Latest news with #TheLordOfTheRings
CNA
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
AR Rahman on The Lord Of The Rings musical, Singapore adventures and Ramayana
From creating music for The Lord Of The Rings musical to working with Hans Zimmer on the Bollywood film Ramayana to his memories of coming to Singapore for the first time, the acclaimed Indian composer shares his creative process with CNA Lifestyle.
CNA
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
AR Rahman meets The Lord Of The Rings: How the acclaimed Indian composer brought Middle-earth to life
When the musical adaptation of The Lord Of Rings opens in Singapore this August, it won't just bring Middle-earth to life on stage, it will also celebrate the music of one of the world's most celebrated composers, AR Rahman. The Academy- Award winning musician behind global hits such as Slumdog Millionaire and Bombay Dreams is the musical force behind the musical, which makes its Asia premiere at Marina Bay Sands' Sands Theatre from Aug 12 to 31. In an interview with CNA Lifestyle via Zoom, Rahman, who was in San Francisco for his concert tour, spoke candidly about his journey with the musical, his creative ambitions and his deep connection with Singapore. BUILDING A TIMELESS LEGACY IN MUSICAL THEATRE 'The Lord Of The Rings came about because I did Bombay Dreams with Andrew Lloyd Webber,' he shared. 'The CEO of the production was Kevin Wallace, when he went out and started his own company, he remembered me and said, it would be awesome to have AR in this thing.' At the time, Rahman admitted that he was not familiar with author JRR Tolkien's work. That changed in 2001 when Peter Jackson's film trilogy came out. He dove into the world of hobbits, elves and dark lords just in time for the musical that debuted in 2004. By the time he was invited to work on the musical, he was no stranger to London's creative circles. Having already spent two to three years in the city, he was immersed in its musical theatre scene while also working on projects back at home in India. What excited Rahman most was the opportunity to bring his cultural identity to the global stage and give a fresh perspective. 'My question always is, what have Indians contributed to the world? How can we contribute to the mainstream kind of a thing rather than just doing basic Asian, Indian stuff,' he shared. 'I don't want to be pigeonholed into being an Indian composer, Tamil composer or Hindi composer. Music is universal and I want to see what I can bring to something new to this Middle Europe, Middle-earth kind of thing.' He added: 'It was an exciting project, because it was a non-Indian project and that's the kind of thing I want to do more. In that perspective, it was a big achievement." Rahman is well-known for his seamless blending of musical traditions and The Lord Of The Rings was no exception. He curated music using his signature approach of using emotionally resonant and culturally expansive melodies. 'Even though it doesn't have an Indian kind of influence in it, melody is melody,' he said. To bring the mythical world of Middle-earth to life on stage, he also worked alongside some of the biggest names in theatre, including playwright Matthew Warchus, known for his critically acclaimed productions, such as Matilda. '[Working with the team] helped me to realise what I have to learn or what I have to unlearn,' he shared. 'Matthew Warchus is a very critically acclaimed kind of director. And his vision for musical theatre is completely different from what Andrew Lloyd Webber would do. So it was nice to see both sides of musical theatre with – Webber on Bombay Dreams and Warchus with The Lord Of The Rings.' He also worked alongside Finnish folk band Varttina, who handled the earthy, ancient textures of Middle-earth. Rahman, meanwhile, focused on the cinematic elements – the orchestration of war, the emotional highs and lows, and the sound of darkness. 'It was a cool process. Because the Lord Of The Rings goes to a very, very dark stage, unbearably dark stage,' he said laughing. 'So while writing and recording, it was a bit too much. But I think we did it.' For Rahman, his music has never been just about sound. It's about crafting an experience. He approaches his work like a director, considering everything from poster design to font choices, ensuring that every detail aligns with his creative vision. "We are what our choices are, our work is our choice of listening or writing,' he said. 'Lately, I've been kind of controlling that. So that my real feel of what I want the people to see of myself, my evolution comes through better. 'So people don't think that some third person is doing it... when we do like musical theatre or anything produced from India, it'll have a certain kind of quality which will be very unique,' he added. For the musical, Rahman turned to an eclectic mix of instruments such as the nyckelharpa (a Swedish string instrument), violin, brass, flutes and even voices. For the vocals he collaborated with a Bosnian singer, Alma Ferovic. The collaboration blossomed into a long-standing friendship and Ferovic later worked with him on the Bollywood hit film Rockstar. With the musical being reimagined for a new era, Rahman believes it's the perfect time for the production to take the spotlight once again. 'The musical is being reinvented,' he shared. 'I think right now the adaptation is very cool, it's very immersive and it can still contain the whole story.' AR RAHMAN ON THE REAL CHALLENGE BEHIND THE PRODUCTION Were there any challenges when he composed the music for the beloved classic? Rahman admits that the hardest part wasn't the epic scope or the extensive work, but being away from home. With a laugh, he recalled the one thing he missed the most during his time in London: 'Home food'. 'I was really missing home,' he said. 'I had to stay there for like a month or two and come back, go back again. I was trying to manage film scores in India.' 'When my mother was there, it was a compulsion that I should eat with her. Because that's the kind of love she has. Even if my sisters come, she's like, 'Go, I'll do it for my son',' he said. Beyond homesickness, there were practical hurdles too. 'I didn't have a studio there, I had to rent a studio,' he added. 'Going out of the comfort zone is when you realise what life is, what people go through. And that is probably an exercise for further bigger things you do in life,' he said with a smile. SINGAPORE: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN While his music makes his way to Singapore next month, turns out, the city holds a far deeper meaning for him. Decades before he became a global icon, Singapore was the first country he travelled to, a gateway from his hometown in Tamil Nadu to the wider world. 'We couldn't afford to go to the USA and UK and all of Europe and all those places. So the nearest place where we can get electronic instruments and musical instruments was Singapore for us,' he shared. 'I have fond memories of Singapore and the energy which the city brings – it's not faded, even after I've been there in 1986, it's going to be almost 38 years since I visited.' Today, the same city where he once searched for his instruments now hosts his virtual reality film Le Musk, along with the upcoming musical. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ARR (@arrahman) AR RAHMAN AND HANS ZIMMER'S FULL CIRCLE MOMENT When Rahman recently posted a selfie with Hans Zimmer, the legendary German film composer behind The Lion King, Inception and Interstellar, it was not just another backstage moment. It was the soft launch of a monumental collaboration on the upcoming Bollywood film Ramayana, one of the most ambitious projects in Indian cinema to date. When we asked him about the collaboration and his eyes lit up. '[The story of] Ramayana is a cultural identity for India and I'm so proud that I'm part of it,' he shared. In fact, he revealed that Zimmer had invited him for a collaboration 15 years back. '[He said] let's do something together. But I was busy with my own work. And it's nice to take that invitation, which he wanted. It's all coming together and it's like a full circle.' Having pushed creative boundaries, with his work outside of just composing music, Rahman remains restless. 'I don't want to limit myself just as a composer or as a musician,' he said. 'Art is like an ocean and we have a lot of challenges now. We have to reinvent everything to engage people.' So what is the project he's most proud of? Rahman, the man with over hundred accolades, cheekily smiled.
The Onion
18-07-2025
- General
- The Onion
Tips For Getting Kids Interested In Reading
Studies show that children who read for pleasure perform better on tests and suffer from fewer mental health problems. Here are some tips for fostering a love of reading: Make time every day to read the neighbor's mail as a family. Emit a high-pitched noise every time they're not reading. Use a marker to retitle every book in your home Roblox Tips . Give each letter of the alphabet a corresponding sound to be made with the mouth. Tell them MrBeast wrote The Lord Of The Rings . Make your kids understand that your love for them is directly tied to their reading ability. Try dipping the books in ketchup. Let your children play with the gun inside the hollowed-out cover. Tell them that some books contain the word 'ass.' Create a tense, hostile environment at home, prompting them to seek refuge in the world of literature. Evaluate your personal ethics before giving up and buying them the entire Harry Potter series.
New Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Taiwanese actor Chen Bo-lin to wed girlfriend after dating for 13 years
TAIPEI: Taiwanese actor Chen Bo-lin is reportedly set to marry singer-actress Chen Ting-hsuan, his girlfriend of almost 13 years, this year. According to a report by Taiwanese magazine Mirror Media on July 9, sources in the catering industry have learned that Chen has been making enquiries about the details of a small wedding to be held overseas. It's thought that the ceremony will most likely take place in New Zealand at the end of the year, though a final decision is yet to be made. Chen, 41, travelled to Queenstown, New Zealand, in May, where he proposed to Ting-hsuan, 35, during a helicopter ride over the mountains. He chose the location for his proposal, and likely the wedding, after being impressed by New Zealand's scenery while filming the travel variety show What A Trip there recently. In June, Ting-hsuan posted videos and photos of herself in Glenorchy, New Zealand, where she enjoyed a horse ride at one of the filming locations for The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001 to 2003). When approached by the media on July 9, Chen's manager neither confirmed nor denied the news, saying: "Thank you for your good wishes. We will let you know when we have any good news." The couple's relationship first came to light in late 2012 after Ting-hsuan was seen going to Chen's house after work. He later confirmed on social media that they began dating after meeting on the set of the Taiwanese film Machi Action (2013). Prior to this, Chen was in a relationship with Malaysian-American model Mandy Lieu, 40, from 2007 to 2010. Ting-hsuan was a member of the Taiwanese girl group Popu Lady, which debuted in 2012 and has been on hiatus since 2020.
The Star
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Taiwanese actor Chen Bo-lin to wed girlfriend after dating for 13 years
The relationship between Chen Bo-lin (left) and Chen Ting-hsuan first came to light in late 2012. Photos: Chen Bo-lin/Instagram, Chen Ting-hsuan/Instagram Taiwanese actor Chen Bo-lin is reportedly planning to tie the knot in 2025 with singer-actress Chen Ting-hsuan, his girlfriend of almost 13 years. According to a report by Taiwanese magazine Mirror Media on July 9, the catering industry learnt that Chen Bo-lin has been inquiring about the details of a small overseas wedding. It is very likely to be held in New Zealand at the end of the year, but the final decision has not been made yet. Mirror Media quoted sources as saying that Chen Bo-lin, 41, had travelled to Queenstown, New Zealand, in May and proposed to Chen Ting-hsuan, 35, during a helicopter ride in the mountains. He chose the destination for his proposal and likely the wedding, as he was recently in the country filming the upcoming travel variety show What A Trip and was impressed by its scenery. The programme was shot over two months entirely in New Zealand. In June, Chen Ting-hsuan also posted videos and photos of herself in Glenorchy, New Zealand, where she rode a horse at one of the filming locations for The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001 to 2003). Mirror Media said Chen Bo-lin has no budget restrictions for the wedding. The number of guests is still being decided on, but the wedding is likely to be an intimate affair of about 30 people, including close friends and relatives. Chen Bo-lin's manager neither confirmed nor denied the news when approached by the media on July 9, only saying: 'Thank you for your good wishes. We will let you know when we have any good news.' The couple's relationship first came to light in late 2012 after she was spotted going to his house after work. He acknowledged on social media later that they had begun dating after meeting on the set of Taiwanese film Machi Action (2013). The actor has been discreet about the relationship, unlike his previous high-profile romance with Malaysian-American model Mandy Lieu, 40, between 2007 and 2010. Chen Ting-hsuan was a member of Taiwanese girl group Popu Lady, which debuted in 2012 and have been on hiatus since 2020. She has not been active in the entertainment industry since then, making only a guest appearance in Taiwanese idol drama Dear Adam (2022). – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
