Latest news with #Sleepover
Malaysian Reserve
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malaysian Reserve
A night at the Geneva opera — that is a literal snoozefest
by AGNÈS PEDRERO IN MOST places, a night at the opera conjures up images of polite audiences in eveningwear sitting upright to enjoy a bit of Bel Canto. In Geneva, though, once a year the crowd includes children, the eveningwear is pyjamas and socks — and the seats are scoped out for how comfortable they are to sleep in. Welcome to Sleepover in the city's 19th-century opera house, when it opens its doors to a small number of enthusiasts. From 8pm they wander its fresco-covered foyers, listen to performed music…and spend the night dozing in an auditorium lit up like a starry night. 'It's pretty crazy,' said law professor Carine Lutz, as a friend next to her rolled out a sleeping bag at the foot of the stage. They were among 180 people who rushed in with suitcases and shopping bags stuffed with quilts to stake out a nocturnal niche in the Grand Theatre. Among them were many families with children, who marvelled at the giant mirrors with gilded frames, the angels and nymphs painted above, and, of course, some music. 'I think purists might find it difficult to imagine that one could sleep here, on the same stage where major operas are usually performed,' Lutz told AFP. Grand Theatre dramaturge Clara Pons explained that the unusual offering was designed 'to open up spaces to things you don't usually do there, like for instance running around in your pyjamas,' rather than in ultra-formal attire. 'We feel closer to people than when we're all sitting in the 1,500-seat auditorium,' she said. Rush to the Balconies The connoisseurs know to flock to the balconies and the auditorium's red velvet armchairs, considered the most comfortable places to spend the night. Adrien Mangili was relishing the experience for the third time with family and friends. 'You have to come early to get a dressing room, to be able to sleep and have a little privacy,' he said, as his seven-year-old daughter Phedre enthusiastically pulled on pyjamas. If you get a good spot, 'it is easier for the kids to fall asleep,' he said. Before turning in, the children and adults spend hours exploring the darkened opera house, guided by ushers holding fluorescent rods. Their strolls were punctuated by musical interludes performed by a Baroque music ensemble called 'The Argonauts'. 'It's soothing, but it doesn't put you to sleep,' said Heloise Garcia, a 20-year-old student stretched out on the main stage. Those unable to secure a box rolled out their sleeping backs in corridors, foyers and on the floor of the auditorium, under a ceiling spotted with a thousand pinholes of light in the shape of the Milky Way. Carolina Marques Lopes, a lawyer, showed off a yellow dog soft toy she brought along. 'This is in case the Phantom comes to visit,' she joked. Stefanie Neves, captivated by the main foyer with its frescoes and paintings, said: 'We brought inflatable queen-size beds.' She and her friends wanted 'to be able to fully enjoy the music and still get a few hours of sleep,' she explained. Before lying down, Neves looked up at an overhead imposing chandelier and pushed her mattress farther away, just in case. Chopin to Pink Floyd Later that night, she and others dozed as an Italian pianist and performer, Marino Formenti, played piece after piece, at whim. 'I decided not to impose a programme, but to bring a number of very different compositions that I like to play, from Baroque to Chopin, to rock music, Pink Floyd, the Beatles,' he told AFP. Near the piano, a young couple danced, entwined, one barefoot and the other in socks, as a woman and child wearing matching panda pyjamas wandered past. Nicolas Wisard, stretched out on his mat, savoured the view. 'It's almost as good as Versailles, the Palace of Mirrors,' he said. As dawn ticked closer, snoring filled the Great Hall's acoustics, while a silent black and white movie played on a giant screen. 'It was really cool,' said Megan Bonfils as she groggily woke to music. 'Being with the artists and in this incredible place…in socks.' — AFP This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
Jordan Times
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Jordan Times
A night at the Geneva opera -- that is a literal snoozefest
GENEVA — In most places, a night at the opera conjures up images of polite audiences in eveningwear sitting upright to enjoy a bit of Bel Canto. In Geneva, though, once a year the crowd includes children, the eveningwear is pyjamas and socks -- and the seats are scoped out for how comfortable they are to sleep in. Welcome to Sleepover in the city's 19th-century opera house, when it opens its doors to a small number of enthusiasts. From 8 pm they wander its fresco-covered foyers, listen to performed music... and spend the night dozing in an auditorium lit up like a starry night. "It's pretty crazy," said law professor Carine Lutz, as a friend next to her rolled out a sleeping bag at the foot of the stage. They were among 180 people who rushed in with suitcases and shopping bags stuffed with quilts to stake out a nocturnal niche in the Grand Theatre. Among them were many families with children, who marvelled at the giant mirrors with gilded frames, the angels and nymphs painted above, and, of course, some music. "I think purists might find it difficult to imagine that one could sleep here, on the same stage where major operas are usually performed," Lutz told AFP. Grand Theatre dramaturge Clara Pons explained that the unusual offering was designed "to open up spaces to things you don't usually do there, like for instance running around in your pyjamas", rather than in ultra-formal attire. "We feel closer to people than when we're all sitting in the 1,500-seat auditorium," she said. Rush to the balconies The connoisseurs know to flock to the balconies and the auditorium's red velvet armchairs, considered the most comfortable places to spend the night. Adrien Mangili was relishing the experience for the third time with family and friends. "You have to come early to get a dressing room, to be able to sleep and have a little privacy," he said, as his seven-year-old daughter Phedre enthusiastically pulled on pyjamas. If you get a good spot, "it is easier for the kids to fall asleep," he said. Before turning in, the children and adults spend hours exploring the darkened opera house, guided by ushers holding fluorescent rods. Their strolls were punctuated by musical interludes performed by a Baroque music ensemble called "The Argonauts". "It's soothing, but it doesn't put you to sleep," said Heloise Garcia, a 20-year-old student stretched out on the main stage. Those unable to secure a box rolled out their sleeping backs in corridors, foyers and on the floor of the auditorium, under a ceiling spotted with a thousand pinholes of light in the shape of the Milky Way. Carolina Marques Lopes, a lawyer, showed off a yellow dog soft toy she brought along. "This is in case the Phantom comes to visit," she joked. Stefanie Neves, captivated by the main foyer with its frescoes and paintings, said: "We brought inflatable queen-size beds." She and her friends wanted "to be able to fully enjoy the music and still get a few hours of sleep," she explained. Before lying down, Neves looked up at an overhead imposing chandelier and pushed her mattress farther away, just in case. Chopin to Pink Floyd Later that night, she and others dozed as an Italian pianist and performer, Marino Formenti, played piece after piece, at whim. "I decided not to impose a programme, but to bring a number of very different compositions that I like to play, from Baroque to Chopin, to rock music, Pink Floyd, the Beatles," he told AFP. Near the piano, a young couple danced, entwined, one barefoot and the other in socks, as a woman and child wearing matching panda pyjamas wandered past. Nicolas Wisard, stretched out on his mat, savoured the view. "It's almost as good as Versailles, the Palace of Mirrors," he said As dawn ticked closer, snoring filled the Great Hall's acoustics, while a silent black and white movie played on a giant screen. "It was really cool," said Megan Bonfils as she groggily woke to music. "Being with the artists and in this incredible place... in socks."
Miami Herald
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Alexa PenaVega shares tribute one year after ‘devastating loss' of daughter
Alexa PenaVega is remembering her stillborn daughter one year after her tragic birth. On April 13, the 36-year-old 'Spy Kids' actress took to Instagram to share an emotional hospital photo of her holding her stillborn daughter, Indy Rex, one year ago. In the caption, PenaVega described that moment as the 'most painful moment' she ever experienced. 'I remember it feeling so hard to breathe. Such a deep aching pain… How was this real? It didn't feel real. Every emotion flooded in at once' she wrote in the caption. 'And yet, despite devastating loss, we felt so held… so covered… a super natural peace,' PenaVega added in her caption. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 21,000 babies are stillborn every year in the United States — affecting roughly 1 in 175 births. That makes stillbirths just as prevalent as infant mortality, according to the CDC. While she admits the 'burden was too heavy' for her family to carry, her faith in God helped lift a lot of that weight off of their shoulders — and helped give her daughter's shortened life both meaning and purpose. 'Over this last year we have watched LIFE come out of her life,' she wrote. 'We watched people heal because of Indy. We watched grief lifted because of Indy. We watched relationships be restored…' 'God gave her life SO MUCH FRUIT … so much meaning and purpose,' she continued. The 'Sleepover' actress said her family still mourns over the tragedy and still wishes they could hold Indy Rex in their arms, but they know a time will come when they see her again. 'We know she is waiting for us in a place that is beyond anything we can imagine,' PenaVega wrote. PenaVega announced that she was expecting her fourth child with husband and former Big Time Rush member Carlos PenaVega in November 2023. 'Thank God we love adventures. Oh baby here we come! Número cuatro!' the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post at the time. Five months later, PenaVega shared the devastating news with her fans and followers. 'After a beautiful and peaceful delivery our daughter Indy was born at rest. It has been a painful journey. But in the pain we have found peace,' PenaVega wrote in an April 2024 Instagram post. 'This little girl has already changed our lives in so many ways. She was absolutely beautiful. And looked just like daddy. Dark hair and all,' she continued. In a December interview with E! News, PenaVega described Indy Rex as a 'chunky little girl' and talked about the perspective her family gained from the experience. 'We would cry and we hurt and we grieved, but we also celebrated. We also rejoiced,' PenaVega explained — further describing the experience as 'pain with purpose.' 'I hug my kids that I have here on Earth a little tighter, but I still feel so connected to Indy,' she added. 'I know she's up in Heaven. I know she's dancing with Jesus and having the best time ever.' PenaVega also shares sons Ocean, 8, and Kingston, 5, and daughter Rio, 3, with her husband, per ABC News.
Gulf Today
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
A night at the Geneva opera — that is a literal snoozefest
In most places, a night at the opera conjures up images of polite audiences in eveningwear sitting upright to enjoy a bit of Bel Canto. In Geneva, though, once a year the crowd includes children, the eveningwear is pyjamas and socks — and the seats are scoped out for how comfortable they are to sleep in. Welcome to Sleepover in the city's 19th-century opera house, when it opens its doors to a small number of enthusiasts. From 8 pm they wander its fresco-covered foyers, listen to performed music... and spend the night dozing in an auditorium lit up like a starry night. 'It's pretty crazy,' said law professor Carine Lutz, as a friend next to her rolled out a sleeping bag at the foot of the stage. They were among 180 people who rushed in with suitcases and shopping bags stuffed with quilts to stake out a nocturnal niche in the Grand Theatre. Among them were many families with children, who marvelled at the giant mirrors with gilded frames, the angels and nymphs painted above, and, of course, some music. 'I think purists might find it difficult to imagine that one could sleep here, on the same stage where major operas are usually performed,' Lutz said. Grand Theatre dramaturge Clara Pons explained that the unusual offering was designed 'to open up spaces to things you don't usually do there, like for instance running around in your pyjamas,' rather than in ultra-formal attire. 'We feel closer to people than when we're all sitting in the 1,500-seat auditorium,' she said. The connoisseurs know to flock to the balconies and the auditorium's red velvet armchairs, considered the most comfortable places to spend the night. Adrien Mangili was relishing the experience for the third time with family and friends. 'You have to come early to get a dressing room, to be able to sleep and have a little privacy,' he said, as his seven-year-old daughter Phedre enthusiastically pulled on pyjamas. If you get a good spot, 'it is easier for the kids to fall asleep,' he said. Before turning in, the children and adults spend hours exploring the darkened opera house, guided by ushers holding fluorescent rods. Their strolls were punctuated by musical interludes performed by a Baroque music ensemble called 'The Argonauts'. 'It's soothing, but it doesn't put you to sleep,' said Heloise Garcia, a 20-year-old student stretched out on the main stage. Those unable to secure a box rolled out their sleeping backs in corridors, foyers and on the floor of the auditorium, under a ceiling spotted with a thousand pinholes of light in the shape of the Milky Way. Carolina Marques Lopes, a lawyer, showed off a yellow dog soft toy she brought along. 'This is in case the Phantom comes to visit,' she joked. Stefanie Neves, captivated by the main foyer with its frescoes and paintings, said: 'We brought inflatable queen-size beds.' She and her friends wanted 'to be able to fully enjoy the music and still get a few hours of sleep,' she explained. Before lying down, Neves looked up at an overhead imposing chandelier and pushed her mattress farther away, just in case. Later that night, she and others dozed as an Italian pianist and performer, Marino Formenti, played piece after piece, at whim. 'I decided not to impose a programme, but to bring a number of very different compositions that I like to play, from Baroque to Chopin, to rock music, Pink Floyd, the Beatles,' he told AFP. Near the piano, a young couple danced, entwined, one barefoot and the other in socks, as a woman and child wearing matching panda pyjamas wandered past. Nicolas Wisard, stretched out on his mat, savoured the view. 'It's almost as good as Versailles, the Palace of Mirrors,' he said. As dawn ticked closer, snoring filled the Great Hall's acoustics, while a silent black and white movie played on a giant screen. 'It was really cool,' said Megan Bonfils as she groggily woke to music. 'Being with the artists and in this incredible place... in socks.' Agence France-Presse
Sharjah 24
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Geneva Opera hosts unique sleepover: Pyjamas, Music, and Dreams
In Geneva, though, once a year the crowd includes children, the eveningwear is pyjamas and socks -- and the seats are scoped out for how comfortable they are to sleep in. Welcome to Sleepover in the city's 19th-century opera house, when it opens its doors to a small number of enthusiasts. From 8 pm they wander its fresco-covered foyers, listen to performed music... and spend the night dozing in an auditorium lit up like a starry night. "It's pretty crazy," said law professor Carine Lutz, as a friend next to her rolled out a sleeping bag at the foot of the stage. They were among 180 people who rushed in with suitcases and shopping bags stuffed with quilts to stake out a nocturnal niche in the Grand Theatre. Among them were many families with children, who marvelled at the giant mirrors with gilded frames, the angels and nymphs painted above, and, of course, some music. "I think purists might find it difficult to imagine that one could sleep here, on the same stage where major operas are usually performed," Lutz told AFP. Grand Theatre dramaturge Clara Pons explained that the unusual offering was designed "to open up spaces to things you don't usually do there, like for instance running around in your pyjamas," rather than in ultra-formal attire. "We feel closer to people than when we're all sitting in the 1,500-seat auditorium," she said. Rush to the balconies The connoisseurs know to flock to the balconies and the auditorium's red velvet armchairs, considered the most comfortable places to spend the night. Adrien Mangili was relishing the experience for the third time with family and friends. "You have to come early to get a dressing room, to be able to sleep and have a little privacy," he said, as his seven-year-old daughter Phedre enthusiastically pulled on pyjamas. If you get a good spot, "it is easier for the kids to fall asleep," he said. Before turning in, the children and adults spend hours exploring the darkened opera house, guided by ushers holding fluorescent rods. Their strolls were punctuated by musical interludes performed by a Baroque music ensemble called "The Argonauts". "It's soothing, but it doesn't put you to sleep," said Heloise Garcia, a 20-year-old student stretched out on the main stage. Those unable to secure a box rolled out their sleeping backs in corridors, foyers and on the floor of the auditorium, under a ceiling spotted with a thousand pinholes of light in the shape of the Milky Way. Carolina Marques Lopes, a lawyer, showed off a yellow dog soft toy she brought along. "This is in case the Phantom comes to visit," she joked. Stefanie Neves, captivated by the main foyer with its frescoes and paintings, said: "We brought inflatable queen-size beds." She and her friends wanted "to be able to fully enjoy the music and still get a few hours of sleep," she explained. Before lying down, Neves looked up at an overhead imposing chandelier and pushed her mattress farther away, just in case. Chopin to Pink Floyd Later that night, she and others dozed as an Italian pianist and performer, Marino Formenti, played piece after piece, at whim. "I decided not to impose a programme, but to bring a number of very different compositions that I like to play, from Baroque to Chopin, to rock music, Pink Floyd, the Beatles," he said. Near the piano, a young couple danced, entwined, one barefoot and the other in socks, as a woman and child wearing matching panda pyjamas wandered past. Nicolas Wisard, stretched out on his mat, savoured the view. "It's almost as good as Versailles, the Palace of Mirrors," he said As dawn ticked closer, snoring filled the Great Hall's acoustics, while a silent black and white movie played on a giant screen. "It was really cool," said Megan Bonfils as she groggily woke to music. "Being with the artists and in this incredible place... in socks."
