,Dianawasmarvellouswithallmystaff,takingumpteenpictureswiththem.WethenflewoffbyhelicoptertowatchtennisattheHongKongOpenwiththePattens.Thosewereverymemorabledays.Equallymemorableisofcoursehercelebratedsenseofcompassion.DuringherfirstvisittoHongKong,shecametothreeoffourcharityfunctions,andateachofthem,shewasaconstellation.Hernaturalsympathyandcareforthelessfortunatehadproperlymadeheranexceptionalpersonwhoknewhowtotakeadvantageofherpositiontofurtherthecausesofthosewhowouldotherwiseremaininhelplessoblivion.DianawasglamourinaNightingale.Quiterightly,weshouldbecelebratingherlifeonthistenthanniversaryofherdeath.
Soourowntenthanniversaryofthehandoverhascomeandpassed.IwasattheVarietyShowonthe30thJuneattheConventionCentre.Itbroughtbackmanymemories,asthelocationwasexactlywherethehandovertookplace.AndIremembervividlyoftheexcitementofthateveningfrom10yearsago.InHall3(Godonlyknowshowanyonecouldhavegiventhisimposingspacesuchapedestriannumber!),theHongKongVIPspackedthemselvesin.ThestagewasdecoratedinwhatIcanonlydescribeastheheightofbadtaste.Goldandyellowandpinkfusingwithaghastlysetofcreamcrimpledcurtainsonstage.Thenaquartetofmaster-of-ceremonycameontobegintheshow.Togethertheylookedratherridiculous.Itwasquitecleartheyhadnotconferredonwhateachwaswearing.Theshowwasfartoolong.ButIdidenjoytheacrobatsfromShenyang.Theywereabsolutelywondrous.NowondertheyslightlyshowedupourpoorlotfromCheung-Chancomingonstagewiththreetrolleys!Idon'twanttobemeantoourown,butwhoeverdevisedtheprogrammecouldn'thavefoundamoreridiculousjuxtaposition!Asfortherestoftheprogramme,italllackedasenseofspontaneityandgravitas.Itwasallratherfrivolousandhackneyed,especiallywithourfourbestmalesingers（四大天王）whosangsyrupyandtruncatedsongs.Butmostofall,therewasadistinctabsenceofhumour.Weren'twesupposedtoenjoyaneveningoffun?LangLangplayedtheYellowRiverconcerto,butthat'shardlyfun!Asforallthecostumes,thecolourcombinationswerediabolical.Whydowecontinuetosuffertheseinsipidsettings?Onthefrontrows,thebigwigshadcoffeetablesandtea-cups.Veryprotocolconscious!Butitwasamusingtoseeaplethoraoftycoonssittingoff-centreandrowsbehindmainlandcadres.Forachange,theywereputintheirplace!
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逢周日刊出