Sharing the magic of A christmas carol - a story told with Vivis help

"A múltunkat átírni nem lehet"

Literally: It is impossible to rewrite our past
It is the first line of a song from the hungarian musical version of A Christmas Carol by Müller Péter, Tolcsvay László, Müller Péter Sziámi

Merry Christmas everybody :) This post is kind of a mix between a mini princess story and a magic of music post. First some thoughts on the musical you might find interesting. There are quite a few changes from the source material but the music helps a lot with the story and because this was the first version I got to know of this story, it is my favourite adaptation.
The quote I started this post with is  said at the point where Scrooge starts to realise that his life has gone wrong and he wants to change his past. But that's impossible. I think it is important to add that we may not be able to change the past but, as Scrooge learns as well, we can do something so our future won't turn - with time - into a past we still hate and want to change. You don't have to agree but I didn't want to convince anybody. Just share the experience. :)
If anyone is interested, you can watch an older version of the performance here (I saw that first version as well, too and loved it), although it is in hungarian so most of you wont understand but the names but maybe the music helps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4o5ebPJkLQ
It is an official recording made for television some years ago featuring one of our best actors as Ebenézer Scrooge. :) I watched a newer version now, it was different but I still loved it.

Vivienne Aurora is the newest member of the mini gang and she was interested in posting on this blog from the start, like the others. She's a bit shy so it wasn't easy for her to become part of a group of friends that have already been through so many adventures (told and untold) together and she not having anything to tell about yet.
So I took her along yesterday. Vivi, the keyboard is yours.

Vivis part:
This was a last minute idea and I was the perfect choice, besides beeing a newcomer, because my hair was tied up and braided nicely and even travelling in a  reticule wasn't able to ruin it. But it was still very nice of Meritre. She actually brought her camera with her so I can have better pictures than the ones she can make with her phone. I knew from the others that a trip like this is an amazing experience, I read their posts about them and listened to them describing some other events. I must admit I was longing to go and visit those places full of magic. To me it seemed like magic although the others assured me that everything is perfectly real even if some tricks were used to reach the effects. But they agreed that it looks and - most important - it feels like magic. It started as soon as we entered the building.

There were even chrismas decorations here and there.

For exaple snowflakes on the smaller chandeliers.

I knew already from Arabellas Marie Antoinette post that there is a bigger chandelier in there, where people sit during the performance.

Meritre let me explore a little, too.
"Todays piece will be extra magical" Meritre told me. "A Christmas Carol is a very well known story and, as you already guessed it, the story has a lot to do with Christmas."

The cast

I assumed I won't have to spend a lot if time explaining the story.

A ruthless, thrifty elderly banker is visited by the ghost of his businesspartner, Marley, who passed away exactly seven years before the story starts, on Christmas Eve. Marley shows Scrooge the past, the present and the future. (In the book these are all different ghosts but were all combined into one character on stage) But he does this in a way that makes Scrooge see the mistakes he has made and is a changed  man, kind and good-hearted. Nothing outrageous, no seven headed dragons, evil witches or anything. But I think this was one of the greatest battles Ebenezer Scrooge won: he was battling himself.

The iron curtain some minutes before the performance started

I'll just mention some of the most memorable moments.
The first one is the song the quote at the beginning comes from. It starts with the recognition that the past can't be changed. Marley assures Scrooge that he feels the same. Than Scrooge starts to ask questions, why does the past hurt, why is Marley doing this to him, it's no use the past is beyond recovery. Why is he torturing him, does it make him happy to see Scrooge in pain? Why can't he leave him alone. He gets really angry and tries to chase him away. The ghost disappears but it will come again for his second visit.
Meritre was so kind to add a link so you can watch it if you like - but I'm afraid you won't understand a word, since it is in hungarian. I wonder if the music still can pass such barriers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-wtuVyfi5A
The second song that was very touching was also sung by Scrooge, he thinks his life is worth nothing and he would give all his money to have just a moment of rapturous joy. If only he could start it all over he would do things differently and much better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioRZRZxIqFk
The third one was sung by Crachit, the employee of Scrooge and shown to be the one person who was touched by the death of his master. His song is about not knowing, what other people go through and why do they behave the way they do. He was a human just like you or me or anybody, human and unhappy, Crachit sang. I think I love this song the most. I even cried a little when I saw it on stage and heard it live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IGg_MGo1kU

It was just as musical and magical as I imagined it would be.