By the title I am referring to the musical. Novel, as is Victor Hugo's original work, remains a noun capable of scaring me off. Just like the case of Phantom of the Opera, I only came across the musical in TN's mentioning. I have not viewed the musical itself, only listening to the 10th anniversary concert. And again, what has caught my heart so far is music. From the opening of Work Song in the prolog to the reprise of Do You Hear the People Sing? in the epilog, although no elements of acting are present, the scenes feel as if they were right on show.

Among all major characters, Javert in particular intrigues me. Javert was an police inspector with unbending principles – the justice in his mind and his duty as an inspector, which supported his long-lasting pursuit of Jean Valjean, the hero of the story, for years with resolute and probably obstinate persistence. Such a Javert is best depicted by the aria Stars in the middle of Act I, whose rendition by Philip Quast, the original Australian cast of the role, is brilliant. However, it is also these principles that drove Javert to commit suicide. Owing a debt of mercy to the very man whom he had been pursuing for years, he apparently found himself entangled in a torturing dilemma. He was unable to find any choice but end his life, which might be condemned as an error (as reads the line 'Y mi vida fue un error' in the Spanish version), by throwing himself into the Seine. There seems to be a tradition or legend concerning the French police that some police officers would track down their criminals across dozens of years. I heard before of a real-life French police officer who chased his target since his 20s until he was 74, when he eventually got his convict. We can speculate on their motives. Maybe it is the belief justice must be practiced that backed their decisions. If the law is compromised, someone has to pay the price. Javert had the chance but chose not to turn Valjean over to the law. He paid for his choice with his life.

As an off-topic remark, the Wikipedia entry on the songs from the musical indicates that the aforementioned Do You Head the People Sing? appeared in the television coverage of the '89 incident. This really triggers some imagination of mine about the Christmas Eve conflict in Nankai University.

Tonight again I watched Love Letter (1995). I did not follow each detail, for I had watched the film a couple of times before. Frankly speaking, up till now, I still do not quite catch the idea which the film is supposed to convey. Yet one thing remains unchanged every time I watch it and with that something the film always demonstrates a lasting and penetrating power capable of reaching the very depth of the soul.

That thing is music. Specifically I am referring to the ending song titled Small Happiness. I myself am not a musicologist and thus unable while finding it unnecessary to explain how the notes create an overwhelmingly comforting effect. It sounds just magical to me that this simple and mellifluent melody, not aided by any heart-breaking rhythm but materialized by an unaffected coordination of piano and strings equipped with well-tuned echoes, renders immense peace in the heart, a silenced sense that a vast spread of white after intensive snow provides as was filmed. Really a great remedial piece.

Just a few days ago I purchased Ricky's latest album, Life, from Joyo. Since fall 2004, when I came to the university, I have cared much less about some of leisure stuffs that I enjoyed before, say, listening to CDs, watching football games, and etc.. Thus it is unsurprising that only until most recently when I randomly walk through pages in Firefox did I notice Ricky released the album in 2005 after Almas del Silencio in 2003.

After listening to all 10 tracks recorded in the CD, I can only find myself less interested in the album, possibly because its style does not match my appetite as well as expectation. In my sense, the album lacks the Latin features which mark Ricky and which are most notably found in the earlier La Historia, for the only one song, namely This Is Good, I believe perfectly matches what is called Latin. And the two songs with the lyric style, which I have always preferred, Stop Time Tonight and Save the Dance, are less impressing the those found in Almas del Silencio such as Tal Vez, Si Tú Te Vas, Asignatura Pendiente, and Y Todo Queda en Nada.

And now I can find my Almas del Silencio CD nowhere. Hope that I have not had it lost.