Latest news with #TheGoldenAge
The Herald Scotland
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Review: FC Bergman's Works and Days is remarkable
Royal Lyceum Theatre Which came first? Chicken or egg? In the case of this remarkable work by Belgium's FC Bergman company, who open the show by getting a real life hen to let loose an egg into the earth beneath, probably both. Surrounded by the eight performers of this seventy minute ritual navigation through ancient Greek poet Hesiod's idea of the five ages in his poem that gives the show its title, the hen's egg drop is as golden a statement on new life as it gets, even if it does come a cropper later on. As the tight knit ensemble rip up the land – and the wooden stage floor – with a plough, they build a house and create something resembling a community as they shed clothes like skins with each new era they step into. Wildlife is killed for trophies. The dawning of the machine age sees a steam engine ridden like a bucking bronco before hanging in mid air like a Rene Magritte painting, When the rains come, a woman attempts to pull her plough through the mud like Mother Courage. All this before the naked Edenites get back to the garden like those in Luca Cranach the Elder's sixteenth century depiction of The Golden Age. Read More: This is set to a Vivaldi inspired live jazz inflected score played by Joachim Badenhorst & Sean Carpio, and realised without a word spoken. Each scene morphs into the next like an animation brought to life in an abstract dreamscape under cartoon skies. The result is a kind of living artwork based on the land that sits neatly alongside the big Andy Goldsworthy exhibition just opened at the Royal Scottish Academy. With core FC Bergman members Stef Aerts, Joé Agemans, Thomas Verstraeten and Marie Vinck in the thick of things as directors, dramaturgs and set designers, they are joined for this collective action by Susan De Ceuster, Geert Goossens, Fumiyo Ikeda and Maryam Sserwamukoko. Co-produced with Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Teatro d'Europa and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, by the time the future comes calling as FC Bergman move through the seasons, it may not be as friendly as it looks. Don't count your chickens either way in FC Bergman's meticulously realised environment. To purchase tickets for the festivals, please click here
Japan Today
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Man-in-demand Woodkid composes for 'Death Stranding' sequel
By Fanny LATTACH French singer and director Woodkid has composed the music for the hotly awaited "Death Stranding 2" video game, with the 42-year-old telling AFP that the songs unfold "almost like origami." The author of hit 2013 debut album "The Golden Age", who has previously worked with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, has produced dozens of hours of music for the Japanese-made action-adventure title. "The main challenge is creating procedural music -- music that evolves with the player, depending on their actions. And yet, still writing pop songs with vocals," Woodkid, whose real name is Yoann Lemoine, told AFP. "You have to unfold the songs almost like origami, turn them into versions that last several hours, which are then condensed and reprogrammed by developers," he explained. A longtime video game enthusiast, Lemoine calls it a "completely different approach" from scoring a film or writing a conventional album. An album of 16 tracks taken from the game is set to be released on Friday, titled "Woodkid for Death Stranding 2". They include a collaboration with American actress Elle Fanning, who appears in the game, and another with Bryce Dessner, guitarist of indie rock band The National. Woodkid -- who said playing video games was "an escape" during his youth -- said he jumped at the chance of working with legendary "Death Stranding" creator Hideo Kojima. Kojima's work in the 1990s, particularly the original "Metal Gear Solid", left a mark on Woodkid. The pair met in 2020 through a mutual friend. Kojima had already used one of Woodkid's tracks in the first "Death Stranding", a celebrity-packed adventure game that sees players act as couriers in a post-apocalyptic world. The first one was set in the United States, while the second takes place in disaster-struck Mexico and Australia. As well as a debut from Fanning, the sequel again includes actors Norman Reedus ("The Walking Dead") and Lea Seydoux ("No Time to Die") who play the main characters. "We connected quickly, I think because we share common fantasies," Woodkid said of his collaboration with Kojima, which involved several months of immersion in Tokyo. "There's a darkness in us — dreamlike, fanciful, sometimes deeply melancholic — that bonds us." Their work was "very impressionistic," Woodkid explained. "We start with fragments: percussion, beats, textures, vocal sketches I might try. He brings scenes and characters he describes to me, and we build everything together like a ping-pong exchange," he added. "Unlike a film, I didn't actually compose much to picture — it's more like thematic background music." His skills as a composer and director have seen him called on by Taylor Swift for her video for "Back to December", Lana Del Rey for "Blue Jeans" and "Born to Die", and Katy Perry for "Teenage Dream". Woodkid also directed French classical musician Mylene Farmer's most recent album, "L'Emprise" (2022), co-writing seven tracks. For "Death Stranding 2", he worked with pianist Yvan Cassar, a long-time collaborator of the singer. "I like staying in the shadows. I'm not a star. I believe in the works more than the artists, so I prefer focusing on the things I create," he said. Asked whether he appears in Kojima's game himself, he lets the question hang, but can't help smiling. "Death Stranding 2" will be available from June 26. © 2025 AFP
The Star
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Man-in-demand Woodkid composes for Death Stranding sequel
Woodkid – who said playing video games was 'an escape' during his youth – said he jumped at the chance of working with legendary Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima. — AFP PARIS: French singer and director Woodkid has composed the music for the hotly awaited Death Stranding 2 video game, with the 42-year-old telling AFP that the songs unfold "almost like origami". The author of hit 2013 debut album The Golden Age , who has previously worked with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, has produced dozens of hours of music for the Japanese-made action-adventure title. "The main challenge is creating procedural music – music that evolves with the player, depending on their actions. And yet, still writing pop songs with vocals," Woodkid, whose real name is Yoann Lemoine, told AFP. "You have to unfold the songs almost like origami, turn them into versions that last several hours, which are then condensed and reprogrammed by developers," he explained. A longtime video game enthusiast, Lemoine calls it a "completely different approach" from scoring a film or writing a conventional album. An album of 16 tracks taken from the game is set to be released on Friday, titled Woodkid for Death Stranding 2 . They include a collaboration with American actress Elle Fanning, who appears in the game, and another with Bryce Dessner, guitarist of indie rock band The National. Impressionistic Woodkid – who said playing video games was "an escape" during his youth – said he jumped at the chance of working with legendary Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima. Kojima's work in the 1990s, particularly the original Metal Gear Solid , left a mark on Woodkid. The pair met in 2020 through a mutual friend. Kojima had already used one of Woodkid's tracks in the first Death Stranding , a celebrity-packed adventure game that sees players act as couriers in a post-apocalyptic world. The first one was set in the United States, while the second takes place in disaster-struck Mexico and Australia. As well as a debut from Fanning, the sequel again includes actors Norman Reedus ( The Walking Dead ) and Lea Seydoux ( No Time to Die ) who play the main characters. "We connected quickly, I think because we share common fantasies," Woodkid said of his collaboration with Kojima, which involved several months of immersion in Tokyo. "There's a darkness in us – dreamlike, fanciful, sometimes deeply melancholic – that bonds us." Man in demand Their work was "very impressionistic", Woodkid explained. "We start with fragments: percussion, beats, textures, vocal sketches I might try. He brings scenes and characters he describes to me, and we build everything together like a ping-pong exchange," he added. "Unlike a film, I didn't actually compose much to picture – it's more like thematic background music." His skills as a composer and director have seen him called on by Taylor Swift for her video for Back to December , Lana Del Rey for Blue Jeans and Born To Die , and Katy Perry for Teenage Dream . Woodkid also directed French classical musician Mylene Farmer's most recent album, L'Emprise (2022), co-writing seven tracks. For Death Stranding 2 , he worked with pianist Yvan Cassar, a long-time collaborator of the singer. "I like staying in the shadows. I'm not a star. I believe in the works more than the artists, so I prefer focusing on the things I create," he said. Asked whether he appears in Kojima's game himself, he lets the question hang, but can't help smiling. Death Stranding 2 will be available from June 26. – AFP
France 24
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Man-in-demand Woodkid composes for Death Stranding sequel
The author of hit 2013 debut album "The Golden Age", who has previously worked with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, has produced dozens of hours of music for the Japanese-made action-adventure title. "The main challenge is creating procedural music -- music that evolves with the player, depending on their actions. And yet, still writing pop songs with vocals," Woodkid, whose real name is Yoann Lemoine, told AFP. "You have to unfold the songs almost like origami, turn them into versions that last several hours, which are then condensed and reprogrammed by developers," he explained. A longtime video game enthusiast, Lemoine calls it a "completely different approach" from scoring a film or writing a conventional album. An album of 16 tracks taken from the game is set to be released on Friday, titled "Woodkid for Death Stranding 2". They include a collaboration with American actress Elle Fanning, who appears in the game, and another with Bryce Dessner, guitarist of indie rock band The National. Impressionistic Woodkid -- who said playing video games was "an escape" during his youth -- said he jumped at the chance of working with legendary "Death Stranding" creator Hideo Kojima. Kojima's work in the 1990s, particularly the original "Metal Gear Solid", left a mark on Woodkid. The pair met in 2020 through a mutual friend. Kojima had already used one of Woodkid's tracks in the first "Death Stranding", a celebrity-packed adventure game that sees players act as couriers in a post-apocalyptic world. The first one was set in the United States, while the second takes place in disaster-struck Mexico and Australia. As well as a debut from Fanning, the sequel again includes actors Norman Reedus ("The Walking Dead") and Lea Seydoux ("No Time to Die") who play the main characters. "We connected quickly, I think because we share common fantasies," Woodkid said of his collaboration with Kojima, which involved several months of immersion in Tokyo. "There's a darkness in us — dreamlike, fanciful, sometimes deeply melancholic — that bonds us." Man in demand Their work was "very impressionistic," Woodkid explained. "We start with fragments: percussion, beats, textures, vocal sketches I might try. He brings scenes and characters he describes to me, and we build everything together like a ping-pong exchange," he added. "Unlike a film, I didn't actually compose much to picture — it's more like thematic background music." His skills as a composer and director have seen him called on by Taylor Swift for her video for "Back to December", Lana Del Rey for "Blue Jeans" and "Born to Die", and Katy Perry for "Teenage Dream". Woodkid also directed French classical musician Mylene Farmer's most recent album, "L'Emprise" (2022), co-writing seven tracks. For "Death Stranding 2", he worked with pianist Yvan Cassar, a long-time collaborator of the singer. "I like staying in the shadows. I'm not a star. I believe in the works more than the artists, so I prefer focusing on the things I create," he said. Asked whether he appears in Kojima's game himself, he lets the question hang, but can't help smiling. "Death Stranding 2" will be available from June 26. © 2025 AFP
South Wales Guardian
31-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Trump says he is going to double tariffs on foreign steel from 25% to 50%
Mr Trump spoke at US Steel's Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, to discuss investments by Japan's Nippon Steel. The price of steel products has increased roughly 16% since Mr Trump became president, according to the government's producer price index. Mr Trump said US Steel will stay an American company under a deal for Japan-based Nippon to invest in the steelmaker. Few details about the deal have been made public. 'We're here today to celebrate a blockbuster agreement that will ensure this storied American company stays an American company,' Mr Trump said as he opened an event at one of US Steel's warehouses near Pittsburgh. 'You're going to stay an American company, you know that, right?' Mr Trump said doubling the tariffs on imported steel 'will even further secure the steel industry in the US'. But such a dramatic increase could push prices even higher. Employees, Trump supporters, local officials and others filled one of the massive warehouses on the grounds of the Irvin finishing plant to hear Mr Trump. Giant American flags hung from the ceiling and a sign read, 'The Golden Age'. Steelworkers in orange hard hats and work clothes milled about, and part of the warehouse's cement floor was packed with huge rolled coils of shiny steel sheet produced at the plant and used for appliances, doors and other applications. Though Mr Trump initially vowed to block the Japanese steelmaker's bid to buy Pittsburgh-based US Steel, he changed course and announced an agreement last week for what he described as 'partial ownership' by Nippon. It is not clear, though, if the deal his administration helped broker has been finalised or how ownership would be structured. Mr Trump stressed the deal would maintain American control of the company, which is seen as both a political symbol and an important matter for the country's supply chain, industries like car manufacturing and national security. Mr Trump, who has been eager to strike deals and announce new investments in the US since retaking the White House, is also trying to satisfy voters, including blue-collar workers, who elected him as he called to protect US manufacturing. US Steel has not publicly communicated any details of a revamped deal to investors. Nippon Steel issued a statement approving of the proposed 'partnership' but also has not disclosed terms of the arrangement.
