Latest news with #Mears
Spectator
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
A contradictory staging, but the music floods the ear with splendour: Semele at the Royal opera reviewed
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there – and opera directors really, really wish they didn't. The problem is particularly acute if, like the Royal Opera's Oliver Mears, you believe in staging Handel's concert works as if they were operas. Broadly speaking, Handel's oratorios affirm the moral and political consensus of Hanoverian England – Protestantism, marriage, loyalty to Church and Crown. All deeply uncool now, of course, so when Mears staged Jephtha in 2023 he duly inverted its central premise. The good guys became the bad guys. Unfortunately, Handel missed that production meeting and the result was as incoherent as it was dour. Semele is a slightly different case. Handel is trying something altogether friskier – disarmingly so, at times. Even here, though, there's an unambiguous moral: 'Nature to each allots his proper sphere.' Can't be having that, so Mears spins this lively parable of vanity, lust and fatal hubris into a grim tale of sexual exploitation. For Handel and his librettist William Congreve, Semele's gleeful delusions of divinity and Juno's murderous hatred are aspects of a femininity so toxic that it's practically radioactive (there's a reason why Handel gives Jupiter the most tender music in the whole show). All irrelevant, apparently, as long as Mears can somehow wrestle Handel's jubilant conclusion onto the territory where the 21st century feels most comfortable, namely cynicism with a side-order of mental illness. Still, the old Saxon weaves a powerful magic. There are stretches where even Mears forgets the box-ticking and starts to have fun, despite the drab, dimly-lit designs (the Olympian gods live in the foyer of a run-down 1930s civic hall). Pretty Yende (Semele) and Niamh O'Sullivan (her sister Ino) are both spirited performers, and Yende's voice was appealingly bright, even if her coloratura sounded rather untethered. Mears scored a lot of laughs in their reunion scene, where Ino arrives for a girly sleepover, laden down with designer shopping. Alice Coote, meanwhile, was an irresistible Juno, played (very effectively) as a cartoon battleaxe, with a voice that swung from dark, gurgling snarls to a truly fearsome brilliance as she plots her revenge. Together with her PA Iris (a delightfully sparky Marianna Hovanisyan), she disrupts Somnus's eternal sleep, and Brindley Sherratt was a sepulchral sounding sleep-god: slumped in his underpants in a grimy bathtub as Juno sweeps briskly in, opening curtains and turning on the shower. On this, at least, I'm with Mears. Morning people really are the worst. But you want to know if you should see this Semele, or whether it'll just irritate you, and that's tricky. There's no getting away from the contradictions of Mears's staging, and the final scenes are particularly gratuitous. Yende's a genuine star, but she sounded less than stellar when I heard her. As Jupiter, on the other hand, Ben Bliss recovered from a slightly colourless start to give a performance of 'Where'er You Walk' that was so eloquent – so charged with quiet sensuality – that it cast its radiance over the whole evening. And best of all, Christian Curnyn conducted in huge, succulent swirls and flourishes; Handel playing that hits you in the stomach and floods the ear with splendour. If you've only ever heard Handel performed on period instruments, that might be worth the ticket price in its own right. Conversely, if you've only heard Mozart with a modern orchestra, the playing of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Riccardi Minasi in Glyndebourne's new Le nozze di Figaro might well sell you on the alternative. It's so silvery; so buoyant and warm. Mariame Clément is the director and she's done the unthinkable, setting the action in an aristocratic household near Seville in the 1780s. Julia Hansen's revolving pastel-coloured sets don't photograph well, but in the theatre, they allow for wonderfully ingenious and lucid storytelling, with the whole labyrinthine palace peopled by an army of bustling, watching (and occasionally singing) staff. Clément engages with the manners and values of the late 18th century, and directs the cast to behave like human beings. And voilà: everything falls gracefully into place. Who could have guessed? A good Figaro at Glyndebourne is one of opera's most life-enhancing experiences, and if I don't say much here it's because – with luck – this perceptive, funny and deeply humane staging will be around for years to come. For now, Michael Nagl is a bluff, generous Figaro, Johanna Wallroth a deliciously tart Susanna, and Louise Alder – always excellent – finds a new depth and pathos as the Countess. Adèle Charvet (Cherubino) was precisely as shy, cocky and impulsive as a real teenage boy and Huw Montague Rendall carried himself with aristocratic poise as a Count whose hauteur never – crucially – excluded the possibility of redemption. Should you see it? Put it this way: the audience was laughing even before they'd had their picnics.
Indianapolis Star
07-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Could parents of Indianapolis teens involved in crime be charged? Maybe
The frustration in Indianapolis police chief Chris Bailey's voice was palpable as he spoke to media in the early morning hours of July 5. Hours after the Independence Day fireworks show, hundreds of unsupervised teens lingered around downtown, and the atmosphere was chaotic. "I don't know how many times I have to say it. We are not your children's keepers. You are," Bailey said. "And parents and guardians have got to step up." As police were in the process of breaking up a fight at around 1:30 a.m. on July 5, they heard gunfire from a mass shooting that killed Xavion Jackson, 16, and Azareaon S. Cole, 15. Two other teens and three adults were also injured. On July 7, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office announced charges against four teens who were found downtown with guns around the time of the shooting. None of the teens, who range in age from 13 to 17, have been accused of committing the shooting, but are charged with possessing guns under the age of 18. That charge, known as "dangerous possession of a firearm," is the most common charge filed in Marion County's juvenile court. It's increased dramatically in the last few years, Prosecutor Ryan Mears said. The eldest teen, who is being charged as an adult, already has a prior conviction for that charge. Article continues below gallery. More: Ralph Durrett hopes to create 'positive childhood experiences' for Indianapolis' youth To Bailey, Indianapolis' ongoing struggle with youth violence is at least in part due to guardians' negligence. "If I can convince the prosecutor to hold parents accountable, I'm gonna do that, too," Bailey said on July 5. Mears said more cases are expected to be filed in the coming days, and the possibility of cases against parents or guardians "will certainly be investigated." It's not an entirely novel idea: in 2024, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were separately convicted of involuntary manslaughter, even though neither was directly involved in the killings. Charges of that nature will likely require forensic analyses of phones and social media because investigators are looking for proof that parents knew or should have known their child had a gun. Parents of the charged teens have not been "super cooperative in answering law enforcement questions," according to Mears. "It's beyond ridiculous that a 13-year-old was walking around downtown with a gun," Mears said. Article continues below gallery. The city announced plans to enforce a youth curfew prohibiting teens between 15 and 17 from being unaccompanied in public between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. A similar plan was announced more than a year ago after a different downtown Indianapolis mass shooting wounded seven teens. In April 2024, a feud between teens escalated into a gunfight, shining a national spotlight on the city's struggle to curb youth violence. The results of that initiative are unclear. IndyStar has asked the city for the number of teens cited under the curfew over the past two years and has not yet received a response.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'I can't live like this anymore': Grans demand action after repeated flat flooding
Two grandmothers in Easterhouse have suffered repeated flooding coming from flats upstairs – with one woman living elsewhere for two years because of the problems. Residents are calling for landlords and housing providers to do more to protect buildings in the area as one of the flats above is rented out while the other one houses asylum seekers. Linda Doyle, of Denmilne Street, was flooded three times in May and June with water pouring through her bathroom ceiling and once in the living room. She also had flooding last October. Great-grandmother Linda, 67, who lives underneath a flat managed by Mears, which provides asylum seeker accommodation, said she feared the water was 'pouring through' her lights. She said: 'It is just constant. I am getting fed up with it. I can't live like this anymore. I can't do anything because of the constant water coming through. It is really unfair.' Although faced with initial problems of trying to report the issue, Linda eventually got through to Mears who have sent out plumbers and a 'helpful' supervisor visited. But she wants the problem permanently solved – and Mears have now agreed to fix her ceiling. (Image: LDR) Linda said: 'I want the pipework to be checked and want them to make sure the bath is sealed. I have worked hard to get my property – sometimes I feel like walking away. There are a lot of different tenants. They are often nice and don't bother me as long as they are not noisy. But it's the flooding. I have had enough.' A Mears spokesman said: 'We're sorry for the inconvenience caused by the water leaks from one of our properties. The source of the leaks has been resolved and the ceiling in the affected flat has been repaired and now that it is dry, it is being redecorated this week. We're grateful for the resident's patience and pleased to hear positive feedback about our staff.' Another grandmother who lives nearby hasn't been home for more than two years in Lochdochart Road due to repeated flooding problems from the rental property above her. The leakage led to her ceiling collapsing in 2023. City Building workers turning up to assess the situation as it was considered a hazard by environmental health. The homeowner, who does not want to be named, said: 'It has been leaking on and off for couple of years – it stopped for four to six weeks and then started again.' Her property is at ground level – and the first-floor flat above is rented out through a letting agency Easy Let. READ MORE: TRNSMT food prices REVEALED including £15.50 pizza After repairs were carried out following the collapse of the ceiling as she waited for the plaster to dry more water came in. Describing how she works hard to 'pay for' the property while it is 'ruined,' the 65-year-old said: 'It is causing me grief. I have no insurance now. I have had to stay with different people.' Easy Let was contacted for comment. Dennis Docherty, chair of the Denmilne Community Action Group, has been campaigning for landlords and Mears to take more action regarding the maintenance of communal buildings and gardens in the Easterhouse area. He said: 'Why is the Government paying landlords so much and not holding them accountable? Buildings are falling into disrepair.' The residents have issues with messy gardens, dirty closes, missing glass in doors and roofs needing repairs among other complaints.
Indianapolis Star
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis 2027 mayoral race could be 'open season' as Hogsett's grip fades
It's unclear if Mayor Joe Hogsett is running for reelection for a fourth term but his continued fundraising hasn't put speculation to rest. Several potential candidates could be waiting to take over after Hogsett, including state Sen. Andrea Hunley, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears and City-County Council President Vop Osili. Local political observers say that the prospect of Hogsett running again has substantially dimmed due to the fallout over the harassment allegations. The 2027 Indianapolis mayoral race is already quietly underway. Several potential candidates waiting in the wings to take over after Mayor Joe Hogsett — like state Sen. Andrea Hunley, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, City-County Council President Vop Osili, among others — are weighing a run, setting up a competitive 2027 Democratic primary and general election, according to the politicians themselves or sources familiar with their thinking. Already one candidate, Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson, said she is planning to run. The conversations have picked up with more vigor since Hogsett has faced calls for resignation by people who are frustrated with his handling of past sexual harassment allegations against his former chief of staff Thomas Cook, calling into question the mayor's own political future. Mears, for example, didn't rule out the idea of running for mayor in 2027 when asked by IndyStar, and sharply criticized Hogsett's response to the harassment allegations, along with a lack of "bold leadership" to address challenges like housing and economic inequality. "If you're fortunate to be in a position of leadership, you need to put the people you serve ahead of your own interests," Mears said. "Your focus should be on how I can help people, and not on trying to maintain power." Mears, who stressed he was focused on serving as prosecutor and his own reelection in 2026, said Indianapolis deserves a leader who will devote "not only the financial capital but the political capital to make significant progress and improvement" on tackling root issues of crime. "Certainly, some of the limitations of being prosecutor is we deal with a lot of the root cause issues in the criminal justice system whether it's housing or economic inequality," Mears said. "I think we have a tremendous opportunity to unify and bring people together if we focus on why we got into the job in the first place which is hopefully to try to help people." Hunley has also more openly talked about her ambitions of late, though she's also already decided to run for reelection to Indiana Senate in 2026. She recently said that city leadership failed survivors of sexual assault and harassment. "Indy needs undistracted leadership," she recently told local political newsletter Importantville. "And I am prayerfully, prayerfully listening, to our community's needs, and I'm keeping all future options on the table. ... We have a city leader who has failed his staff, and he's failed his people, and if he can't take care of them, how can we expect him to take care of us? How can we expect him to take care of our city?" There are also some additional names floating in the air: state Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, who has quietly amassed a promising campaign war chest of about $400,000, said "many have asked me to consider a run" for mayor, but he was focusing on "serving the residents of Senate District 30." And former Indianapolis Public School Board member Will Pritchard told IndyStar he is considering a run. And it's unclear whether state Rep. Robin Shackleford, who challenged Hogsett back in the 2023 primary, will try again. Shackleford didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. "This is what you'd consider open season for anyone who wants to run," Johnson said. "I don't see how (Hogsett would) be a viable candidate for 2027. We need new leadership. It's time for an African-American female." Still, the elephant in the room continues to be the mayor's own political intentions. Hogsett has continued to fundraise this year, fueling speculation that he could run for a fourth term, which he hasn't so far put to rest. Will Hogsett run for reelection in 2027? Destiny Wells, a former Democratic statewide candidate who most recently mounted an unsuccessful challenge to lead the state Democratic party, said she's frustrated that Hogsett is "continuing to stretch out this conversation." His campaign finance numbers dwarf those of the Marion County Democratic Party — Hogsett had $720,000 in the bank compared to less than $35,000 for the party at the end of 2024 — which she said is "a structural challenge that's holding Democrats back." "The real conversation needs to be about where political power and resources are concentrated," Wells said. "Right now, much of Marion County's donor network remains tied to Mayor Hogsett, making it difficult for new Democratic leaders to emerge and grow." Through a campaign spokesperson, Hogsett didn't answer directly when IndyStar asked whether he's decided to run again or if he's ruled it out. "Mayor Hogsett continues to be focused on the remaining 2.5 years of this term and delivering on the promises of improved public safety, stronger infrastructure and enhanced quality of life that Indianapolis voters overwhelmingly supported in 2023," Emily Gurwitz said. But local political observers say that the prospect of him running again has substantially dimmed due to the fallout over the harassment allegations. "This is such easy ammunition (for an election) that supersedes partisanship," said Laura Merrifield Wilson, associate political science professor at the University of Indianapolis. "This is something that would presumably speak to both sides, and arguably speak to Democrats more that see this as a serious concern and issue. " What remains to be seen is Hogsett's continued ability to fundraise, Merrifield Wilson said. He raised nearly $800,000 in 2024, an off-year for municipal elections. It won't be clear what he's raked in in 2025 until early next year due to the timing of campaign finance deadlines. "He's known for being a prolific fundraiser," she said. "That matters quite a bit. If you had a strong challenge that can underscore that they're able to fundraise, that would cut him at the knees." Then there's the question of what happens politically to people seen as Hogsett's allies, particularly Osili. He caught flak earlier this month, and separate calls for resignation, after ordering sheriffs to forcibly remove Lauren Roberts, a former campaign staffer accusing Cook of harassment and workplace abuse, from finishing her testimony at City-County Council. Two days later, he said he "failed Ms. Roberts." Merrifield Wilson said she thinks the situation is "survivable" for Osili but puts him in a tricky position moving forward if he feels a need to put more sunlight between himself and Hogsett. "Where does that funding go?" Wilson said. "It makes sense to go to Osili." Could the fallout over harassment scandal help Republicans? Indianapolis Republicans, who have been in the political wilderness in Marion County over the last decade despite their dominance in the state legislature and in statewide political offices, also see opportunity in 2027. They've fallen short by substantial margins in each of the mayoral races since former Republican Mayor Greg Ballard 's 2011 win. "The (Democratic) party is imploding, and Republicans can stand idly by," Merrifield Wilson said. "Hogsett has won handily, but this could be an opportunity for Republicans to mount an effective challenger there." Most of the Council's six-member Republican caucus has so far held back on calling for Hogsett to resign. Just one member, Joshua Bain, has done so. Still, new Marion County GOP chair Natalie Goodwin said she's eying 2027 with more optimism in light of recent events. "Iron sharpens iron," Goodwin said. "For a city of Indy's magnitude, we have to have two strong parties pushing against each other to get the best outcomes. We're a decade in to essentially one-party rule and we're seeing the decay of what happens when there isn't an efficient challenger." Goodwin said her job now is to find the "best candidates possible who we think can lead with integrity and do what's best to serve their constituents." "I think the city is really hungry for a bold new vision," Goodwin said.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scheme to buy new housing for asylum seekers in County Durham paused by Government
A scheme to buy housing for asylum seekers in County Durham has been paused. Housing provider Mears confirmed that it would not purchase any new properties for three months following an agreement with the Government. The decision was made due to the 'sufficient capacity' in County Durham, the Home Office said. Mears said the temporary pause will allow for further engagement and to 'reflect on lessons learned,' but will not affect new properties in the pipeline. Home Office data up to March 31 shows there were 445 asylum seekers housed in County Durham. Reform UK said it hopes the news will be the first step toward a 'permanent freeze' on new asylum accommodation in County Durham. The party claimed Durham County Council had been the only remaining authority in the North East where new asylum accommodation could be bought, as others had reached capacity. The council's Deputy Leader Darren Grimes said local areas have been affected by an influx of requests for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The Reform councillor added: 'Mears, doing the Home Office's bidding, have been hoovering up properties in our most deprived communities - Ferryhill, Stanley - areas already stretched to breaking point.' Mears said property proposals are submitted to local authorities and police to ascertain any potential cause for concern. A spokesman added: 'We recognise that asylum accommodation needs to be distributed fairly across the country and we continue to work with the Home Office to support that aim.' Reform UK's net zero and climate ambitions questioned by County Durham councillors Reform outlines how review of County Durham finances will help 'eliminate waste' 'In County Durham, we have worked closely with local partners to ensure accommodation is safe, appropriate, and compliant with contractual standards. Following internal discussions with the Home Office over the past few months, we have agreed to a short pause on new property procurement in the area. 'This allows time for further engagement with local stakeholders and to reflect on lessons learned.' A Home Office spokesperson said: "The decision to pause is a Home Office decision, not a Mears Group decision. It has been made because we believe we have sufficient capacity in County Durham."
