I just watched the Olympic Opening Ceremony live on Radio-Canada and I am speechless. It was PERFECTION (it will be rebroadcast tonight in prime time on NBC). I have never seen anything like it in my entire life, and I've admired China's long artistic tradition since I discovered it in 1967, in my third year at McGill University.
The beauty, the spirit, the gentleness and prowess, the sheer heart of the entire performance are an immense GIFT from the Chinese people to the rest of us, all over the planet. YOU MUST NOT MISS IT, for anything, no matter what.
The director of the entire show is Zhang Yi-Mou, the (formerly labeled dissident and officially suppressed) director of "Hero", which is one of the great Chinese films of recent years.
The artistic direction alone is to die for. The performers are flawless but obviously very emotionally engaged and moved by the message they are sending.
I'm sorry, words fail me. Tune in, if you want to see true genius and the highest degree of love which earthlings are capable of.
Leave aside what you have heard. Wipe the slate clean. Open your minds and your hearts just for one hour, to the Chinese, their achievement, their offering. Time enough tomorrow to criticize government. I am talking about our fellow humans, halfway across the world.
Signing off, for lack of enough superlatives. With apologies for the short diary... and new hope for our species.