Latest news with #MoonlightSonata
Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Beethoven's ‘intimidating' face revealed for the first time in 200 years
Ludwig van Beethoven's face has been revealed in stunning detail almost 200 years after his death. The legendary German composer, famed for masterpieces like the 'Fifth Symphony' and 'Moonlight Sonata', has had his face brought back to life in jaw-dropping detail and the results are striking. Thanks to cutting-edge 3D and a historic skull scan, Beethoven's moody mug has been recreated and it's as fiery as his reputation suggests. Cicero Moraes, the Brazilian graphics expert behind the project, said: "I found the face somewhat intimidating." He used rare photographs of Beethoven's skull taken in 1863 and measurement data from 1888, both provided by the Beethoven House in Bonn, Germany. Despite his musical genius, Beethoven wasn't exactly known for his charm. British composer Mark Wigglesworth once summed him up as: "Irritable, untidy, clumsy, rude, and misanthropic." Moraes said: "The facial approximation was guided solely by the skull. First I created 2D outlines – frontal and lateral – from the skull photographs. Then I modelled the skull in 3D using a virtual donor's tomography, adjusted to match the photos' proportions. I then added soft tissue thickness markers based on data from living Europeans, projected the nose, and traced the facial profile. I interpolated all these projections to form the basic face." He later added clothes and hair based on a famous 1820 portrait, before using AI to polish the final image. The result was "highly compatible" with a life mask made of Beethoven's face during his lifetime. Moraes explained: "I analysed his revolutionary creativity, resilience in composing despite deafness, intense focus, problem-solving ability, and tireless productivity, despite a challenging personality. Reading about his life in detail was moving, as I noticed behavioural similarities in myself. I was fortunate to have psychological support that helped me manage my own irritability. Beethoven, however, faced a chaotic world with his own resources, finding refuge in his work, which seemed to bring him existential fulfilment."
The Guardian
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
A Working Man review – Jason Statham puts the hours in, to no avail
There's a knack when it comes to showcasing the talents of Jason Statham. The Stath vehicles that work best tend to be the ones that deliver a wink to camera along with a punch to the throat; films that embrace the inherent absurdity of the British star as well as his ability to convincingly dismantle a Russian mafia militia using just his fists and the decorative, wall-mounted skull of an ox. Statham's latest picture, in which he stars as Levon Cade, a retired marine turned building contractor required to dust off his murder skills and rescue the kidnapped daughter of his employer, delivers on face-pulverising mayhem. But the fun is undermined by dialogue that is overmasticated, Russian-accented word mulch. In the end, A Working Man takes itself rather too seriously for a movie that unironically uses Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata as a recurring musical motif. In UK and Irish cinemas
Boston Globe
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Ilia Malinin wins men's free skate at World Figure Skating Championships
Malinin's win makes the 2025 Championships the most successful ever for the US, with gold medals in three events — men's, women's and ice dance. Malinin's free skate to 'I'm Not a Vampire' started as planned, with a quadruple flip. But after that, all bets were off. He followed it with his trademark quadruple Axel, which was determined to be under-rotated but still scored 12.86 points. He continued a skate worthy of his 'Quad God' moniker by landing a quadruple Lutz, quadruple loop, and a quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop combination, scoring a 209.15 in the segment. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Skating to an unlikely combination of music (Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' and A-ha's 'Take on Me'), Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov earned a personal best score of 192.70 to claim silver. He became the first skater to land a quadruple jump as the second jump in a combination and the third skater from his country to medal at the World Championships. Advertisement Last year's silver medalist, Japan's Yuma Kagiyama, popped his opening quadruple flip and fell on a quadruple toe loop. He finished 10th in the free skate, but had enough of a buffer from his second-place short program score to win bronze. You could hear a pin drop when Jason Brown of Highland Park, Ill., performed his free skate. The beloved American was in a precarious 12th place after the short program. Brown knew he could do more, and he did. Brown landed eight triples, including a late triple flip-triple toe loop combination, as well some of the event's best presentation marks, to score a 180.68 to move up to eighth place. It was a great time for a great skate. Andrew Torgashev, Brown's US teammate, had a difficult free skate where he admitted that he 'just couldn't get into the ice.' He fell to 22nd place, and it was Brown's finish combined with Malinin's that secured three men's spots for the US at the 2026 Olympics. Advertisement 'This is my third worlds in a pre-Olympic year,' said Brown. 'I've always delivered. I've always been able to do what I needed to do with my counterparts to get those three spots for the team.' Brown stepped up to the plate Saturday evening, and so did Lativa's Deniss Vasiljevs. He was the only men's skater to have also competed at the 2016 Worlds in Boston. A long-time fan favorite, Vasiljevs struggles with consistency, especially this season. He finished a disappointing sixth at the European Championships, and off the podium at two Grand Prix events. In the men's short program on Thursday, a fall landed him in 16th. But it all came together for Vasiljevs Saturday. He skated a grand interpretation of the ballet 'La Bayadere' with a deportment similar to a ballet master. Opening with a quadruple Salchow, he landed all of his jumps. As the music ended, he flung himself onto the ice for his ending pose and the audience rose to their feet. Earning a 172.27 in the free skate, Vasiljevs moved up to 11th overall. His goal all season had been to make it back to the TD Garden to skate at these Worlds, and not only did he do that, he skated his season's best. 'This energy here is not found anywhere in the world,' said Vasiljevs.
Asharq Al-Awsat
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Demna Dials Down Theatrics for a More Saleable Vision of Balenciaga at Paris Fashion Week
Balenciaga is no stranger to spectacle, and Demna has built his reputation on turning the ordinary into the extreme. But this season, the brand's it-designer pulled back, choosing precision over provocation. His Sunday fall collection at Paris Fashion Week, Standard, focused on familiar dress codes, subtly warped but never fully broken. Was this a study in refinement, or — shockingly — a step toward the conventional for a man known for breaking molds? The show took place in a dimly lit maze of black curtains at the Cour du Dôme des Invalides, giving a sense of movement without grand theatrics. The models stormed through the narrow pathways, inches from VIP guests Tyra Banks, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Jessica Alba, their stiletto-heeled stomp set to the brooding strains of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Businesswear was the foundation, with suits that alternated between crisp and intentionally crumpled. Denim pencil skirts, laced corset shirts, and long overcoats played with structure, while cocooned hoods and exaggerated lapels introduced a sculptural quality. The impact, however, felt restrained. Silhouettes that once enveloped the body now followed a more familiar form. Sportswear, too, was tempered—tracksuits and bombers were leaner, and denim, usually one of Demna's most manipulated materials, was given only slight modifications, treated to appear permanently wrinkled rather than wholly reimagined. Absent were the shock elements of past seasons—no simulated disasters, no extreme exaggerations. Instead, the focus was on subtle transformations. For some, this marked a designer refining his vision; for others, it felt like a step away from the bold statements that defined his early Balenciaga years. The Balenciaga x PUMA collaboration underscored this shift. While undoubtedly positioned for commercial success, its straightforward execution felt at odds with Demna's usual approach to reworking streetwear. One reaction among critics pointed to its simplicity as a move toward accessibility rather than innovation. More than ever, this collection seemed geared toward long-term retail appeal rather than shock-driven virality. While Demna has scaled back the provocation, the emphasis on businesswear, streamlined outerwear, and luxury-inflected sportswear suggests a strategic pivot toward a more commercially viable Balenciaga. The tailoring was clean, outerwear was softened, and layers leaned into versatility. However, although some insiders pointed out how the reversed quarter-zip added an unexpected neckline shift, and a bathrobe-style coat blended casual ease with structured elegance—neither pushed the boundaries in the way past seasons have. The collection may have been titled Standard, but it left an open question: Is Demna reshaping Balenciaga's future, or settling into a more commonplace standard?
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Demna dials down theatrics for a more saleable vision of Balenciaga at Paris Fashion Week
PARIS (AP) — Balenciaga is no stranger to spectacle, and its lauded Demna has built his reputation on theatrics and grandiosity. But this season he dialed down the drama, opting for precision, control, and quiet defiance. His fall collection at Paris Fashion Week, 'Standard,' stripped away the excess, examining the essence of familiar dress codes with subtle distortions. But was this a masterstroke of restraint, or just a retreat into the ordinary? The black-curtained labyrinth at the Cour du Dôme des Invalides felt like stepping into Balenciaga's backstage, where garments twisted in and out of the ordinary. The models stormed through the narrow pathways, inches from VIP guests Tyra Banks, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Jessica Alba, their stiletto-heeled stomp set to the brooding strains of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Twisting the basics Demna toyed with businesswear—suits meticulously pressed or seemingly abandoned in an overhead bin, moth-eaten pinstripes unraveling tradition. The show's 'sexy secretary' thread played out in denim pencil skirts and corset-laced button-downs, offset by floor-sweeping coats and hooded puffers with Victorian bustier detailing. The provocation felt measured, the rebellion subdued — was it refinement or restraint? Denim, treated to hold its wrinkles like a well-worn memory, and bombers lined in molleton softened Balenciaga's usual edge. The Balenciaga x PUMA collab introduced distressed Speedcat sneakers, leather tracksuits, and bathrobe-style coats, a move that divided critics. A muted spectacle No apocalyptic mud pits or political jabs—this season, the drama was in the details. Some saw it as a deliberate reset, others as a lack of vision. The collection's clean lines and thoughtful draping carried a quiet confidence, but with Demna's past penchant for disruption, was this really enough? Demna's new standard This display appears to be more saleable than radically approachable. While Demna has scaled back the provocation, the emphasis on businesswear, streamlined outerwear, and luxury-inflected sportswear suggests a strategic pivot toward a more commercially viable Balenciaga. The reversed quarter-zip reframed the neckline, and a bathrobe coat blurred loungewear and luxury—subtle twists on familiar forms. Jewelry, like horoscope necklaces and faceless watch bracelets, played with the idea of status symbols without their traditional functions. Is Demna reshaping Balenciaga's future, or just hitting reset?
