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Otago Daily Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Festival showcases young singers
Young singers from across Dunedin and Otago will test their skills on stage during three-day singing festival SongFest '25. Entries are open now for the youth singing contest, which will be held from July 18-20 on campus at the University of Otago. SongFest '25 organising committee chairman Peter Thomson said last year's revamped festival of song — formerly the Green Island Junior Vocal Competition — was a huge success, with easily double the previous number of performers. This year promised to be even bigger and better, Mr Thomson said in a statement. "For the first time, we will have three outstanding adjudicators to give expert advice across the different singing styles: mezzo-soprano Claire Barton for classical songs, Arlie McCormick for contemporary and musical theatre and Tenaya Brown for waiata." The change came after feedback from performers and teachers that young people were increasingly interested in more contemporary styles of singing, he said. "Learning the foundations that only classical singing provides is still very important in the development of young singers, but there has been a cultural change towards more contemporary styles." The festival had also brought in dedicated sound technician Sam Leapers "with all the right gear", Mr Thomson said. "It's a step up for us in terms of professional sound quality." Musical theatre would now have two separate categories to reflect different styles, one using microphones and the other not. "The older musicals written before 1970, like West Side Story , didn't use mics," Mr Thomson said. "Performers had to learn to project their voices to be heard. So, if one of our singers chooses a song from that era, no mic is used. "But performers in newer musicals, such as Hamilton are all mic'd. So that's an option for our singers." First introduced two festivals ago, waiata was also proving increasingly popular, and Mr Thomson was keen for numbers to grow. "Tenaya [Brown], who was our waiata judge last year, is really encouraging and engaged with young people. We're delighted to have her back again." Brown, who teaches at Concord School, said SongFest was an amazing way for children to "get out there" and grow their skills in a supportive environment. The festival committee has named the two waiata trophies after the late Sheralyn Weepers, te reo, tikanga and kapa haka teacher at Bayfield High School, who died in 2023. Her husband and whānau will attend the waiata showcase on July 18. • SongFest '25, a three-day singing festival for performers under 21 years will be held from July 18-20 at Castle 1 lecture theatre, University of Otago. Entries close on June 4. For information visit — APL
Elle
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Jennifer Lopez Wears Two Glamorous Gowns for One Night Out in New York City
On Monday night, Jennifer Lopez stepped out in not one but two glamorous looks to celebrate Kiss of the Spider Woman composer John Kander's 98th birthday. Lopez began her evening attending a benefit concert for Kander at New York City's Stephen Sondheim Theatre. The multi-hyphenate wore a spring-inspired peach gown with feathered accents and a rhinestone clutch. She opted for a classic middle part with straight hair. She changed outfits for the event's after-party at Bryant Park Grill, choosing a sleek, high-neck white gown, which she paired with bold jewelry. She switched up her hair too, wearing a slicked-back style. The night celebrated Kander and his extensive oeuvre, which includes the music for Chicago and Cabaret. Lopez is starring in a film adaptation of Broadway's Kiss of the Spider Woman, which he also worked on. The Bill Condon-directed musical premiered at Sundance earlier this year and will be released in October. The actress posted photos of her peach gown on Instagram with the caption, '💋🕷️,' nodding to the film's title. In an interview with Variety, Lopez expressed how much she's always wanted to star in a musical. 'I was waiting my whole life to be able to do a real big MGM Hollywood musical, and I finally got to do it,' she said. She continued, 'I got into movies because of West Side Story. I thought I was going to do Broadway. I wanted to do musicals. I love musicals. My kids love musicals. My mother did. It was a dream fulfilled in having done the movie.' Lopez is also gearing up for a busy week ahead. On May 26, she is set to host this year's American Music Awards. It'll be the first time she's hosted since 2015.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Leonard Bernstein honoured by plaque for his Chichester Psalms
A plaque is to be unveiled in a West Sussex cathedral to honour one of the greatest composers of the 20th Century. Leonard Bernstein, who wrote the music for West Side Story, was commissioned to score the choral Chichester Psalms by the former Dean of Chichester, Walter Hussey, in 60th anniversary is being marked on Saturday by a special performance of the work in the presence of Bernstein's son Dame Patricia Routledge, a Chichester resident who worked with the composer, said it was "a timely recognition of the worldwide significance of this beautiful work". She said: "Chichester Psalms continues to resonate across generations, and it is only fitting that its legacy is honoured here, where it all began."The plaque has been organised by Bernstein in Chichester, the organisation that brought his legacy to Chichester in 2018 with a festival of events throughout the city in celebration of the composer's 100th American composer and conductor died in 1990 aged a film biography about his life, was Oscar nominated in 2024. Saturday's milestone coincides with the cathedral's 950th anniversary – a year-long celebration of its history and Very Reverend Dr Edward Dowler, The Dean of Chichester, said: "This plaque will serve as a lasting tribute to one of the most cherished musical connections in our history. "This moment will not only honour Leonard Bernstein's extraordinary legacy but also reaffirms the ongoing contribution of Chichester Cathedral to the choral tradition."
Axios
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
D.C. free outdoor movie guide for warm weather fun
Warm weather calls for spreading a blanket on the grass, unpacking a picnic, and settling in for an outdoor movie. Our favorite outdoor movie locations around town: Adams Morgan Movie Nights | Tuesdays, May 22-June 12 Free movie nights at Marie Reed's soccer field run through June. This year's theme is "Diverse Experiences in Art and Film," with popular flicks and musicals like "West Side Story" (May 22) and "The Birdcage" (May 29) starting around 9pm. CiNoMatic! at Alethia Tanner Park | Wednesdays, May 7-June 11 NoMa's outdoor movie series centers around feel-good musicals and comedies — think "Wicked" (May 7) or "Barbie" (May 21). Films start at dusk, and there are food trucks for a picnic dinner. Movies on the Potomac | Thursdays and Sundays, May 8-Sept. 28 National Harbor's free movie series overlooking the Potomac River happens every Thursday ("date night") at 7 pm, and Sunday ("family night") at 6 pm through the spring and summer. Surrounding restaurants offer pre-movie meals and takeout. Sunset Cinema at The Wharf | Thursdays, May 29-Aug. 28 Grab a seat at The Wharf's big pier for their crowd-pleasing movie series. No tickets or reservations are required; seats for each 7pm movie are first-come. Moviegoers can bring their own food, or buy beer and snacks at the Cantina Bambina concession window. Summer Movies on the Lawn | Select Thursdays, June 26-Aug. 7 The Library of Congress screens free National Film Registry-selected movies on its southeast lawn, such as "The Princess Bride" (July 10) and "The Goonies" (July 17). The Drive-In at Union Market | First Fridays, May 9 - Oct. 5 Indoor cats can get their fix of outdoor films at the drive-in, where ticket holders ($20/car) can watch the likes of "Sister Act" (May 9) from the comfort of their vehicles. It's free to watch outside on Neal Place. You can grab food and drinks from the food hall for both experiences, but no alcohol is allowed in the parking lot. Cinematery at the Congressional Cemetery | First Fridays, May 23-Sept. 12 The "cinematery" is back with its "mausoleums & monster" motif, showing films like "Jaws" and "The Mummy." Reservations are required with a suggested donation of $10. Blankets, chairs, food and alcohol are all allowed — and wine/beer will be on sale — but no pups, please.
Time Out
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Here We Are
Stephen Sondheim didn't finish his final musical Here We Are, something we can easily determine by the fact there aren't any songs in the second half. He did however give his blessing for it to be performed – he wasn't on his deathbed at the time or anything, but having reached the age of 91 with at least six songs left to write for a show he'd been working on for over a decade, I guess he knew this was likely to be its final form. And so here we are. Sondheim's last gasp is a relatively breezy mash-up of the plots of two Luis Buñuel films, with music and lyrics by the great man and book by US author David Ives – that is to say the second half of Joe Montello's production is basically an Ives play. It's hard to know how to assess this thing fairly, but I think it's reasonable to say that if you've snagged a ticket you're aware of the various caveats about the show's composition and are prepared to be quite indulgent, so let's approach it from that general perspective. The first half roughly corresponds to Buñuel's film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and follows a group of ghastly rich people as they try and score some brunch, failing ever more weirdly at each attempt. If there aren't necessarily any obvious all-timers, Sondheim's lyrics are delightfully flip and spiky. And modern: it feels somewhat surreal for the guy who wrote West Side Story to have snide references to Teslas and the works of Damian Hirst. But that's Sondheim: it was presumably much harder for him to finish songs in his final years, but what he did finish feels startlingly fresh. Enormous credit must go to Ives. Not only did he have to finish the show on his own, but his transposition of Buñuel's mid-century satires into a coherent contemporary America-set narrative works brilliantly – deft, funny and perceptive. It's also important to stress that the cast is preposterously talented: Jane Krakowski is - within her comfort zone - one of the funniest actors alive today, and has a ball here as space cadet Marianne; Martha Pimpton is a hoot as uber-Karen Claudia; retained US star Denis O'Hare is wonderful as a succession of servants and waiters; the Brits keep their end up with Rory Kinnear's fine turn as velour-encrusted Main Rich Guy Leo Brink, while major rising star Chumisa Dornford-May is excellent as Leo and Marianne's anarchist daughter Fritz. Above all they're great stage actors who can by and large pull off the absence of songs in the second half. Combined with Mantello's stylish direction – quirkily minimalist in the first half, intentionally opulent in the second, which is based on 1962's The Exterminating Angel – and the fact that Buñuel's darkly surreal class satires remains relevant and cool, and it's an extremely respectable not for the master to bow out on. Is it a great musical? Well not really, half of it's missing and it ultimately feels a bit frothy - much fonder and more forgiving than the source films. But as the final unfinished work of a 91-year-old it's pretty bloody spectacular. The luxury casting doesn't flatter the material: we all know exactly what it is, and what it is is good as far as it goes. And it's worth saying that few of Sondheim's shows have worked perfectly the first time; the dearth of songs is a problem, but not necessarily an insurmountable one; I certainly wouldn't dismiss this as a curio – we'll see Here We Go
