Goodbye, Dolores

Dolores Nedbalek 
(Krakow 2010)

April 28, 2012

From the leonardcohen forum

Henning Franz posted this news today on the Leonard Cohen Forum

We received the sad news that our friend Dolores has passed away two days ago.

Dolores did not fully recover from a brain surgery last July and had to stay in hospital ever since and finally lost the battle against the many infections.

Dolores has been an icon among us LC fans.

From the early gatherings in Holland in the Nineties to last years Hydra meet-up, she would never miss any event despite that she hardly could speak any English.

We will miss her thoroughly and those who met her will remember her as the lovely person with the red hat and the big heart welcome hugs !

Her kids and husband will miss her, too.

Goodbye, Dolores.

I also am saddened to hear this news. I met Dolores at the Leonard Cohen 2010 Krakow Event and I remember her well as one-of-a-kind who brightened up any grouping. Whenever we were seated near each other, it did not matter that we were unable to have a direct conversation, Dolores communicated superbly in her own personal language of enthusiasm and with her spirit of joie de vivre. Meeting Dolores is a big part of my very fond memories of the Krakow Event.

May I also offer my heartfelt condolences to her family.

---Arlene

Leonard Cohen "Bird On A Wire" Screenings in Cape Town, South Africa with Tony Palmer - March 25, 26, 2012

LEONARD COHEN in "BIRD ON A WIRE" * Produced by MARTIN MACHAT * Directed by TONY PALMER

.

March 24, 2012

It always delights me to read about Leonard Cohen being admired and appreciated around the world.

Yesterday, I read about two screenings of Director Tony Palmer's Leonard Cohen "Bird On A Wire" that will take place in Cape Town, South Africa at the The Labia Cinema on March 25 and 26.

The Labia, originally an Italian Embassy ballroom, was opened by Princess Labia in May 1949 as a theatre where plays could be performed.

Today it‘s known as the oldest independant cinema in South Africa and caters to an alternative crowd of more discerning viewers who enjoy its quality product and admire the charm of its old-world ambience.

It sounds to me like the perfect place and crowd to appreciate "Bird On A Wire"

And to add to the specialness of this event, Director Tony Palmer will be in attendance for both screenings.

Tony Palmer attended the Leonard Cohen Event in Krakow, August 2010, where he premiered this film with a very moving introduction.

I was privileged to meet Tony Palmer in Krakow and he was very kind to have a picture with me and autograph my copy of the Bird On A Wire DVD package.

Tony Palmer & Arlene, Krakow 2010

.

-------------------------------  
For more background about the film, see also:  I am an Intergalactic Leonard Cohen Fanatic, The Real Thing - Tony Palmer Podcast, Bird On A Wire Film

Krakow Open Mic - Henning Franz Composition

From Aug 31, 2010   leonardohenforum

Henning melds his music with Leonard Cohen's words to stunning effect

While the Krakow Event brimmed with excellent, interesting presentations, none was more captivating, genuinely moving, and – at least to me – delightfully surprising than our very own forum Mod, Henning’s performance at the Open Mic session.

To those of us who know Henning only from his forum posts, he comes across as – well, let’s call it feisty and edgy. In person, however, he is – and those of you who haven’t met him will have to trust me on this - charming, soft spoken, and elegant.

At Open Mic, Henning sang lyrics written by Leonard Cohen set to music Henning himself composed. The effect was, without exaggeration, enthralling.

In an email correspondence, Henning elaborated on his approach:

The song [played at Open Mic] is called Priests. It appeared on the first LC songbook that I bought, called Songs from Leonard Cohen.

Way back then I tried to play it according to the tablature in the songbook, but never really got it. So after I started to create my own melodies to Leonard's poems in 2000, early this year I created my own take on Priests and this is the result.

Happily, I captured Henning's turn at the Krakow Open Mic on video. The lighting on the theatre stage distorts the view somewhat, but the sound is pretty good.

As can be seen on this video, the words of Leonard Cohen meld with Henning's exquisite music giving the audience a gift which shines with his unabashed love of Leonard Cohen’s work.

I came so far for beauty, indeed!


*Priests*
Music by: Henning Franz
Words by: Leonard Cohen

Leonard's lyrics are:

And who will write love songs for you
when I am lord at last
and your body is some little highway shrine
that all my priests have passed

My priests they will put flowers there
they will stand before the glass
and they wear away your little window love
they will trample on the grass

And who will aim the arrow
that men will follow thru your grace
when I am lord of memory
and all your armour has turned to lace

And all of you have seen the dance
that God has kept from me
but he has seen me watching you
when all your minds where free

There are 4 songs from my 2003 album "Songs from Energy of slaves" at
 http://www.myspace.com/golittlesong

Krakow Event FAN Slideshow

From Sept 2, 2010  leonardcohenforum

Over 200 Leonard Cohen FANS gathered in the historic city of Krakow, Poland on the weekend of Aug 6-8, 2010 to celebrate the genius of this poet, writer, composer and performer. This is a video slideshow of some of the Leonard Cohen FANs with their names, countries and for some, their forum name on the http://www.leonardcohenforum.

In honour of Poland's 2010 celebration of composer Frederick Chopin's 200th birthday, the background music is: Chopin's Polonaise, in C Minor, Op 40, no 2

I ended up snapping over 80 FANS in my wanderings that awesome weekend. But, there were some names missing in my little "administration book" (as Wijbe called it). So a big thank you goes to IrishMar, Lizzytysh and Jarkko for helping me match some of the photos with names and correcting my typos.

Tempel Synagogue, Krakow Poland

From July 24, 2010  leonardcohenforum

There is a a wonderful Tempel Synagogue architectural detail that may not be clearly visible in person.
During the Jewish Culture Festival, while watching the webcam streaming, this artifact never appeared in the frame. Then in one concert, an enterprising roaming videographer, Bless him/her, shot a closeup of this. And I gasped at its beauty. I watched the repeat as soon as it was available and took a screen cap.

This was the tradition in Eastern European Synagogues that has been copied in many North American Synagogues: two confronting lions surrounding The Tablets of the Ten Commandments. Lions recall the ornaments that adorned Soloman's Palace. Often this ornament is affixed to the top of the Ark where the Torah Scrolls are kept. In the Tempel Synagogue, it is high above the Ark near the vaulted ceiling. It was thrilling to see it close up in such detail.

Getting Ready For The Future ... Preparing To Depart (4)

I am starting to put aside what I will pack for my next LC adventure.  I suppose there will be a new 2010 tour pin and new 2010 tour shirts available.

And I recenly found a nice dark grey summer straw fedora that goes with everything.

Getting Ready For The Future ... Preparing To Depart (3)

Well, back to Radio Shack for an exchange of the 2 prong adapter plug..  My laptop cord is a grounded 3 prong plug.

Next stop to the bank to pick up my Euros that I ordered for pocket money to start me off.  My plane lands late at night in Krakow.  I thought I was being well organized,  Yeh, right. Learned on  the Forum that Poland doesn't operate on Euros and neither does Sweden (Gothenburg).  So, the Euros will be available for Berlin.

I will also bring a flashdrive to transfer the files off my camera memory cards.  Now that I think about it, there may not be much room in the top spinner suitcase for many clothes.

Getting Ready For The Future ... Preparing To Depart (2)

Now, I am really, really excited.  I decided to take with my laptop. So I popped into the closest Radio Shack and bought an adapter plug for Europe.  Taking the laptop will require growing a third hand, seeing as the two I currently have are usually occupied with two walking canes.  However,  if there is a will, there is a way.

I just have to keep in touch with what's being reported on the leonardcohenforum ... and ... um... of course keep in touch with son Leonard (who is totally skeptical about my planned adventure).  And I will have some down time in Berlin where I can work on my Krakow and Gothenburg photos and videos.

Getting Ready For The Future ... Preparing To Depart

***

***

ll

***