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San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Barbara Eden leads tributes to Loni Anderson, ‘WKRP in Cincinnati' star
Tributes continued to pour in following the death of Loni Anderson, the Emmy-nominated actress best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on 'WKRP in Cincinnati.' Anderson died over the weekend at the age of 79, just days before what would have been her 80th birthday. Her death was confirmed Sunday, Aug. 3, by longtime publicist Cheryl J. Kagan, who said the actress died following 'a prolonged illness.' Barbara Eden, 93, led the remembrances with a personal message posted on Instagram. The 'I Dream of Jeannie' star and San Francisco Conservatory of Music alum described Anderson as a 'darling lady and a genuinely good person.' 'Like many, I am absolutely stunned and heartbroken,' Eden wrote in the caption of a photo featuring the two friends. 'She was a real talent, with razor smart wit and a glowing sense of humor… but, even more than that, she had an impeccable work ethic.' Eden added, 'Loni, you were one in a trillion, my friend, and even a trillion more.' Anderson starred on 'WKRP in Cincinnati' from 1978 to 1982, earning critical acclaim for her portrayal of a savvy, self-possessed radio receptionist who challenged the era's television stereotypes. The role earned her two Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nods, cementing her as one of the most recognizable faces on television. Former co-stars and colleagues added their own tributes. Tim Reid, who played DJ Venus Flytrap on 'WKRP,' called her 'one of the dearest friends I've had in my life's journey. Such a wonderful woman.' Actress Morgan Fairchild remembered her as 'the sweetest, most gracious lady.' Tori Spelling, who portrayed her daughter on the series 'So Notorious,' credited Anderson with leaving a 'special imprint on my heart, soul, and very being.' 'When they say 'don't meet your heroes,' they weren't talking about Loni Anderson,' Spelling added. 'She was everything and more to everyone.'
San Francisco Chronicle
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: Merola Opera Program brings youthful gaiety to Rossini's ‘Le Comte Ory'
All's well that ends well in Gioachino Rossini's Crusades-era sex comedy 'Le Comte Ory,' but not before the men and women entwine themselves in more than a few dicey situations. To the audience, Ory is a womanizer, plain and simple. The show's magic lies in the disguises he dons — first as a hermit, then as a nun — in his quest to seduce the innocent Countess Adéle. The Gouverneur recognizes him, revealing his identity to the ladies, and in a gender-bending final twist, the page Isolier impersonates Adéle, exposing Ory's schemes. The Merola Opera Program's production of 'Ory' too had its kinks. Fortunately, during the first of two performances at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on Thursday, July 31, any weak points were more than recuperated in charm. The 14 singers from Merola, an opera training program that works in collaboration with San Francisco Opera, brought considerable star power to this high-spirited tale of deception. Baritone Benjamin Dickerson was magnetic as the Count's wine-plundering companion Raimbaud. Bass-baritone Wanchun Liang sang the role of the hapless Gouverneur with heart, and Ariana Maubach, with her sonorous mezzo-soprano, grounded the role of lady-in-waiting Ragonde. Mezzo-soprano Meg Brilleslyper brought propulsive energy and pureness of tone to the pants role of Isolier, the Countess' rightful suitor. Tenor Minghao Liu, imbuing his honey-tongued lines with gorgeous legato, persuasively embodied every guise of the slimy Ory. Soprano Eva Rae Martinez stole the show, singing the beleaguered Countess Adèle with muscular yet nimble coloratura. But conductor Pierre Vallet, who made his Merola debut with these performances, often seemed to push the tempos beyond the comfort of these young artists, and he struggled to connect the capable orchestra with the action onstage. Physical limitations posed another liability. The Conservatory's Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall simply wasn't built for opera, and without a pit, the orchestra easily overpowered the singers. This light comedy certainly could have used a grander venue, especially since both performances sold out. Still, director Garnett Bruce made the most of this modest space. A simple set of panels effectively framed the action, and sleight of hand with stairs worked wonders in elevating the slight Isolier to the Countess' eye level. The choreography was masterful, especially in Act 2's slippery bedroom trio. Vocally, it's the highlight of any production. This time, artful tussling through gauzy curtains made it just as much a visual feat. Potpourri-hued sets by Liliana Piñeiro and meticulous costumes by Miriam Lewis tastefully transported this medieval tale to an era closer to Rossini's lifetime, and Davida Tkach's lighting design electrified the storm scene while, in winking analog, the ensemble's hand fans generated extra wind power. In other scenes, Bruce's staging favored a more-is-more approach. Added pantomime does help the audience keep the switcheroos straight, but so much movement ultimately rocked the chorus scenes. Yet even in those moments it was impossible not to smile at Ory's band of scoundrels, in drag as nuns and singing like angels.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Etiquette experts reveal what theatergoers should NEVER do after outrage over attendee eating can of tuna
After one audience member experienced a particularly terrible evening when the person next to them at Cabaret decided to both open and eat a can of tuna fish, it sparked a massive uproar about how people should behave while seeing musicals. Alyssa Naka Silver recently shared a TikTok about her seat mate's shocking behavior, leaving fellow musical lovers stunned. The content creator wrote: 'Me turning to the woman who opened a can of tuna and ate it during the second act of Cabaret last night,' while lip syncing to the sound 'That was rude.' 'The AUDACITY???? I'm concerned,' Alyssa continued, and commenters agreed before sharing their own theatre horror stories. 'Had someone eat a whole bag of chips WITH SALSA during Beetlejuice on Broadway,' one person commented. 'Years ago when Glenn Close was in Sunset Boulevard, we sat in front of a guy who, EVERY TIME she had a costume change would LOUDLY go, "yaaaaaaaaas slay,"' another person revealed. 'I bartend at a few venues and agreed to cover an usher shift and be in house. I had to tell a woman to stop clipping her nails. I still haven't gotten over it years later,' another person wrote shockingly. Others shared stories about people texting, sending Instagram messages on brightly lit phones, talking loudly on the phone and singing along at full volume. To find out what's acceptable at the theatre and what's strictly verboten, FEMAIL reached out to etiquette experts to find out how to behave. Etiquette expert Lisa Mirza Grotts, who's also a former board member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and president of the San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary, told 'when the curtain rises, so should everyone's decorum.' 'Your seat is not your living room,' Lisa, also known as the Golden Rules Gal, explained. 'Show respect for those in the spotlight: actors, musicians, dancers, and fellow patrons.' When it comes to texting, Lisa said 'the only spotlight should be on the stage, not your phone. A glowing screen is disruptive to everyone. Power down and tune in.' As for dining, Lisa said 'save the gum, candy, and chatter for after the show. If it makes noise, it doesn't belong until intermission.' As for rude patrons, Lisa advised 'never engaging,' and instead, politely asking an usher for assistance if someone is being disruptive. Nick Leighton, who hosts the etiquette podcast Were You Raised By Wolves? called eating a can of tuna at Cabaret 'bold.' Nick told 'The general idea is that you are not at home. You're in public and other people are around, so not bothering them is key. This includes bothering them with your noise and with your smells.' Even if you're familiar with the show - perhaps you're seeing Hamilton for its 10 year anniversary and have been listening to the soundtrack for years - there's no reason to sing along (stock image) Even if you're familiar with the show - perhaps you're seeing Hamilton for its 10-year anniversary and have been listening to the soundtrack for years - there's no reason to sing along. Nick said 'it's best to leave the singing to the professionals.' 'People didn't come and pay good money to hear you try to hit the high notes in Defying Gravity,' Nick explained. If you're waiting for an important call or text from a family member or babysitter, there's no reason to pick up from your seat. 'If there's an emergency, best to slip out of the theatre and into the lobby to handle whatever call or text is required.'
CBS News
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
East Bay piano teacher uses competition to inspire students
An East Bay woman has inspired a love of music for more than three decades through a competition that's drawn young people from around the world. Lamae Loo is this week's CBS News Bay Area ICON Award winner. For her the piano is a place of creativity and expression. "Especially when you are alone, sad, you just sit at the piano, you pour your heart and that just takes care of everything," she said. But in 70 years of teaching piano, she found motivating young students can be challenging. "The students who do classical music, they don't want to do too much. 'Ah, I'm tired of this piece.' 'I can't do it.' But if they go for a competition, it's completely different," she described. And when Loo tried to enter students in competitions years ago, she encountered some unexpected dissonance. "Usually there are so many restrictions so the students do not get anything out of it. Like the teacher can only send in 3 students," she noted. So she helped launch the US Open Music Competition in 1992 to open access to more young musicians. "We had 400 the first year without any advertisement," she smiled. Today, Loo organizes the annual President's Day weekend contest. It draws more than 2,700 students a year from all over the Bay Area and world to a large church in the Oakland hills. Top winners get a medal and scholarship ranging from 50 to 300 dollars a prize, plus, a chance to perform in a special concert. Loo says participants fine-tune skills and expand their classical repertoire. Jonathan Tsao says competing years ago taught him how to perform under pressure.. In addition, as his piano teacher, Loo nurtured his talent as a composer. So he's even written music for the competition's sight reading category. "She certainly shaped me as a musician and composer," Tsao said. "She's really passed on her love and passion for music to generations of students." Some past competitors have gone on to music careers and return to adjudicate the contest. Like Fantee Jones who teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Jone shares what she's learned. "If you win, great. Your life moves on. If you lose, your life also moves on. This is a very valuable lesson that's not just in music." Loo, who has served as President of the US Open Music Competition since 2014, is now training Jones to take over her duties in organizing the annual contest. Reflecting on the scale of the competition's impact brings Loo joy beyond measure. "I see that they become mature musicians and human beings," she beamed. So for inspiring thousands of students to pour their hearts into music.. through the US Open Music Competition, this week's CBS News Bay Area ICON Award goes to Lamae Loo.
