Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Review

David McVicar’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo may eclectically combine Feudal-Era Japanese, Middle Eastern, European, and Greek aesthetics, but how do the singers fare in their roles in this production? At least it was nice that I have achieved my dream of seeing Olga Peretyatko and Anna Prohaska together on stage as the two rivaling princesses Elettra and Ilia respectively. Enjoy my review and let me know your opinions as well.

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Movie Rehab: Turkish Star Wars

Come celebrate 10 years of Movie Rehab with us! SaG is back and better than ever as we dive into the crazy world of ‘The Man Who Saved The World,’ better known as ‘Turkish Star Wars.’ This movie is one of the most iconic trainwrecks of movie history, and what better way to celebrate 10 years of Movie Rehab than to dive into its strange world? We’ll explore the story, the characters, and the hilariously bad visual effects in a heartfelt and eternally awesome way, all to commemorate 10 years of the series. So join us, and discover the enduring charm and strange appeal of this classic 80s cult movie. Download (.mp4) Watch the Extended Cut for $10 on Patreon: Click here!

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The Splendid Seven’s Martial Arts Mentors

Greetings, Splendid Seven devotees, martial arts aficionados, and fighting video game fans. Antoni here with another written entry focusing on Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran specializing in the martial arts they do. Now that I have discussed their grandfather and parental figures, it is time to place my focus on the martial arts mentors who I thoroughly believe are appropriate for Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran. Furthermore, they have also played integral roles in growing as martial artists and as people, thus being of great assistance to The Wolf Elder, Raditz, Olibu, Broly, Toga, InuKimi, and Izayoi in raising their seven powerful progenies. Who better to be powerful mentors to seven powerful Yokai martial artists such as Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran than specific characters in the Street Fighter and Tekken franchises, the two fighting video game franchises that I have always loved ever since I was a little child.   Out of all the video game franchises I have chosen for Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran, why have I chosen specific characters from Street Fighter and Tekken? Because I grew up with these franchises the most more than Virtua Fighter and King of Fighters combined, and I have enjoyed certain adaptations from these two video game installments. From an artistic and narrative standpoint, I have always leaned towards Street Fighter the Animated Series, Street Fighter II V, and Street Fighter the Animated Movie, although the former is enjoyable for admittedly silly and fun reasons. Where Tekken is concerned, I would rather stick with the video games. At least Tekken: Blood Vengeance, given the few clips I enjoyed from it, was fun. Thus, the specific characters I will mention to be The Splendid Seven’s mentors from Street Fighter and Tekken are going to be the ones that I believe are the best fit for each Yokai martial artist according to style and personality.   With that said, let us arm ourselves with steely determination and strong willpower to triumph over some mighty opponents and inspire others to never surrender even when chaos ensues. Osu. Hajime.   Sesshoumaru’s Mentors: Putting Martial Arts and Honor in Mixed Martial Arts Sesshoumaru’s thorough background in Shotokan Karate, Nippon Kenpo, Judo, and Jujitsu has provided him with room to compete as a Mixed Martial Arts champion coveted by UFC. He would never dream of living the frat-boy lifestyle exacerbated by UFC’s reality TV show, for he has Jinpachi Mishima, Wang Jinrei, and Gouken to emulate the old tradition of martial arts, Heihachi Mishima and Akuma to pump him up with abundant bushels of allegiance, power, and muscle, and T. Hawk and Charlie Nash to thoroughly galvanize his iron will and military precision with every attack he makes while respecting and honoring his mentors. Gouken (Street Fighter) Akuma (Street Fighter) T. Hawk (Street Fighter) Charlie Nash (Street Fighter) Jinpachi Mishima (Tekken) Wang Jinrei (Tekken) Heihachi Mishima (Tekken)   Shuran’s Mentors: Bulldozing Powerslams and Brutal Showmanship Gathering a gamut of international wrestling styles from Japanese to Mongolian to Turkish to Mexican to Indian may be part of Shuran’s challenge to create his own Professional Wrestling style to stand above the throng of pro wrestlers looking to crush each other in the ring. However, preserving the combat aspect in Pro Wrestling is another mountain for him to climb. Fortunately, he has E. Honda, Darun, and Ganryuu to inspire him to use his strength to uplift aspiring wrestlers, Zangief and Hugo to consistently strengthen him physically and mentally, and both King and Armor King to preserve his penchant for good showmanship. E. Honda (Street Fighter) Zangief (Street Fighter) Darun (Street Fighter) Hugo (Street Sighter) Ganryuu (Tekken) King (Tekken) Armor King (Tekken)   Inuyasha’s Mentors: Letting the Bones Break and the Muscles Crush in the Arena Inuyasha’s phenomenal background in Kyokushin Karate, Judo, Kickboxing, and Combat Sambo has opened the Olympian gates for him to formulate his own Pankration style. In fact, Inuyasha has earned the admiration of Pankration competitors, thanks to his magnificent muscles and super strength. He attributes his muscles, strength, and great combat prowess to Dudley’s manly code of honor, Guile’s military toughness, Alex’s super strength, Ryu’s venerable valor, Ken’s bodacious brawniness, Kazuya’s undeterred want for power, and Paul’s rugged charisma, who have all enriched Inuyasha’s indubitably unparalleled formidability. Dudley (Street Fighter) Guile (Street Fighter) Ryu Hoshi (Street Fighter) Ken Masters (Street Fighter) Alex (Street Fighter) Kazuya Mishima (Tekken) Paul Phoenix (Tekken)   Hakkaku’s Mentors: Relentless Body Shots and Rampaging Clinches Landing any and every attack on all body parts from the head to the shins to the insteps for maximum damage might seem like sadomasochistic fun if done incorrectly and in a disorderly fashion. Thankfully, that is not the case with Hakkaku’s Muay Boran odyssey, for he injects his combat spirit with respect, cooperation, dedication, and character. Furthermore, Sagat’s and Bruce’s steeliness, Balrog’s unparalleled ruthlessness, Blanka’s lethal ferociousness, Dan’s charisma, Baek’s disciplined agility, and Dhalsim’s heightened sense of spirituality all compel Hakkaku to remain consistent with his combat prowess. Sagat (Street Fighter) Blanka (Street Fighter) Dhalsim (Street Fighter) Balrog (Street Fighter) Dan Hibiki (Street Fighter) Bruce Irvin (Tekken) Baek Doo San (Tekken)   Ginta’s Mentors: Vociferous Headbutts and Victorious Dedication Planting all sorts of strikes and clinches to every opponent’s body from top to bottom may seem like no monumental task for anybody who is not an experienced fighter. Nevertheless, Ginta’s constant willpower to fortify his skills in Lethwei cannot and should not be questioned, especially paired with his charisma in the ring. He is immensely grateful to have Adon’s fiery fierceness, Dee Jay’s rugged rowdiness, Vega’s deadliness, Fei Long’s brilliance, Remy’s focus, Lei’s flexibility, and Marshall’s clarity because they have helped him balance power, speed, stealth, and accuracy to make every strike as lethally painful as possible. Adon (Street Fighter) Vega (Street Fighter) Dee Jay (Street Fighter) Fei Long (Street Fighter) Remy (Street Fighter) Lei Wulong (Tekken) Marshall Law (Tekken)   Ayame’s Mentors:…

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The Splendid Seven’s Grandfather and Parents

Greetings, Splendid Seven devotees, martial arts aficionados, and fighting video game fans. Antoni here with another written entry focusing on Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran specializing in the martial arts they do. This time I will be focusing on the very people who have shaped them to be the strong martial artists that they are. Those are Ayame’s and Shunran’s grandfather The Wolf Elder, Sesshoumaru’s and Inuyasha’s father and mother Toga and InuKimi, and Shuran’s, Hakkaku’s, and Ginta’s mother Izayoi. While four parental figures may appear to be a good picture to shape and mold The Splendid Seven to be the powerful Yokai fighters that they are, there are three more parental figures that I would gladly add to this roster of older veteran martial artists. Those are Raditz, Olibu, and Broly from Dragonball Z who will also serve as additional father figures to these seven mighty Yokai martial artists.   I know what some of you are thinking right now. Raditz and Broly? Those two overpowering and brutish Saiyan warriors? Olibu? That otherworldly warrior reminiscent of a Greek god? Please calm down because I always have a method to the madness. I figure that Raditz’s overpowering might, Olibu’s godly muscle power, and Broly’s brute fortitude are great outlets for Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran to not only emulate but also serve as well-deserved father figures, with Raditz and Inuyasha having a close uncle-nephew bond that also passes as Raditz being a second father to Inuyasha while Sesshoumaru honors Raditz, Olibu can be the strong father figure Shuran, Hakkaku, and Ginta need, and Broly can use his brute muscularity and otherworldly strength to protect and provide unconditional love to his surrogate daughters Ayame and Shunran. Therefore, Raditz, Olibu, and Broly are superb additions to my Splendid Seven AU headcanon as super strong and powerfully potent father figures to seven mighty Yokai martial artists and also complete the overall number of seven veteran martial artists.   Since this is my Splendid Seven AU headcanon, I thought the Wolf Elder shall have a humanoid design based on his appearance in the anime. I do have an idea of what he shall look like in humanoid form, but I have to fully achieve that vision by drawing him. Moreover, I will assign the four main martial arts that I believe fit The Wolf Elder, Raditz, Olibu, Broly, Toga, InuKimi, and Izayoi exceedingly well. Spoilers, all seven veteran martial artists have a background in Karate, with The Wolf Elder, Toga, InuKimi, and Izayoi also having a Kickboxing background and Raditz, Olibu, and Broly having a Shootfighting background. They would even mix Karate with the other styles they specialize in to form their signature martial arts. With that said, strap yourselves in for these parental figures to kick loads of butt while demonstrating abundant honor. Osu! Hajime!   The Wolf Elder: Ancient Roman Boxing, Catch Wrestling, Muay Thai, and Shorin-Ryu Karate With the Wolf Elder’s furious fists, everlasting endurance, and sterling strength, he is a well-rounded warrior worthy of emulation and respect. Ayame and Shunran have always looked up to their grandfather, for they have also acquired his exceptional striking power, because of how exceptionally well he has trained them since they were little girls and have kept true to his teachings as adult women respectively married to Inuyasha, Hakkaku, and Ginta. The Wolf Elder’s uppercuts, overhand punches, cross punches, knee strikes, foot-thrusts, triangle chokes, and clinches can overpower his enemies to a high degree of pain even in his old age.   Raditz: Combat Sambo, Brazilian Jujitsu, Shoot Boxing, and Shorin-Ryu Karate Radical ruthlessness, superbly super strength, and bionic barbarism are the hallmarks that define Raditz as a powerful prizefighter. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are consistently inspired to be as strong and fierce as their uncle/second father is, thanks to how the latter always committed himself to intense sparring matches from boyhood to adulthood, thus making Raditz proud to see Inuyasha grow up to be the powerfully mighty husband he is for Ayame. Raditz’s gogoplatas, Guillotine chokes, knee mounts, Superman punches, hammer fists, double axe handles, sleeper holds, and liver punches can easily leave his foes tossed and torn.   Olibu: Ancient Greek Boxing, Ancient Greek Wrestling, Shooto, and Shito-Ryu Karate Magnificent muscle power, incredible imposingness, and bodacious brawn are the most valuable traits that make Olibu the mighty hero that he is. Shuran, Hakkaku, and Ginta are truly blessed that Olibu is in their lives as their father figure because he has always been the man to inspire them to live courageously, thus motivating them to grow well as martial artists and as men, especially since Hakkaku and Ginta are Shunran’s loyal husbands. Olibu’s camel clutches, drop kicks, headlocks, double uppercuts, leglocks, elbow strikes, and elbow drops can cause absolute and brutal destruction to his fiends’ skeletons, muscles, and organs.   Broly: Vale Tudo, Luta Livre Esportiva, Shoot Wrestling, and Shindo-Jinen-Ryu Karate Punishing potency, vociferous viciousness, and brutal bloodiness are the true signifiers that elucidate Broly and his magnificent might as a champion who holds nothing back when it comes to executing many a challenger. Ayame and Shunran may feel safe under Broly’s muscular might and fierce ferocity, but he uses his traits to show unconditional love and protection to his surrogate daughters as well as motivate them to never surrender to their foes. Broly’s armbars, headbutts, anaconda chokes, piledrivers, torture racks, elbow slashes, and flying knees can destroy his challengers’ nerves and spirits until their dying days.   Toga: Japanese Jujitsu, Judo, Dutch Kickboxing, and Shotokan Karate With Toga’s limbering limbs, dedicated determination, and sterling steeliness, he is a courageous combatant who is the apple of every martial artist’s eye as well as a paradigm of honor and truth as a warrior and as a person. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha have always emulated Toga’s code of honor as martial artists, thanks to how he always instills perseverance and discipline in his sons, thus seeing their remarkable growth as…

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Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte Starring Rainelle Krause Review

Rainelle Krause, a lyric coloratura soprano renowned for her fearlessness as an aerial acrobat, heralds the stage as one of her calling-card roles, The Queen of the Night, alongside the astounding light lyric soprano Victoria Randem as Pamina and the sweet soprano light lyric coloratura Regina Koncz as Papagena. Enjoy my review and let me know your opinions as well.

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The Wernerstein Mansion Combat Arena Smackdown

December 12, 2004. 12:25 PM. Grandiosity and an air of pomp were entwined in a frenzied waltz with brutality and bloodiness when spectators took their seats in the Wernerstein Mansion Combat Arena, which was owned by 45-year-old former bodybuilder Ulrich Wernerstein, and was situated high above the snowy Austrian Alps, to witness the carnage-filled blood sport about to unfold, especially since his guards and watchdogs were checking the guests’ tickets for today’s event. With a floor fashioned from the finest concrete, walls intricately designed with marble to look like a hybrid between a castle and a factory, various pictures from Ulrich’s years as a bodybuilder before disappearing from competitions, machines producing his Bulky Bars by the tons, and a golden statue of Ulrich, the Wernerstein Mansion Combat Arena had a long and storied history of hosting one of the most prestigious martial arts tournaments in all of Austria as well as the world. Martial artists from all different fighting styles, all nations, and all weight categories came to the Wernerstein Mansion Combat Arena to compete against Ulrich and his four hulking bodybuilder goons with the hopes of emerging triumphantly as victors. Spectators had the pleasure of seeing blood spew from the fighters’ bodies, hearing joints and body parts crack from every blow and lock delivered, and witnessing announcers commenting on the fight, referees trying to keep control of the ensuing battle, and martial artists fighting as vociferously and powerfully as possible to win against Ulrich and his goons. From Karate to Kung Fu to Capoeira to Vale Tudo, any martial art was permitted if the fighter was well-prepared to face Ulrich and his four bodybuilder goons’ sheer muscle power. 17-year-olds Samantha “Sam” Simpson, Clover Ewing, and Alexandra “Alex” Casoy, who were spies working for WOOHP, did attempt overcome Ulrich’s bodybuilder goons with their freestyle martial arts that combined Kung Fu and Karate. Even 17-year-old Britney Akiwara, who also worked for WOOHP, tried to help her friends, but it was all for naught. Just when all hope was lost for Sam, Clover, Alex, and Britney, the spotlight shone on the new challengers who entered the arena. The crowd cheered loudly as seven powerful Yokai martial artists called The Splendid Seven consisting of two white-haired dog Yokai brothers, 23-year-old Sesshoumaru and 22-year-old Inuyasha, three brothers, with the eldest being the 22-year-old male panther Yokai with black spiky hair Shuran and his two younger brothers being 21-year-olds Hakkaku with the white mohawk and Ginta with gray hair and a tuft of black hair in the middle, and two auburn-haired sisters, the 19-year-old female wolf Yokai Ayame and the 18-year-old female panther Yokai Shunran, rose to the challenge to combat Ulrich and his bodybuilder goons. While Ulrich and his four bodybuilder goons were all muscle upon muscle and were sufficiently adequate grapplers, each member of The Splendid Seven had their own martial art that they specialized in. Sesshoumaru, who specialized in Mixed Martial Arts, was famed for his fatal ground and pounds and sprawls and brawls. Inuyasha was a muscular Pankratiast who reveled in his lethal tracheal grip chokes and rear naked chokeholds. Shuran towered over his fellow combatants as a pro wrestler who could deliver obliterating piledrivers and torture racks. Hakkaku practiced Muay Boran and was renowned for his shattering elbow strikes and headbutts. Ginta did Lethwei and bore devastating shin kicks and knee strikes. Ayame reigned in Kyuk Too Ki, thanks to her destructive uppercuts and roundhouse kicks. Shunran excelled as a Shaolin Kung Fu fighter, thanks to her explosive finger strikes and flying double kicks. This was an epic battle that the spectators paid good money for and one that was guaranteed to be the most exciting battle ever. Guest spectators even came to watch the blood sport spectacle for free, specifically The Splendid Seven’s martial arts mentors, parents and grandparents, best friends who were also their sparring partners, and all of their children who were very excited to see their parents win against Ulrich and his goons because they wanted to emulate their strength and fierceness as martial artists. Sam, Clover, Alex, and Britney even found themselves sitting in the very front seats to witness the carnage. Alex’s 22-year-old bodybuilder/gym instructor boyfriend Raymond and 35-year-old Cabo bodybuilder Robert Beefcake, who were mercifully cured from the Bulky Bars’ insidious effects on their muscles and minds, as well as the spies’ 18-year-old best guy friend, David, took their seats to witness The Splendid Seven beat Ulrich and his four bodybuilder goons to a bloody, messy, and vicious pulp. Even with all the spectators cheering for the fight to be an exciting one, The Splendid Seven’s parents, grandparents, martial arts mentors, best friends, and children showing outstanding support to Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran; and Robert, Raymond, David, Sam, Clover, Alex, and Britney joining in the maenadic revelry of seeing blood about to be spewed from Ulrich’s and his bodybuilder goons’ bodies due to The Splendid Seven inflicting massive amounts of physical and psychological damage on them, the question remained. How far would Ulrich and his goons last against seven mighty Yokai martial artists? The seven Yokai martial artists would indubitably overpower Ulrich and his four goons with their strength, speed, and stamina. As for the spectators and honored guests, their thunderous cheers reverberated through the hall in sheer excitement, as the combatants charged headfirst into battle after the bell rang.

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We continue #marchio with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island for the Super NES, once again with Shadowflare . Does it still hold up today? Make sure you watch the video and find out. Also, be sure to like, comment, and subscribe. Special thanks to Alan Peterson for designing the title card, Landy for voicing Sonic for the review as well as Patreon, Cielito Mascots for the Sonic costume, and finally Sergeant16Bit and PaulyBFromDa303 for helping out with the March-io intro.

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