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San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bayreuth's 2025 production of Wagner's 'Meistersinger' features a Technicolor look — and a twist
BAYREUTH, Germany (AP) — In Wagner's home theater, a twist has been added to the classic opera 'Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.' Instead of Walther joining the guild of master singers and preparing to marry Eva after he wins the song contest, in Bayeuth's new version she grabs the medal out of the young knight's hands, returns it to her father, then leads her future husband offstage for a future forsaking the traditions of their family and city. 'No thank you. Let's go!' explained soprano Christian Nilsson, who is singing Eva in her role debut. 'She is a strong girl.' Matthias Davids' production runs through Aug. 22, emphasizing entertainment with a Hollywood Technicolor look highlighted by an upside-down inflatable cow and a tiny St. Catherine's Church atop 34 steep steps. Cow image dominates set Nilsson's Eva arrives for the Feast of St. John. encased in flowers with additional blossoms in her headdress, carried atop horizontal poles by four men. 'We were always referring to Eva as the prize cow. We said she is sold like a prize cow,' said Davids, a 63-year-old German director known for his work in theater musicals. That idea led to the huge heifer, manufactured by a company that makes inflatables and covered with flame retardant coating, according to set designer Andrew Edwards. Sixtus Beckmesser, the petulant town clerk who loses the song contest to Walther, pulls the plug on the cow, which darkens and sags, during the final oration defending the imperative of German art by the cobbler Hans Sachs. While Sachs runs to restore the connection — reinflating the bovine balloon and restoring light — the young lovers reject him and what he stands for. Townspeople, many wearing conical red caps that give them elf-like looks, shrug their shoulders at the final notes as Sachs and Beckmesser argue upstage. Wagner's happy ending not always kept When 'Meistersinger' premiered in 1868, Wagner presented a happy ending in which Walther and Eva joined together and he is admitted to guild. Davids' ending is less jarring than Kasper Holten's 2017 Covent Garden staging, set in a men's club where Eva is horrified Walther would want to join the misogynistic Meistersingers and runs away in tears. 'I saw some productions and I always found them kind of heavy and meaningful,' Davids said. He read Wagner's letters about his desire to produce a comedy to earn money and decided to search for lightness and humor while realizing comedy can't constantly sustain over four hours. Details were worked out during rehearsals, with Davids inspired by the chemistry of Nilsson and tenor Michael Spyres, who also was making his debut as Walther. Nilsson maintains a beatific beam during Walther's prize song. 'I really felt like in this production Eva and Walther truly had a fun connection — fun, young, loving connection — and I just leaned into that and listened to Spyres' beautiful tenor,' Nilsson said. Bringing levity, and an Angela Merkel look-alike, to the stage Davids' contrast was sharp from Barrie Kosky's 2017 production, set partly in Wagner's home of Wahnfried and the Nuremberg trials courtroom, with Walther and Sachs portrayed as Wagner of various ages. This time Georg Zeppenfeld was a grandfatherly Sachs in an argyle button through sweater vest. Beckmesser, played fussily but without histrionics by Michael Nagy, had a shimmering silver sweater below a cream Trachten jacket, mirror sunglasses and lute transformed to resemble a heart-shaped electric guitar outlined by pink light that gave him an Elvis Presley look. Jongmin Park, an imposing Pogner as Eva's father, was attired in a more flowing robe. Eva wore a traditional dirndl and Walther, an upstart, a punkish T-shirt. Susanne Hubrich costumed various townspeople to resemble German entertainer Thomas Gottschalk, comedian Loriot, fans of the soccer club Kickers Offenbach and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 'Ms. Merkel is a Wagner fan and attends the Bayreuth Festival almost every year,' Hubrich said. 'I spoke with her after opening night. She was amused.' Edwards, the set designer, had orange and yellow spears of light that resemble fairgrounds and included architectural details from the Bayreuth auditorium such as circular lamps in sets of three in the church and seats like the ones the audience was viewing from. Conductor Daniele Gatti, returning to Bayreuth for the first time since 2011, and the cast were rewarded with a positive reception from a spectators known to make displeasure known after more provocative performances. 'Just looking around the audience, there was a lot more smiles on people's faces at the end than normally you see at the end of Wagner productions,' Nilsson said.
Time Magazine
2 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Meet the Breakout Singer Who Steals the Show in 'Highest 2 Lowest'
A new Spike Lee joint is always a reason to celebrate, and Highest 2 Lowest certainly meets the lofty expectations that accompany it. Marking Lee's fifth collaboration with Denzel Washington, the film is a reinterpretation of the Akira Kurosawa masterpiece High and Low, itself adapted loosely from Evan Hunter's 1959 novel King's Ransom. The movie follows Washington's music executive, David King, whose son gets kidnapped alongside his best friend, sending David on a mission to fight for his family's survival. It's a thrilling ride with an eclectic cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, former NBA player Rick Fox, and rapper A$AP Rocky. Highest 2 Lowest also continues Lee's knack for nurturing new, emerging talent (both in film, like casting Teyonah Parris in 2015's Chi-Raq, and in the classroom, like teaching the next generation of filmmakers at NYU). Here, he casts up-and-coming British singer Aiyana-Lee for a role in the film's unforgettable final scene. In Highest 2 Lowest, Aiyana-Lee, 24, plays Sula, a musician longing for her big break. She shows up at King's apartment for a big audition that could change her life forever. With one shot to show what she's got, she delivers, singing a stunning rendition of the film's title track, 'Highest 2 Lowest,' which Aiyana-Lee wrote for the film. In this pivotal moment, the singer serves up show-stopping vocals and an undeniable charisma. It's so arresting she manages to steal the show, a tall order given that she's sharing the scene with one of the greatest actors of all time. We spoke to Aiyana-Lee about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make her acting debut in a Spike Lee film. She shared her journey with music and the surprising way Lee reached out to her, allowing her to showcase her musical talents and acting chops in Highest 2 Lowest. Aiyana-Lee: There's not a time I can remember when I didn't want to be a singer. I was surrounded by it my whole life. My mom [Daciana-Nicole Anderson] is a 17-time platinum singer-songwriter. She always had music playing in the house. She always had sessions. I'd kind of butt in and try to be the star of the show. When I was 4 or 5, I was hopping on stage trying to be an opening act in her European tours. I did my own shows at 5 and 6 years old, and entered singing and songwriting competitions at 7 and 8. So it's always been part of my life. Michael Jackson. I was obsessed with him. He married what it is to be a performer, an artist, a songwriter, a producer. He had every aspect of it covered. I was so inspired by that and his work ethic, how he created a world with his music. He's so timeless. You could place Michael at any time, and he'd still be relevant. Yo, so he gave me a very long message on Instagram. He was like, 'Hey, this is the real Spike Lee.' I was like, 'Oh my gosh. What is happening?' I saw the verified signs and thought it could be him. He said, 'Are we cousins? You got Lee in your name, too.' He said he'd been listening to my music all night. I believe he stumbled upon 'My idols lied to me,' which is a song I wrote and produced that went viral on Instagram and TikTok. From there, he discovered my entire discography and loved it. It was probably 6 a.m., and I woke my mom. I was like, 'I think Spike Lee DMed me.' She was like, 'What are you talking about? Go back to bed.' I met him that very same day. No, he's very mysterious. So he won't tell you what he has in mind until you're already in the thick of it, which allows you to be in the moment and not overthink anything. He told me he was working on a movie. He sent me the script, just to get my thoughts on it. A few months later, he started asking for details about me, and then he'd send me some sides, and they included all the details I'd shared with him. I memorized them, and I auditioned for him and his casting team. He didn't tell me anything after that. He was just like, 'OK, let's get some Jordans.' I figured my audition wasn't trash, because if it was, I wouldn't be getting these shoes! Months later, he told me I got the part, that I'm flying to New York in a few weeks, and you're gonna be on set with Denzel. I couldn't believe it. I still don't. I'm always the person who's like, 'It's not happening, actually, everyone's gonna change their mind at some point.' I think there's a part of you that just can't comprehend it until later on, when you're looking back. I was super excited and honored, and obviously I'm a huge Spike Lee fan and Denzel fan. My mom and I were just over the moon. I called my grandma, and she was like, 'Oh my God, I know these people!' That's how you know—when the grandma knows what's up? Now I know we're good. It came up that same month. We spent a week going back and forth, talking about writing a song for Highest 2 Lowest. I probably wrote 10 different songs for the movie. I have a whole album of Spike joints! Eventually, we came to one that he felt was accurate to what the movie represents. He was hands-on and very collaborative, and pushed me to just share my story. That was very freeing for me—especially having been through so many situations in my career where I felt muzzled. To have someone at his level believe in me and want me to be heard without a filter was beautiful. We had conversations about the theme. Sometimes he'd give me tidbits of lines that then inspired me to lean into more of my own story. At that point, he already knew who I am as a person—he's like a big brother now. Because he already knew what I've been through, he was able to tap into that and help me navigate how I can portray it in a way that feels cinematic. One note that he did give me was that I don't have the same chorus over and over again. Write a completely new one every time to continue the story. You're taught that the chorus should be repetitive, but I think in this case, it really propelled the story forward. So it did feel like the song was a movie in itself. It represents the journey I've been through. Having people, whether in my personal life or the industry, put me down because of my age. You know, 'I'm older, so I know better,' right? A lot of people trying to make me distrust my intuition and voice. I think we're moving into a time where we're becoming, or should be becoming, artists first, authenticity first. I think this film has a great theme where it tackles [corporate] versus real artistry, numbers versus real artistry. That's something I've always stood for, and at times it's been hard for me. I feel like this film is a culmination of all the struggles and having that moment of a beacon of light and hope. I have always admired actors and actresses. I've always loved filmmaking. I've always tried to incorporate it into my music videos, that cinematic feel. For me, I just tried to know the lines. So then when I do get on set, I can be in the moment, make it as real as possible. Sula to me felt like who I am. I've been through a situation just like in the scene where an executive was sitting right there, and I was just singing for that person and auditioning. I brought that moment that I already had in my experience into that scene. Denzel gave me a note to just listen. It put me more in my body and being present. And Denzel makes such an amazing executive. His just being there, you have no choice but to be part of that world. It's no longer acting, it's just being. For sure, the movie! I was so nervous, but as soon as I was there with everybody, it was so welcoming. Denzel told me I was a natural! It really made me have confidence in myself. No one had an ego, and those are the best environments to work in. It's a crazy contrast with the music industry. You're part of a certain conglomerate, and you're pushed to fit into a certain mold. This was so refreshing. It's the Age of Aquarius, where we're stepping into an era where you have no choice but to lean into yourself and your authenticity! It was over 20 times! I sang it over and over and over again live. It was like a full-day concert happening, I was shocked. No one was fed up. The whole crew was so amazing. They enjoyed it every time. We were doing it with the same mic you use for acting, so the sound is all technically dead. It's completely raw; there is no effect. Spike is so intentional, and he created a very vulnerable moment. We shot it a lot, but I would have been ready to keep going for another few days. I was prepared to do my own concert after that. This was my band camp training. I saw myself because I did some ADR. Honestly, I was completely shook, because it's always been a dream of mine to act. It's a surreal moment to see yourself on a screen with Denzel Washington and all these incredible actors. I can't believe just being authentic got me to this place. The year that Spike discovered me, I was about to be homeless. It just felt like such a hopeful moment. I'm so inspired to continue down this path. Spike sent me this Italian song [Prisencolinensinainciusol] by Adriano Celentano. And technically, the whole song is just gibberish, so he's not saying any lyrics at all, right? Spike saw this kind of folky song that I posted on Instagram, and he called me. He's like, 'I have an idea. I didn't know you could do folk. I'm gonna send you a song. Check it out.' I thought it was really cool, so he asked me to put lyrics to it. The melody and cadence are there, but we needed lyrics. He just wanted to have this song in the end credits that's this celebratory moment. And so I applied that note and added a new layer to it. I hope I get to release a lot more music, and build a community around it that really enjoys and relates to it. I hope my story can be inspiring to people who maybe feel like doing it yourself isn't enough, where you need to wait for somebody, because waiting has never helped me. Something important to me is sharing that you can be your own manager, your own label. We live in a time where you can do a lot by yourself, and there's no excuse not to vouch for yourself. I also hope to do more movies. Something was life-changing about being on set, and the energy there was so incredible that I'd love to continue that journey. I would love to do this forever.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Rapper Sean Kingston gets 3.5 year prison sentence for $1 million fraud scheme
Rapper Sean Kingston was sentenced on Friday to three and a half years in prison after being convicted of a $1 million fraud scheme in South Florida. Kingston, whose legal name is Kisean Paul Anderson, and his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, were each convicted by a federal jury in March of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. U.S. Judge David Leibowitz sentenced Turner last month to five years in prison. The same judge sentenced Kingston, who was immediately taken into custody. Leibowitz also ordered that a restitution hearing should be held within 90 days. Kingston's sentence is to be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court records, Kingston used social media from April 2023 to March 2024 to arrange purchases of high-end merchandise. MediaPunch / BACKGRID Kingston, 35, and his mother were arrested in May 2024 after a SWAT team raided Kingston's rented mansion in suburban Fort Lauderdale. Turner was taken into custody during the raid, while Kingston was arrested at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in California's Mojave Desert, where he was performing. According to court records, Kingston used social media from April 2023 to March 2024 to arrange purchases of high-end merchandise. After negotiating deals, Kingston would invite the sellers to one of his high-end Florida homes and promise to feature them and their products on social media. Sean Kingston, right, and his mother Janice Turner arrive at the 40th anniversary American Music Awards, Nov. 18, 2012, in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Investigators said that when it came time to pay, Kingston or his mother would text the victims fake wire receipts for the luxury merchandise, which included a bulletproof Escalade, watches and a 19-foot (5.9-meter) LED TV, investigators said. When the funds never cleared, victims often contacted Kingston and Turner repeatedly, but were either never paid or received money only after filing lawsuits or contacting law enforcement. Kingston, who was born in Florida and raised in Jamaica, shot to fame at age 17 with the 2007 hit 'Beautiful Girls,' which laid his lyrics over Ben E. King's 1961 song 'Stand By Me.' His other hits include 2007's 'Take You There' and 2009's 'Fire Burning.'
