#Kaplyn

[purecommemasolitude]

there is something actually so gender about la mort being played by a man in bruxellons!elisabeth das musical

[fitzrove]

Because this needed to be done...

(Depending on the Tod he might try to eat you)

[namenerdery]

Babies with interesting names born in Missouri in 2021 [K, L, M & N]

-note that this dataset didn't include gender so your guess as to whether a name belongs to a girl or boy is as good as mine-

K'mahyree Damoni K'nahlei Chauntia A'miya Ka'nibre Dahila Ka'varee Terranova Kaderick Lee

Kahlanniie Athena Rose Kaibriel Kimberly Ann Kaige Alexzander Kailor Reighd Kairys Rae

Kaiston Lloyd Kally-R Kam'breah Stormy Kayy Kamourra Zamon Elaen Kandaisey Raylien

Kansas Grace Kaplyn Jane Kapone Beloved Luciano Kascity Lynn Kasiahus Amenadiel

Kaspious Paul Michael Kasseus Valyn Katalie Marie Michel Katybell Joann Kayaos Royalty Reign

Kazayla Simone Keirstyn Creative Marie Kencade Wisdom Kentley Elena Kenya Lou

Kerowyn Ramsey Kesden Micheal Kessiah Island Kylo Kyze Kezlynn Claire Khalisee A'marie Khaos Justice

Kharli-Jhea Ariele Khazym Jesse-Mune Ambro Khillyan Charles Khizir Varis Khoryne O'phelia

Khosen Osheone De'nae Khyzer The-Truth Kihlyn Christopher Kikiope Joanne Kindred Lamb

King'xavier Geraldon Kingzley Austin Kinslynn Jane Kinviann Gomorrah Klarity Kurrency A'lan

Klassic Jalia Kneekeytah Joe Everlynn Knightz Imperial Lotti Knine Contrail Knolyn Roxas

Knovah Rae Knoxon Jameslee Kobaine Ray Alan Kohver Dean-William Kortlyn Marie

Kortt William Kramer Rae Kratos Dean Kreation Lavender Kroslyn Scarlett

Krypton Blaize Kurrency Lee Kwynn Ameliah Grace Kyng Bizzie Kynzlin Lou Marie Kyrix Blaise Kyvree Belinda Lorene

Laighla Rose Kay Lakaden Kyrie Lakelenn Asher Scott Laker Olivia Lakeson Allen

Lamborghini Trayson Colt Lark Breta Laulus Dean Scott Layazhini Layneston Joe

Lazuli Selene Le'leighonna Paig Idae Legaceigh Mae Legiona Mary Jane Legolas Zen-Quincy

Legoria Anoited Lemon Mae Lenasilver Azua Lielah Lanette Limeryck Jack

Linex Patrick Linux Herbert Lion Oziel Liriel Elizabeth Livvian Jewel

Logic Andrew Lord Humble Lord X'zahquary Malachi Lorentheous Elijah Loveis Amena

Lowgyn Wade Lucellia Ariadne Lucipher Zayne Wilson Luck Andrew Lukka Noctis

Luxley May Lyllyan Blaise Patience Lyricalyn Luna Alma

M'pryss Julia-Vera Ma'zylah Karlie Macenize Starr Macgyver Lupin Madalynnrea Louise

Madam Avery Krisa Lafaye Maevery Rose Magic Caprie Mahogani-Queen Lee Maizy Dee Maree

Majestic Sunshine Majesty Messiah Makaitlyn A'miracle Maleficent Rain Mandilyn Beatrice

Marjestic De'andre Samuel Marvel Quinn Maserati Joseph Matrix May Alexandra Mauntana Marley

Mayvva-Faye Jolee Mazeabella Lee Melahdee Mi'amour Melanin Eva Vivian Merveille Menge

Messiaz Malakai Mi'kyngg Ares Miavella Calypso Mickheala Erviana Million Major

Mircale Evettelyn Marie Missandei Dawn Amelia Mister Sir Monarch Steele Moon Monet

Mooney Paloma Mordecaiyah Maccabeus Moux Jackson Ray Moxen Andrew Mydae Promise Mylynium John Myraqahl Quardai-Whittier

Nadyx Alan Naiellie Natalia Naivee Rose Nashville Elliot Nation Amarii Juelay

Newera Ellada Newt Tyler Nexin Dinos Nigelle Reeana Nipsey Dominic Armon

Nirvanajane Rea Normandy Normie Jean Notorious Adonis Hussle Noxx Oliver Nyeleigh Marie Nyxx Raine

[laplaylistes]

Die Kaplyn

Die Kaplyn https://laplaylist.es/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/hqdefault-5235.jpg

[noscorpsaladerive]

Musical "Elisabeth” at Festival Bruxellons - "Plus rien n’arrête les ombres (Die Schatten werden länger)"

Kaplyn as Death, Lander van Nuffelen as Rudolf

Attempt at a lyric transcription and translation under the cut

Thank you to @fitzrove for her help!

La Mort / Death : Il est temps d’ouvrir la danse De priser ce lourd silence Souviens-toi, oui, souviens-toi Une minuit* dans ta jeunesse Je t’ai fait cette promesse Que pour toi, je serai là

Roldolphe : Tu es toujours là dans mon cœur Mon ami, des jours terribles Toi seul me rassure quand j’ai peur

La Mort / Death : Appelle, et me voilà

Les deux / Both : Plus rien n’arrête les ombres Mais les gens sont tous aveugles et sourds Ils suivent dans la pénombre Des joueurs de flûte au grand discours Plus rien n’arrête les ombres Ce sont elles qui très Bientôt vaincront le jour

Roldolphe : Dans ce monde qui agonise Qui nous tue ou nous divise Je n’ai plus la moindre piste Tu vois bien, je peux rien faire

La Mort / Death : J’en ai peur, le plus à plaindre Et celui qui seul est faible Vois pas tu la vie s’éteindre

Roldolphe : Je vis là, la mort dans l’âme

Les deux / Both : Plus rien n’arrête les ombres Et leurs cris perçants déchirent le soir Errant dans les décombres Les humains perdus ne savent qui croire Plus rien n’arrête les ombres Nous serons bientôt plongés dans la nuit noire

La Mort / Death : Qu’est-ce qui te retient ? C’est le moment d’agir Prends le pouvoir Entre dans l’Histoire L’Histoire

Les deux / Both : Plus rien n’arrête les ombres L’impensable est prévu pour demain Quand tu parais si sombre Qui peut encore défaire nos liens ? Plus rien n’arrête les ombres L’Empereur Roldolphe est face à son destin

*”Une minuit” has been changed to “autrefois” for the stage version

-------------

Death: It is time to open the dance To savor this heavy silence Remember, yes, remember One midnight in your youth I made you this promise That I will be there for you

Rudolf: You are always here in my heart My friend, terrible days Only you comfort me when I’m scared

Death: Call and I’ll be there

Both: Nothing stops the shadows anymore But people are all blind and deaf In darkness they follow Flute players with fancy speeches Nothing stops the shadows anymore They’re the ones who shall Very soon conquer the day

Rudolf: In this dying world That kills us or divides us I don’t have a way forward You see, I can do nothing

Death: I was scared of that, the most to complain [about] And the one who on his own is weak Do you not see, life is fading away

Rudolf: I live there, with a heavy heart*

Both: Nothing stops the shadows anymore And their piercing cries destroy the night Wandering in the ruins Lost humans don’t know who to believe Nothing stops the shadows anymore Soon we’ll be plunged into the black night

Death: What’s holding you back? It’s the moment to act Take power Make history

Rudolf: History

Both: Nothing stops the shadows anymore The unthinkable is scheduled for tomorrow When you seem so serious Who could undo our ties? Nothing stops the shadows anymore Emperor Rudolf is facing his destiny

*”la mort dans l’âme” figuratively means “heavy heart[ed]” but literally means “death in my soul”, which seems important to note given the context 😂

[queen-scribbles]

Looking Back

Here we go, as promised. One Warden!Carver fic that(to no one’s surprise) kinda got away from me.

At first he thought they were part of his dreams. He’d been having nightmares about darkspawn since he joined the Wardens; why wouldn’t the chittering and shrieks be part of that?

“Hawke, get up!” A string of obscenities and the low crackle-hiss of something being flash-frozen followed the demand.

So, not dreaming. Kendal cursing was never part of his dreams. Carver pushed himself upright and scrubbed sleep out of his eyes. If he was honest, he’d thought Kendal didn’t curse.

“Hawke, I swear on Andraste’s pyre, if you ain’t out here in the next ten seconds-”

He grabbed his sword and scrambled out of his tent. “You’ll what?”

Russa rolled her eyes at him as she jammed a dagger into a hurlock’s neck. “I was gonna threaten t’ shave ya bald,” she yanked out the dagger and let the corpse flop over, “but on second thought, the world ain’t ready for that level of ugly yet.”

Carver grunted and slashed at an approaching genlock. It went down with a squeal. “I dunno, it’s put up with you just fine.”

She laughed. “I had that comin’.”

“Less banter, more killing!” Kendal hollered his staff flaring with the light of a spell.

“Killjoy,” Russa grumbled as she moved to stand back to back with Carver, her daggers both dripping ichor and blood.

Carver chuckled. “Where’s Stroud?”

“Went chasin’ after the leader. Big, nasty bastard,” Russa said. “Think it was an emissary--watch your left!”

He spun to meet the impending attack, just in time for the shriek to scream in his face. He punched it in the jaw and ran it through when it stumbled back. “Think he needs help?”

“Soon as we take out more of this lot, Kendal’s gonna check.” Russa’s head whipped around, her braid almost hitting Carver in the face, and she flicked a throwing knife toward a particularly dark patch of shadow. A formerly skulking genlock collapsed into the light.

“Nice shot,” Carver commented off-handedly, swinging his sword in a wide arc that caught three encroaching darkspawn.

“Not bad yourself, rookie,” she replied, moving forward to help him finish off the wounded darkspawn. “Kendal, go! Carver’n I can handle what’s left.”

The mage nodded and took off in search of their leader and his quarry.

A hurlock tried to follow, but Russa whipped a throwing knife after it and it toppled with the blade lodged in its skull.

“C’mon, kid, let’s handle clean up,” she said cheerfully as she regripped her dagger.

“Are you always in a good mood?” Carver asked. He cornered a hurlock against Kendal’s tent and lopped off its arm.

“Generally, yeah,” Russa laughed. She hauled a genlock in close by its armor to slit its throat. “Why?”

“Just wondering how that’s humanly possible in this line of work,” he shrugged, finishing off the hurlock. “Behind you!” he warned, and Russa spun to face the charging hurlock. She dodged to the side, nicking its knee as it went by, and let it impale itself on Carver’s sword. “Nice.”

She sketched a mock half-bow. “Thank ya, ser. Was that all of ‘em?”

As if in answer, a genlock burst from the shadows and buried its blade in the side of Carver’s leg, just below the knee.

“Andraste’s tits!” he hissed. He slammed the pommel of his sword into the creature’s head as it let out a satisfied growl and then decapitated it as it reeled back. “I think that was the last of the bastards.”

“And you wonder why Stroud sleeps with his armor on,” Russa teased, hastily ducking under his arm so he could take weight off the injured limb.

“Shut up,” Carver groused, hobbling for the nearest rock. Damn, that hurts. “He doesn’t really, does he?”

“What, sleep in his armor?” She fetched a wad of cloth to stop the bleeding and shrugged as she pressed it against Carver’s leg. “Your guess is as good as mine, Hawke. He’s always prepared awful fast, all I’m sayin’.”

He hissed in pain. “How’d this all happen, anyway?” A broad gesture at the dead darkspawn littering their camp. “And shouldn’t you go see if-ah!-Kendal and Stroud need your help?”

“Ah, they’ll be fine. Can’t have you bleedin’ out on us, can we?”

“I can take care of myself, Russa.”

“Sure, but lettin’ people help ya isn’t a bad thing, Hawke,” Russa pointed out. She pulled back the cloth to check if the bleeding had slowed. It hadn’t. “As for what happened... that we can sense darkspawn thing goes both ways-”

“I know that,” Carver interrupted brusquely.

Russa flicked his ear. “Lemme finish, kid. It goes both ways and apparently we camped too close to a Deep Roads entrance. They all came spillin’ out halfway into Stroud’s watch.” She checked the wound again. “Aw, yeah, Kendal’ll be able to fix that, no problem, when they get back.”

“Comforting,” Carver grit out as another spike of pain flared up his leg.

Russa gave him a flat stare. “I’m gonna choose to believe it’s the pain makin’ you an asshole right now, rather than think it’s your normal state.”

“Charitable of you.”

“Carver, stop talkin’ ‘fore I smack you,” she warned.

He chuckled darkly. “Yes’m.”

Russa sighed. “Hold that on there so it don’t start bleedin’ again. I’m gonna hunt down my throwin’ knives.” She waited until Carver had pressed a hand over the added up cloth covering his leg wound before letting go and pushing to her feet.

“Thought you were worried about me bleeding out,” Carver couldn’t help needling.

“That’s why I’m stayin’ where I can see you,” she retorted as she retrieved one knife from a hurlock’s skull. “Anyway, I thought you could take care of yourself.”

Touche, he conceded to himself. But he just grunted at Russa and sat silently until Kendal and Stroud returned, filthy but unhurt.

“Some fight, then?” Russa said, raising an eyebrow as she cleaned off the last of her knives and secured it in her belt with the others.

“Did you expect any different?” Kendal asked dryly, wiping his forehead with the back of one arm. It left his hair sticking out wildly from the side of his head and a smear of dirt against pale skin. “How did you two fare?”

“We held our own,” she replied. “Hawke took a dagger to the leg, but it didn’t look like it did too much damage.”

Kendal turned his attention to Carver. “Let me see.”

Carver obliged, setting aside the blood-soaked rag as he watched Russa approach Stroud and the two of them start an animated conversation out of earshot. “What are they on about?”

“Figuring our next move, like as not,” Kendal grunted, not looking up from his examination of Carver’s leg. “Russa’s one of the best strategists we have in the Marches, and Stroud knows it.”

“We’re reporting to the garrison at Ostwick, what ‘next move’ is there?” Carver winced as the mage probed his injury.

Kendal chuckled without a trace of mirth. “Ah, rookie. Plans change. And discovering a Deep Roads entrance because of a darkspawn ambush in the middle of the night is pretty much a defining circumstance for Wardens changing their plans.”

“What, we’re going in there?! I don’t have proper armor!” Carver protested. “‘S part of why Stroud’s in such a hurry to get to the garrison. I need gear.”

“Did you have better gear while protecting your sister?” Kendal asked, pressing one hand against Carver’s leg to heal the wound.

“I-no,” he admitted grudgingly. “But I caught the bloody Taint protecting her, too.”

Kendal smiled thinly. “Then it’s a good thing that can only happen once.”

“Not funny,” Carver growled sourly.

“I wasn’t joking,” Kendal said, hand flaring with the light of a healing spell. “If you handled everyday ruffians and bandits with your current gear, you’ll be perfectly alright.”

Carver sighed irritably, partly because he couldn’t think of a comeback, and ran one hand through his hair. “Whatever. Are we done? I could use more sleep.”

“All done,” Kendal nodded. “It might be sore for a while, but you’ll be fine.”

Carver nodded understanding and stood to head back to his tent.

“You’re welcome!” Kendal called after him.

Carver grunted a thank you--or an approximation of one, anyway--as he ducked into his tent and collapsed on his bedroll.

He’d barely been asleep five minutes when someone nudged him with the toe of their boot. Insistently.

“What?” It came out like a growl as he rolled over to glare at the intruder.

“For starters, you need to clean your blade,” Stroud said. “Even in this light I can tell it is still a mess. After that, we could use some help disposing of the darkspawn corpses.”

Carver groaned and flopped one arm across his face. “’M tired...” It could almost be classed as a whine.

“As are the rest of us,” Stroud countered implacably. “This is part of being a Warden, Carver. Doing what you must rather than what you want. Clean your blade, quickly please, and then come help.” He left without another word, his tone making it clear that yes, that was an order.

As Carver groaned and levered himself upright, groping for his sword and a rag, part of him almost wished Astrid had just let him die.

>><<

The following few hours did nothing for his mood. Moving the darkspawn corpses would have been bad enough on its own, but Russa chattered nonstop the whole time. About what, Carver couldn’t say; he stopped listening twenty minutes in. And then as the darkspawn burned, Stroud informed them of the change in plans. It was their duty as Wardens to venture into the tunnel their ambushers had used to ascertain how much of a threat it posed.

Carver did not appreciate the news--or the I told you so look Kendal sent him--but at least they had a few hours to get some more sleep. Not nearly enough, of course, but something was better than nothing.

“You look like you should have a little rain cloud floatin’ over your head,” Russa said teasingly as they followed Stroud into the tunnel at first light.

Carver snorted. “Maker forgive me for being less than thrilled I’m headed back into the Deep Roads sleep-deprived and under-armored, to fight the monsters that killed my sister and gave me a death sentence.”

She gave him a cursory once-over. “You look pretty alive to me, Hawke.”

“Russa!” he hissed as the light from the surface started to fade.

Something in his tone must have tipped her off to her mood, because rather than more teasing, Russa laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave a brief squeeze. “I know it’s hard. We all deal with it as best we can, in our own ways.”

“Let me guess, the jokes are yours?” Carver said dryly.

Her teeth flashed white as she grinned. “Give the man a prize. Jokes and runnin’ my mouth. Smart guess. Kendal reads and comes up with theories about everything under the sun. Tries to maintain that normalcy. Haven’t figured out Stroud yet. You seem t’ be dealin’ by bein’ as grouchy as possible about it.”

“Give the woman a prize,” he muttered sarcastically.

“Your company is prize enough for me,” Russa shot back.

Carver was denied a retort as Stroud and Kendal both shushed them. Varric and Isabela would just love you. The thought made his chest tighten. He didn’t miss them, he didn’t. He didn’t miss Isabela making him trip over his words, he didn’t miss Varric needling the wound that was Carver’s seemingly permanent place in Astrid’s shadow. He didn’t miss them. Hope Astrid’s doing alright...

This was not the time for thoughts like that. He should be paying attention, not looking back, wallowing in memories. He could feel the darkspawn’ presence like a headache. This was a bad time to get distracted by the past.

At the head of the group, Stroud held up a hand to halt them, his silhouette visible in the faint light from Kendal’s staff. Carver froze in his tracks, fingers twitching toward the hilt of his sword.

Russa grabbed his wrist and uttered a barely audible “wait” before silently stepping forward. She slid past Stroud and around a bend in the tunnel.

“Where’s she going?” Carver hissed to Kendal.

“To scout,” Kendal whispered back. “Now, shh.”

Carver didn’t see much point in being quiet if the darkspawn could sense their presence, but he wasn’t in the mood for a lecture, so he kept his mouth shut. Russa wasn’t gone long, anyway; ten minutes at most.

She beckoned them all closer. “It’s a dead-end.”

“Really?” Kendal murmured skeptically. “There’s a full-on, proper entrance for a dead-end?”

“It’s a dead end because the tunnel collapsed,” Russa elaborated in an undertone. “Recently. There’s a group of darkspawn tryin’ to dig through. They must’ve been trapped on this side by the collapse.”

“How many?” Stroud asked.

“Looked like maybe a dozen,” she said cautiously. “But they were movin’ around and the light was shit, so I dunno for sure.”

“A dozen... We should be able to handle a dozen,” Kendal said, scratching behind his ear. “Were there any that looked especially dangerous, or-”

“I think you and Stroud killed the only emissary, if that’s what you’re wonderin’,” Russa interrupted. “But there were one or two that looked like alphas, so we’d wanna deal with them fast.”

“So let’s deal with them instead of standin’ here talking,” Carver cut in.

“Without a plan?” Kendal sounded almost scandalized.

“It worked for us,” Carver retorted.

“It doesn’t usually for us,” Stroud said. “We should have a plan. Someone should hang back, deal with any that try to escape out the tunnel. The rest of us will move ahead and clear out the darkspawn. Hawke, since you don’t yet have proper armor, you stay back once we round the bend. Any stragglers that escape us, you deal with them.”

A protest at being coddled sat sharp on the end of Carver’s tongue, but he managed to swallow it, barely. He’d complained to both Russa and Kendal about not having armor, he didn’t really have a leg to stand on now. So he just nodded. “Right.”

They moved forward cautiously, Kendal letting the light from his staff die as the darkspawn torches lit the tunnel instead. The warm glow made the mage’s hair a even deeper orange than usual and added coppery highlights to Russa’s braid. Carver took his position at the bend, noting it was also a choke point--the tunnel’s width cut in half. It would make it harder for darkspawn to get past him, but also harder for him to wield his sword.

“Hopefully not too many make it past them,” he thought to himself. He disliked being relegated to cleanup duty, but it did no good to get himself killed before he had a chance to prove he was good enough. Prove to who?

“We do not recruit Grey Wardens out of pity.”

“Trust me when I say this one will be worth your time.”

The muted echos of a barely-remembered conversation danced through his mind and Carver shook it off. Stroud and the others had reached the darkspawn and the fighting had begun. Carver watched as Stroud and Russa’s blades sliced into darkspawn flesh, as Kendal’s staff flared with magic, as the darkspawn fought back, and wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or irritated he was so far from the action. Both, maybe.

The first darkspawn broke free of the melee; a heavily armored hurlock that slammed a mace into Russa’s elbow as it bulled past her. With her reactionary curse still hanging in the air, Carver readied himself to deal with the darkspawn. Before it even reached him, a throwing knife lodged in its shoulder and it dropped its weapon with a squeal. One Carver ended when he lopped off the creature’s head.

“I didn’t need help with that,” he muttered, sullen but quiet, as he yanked Russa’s knife out of the corpse. That was verging on coddling. But he wasn’t going to shout such a sentiment across the cavern. He tucked Russa’s knife in his belt and continued watching for runners. He caught sight of Kendal dodging a genlock, muttering something as he pushed the creature away. The genlock stumbled toward the pair of darkspawn Russa was fighting. She glanced at Kendal, who gave a single sharp nod. With a loud grunt, she slashed open the genlock’s throat. Rather than fall to its knees and bleed out, as Carver would have expected, it wobbled for a second and then exploded. 

Carver almost dropped his sword. He’d never seen Astrid or Bethany do anything like that. Of course, neither of them had had a reason to learn anything like that.

Russa laughed as she wiped ichor off her face and finished off one of the stunned and wounded darkspawn. Stroud took out the other, and Carver dragged his attention off them just in time to notice the gangly, nightmarish darkspawn skulking toward the exit.

He set himself in a solid stance and waited for it to get closer. No point in distracting the others. He could handle this. The shriek started picking up speed once it was away from the main melee. It was working its way up to a full charge, hoping to bullrush past him.

Good luck with that, Carver thought, smiling grimly. When it got close and lunged, he was ready for it. His sword sheared off one of its arms at the elbow and the other just above the wrist as he dodged out of the way. It landed with a loud, angry scream of pain as it tumbled and thudded into the tunnel wall. It was screaming at him again when Carver drove his sword through its head.

That was the last darkspawn that made it anywhere near him. Stroud, Russa, and Kendal finished off the rest with brutal, practiced efficiency. Once all the darkspawn were dead, the Wardens moved to examine the collapsed tunnel.

“Whaddya think?” Russa asked, kicking a boulder as she picked ichor out of her braid.

“I think the tunnel is sealed pretty thoroughly, if that’s what you’re asking,” Kendal said. “Fortunate for us.”

“Aside from the darkspawn raiding party trapped on the wrong side?” Carver asked sarcastically as he handed Russa back her knife.

“Yes, aside from that. But they didn’t appear to have caused much trouble before we dealt with them,” Kendal replied.

“It is good we caught them when we did,” Stroud agreed. “But what were they doing here? Even at its worst, the epicenter of the Blight was in southern Ferelden. That’s long past, and Commander Tabris has things well in hand. So what drew these darkspawn to the surface?”

“Hey, don’t look at me,” Kendal protested, as three heads swiveled to do exactly that. “I haven’t the foggiest.”

“Really?” Russa laughed skeptically, crossing her arms. “You don’t have a theory? Kendal Jerris, who has an opinion on every-fuckin’-thing, doesn’t have a theory?”

“Not one with even the remotest chance of being credible, no,” he shot back. “Does their motivation truly matter if the tunnel is collapsed and we killed them all?”

“I suppose not,” Stroud conceded. “It is possible there’s no real reason, and it’s merely coincidence. Search the bodies in case they were carrying anything useful and then we should be on our way.” He clapped Carver on the shoulder. “We have a new recruit to get to Ostwick.”

Their search was cursory, and didn’t yield anything of interest, before they piled up the bodies and burned them. Carver was only to happy to put the dim cavern behind him and head back up into he sunlight once more. He didn’t even look back as they continued on toward Ostwick. 

No more looking back, he promised himself, and fixed his gaze toward his future instead.

[dnrbreakingnews]

Борис Каплун: «Я слышу — это мой хор поет»

New Post has been published on https://novorossiia.info/boris-kaplyn-ia-slyshy-eto-moi-hor-poet/

Борис Каплун: «Я слышу — это мой хор поет»

15 января отмечает 70-летие Борис Каплун. Накануне юбилея мы встретились в Детской школе вокального искусства, которую он четыре года назад организовал и возглавил

— Как случилось, Борис Федорович, что вы стали директором школы юных солистов? 

— Сам не знаю, как это вышло. Я неделю отказывался. «Федорович, — говорил мне министр культуры Алексей Бетехтин, — соглашайся. Это нужное дело, и это дело твое». Я, честно говоря, так решил: не найду педагогов — даже связываться не буду. Где я и где дети? Пришел посоветоваться к хористами оперного театра. «Да, — сказали мне, — есть такой педагог. Александр Александрович Галичин, солист и репетитор взрослого хора оперного театра». Его сразу полюбили все дети. Он прекрасный педагог, чудо просто. Он взял этих деток четыре года назад и создал красивый звучащий академический хор.

— Разве у нас в Челябинске не было раньше подобной школы? 

— До этого момента не было никакой школы для подрастающих талантов. Точнее, не так. Есть музыкальные школы, кружки, элитные клубы, где учат правильно улыбаться, держаться на сцене, петь… Но все это за деньги. А наша школа, во-первых, учит бесплатно, такова была идея инициатора этого проекта — компании ЧТПЗ и лично Андрея Комарова. Во-вторых, это школа при оперном театре. Вот два принципиальных отличия нашей школы от всех других. Наши дети бесплатно учатся у замечательных педагогов, и у них есть возможность участвовать в постановках оперного театра. И для оперного театра, я должен заметить, открытие нашей школы — это новая жизнь, новая энергетика.

— Вы отбираете самых одаренных ребят? 

— Совсем наоборот. Можно сказать, что мы берем всех. Нельзя делать выводы о ребенке, основываясь только на том, как он тут читает стихотворение или поет. Мы смотрим месяц-два, как юный солист здесь себя чувствует, как себя показывает. И родителям говорим прямо: мы посмотрим и решим, не всем нужно здесь оставаться.

— Первый набор вы делали для мюзикла «Посмотри, как я летаю»? 

— Да, изначально собирали группу под мюзикл. Пришло человек сто с горящими глазами: хотим участвовать! Те, кто прошел через это сито — через мюзикл, и составляют сейчас костяк. Это был потрясающий первый опыт для наших маленьких артистов. И во многом благодаря ему ребята справились со сложнейшими партиями из оперы «Богема», которую привез к нам в Челябинск Большой театр.

— Дети пели на итальянском? 

— Конечно. Два или три месяца мы учили очень сложные партии на итальянском. А ведь там очень быстрый, скоростной текст. Я вижу, что дети ничего не понимают, но очень быстро и точно заучивают текст — по сути набор звуков, но смысл им понятен. И вот уже они выучили партии, вот уже поют, вот уже осталось две недели до первой репетиции — раздается звонок из Большого театра: «Ну что, вы набрали там детей? Мы приедем, посмотрим, позанимаемся». 

И вот приехали, за кулисами в воздухе витает «Большой приехал! Большой!»… К нам сюда, в студию, пришла хормейстер хора Большого театра. И мои дети запели. Она была ошеломлена «Ка-ак! Как вы умудрились? Я не знаю, чем с вами заниматься». Дети вышли в репетиционный зал театра — петь с хором Большого театра. Подумайте, с тем самым хором, который выезжает во все европейские столицы, поет в лучших залах мира. И пришли мои малыши. И запели. У всех артистов хора отвисли челюсти. Когда ребята закончили, хор встал и начал хлопать! Артисты оперного театра стали хлопать моей малышне!

— Ну до слез, Борис Федорович. 

— Конечно. По моей небритой щеке скатилась слеза. Теперь очевидно, чем наша школа отличается от остальных. Наша школа детей учит академическим основам вокального искусства, это главное. Они соприкасаются с большим искусством, знакомятся с классическими произведениями. Мы даем им основы музыкальной культуры, от нас они улетают в консерватории, в институты оперного и жанрового пения, поступают и на дирижерско-хоровые.

— Не могу не спросить, с каким чувством вы смотрите, скажем, проект «Голос» или любой другой вокальный проект, где дети пробуют свои силы? 

— Видите ли, я знаю кухню этих телепрограмм. Все подобные проекты кажутся мне фальшивыми. Нет, дети потрясающе поют! Но у меня нет доверия к этим конкурсам. Я вижу, как не проходят отбор действительно талантливые дети. Я убежден, что если у ребенка есть вокальные данные — надо развивать их в такой школе, как наша, или в любой музыкальной школе, потому что музыкальная карьера начинается с классики. Надо начинать с академических основ. В этом заключается культура музыкального образования. Не будет этого базиса — не будет ничего. Только так. Неважно, на каком инструменте вы будете учиться: на фортепиано, на скрипке, на флейте, на трубе. У меня жена — педагог, работает в первой музыкальной школе заведующей фортепианным отделением, мы с ней постоянно на эту тему говорим.

— Вы сами начинали со скрипки, так ведь? 

— Да, да.

— И много лет не играете? 

— Двадцать с копейками. Я даже скрипку свою отдал девочке из нашего оркестра с удивительным именем Седа. Однажды пришел, говорю: «Девчонки, у меня есть потрясающий инструмент одна тысяча семьсот какого-то года. Какого-то немецкого мастера». Седа ахнула.

— Подождите, подождите. Расскажите, как она у вас оказалась. 

— Я, признаться, уже тогда играл на барабанах, и мне эта скрипка была не особо нужна. Я купил ее по рекомендации моего педагога рублей за сто пятьдесят. Немаленькие деньги, месячная зарплата. Когда много лет спустя я повез эту скрипку на гастроли в Германию и таможенник спросил, старый ли у меня инструмент, я честно ответил, что он такой старый, даже не знаю точно какого года. Тут таможенник очень заинтересовался, спросил, где документы на вывоз такого сокровища, и скрипку изъял. Я на обратном пути домой ее забрал из камеры хранения и только после этого решил поинтересоваться историей своего инструмента. Заказал исследование специалисту из Московской консерватории, получил заключение эксперта, что это примерно 1782 год, скрипка фабричная, не мастеровая. Не могу сказать, что там особо божественный звук, и потом, я еще тот скрипач… Словом, я подумал, пусть на ней играют, пусть она звучит. Седа так обрадовалась! Я сказал: «Играй, пока я живой».

— Поклонники группы прекрасно помнят, как вы играли на скрипке в «Ариэле». 

— «Ариэль» в свое время для нашей страны был как The Beatles для Великобритании и Америки. Думаю, потому что мы были очень искренни, Ярушин делал потрясающие аранжировки, и мы их великолепно исполняли. В те далекие 1970-е «Ариэль» был ни на кого не похож. Мы смешали поп, фолк и эстраду. Ухватили что-то такое, чего не было — и это была наша тема. Я уверен, это заслуга Валеры Ярушина. Потому что он такой — от народа. Если бы он не занимался эстрадой, то был бы великолепным классическим композитором. У него есть прекрасные академические произведения, симфонии, оперы. У него такая рука, такая дума.

— Эта  тема вам была близка? 

— Конечно. Я же классик по натуре и по образованию, не эстрадник, не рокер. Я играл в симфоническом оркестре и к эстраде подходил со своей академикой. Я понимал таинство академического исполнения в музыке. В композициях «Ариэля», заметьте, развитая музыкальная структура: схема классической сонаты А-B-A: начало темы, развитие, потом возвращение к ней. Как к Валере это приходило? Непонятно. Никто не знает. Господь нашептывает. Так что для меня «Ариэль» был органикой абсолютно. Я литавры использовал, как в классическом произведении: в оркестре вы слышите литавровые удары и концовки, а эстрадники так никогда не делали. Поэтому «Ариэль» и звучал. В нем был особый звук.

— Почему был? Почему время «Ариэля» прошло? 

— (Помолчал) Все проходит. Как везде и всюду. Пришло другое время. Мы пережили два, нет, даже три поколения зрителей. Под «Тишину» Левы Гурова сейчас и цветы приносят к Вечному огню. И ведь мы до сих пор выступаем, и нас понимают — и не только те, кто нас привык слушать, а молодежь! Не уходит с концерта, а очень удивляется: неожиданно, говорят, как вы драматично подходите к музыкальным произведениям. Драматично и эксцентрично.

— Но было время феноменальной популярности. Вы же привыкли, что вы… Каплун! 

— Конечно. 1970—80-е. На разрыв работали, это правда. По три-пять концертов в день. Собирали Дворцы спорта. «Ариэль» всегда был красной полосой в афише.

— А помните момент, когда стали чувствовать, что время меняется? 

— Конец 1980-х. Помню, конечно. Почему все произошло, в том числе и расставание с Валерой? Время изменилось, а мы вовремя не поняли, катились по накатанной. Настроение в воздухе стало другим, люди изменились, молодые подстегнули так, что старые коллективы, которые царствовали на сцене, как мы, — все скатились в никуда, просто все. Стало сложно разговаривать с публикой нашим языком. Это начало 1990-х — «Ласковый май» и все эти белые розы. Мы никак не могли с ними соперничать.

— Публика вдруг захотела другой музыки? 

— Да-да. Два притопа, три прихлопа. Мы были не согласны. Нам, правда, неожиданно повезло, и мы уехали на несколько лет по контракту в Германию. Это были чудесные, просто сказочные три года: записали там пластинку «Шумел камыш», у нас были приличные концерты, мы пели русские народные песни, причем перекладывая на музыкальные темы разных стран: например, «Самару-городок» сделали в испанском стил��, с кастаньетами. Диск получился необыкновенный, работали мы задорно, нас принимали очень тепло. Господь помог: в стране наступили жуткие времена, работы нет, хаос, хоть пропадай — а нас как будто катапультировали отсюда.

— И с тех пор вы независимы? 

— Да. Мы ушли из филармонии в начале 1990-х и с той поры свободны и независимы — «Ариэль» живет сам по себе и работает как пожарная команда. Кому-то надо — мы приехали, сыграли. Мы настолько профессиональная команда, что способны в любое время дня и ночи собраться и дать концерт на полтора часа. Поставили инструменты, настроились, погнали.

— Получается, музыкантов не кормит «Ариэль»? 

— Конечно, нет. Все мы по-другому зарабатываем, уже много лет.

 — И ансамбль занимает какую-то маленькую комнатку… не помню, где именно?

— Занимал. Много лет назад у нас было небольшое помещение во Дворце пионеров, но там случился жуткий потоп, пятьсот пластинок погибло, аппаратура пострадала, инструменты. Это было лет пятнадцать назад. Мы уехали оттуда в никуда. Вон барабаны мои (показывает в угол) — за доской, где нотный стан расчерчен.

— Последний большой концерт, посвященный 50-летию группы, был два года назад? 

— Да, в театре драмы. Замечательный был концерт. Полный зал народу, на входе подавали шампанское. Во втором отделении присоединяется к нам Валерий Ярушин, и это был сюрприз и большая радость для зрителей. Концерт будут снова транслировать в этом году в честь моего 70-летия на «Первом областном».

— Ближайший концерт «Ариэля» — в марте? 

— Сложно сейчас наперед говорить. Мы бы очень хотели. Восьмимартовский концерт в ДК ЖД — наша многолетняя традиция. Мы готовы и к более плотному графику, и к большим поездкам на четыре-пять городов. Нам не хватает сейчас рекламы и продвижения. У «Ариэля» нет планов. Я думаю, главное — чтобы существовало это имя и были живы музыканты. Это коллектив, который для области стал брендом, как хоккейная команда «Трактор». И чтобы всегда (улыбается) при наличии отсутствия концертов мы всегда могли собраться и выступить на центральной площади, потому что люди этого, безусловно, ждут.

За спиной у Бориса Каплуна, в углу за школьной доской — его барабанная установка

— Сейчас моменты острого счастья у вас связаны с вашей Школой вокального искусства? 

— Это правда. У нас тут большая семья и любовь неземная. Я не мог и предположить, что дети могут дать мне столько сил и энергии! Я просто смотрю на них — и это счастье. Для ребенка, представьте, выходить на сцену преисполненным торжества и радости, участвовать в настоящем спектакле, со взрослыми артистами, исполнять сложнейшие партии — да разве мог кто-то из них об этом мечтать? И это происходит впервые в Челябинске. И я должен сказать, что звук нашего хора отличу от любых профессиональных детских хоров. Я слышу — это мой хор поет.

[kansascityhappenings]

Independence delays Phase 2 of reopening as COVID-19 cases swell, keeping some amenities closed

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — As the number of COVID-19 cases climbs locally, Independence is holding off on reopening some city amenities indefinitely.

It’s not the only area feeling the impacts from the uptick in coronavirus.

Neon signs on the door of Port Fonda in Westport show the restaurant isn’t welcoming guests right now. The business, along with several others in the area, is taking the precaution to close after employees contracted COVID-19.

“That does kind of worry me, but you know, I think they can get it under control though,” Nicco Jackson said.

Jackson and his girlfriend Kaplyn Person are visiting from Atlanta. They’re glad to see many people wearing masks and businesses taking safety steps to keep customers safe.

“It still is a thing. It’s still going on,” Person said. “Just because everyone’s quieted down a little bit about it, it’s still going on.”

A few of the restaurants that temporarily closed after COVID-19 outbreaks are already reopening after thorough cleaning or have plans to do so soon. Others will wait until every worker gets a negative test to get back in business.

“We miss being out, coming to hang around the people and really be able to relax and enjoy the weather, but your health is way more important,” Jackson said.

While new cases of the virus dipped in the metro in May, they’ve started to inch back up in June.

That’s why Independence will hold off on reopening some of its amenities, like parks and splash pads. But two community centers and ball fields will reopen July 1, with new precautions in place.

“We feel like we can have activities there and maintain social distancing and do temperature checks, sanitize equipment adequately to protect visitors. We don’t feel like we can do that at playgrounds and splash parks,” Independence Mayor Eileen Weir said.

That’s because parks have so many high-touch surfaces and are much harder to clean and keep social distance.

“We just feel if we can do the best job we can in our city, with the things we can control, to limit that exposure and really also just to send a message that this is serious,” Weir said.

Independence does not have a firm date for entering the next phase of reopening. It’ll take a steady decline in new cases to move forward.

Health officials continue to remind everyone that masks are strongly recommended anywhere you go to help limit the spread.

Here is a summary of changes to the reopening plan for the city of Independence, which take effect July 1 or later:

— Baseball fields and the Independence Athletic Complex reopen for practices and games with a limit of 50 participants, coaches and spectators.

Games and practices will be scheduled to allow cleaning of facilities between each group. Tournaments are not allowed.

— The Independence Uptown Market Farmer’s Market will allow foot traffic beginning on July 11.

Vendors, staff and volunteers will be required to wear a mask. Visitors will be required to follow markers to move through the space and are encouraged to wear a mask. Vendor spots will be limited to ensure proper distancing for all parties. 

— The Roger T. Sermon Community Center, Truman Memorial Building and George Owens Nature Center will reopen with 50% capacity and social distancing requirements.

— The Palmer Senior Center, basketball courts, playgrounds and spray grounds will remain closed until further notice. 

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/news/independence-delays-phase-2-of-reopening-as-covid-19-cases-swell-keeping-some-amenities-closed/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2020/06/23/independence-delays-phase-2-of-reopening-as-covid-19-cases-swell-keeping-some-amenities-closed/

[fitzrove]

Elisabeth hot takes

- Young Sisi/old Sisi split casting is a bad idea, going forward they just need to cast people who have the range to play both roles like they've done before. The Schönbrunn concert split was legit just done because people/the press were sexist and ageist about Pia Douwes earlier and it sucks. (No hate to Abla Alaoui tho, she was great in the 2022 show and I hope she'll get to play the entire role someday)

- Mark Seibert's Tod isn't straight,,,,, masculine queer men exist irl, yall just need to stop basing your interpretation of him on the 2022 concert/the 2013 boot with him and Anton Z because that Schatten is giving us nothing fjkgkfödlfösö. It's fine to prefer other Tods for how they look/act but that doesn't mean the buff one is heterosexual. The directors have done him so dirty in recent years

- I've seen some people go "ooh what if they split up der Tod so that he was played by an actress for the Rudolf scenes" which,,,,,, why?? I'm all for woman tod but the idea of ONLY having her for Rudolf scenes to add more heterosexuality into the show is weird. I say have a woman Tod for literally everything else but for Schatten and Mayerling it's inexplicably Mark Seibert to make Rudolf extra gay<3 why not sinking world as well, FJ gets to be gay too

- The woobification of Elisabeth musical Rudolf is so important because a lot of Rudolf/Mayerling adaptations seem to focus on how violent and dangerous he is (because of mental illness). A musical can never capture the entire nuance of an actual person anyway, so I think it's fair that at least one of the many adaptations portrays him in a completely sympathetic light - important for mental health representation. Doesn't mean the fandom is completely unaware of his historical crimes (murder, arson and graverobbing gkfdfodlså).

- Society has progressed past the need to comment "Tod X is much better" on vids/pics/posts focused on Tod Y, or even saying "Tod Y sucks" on vids/pics/posts celebrating Tod X, it's annoying and exhausting. Plus, the euromusical world is so small that on Youtube especially the actors might actually see it (Máté Kamarás has). I'm going to go to the guilty person's house if it happens to him again

- Rudolf shouldn't take the melody in the Schatten chorus in productions, there's a reason he sings the harmony in the original (he's being manipulated/Tod is stoking his obsessions and anxieties). Ofc it's more fun for the actor to sing the melody but they can do that in concerts XD EXCEPT Lander van Nuffelen can sing whatever he wants<333

- tod x rudolf is a good ship BECAUSE it's problematic 🥰

- Just because I ship Tod and Rudolf doesn't mean I want actual productions to do that. (Shipping is different than having "seduction" as a thematic element. Not that we're in much danger of that though lmao, the onstage romanticisation literally only happens with Tod and Sisi.) Humanizing der Tod too much (unless it's in a "he was an undomesticated panther but he's turning into a real boy<33" máté kamarás type character arc way or in a "he used to be cold and detached but is learning to have friends and feelings!!!" kaplyn way) takes away from the themes of the show, which to me (in productions) is much more important than ships. It's very rare to have a show be so deeply deconstructive (of historical figures, of "love story" conventions) and that needs to be treasured!!

- For this reason it's absolutely crucial that the show ends with Tod laying Elisabeth on the floor (and that he drops Rudolf after Mayerling)

[fitzrove]

Top 5 Der Tod actors and why!

OMG 😂 I love how I tend to try to be all impartial and stuff because I do think that fandom infighting over who the best Tod is and who sucks is annoying... but at the same time I do have clear favourites. Let me see...

5. Kaplyn from the Brussels prod 🤩🤩🤩 So smooth and charismatic... when will they drop a CD 😭

4. Felix Martin 👀 He has so much Gender and charisma, it's awesome. And he was awesome again when he returned to the role a full 10 years later!!!

3. Oliver Arno even though I do think I prefer him as Rudolf. He's just a biker boyfriend akjfkskd.

2. Uwe Kröger. King. Enough said XD

1. Máté Kamarás. The man, the myth, the legend. People have totally valid criticisms of his acting and singing choices sometimes but I can't hear them over the sound of me putting piles of money in his pockets so I can have the sound of his awful original hiphop music blasting in my ears akfkslkd. He's such an icon and among the biggest reasons I became obsessed with Elisabeth.

[fitzrove]

Kaplyn as La Mort in Elisabeth (Festival Bruxellons, 2022). Photos by Gael Maleux.

“The authors who created this musical in 1992 - - decided to personify the death that surrounds Sisi - - by creating a character outright, a kind of prince of the shadows, while making as few gestures as possible to really create a kind of very calm and very slow force. Who knows that she will always win since death, unfortunately, always wins.”

- Kaplyn to La Nouvelle Scène Normande FBN (Rouen), radio interview 20.9.2022

[Original French: "Les auteurs qui ont créé cette comédie musicale en 1992, sur commande de l'Opéra de Vienne, ont décidé de personnifier la mort qui entoure Sisi et qui est très importante pour pour le personnage, de le personnifier en créant carrément un personnage, un espèce de prince de l'ombre, tout en faisant le moins de gestes possibles pour créer vraiment une espèce de force très calme et très lente. Qui sait qu'elle gagnera toujours puisque la mort, malheureusement, gagne toujours.]

[fitzrove]

Kaplyn (La Mort) and Lander van Nuffelen (Rudolf) performing 'Die Schatten werden länger' at the dernière of the Festival Bruxellons production of Elisabeth (September 7, 2022)

Photo by Maina Salmon

[fitzrove]

“Death is young, attractive and erotic. He resembles an androgynous cult figure from the pop world, reminiscent of an idealised depiction of a young Heinrich Heine.”

- The original 1992 libretto of Elisabeth das Musical, written by Michael Kunze

(Pictured: Kaplyn as La Mort/Death in Elisabeth, Brussels 2022 & a portrait of the young poet Heinrich Heine, 1831. Photo by Gael Maleux, painting by Moritz Daniel Oppenheim.)

[purecommemasolitude]

Completely obsessed with the 2022 Belgian look for der Tod

The eyeliner... the necklace.... the rings.... the nail polish..... the one earring..... the MESH SHIRT......

[laplaylistes]

Die Kaplyn

Die Kaplyn https://laplaylist.es/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/hqdefault-6674.jpg