RPO/Petrenko review — a five-star, piercingly good performance
★★★★★The idea of illustrating Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, the Leningrad, conjures distasteful images: Panzer divisions confronting the Red Army while the composer's wartime symphony gradually detonates around you. But the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's contribution to the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival — a Royal Festival Hall event called Symphony of Shadows — defied expectations. I found it both disturbing and engrossing.
That the event's architects — conductor Vasily Petrenko and art director Kirill Serebrennikov — are both estranged from their native Russia is surely not a coincidence. (Next month the two tackle another Russian icon, the opera Boris Godunov, in Amsterdam.) Introducing the event, Petrenko reminded the audience of Shostakovich's complicated relationship to his homeland; the Leningrad Symphony, premiered as propaganda for Stalin and
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Vogue Arabia
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- Vogue Arabia
A Century of Glamour, Restored: Inside the Rebirth of Madrid's Iconic Palace Hotel
It's called The Palace, and it could not be any other way. At the beginning of the last century, Madrid was a booming city, but there wasn't a single luxury hotel to host the well-heeled visitors who came to town. This was noticed by King Alfonso XIII – great-grandfather of the current king of Spain, Felipe VI – who, during the horse races in Deauville, challenged Belgian entrepreneur Georges Marquet to do something about it. Marquet's team moved to Madrid, acquired the plot previously occupied by the Palace of the Dukes of Medinaceli and began the construction of The Palace. The first stone of the hotel was laid in March 1911, and in only 18 months, the building was completed, opening its doors on 12 October 1912 and becoming the most modern hotel in Europe. Over the decades, an array of star guests stayed at the legendary venue, adding a layer of glamour to its reputation. World-famous American author Ernest Hemingway always booked the closest room by the bar, even mentioning its famous dry martini in the novel Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises . Picasso stayed several times in 1917 while designing sets for the Russian Ballet in Madrid. The mysterious spy Mata Hari enjoyed her last days of freedom at The Palace, before being arrested while trying to cross the border into France. The list goes on and on, including the double Nobel Prize winner in physics and chemistry Marie Curie, as well as Einstein, Salvador Dalí, Stravinsky, Strauss and so many more. The hotel has undergone several renovations over the years, with the most significant being finalised in 2024. The Palace has completed its restoration after nearly two years of work, and its rebirth is felt as soon as you approach its surroundings, right by the Plaza Mayor. After being repainted so many times, the facade lost its original colours and design, erasing some of its most important characteristics. And when it was built, only black-and-white photography existed. To rediscover the building's original colours – a warm beige tone with terracotta detailing – the Ruiz Larrea Arquitectura studio invested in a complex scientific analysis that penetrated 10 layers of old paint, also restoring floral ornaments and garlands. When The Palace first opened its doors, it had 800 rooms. Today, it offers 470 rooms and suites. The hotel was the largest and most advanced hotel in Europe, and the first in Spain to offer a bathroom and telephone in every room. Naturally, when it was time to refresh its interiors, star architect Lázaro Rosa Violán sought to preserve this important historical essence. Violán is one of Spain's most reputed names in design, having created El Nacional, Cotton House Hotel and Amazónico. His influence also extends to the Middle East, where he worked on Dubai's Gattopardo, Bar des Prés and Bâoli Beach Club. 'We wanted to create something modern, but not trendy,' Violán explains,noting that the inspiration for the rooms came from the hotel surroundings. 'Blue is the dominant colour, referencing the skies of Madrid,' he says. 'There are also botanical elements inspired by the surrounding gardens, and even mythological creatures referencing the Neptuno Fountain next door. We also added fireplaces to all units, to make guests feel really at home.' If you visit The Palace, you will quickly discover that its ex libris is the glamorous La Cúpula, the restaurant under a dramatic glass dome designed in 1912 by Eduardo Ferrés I Puig and executed by the master glass-makers Mauméjean – also involved in the glasswork of Barcelona's monumental Sagrada Familia. With a cascade of bright and romantic floral motifs, the structure is made up of 1,875 panes of glass, which were completely dismantled, catalogued and restored to their original colours. Moving from the lobby, the iconic palm chandelier was reinstalled in its original position beneath the dome, crowning the space with its original grandeur. 'When you have a project of this calibre, you need to respect history and let it always lead the process,' concludes Violán. 'The Palace is an icon, not just a hotel.' Rooms start at 550 Euros per night.
Times
28-04-2025
- Times
RPO/Petrenko review — a five-star, piercingly good performance
★★★★★The idea of illustrating Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, the Leningrad, conjures distasteful images: Panzer divisions confronting the Red Army while the composer's wartime symphony gradually detonates around you. But the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's contribution to the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival — a Royal Festival Hall event called Symphony of Shadows — defied expectations. I found it both disturbing and engrossing. That the event's architects — conductor Vasily Petrenko and art director Kirill Serebrennikov — are both estranged from their native Russia is surely not a coincidence. (Next month the two tackle another Russian icon, the opera Boris Godunov, in Amsterdam.) Introducing the event, Petrenko reminded the audience of Shostakovich's complicated relationship to his homeland; the Leningrad Symphony, premiered as propaganda for Stalin and
Irish Daily Star
26-04-2025
- Irish Daily Star
Jack Bech makes promise to brother who died in New Orleans terror attack at NFL Draft
Following the tragic loss of his brother in the New Orleans terrorist attack earlier this year, TCU wide receiver Jack Bech vowed to honor his brother's legacy. The Las Vegas Raiders selected Bech with the No. 58 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday, recognizing him as one of the top players available in the second round. Tragedy struck Bech's family nearly four months ago when his brother, Martin "Tiger" Bech, l ost his life in a horrific incident on New Year's Day , along with 13 others when a driver plowed through Bourbon Street . Bech shared his emotions with ESPN immediately after being drafted, describing the moment as a highlight of his life. "One of the best moments ever. Like I've been saying, it's a two-for-one deal. Not only do they get me, they get Tiger too," he said. Read More Related Articles Joy Taylor steals nephew's draft thunder with sex confession Read More Related Articles Jason Kelce makes major announcement but insists it's nothing to do with Donald Trump "It's a dream come true. Everybody in this room, the people I love most, people who got me here. I look forward to going out there and performing for Raider Nation." In the aftermath of his brother's passing, Bech has openly spoken about the tragedy to keep his brother's memory alive. "We want to keep living his legacy. We want everybody and more to know about him," he said. "One thing that I promise is I'm never gonna let his name die. I'm gonna keep living it every day, every year, every month. I'm gonna make sure that everybody in this world knows Tiger's name." In a heartfelt homage to his late brother Tiger, Bech wore the same Rolex watch that Tiger had on when he passed away. The 22-year-old vowed, "I'm never going to wash it, I'm never going to fix it, I'm going to keep it just the way it is," emphasizing the importance of perseverance. Bech feels Tiger's presence continues to guide him, crediting his brother for his journey to the NFL and dedicating his career to his memory. "I knew one thing. Whenever he passed away, he'd tell me one thing - for me to get ready to keep on going and keep pushing," Bech recounted. Read More Related Articles NHL legend claims he's got death threats from ex-Russian president over Putin criticism Read More Related Articles Caitlin Clark makes heartfelt declaration about boyfriend after relationship milestone "He's brought me to new heights, he's taking me places I didn't know I could go just with dedication and willingness to go out and work whenever. Late night, early mornings. He's gonna keep bringing me further and further and further and I dedicate my whole career to him." Regarding what the Raiders can expect from their No. 58 pick, Bech confidently stated: "They're about to get a dog. I'm about to come in there, I'm about to help lead. We're gonna go win a bunch of games, I just can't wait. "They're gonna get somebody who's accountable, somebody who's gonna come in there, who's gonna work hard each and every day to perfect his craft, who's gonna put the team first and, like I said, for the greater goal of the team to go help win games and win Super Bowls."
