Latest news with #phenomenon
Al-Ahram Weekly
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Extraordinary pentathlon week - Sports - Al-Ahram Weekly
Within a week, Farida Khalil set records in her beloved sport. A week after winning gold at the Modern Pentathlon Junior World Championship and World Cup, Khalil continued making history by adding another gold medal in Johannesburg, South Africa to add the Under-17 gold to U19 and Junior titles, with a final tally of 1,452 points to set a new U17 world record. The International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) sang the praises of Khalil, calling her 'The Egyptian wonder' for her wins and in keeping with a season that has sent statisticians scrambling through the history books. 'Farida Khalil of Egypt shattered more records en route to glory in the women's final at the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U17 World Championships', the UIPM wrote on its website. The 14-year-old's incredible performances had the UIPM naming the young Egyptian a phenomenon of the sport who has turned 2025 into a procession at every level of the sport. She did just that again in Johannesburg as Khalil ensured that she is now the reigning world champion at U17, U19 and junior levels to go along with her stunning breakthrough at the senior level, which saw her crowned the UIPM 2025 World Cup final gold medalist last month. As reported by UIPM, Khalil finished 27 seconds clear of her closest challenger, Annachiara Allara of Italy, who improved on her fifth place finish at last year's U17 World Championships by taking a satisfying silver. In South Africa's most populous city there was joy for the host nation when bronze went to an emotional RSA's Tatiana Thomatos thanks to a stirring laser run performance. Thomatos and her South African compatriots also celebrated a team silver with gold having gone to Egypt while Hungary celebrated team bronze. After receiving her gold medal, Khalil told the media how happy she was about another achievement. 'I am very happy with this performance and to get a new world record in the OCR, just a few weeks after winning the World Cup final. I will try to go to the U19 World Championships. I'm still an U15 athlete but it's totally different between the junior and senior competitions. I am very excited to go to the senior World Championships too. I am aiming for a gold medal for sure. I'm training very hard for that.' The week before, Egypt also did well at the UIPM World Junior Championships and World Cup in Alexandria. There was joy for the host nation in Alex as Egypt's Malak Ismail and the sport's current phenom Khalil combined to deliver an utterly dominant women's relay gold for Egypt. Khalil followed recent World Junior Championships and World Cup final individual triumphs with yet another prize for her swelling collection while Hungary 's Kinga Dulai and Blanka Guzi took silver with bronze going to Poland's Malgorzata Karbownik and Adrianna Kapala. The men's relay was eye-catching as France's Leo Bories and Mathis Rochat found the final kick mere metres from the finish to overtake Czechia's Marek Grycz and Matej Lukes with bronze going to Egypt's Moutaz Mohamed and Omar Wael. Khalil continued to redefine the modern pentathlon, setting two new world records on the way to gold in the women's final. She was in irresistible form after winning gold and silver in the first two pentathlon World Cups of the season, and she held off the challenge of Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Seungmin Seong of South Korea to cross the line 19sec ahead of her nearest rival. Having racked up two historic gold medals in the previous two weeks, Khalil had her eye on making it a rapid hat-trick alongside Egyptian compatriot Ismail. A pairing of the current world No 1 and No 8 respectively made the host nation the hottest of favourites among the six competing nations, representing four continents. A new obstacle world record of 27.70sec was key to her success and the posting of an overall world record of 1,485 points, nine more than Michelle Gulyas of Hungary managed two weeks ago in Pentathlon World Cup Budapest. And there was more good news for the Egyptian team as Ismail claimed bronze and her first medal of 2025. France finished with two athletes on the extended podium after an exceptional laser run by Rebecca Castaudi, with Emma Whitaker of Great Britain sandwiched between her and sixth-placed Louison Cazaly. Gold medalist Ismail told the media following her victory: 'It was a very nice competition. It was a little bit hard. We started fencing in second position and showed great determination to stay in that position. The OCR and swimming was very good. In laser run, we finished with the gold medal.' Teammate Khalil added: 'It was a happy day. I want to thank Malak because she helped me going through this day. The competition was good; we made a big lead in obstacle and swimming and it's great to get the gold at the end of the day.' For the second week in succession, Khalil and Moutaz Mohamed lifted Egypt to the very top of the pentathlon world, confirming their status as five-discipline superstars with sublime individual victories at the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Cup final. Crowned the week before as junior world champions, this was another step up as the young Egyptian duo of Khalil and Ismail owned another super day with irresistible performances across the disciplines. For both athletes, aged 14 and 20 respectively, it was a debut success at this level and their combined efforts wrote Egypt into history as the first nation to win both individual gold medals at a Pentathlon World Cup final. Men's gold medallist Mohamed told journalists: 'If you want to know what is my motivation, you should look up in the stands right there and see my family, my friends. They are the most incredible thing in this competition and that's what helped me today. I am really happy. I really can't express how I'm feeling but I'm over the moon. 'It was very difficult and challenging after changing from horse riding to OCR. A very different and challenging experience. But as a modern pentathlete, you have to adapt, so I tried to adapt minute by minute, and every competition gave me the courage to do better in the next one. I managed to be an average or a great athlete in OCR, and today I did a great time in the OCR.' Proud of the achievements of the sport, UIPM Vice President and President of the Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation Sherif Al-Erian said 'we have transformed the modern pentathlon into a symbol of national success. 'It was certainly a bold gamble, but one that was perfectly mastered. Organising the World Cup final from 4-6 July, immediately followed by the first World Relay Championships until 14 July, was a colossal logistical challenge that few countries are capable of meeting. But Egypt has demonstrated that it has the expertise, infrastructure, and teams necessary to host major competitions. We were able to count on a leading strategic partner: the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport. They have been supporting us for five years, and they have once again excelled in organising these events. This lasting collaboration has helped professionalise the organisation and made Egypt a benchmark in the organisation of major sporting events. 'Indeed, for the first time, the equestrian event has been replaced by a show jumping event, a change validated by the International Federation after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This is a revolution in modern pentathlon. Egypt is proud to have been the first country to implement this new format in such a large-scale event after implementing it at the start of the season during the first stage of the World Cup in Cairo. This reflects the extent of the trust the international federation has placed in us, and our ability to introduce major developments. This change makes the sport more dynamic, more accessible and better suited to public expectations, particularly in view of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. 'We achieved a feat in this World Cup final by winning both the women's and men's titles, a first in history. In the women's event, Farida Khalil was exceptional. She perfectly embodies this new generation of athletes trained in Egypt. At only 14 years old, Farida won the World Cup final, competing with the best senior athletes in the world. In the men's event, Moetaz Wael put in a remarkable performance, particularly in the laser run (running and shooting). His gold medal was well deserved and he broke the world record for the total. He is a mature, hard-working athlete, and his sporting development is impressive. These two athletes won both titles (women's and men's) at the Under-21 World Junior Championships, a week before the World Cup final. This confirms their undeniable supremacy and development. 'The International Modern Pentathlon Federation decided to organise the World Relay Championships as a separate competition from the World Championships. They asked us to host this first edition, held in all age categories. We agreed to hold it on the condition that the World Relay Championships take place immediately after the World Cup final for logistical and financial reasons. Organising the first edition of the World Relay Championships immediately after the World Cup was a real challenge, but we successfully met it. From a technical standpoint, Egypt achieved a great feat by dominating the competition with 12 medals: nine gold, two silver, and one bronze. 'It's a long-planned strategy. As a federation, we've invested in training, infrastructure, and spotting young talent. Our first successes at the Youth Olympics with Salma Ayman and Ahmed Al-Gendi (who each won a gold medal) were the starting point. Ahmed then won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, followed by gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024. These were moments that changed the image of modern pentathlon in Egypt. We've also worked hard on coaching, training and regular participation in international competitions to strengthen the experience of our young athletes. 'The World Relay Championships had barely ended when our U17 delegation left for Johannesburg to compete in the World Championships. We have great confidence in our youth. The future of Egyptian modern pentathlon is assured. 'Thanks to the performances of our athletes, the visibility of modern pentathlon has exploded. The shift to obstacle events instead of horse riding has also helped expand our audience. It's a spectacular, comprehensive sport that's now more accessible. But that's not enough: we need to structure, publicise, and support the sport at all levels,' Al-Erian said. Al-Erian revealed the federation's next goal. 'We will continue to structure our base, maintain the momentum achieved at the highest level, and promote modern pentathlon throughout the African continent. We also want Egypt to be a key player in major upcoming competitions, including the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Our dream is for modern pentathlon to become a major national sport in Egypt. Egypt is no longer content to simply be present on the international stage; it is becoming the main player. Thanks to a rigorous strategy, a clear vision, and an exceptional generation of athletes, we have transformed modern pentathlon into a symbol of national success and global influence.' Al-Erian added that Egypt had transformed the sport of modern pentathlon into a symbol of national success. 'I am proud of my athletes, coaches and administrators who have developed the sport.' * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Netflix earnings surge on Squid Game 3 boost, with final season racking up 122 million views
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The final season of global phenomenon 'Squid Game' helped Netflix beat Wall Street earnings targets for the second quarter. LOS ANGELES - The final season of global phenomenon 'Squid Game' helped Netflix beat Wall Street earnings targets for the second quarter, and the streaming service raised its revenue guidance for the year. Some investors had hoped for more from the dominant movie and TV streaming service, analysts said. Netflix shares had risen nearly 44 per cent in 2025 ahead of the earnings report on July 17. The stock fell 1.8 per cent to US$1,251.86 in after-hours trading. Netflix has been building an ad-supported service to reel in price-sensitive viewers, though it has said advertising will not be a primary driver of revenue growth in 2025. The company also has added live events such as WWE wrestling to draw advertisers and viewers. For April through June, Netflix posted diluted earnings per share of US$7.19. That topped the US$7.08 consensus estimate of analysts polled by LSEG. The company raised revenue guidance for 2025 to US$44.8 billion to US$45.2 billion, citing the weakening of the US dollar plus 'healthy member growth and ad sales.' Its previous guidance was up to US$44.5 billion. analyst Thomas Monteiro said investors were expecting 'a much stronger upward revision' to 2025 guidance. 'The full-year outlook now feels quite conservative, which is problematic for a stock priced for perfection,' Monteiro said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore Asia Malaysia's King appoints Wan Ahmad Farid as new Chief Justice World Trump diagnosed with vein condition causing leg swelling, White House says World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Opinion Is your child getting drawn to drugs? Don't look away and don't give up Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Business Granddaughter of late Indonesian tycoon pays $25 million for Singapore bungalow Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment 'At this stage, the company appears overly dependent on further price increases – at least through 2026 – to drive revenue,' he added. For the just-ended quarter, net income came in at US$3.1 billion, edging forecasts of US$3.06 billion. Revenue totaled US$11.08 billion, above the US$11.07 billion analyst projection. Netflix released the third and final season of dystopian Korean drama Squid Game a few days before the second quarter ended in June. The show is the most popular non-English Netflix show in the streaming service's history. Season three racked up 122 million views, Netflix said. Other releases during the quarter included Sirens, The Four Seasons and a third season of Ginny & Georgia. The streaming video pioneer stopped disclosing quarterly subscriber numbers in 2025, instead urging investors to focus on profit as a measure of its success. It said member growth was ahead of its forecast but occurred late in the quarter, which limited the impact on second quarter revenue. The company has new seasons of two of its biggest shows coming later this year. Wednesday returns in August, and the final episodes of Stranger Things will be released in November and December. Chief financial officer Spencer Neumann, asked about the company's view on acquiring assets from other media companies, said Netflix would be 'choosy.' 'We've historically been more builders than buyers, and we continue to see big runway for growth without fundamentally changing that playbook,' Mr Neumann said during a post-earnings video. REUTERS
The Diplomat
6 days ago
- Business
- The Diplomat
Trump's Tariffs and the Risk of Reverse Friendshoring
Under pressure from U.S. tariffs and protectionism, what if firms, rather than moving away from China, begin repositioning themselves closer to it? Over the past few years, the United States has embraced the concepts of nearshoring and friendshoring – relocating supply chains away from China and toward the U.S., its allies, or nearby countries. The goal was to reduce dependence on a strategic rival, strengthen domestic industry, and align supply chains with geopolitical partners. Initially, this strategy showed promise. Investments flowed into Mexico, Vietnam, and India as Washington offered incentives and business executives recalibrated risk maps. But now, with the resurgence of tariff wars and mounting protectionist pressure, especially under President Donald Trump's renewed rhetoric, this strategy faces a paradoxical risk: a reversal. In other words, what if companies begin to do the opposite of what the U.S. intended? What if firms, rather than moving away from China, begin repositioning themselves closer to it? There is a growing concern among multinationals that the U.S. market may become more volatile and less accessible if tariffs persist. If the cost of operating or exporting into the United States rises significantly, some companies might start to see Asia not only as a manufacturing base but as the main market to bet on. In this context, companies may decide to expand operations near China, taking advantage of mature supply chains and the opportunity to serve a vast, growing consumer market. Several cases already hint at this trend. One major firm that previously relied on U.S. ports to access North America shifted its operations to Canada to avoid compounded tariffs. Another company had invested heavily in Mexico as part of its strategy to reduce exposure to China. However, when Mexico was suddenly targeted by new Trump-era tariffs, the firm pivoted. Rather than using its Mexican facility to serve the U.S., it redirected its exports to Latin American and South American markets. The logic is simple: when the U.S. becomes a bottleneck, companies diversify away from it. The unintended consequence is a reverse friendshoring, one that pushes supply chains back toward Asia. This phenomenon is more than a tactical response. It could represent a structural shift in global trade. If U.S. tariffs become a long-term reality, many multinationals will strengthen their presence in Asia, including in China-adjacent economies. This would be a strategic setback for the United States, which originally aimed to 'decouple' from Chinese influence. It's worth remembering that this aggressive protectionism is not historically American. For decades, especially after World War II, the U.S. championed open markets, leading the creation of GATT, the WTO, and free trade agreements across the globe. It saw liberal trade as a source of strength and leadership. The shift toward 'America First' protectionism, especially under Trump, disrupted this legacy. And while some short-term political gains were achieved, the long-term costs, especially in credibility and stability, are becoming more visible. Protectionism may offer a temporary illusion of control, but in the long run, it risks pushing businesses away. If global firms come to see the U.S. as unpredictable or commercially hostile, they will turn to where predictability and demand still thrive. Asia, with its integrated supply chains and pro-business environments, becomes the natural alternative. But there's a deeper irony. By pushing companies back toward Asia, especially China, the U.S. may be reinforcing the very dependency it sought to undo. While relocating closer to China may offer efficiencies, it also strengthens Beijing's strategic hand. China has long made it clear: its goal is to make the world more dependent on it while reducing its own vulnerabilities. That's a dangerously asymmetric relationship. As Europe learned with Russian gas, overdependence on an authoritarian power can quickly turn into leverage used against you. This is why Southeast Asia and Central Asia are positioning themselves aggressively. Vietnam has already emerged as a winner of the China-U.S. trade war, becoming one of America's top trade surplus partners. Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia are rapidly improving infrastructure, workforce readiness, and regional trade deals like the RCEP to attract more industrial investment. Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, long dominated by Russia and China, now see an opening. By offering access to emerging supply corridors like the Trans-Caspian route, they aim to attract diversified Western investment. In short, if the United States doubles down on isolation, others will gladly step in. The global gameboard is shifting. Reverse friendshoring is no longer a hypothetical – it's a scenario being quietly sketched out in boardrooms from Singapore to São Paulo. The question is no longer whether the U.S. can bring supply chains back home. The question is: will its current posture drive them even further away?
Time Business News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
Essential Games for Your Website
Launching a slot website is like opening a grand shopping mall. A mall can be beautiful and luxurious, but without the famous brand-name stores that people are eager to visit, it's destined to fail. The world of online slots operates on the same principle. The games are the star attractions that draw the crowds. Selecting games for your site involves a careful curation of the industry's top performers, the ones that make players gasp and immediately reach for their wallets. Today, we're listing the absolute must-have games for any serious operator. Entering this business without these titles is like going into battle unarmed. When discussing the undisputed king of games in the hearts of Thai players, no title can match the brilliance of Treasures of Aztec from PG Soft. This game is a true phenomenon. Any new slot website that launches without it might as well not bother. The secret to its explosive popularity lies in its flawless game mechanics, which perfectly cater to player desires (เปิดเว็บหวย). It uses a Cascading system where winning symbols explode and disappear, allowing new symbols to fall into place. This creates the potential for continuous winning combos from a single spin. The real magic is the multiplier located above the reels. It increases with every combo. The first win is multiplied by one, the next by two, then three, and so on. The longer the cascade, the bigger the multiplier, building excitement to a fever pitch. The game also includes the Wilds-on-the-Way feature, where certain symbols appear with silver or gold frames. If they are part of a win, they transform into Wilds for the next cascade. Every element is designed for non-stop action. Moving over to Europe with Pragmatic Play, the game that stands tall is Gates of Olympus. Here, Zeus is ready to unleash lightning bolts of cash prizes at any moment. What makes this game so different and thrilling is its Tumble payment system. Symbols can pay from anywhere on the screen. As long as there are eight or more matching symbols, you win. There is no need for them to line up on a conventional payline. The true knockout punch from Zeus is the multiplier orbs he randomly throws onto the reels, ranging from x2 all the way to x500. During the base game, if a multiplier appears with a win, the prize is instantly multiplied. The real madness begins in the free spins round. Whenever you win with a multiplier present, that multiplier's value is added to a total multiplier that does not reset for the duration of the free spins. Imagine you've accumulated a 50x multiplier and then hit a massive win. The payout would be astronomical. This is why players eagerly spend money to buy direct entry into the free spins feature. Another masterpiece from Pragmatic Play that enjoys immense popularity is Sweet Bonanza. This game transports players to a fantasy world filled with colorful candies and fruits. Its main selling point is the Pays Anywhere system, similar to Gates of Olympus. Getting eight or more matching symbols is all it takes to secure a win, creating a feeling that the game is friendly and easy to win. The fun is centered around the free spins round, where rainbow-colored Candy Bombs appear randomly with multipliers from x2 to x100. If a win occurs during a free spin, all the Candy Bomb multipliers on the screen are added together and applied to that round's winnings. The excitement comes from hoping for high-value bombs to appear alongside a big win. It's a game that looks sweet and cheerful but hides a volatile and powerful engine ready to deliver huge rewards. Despite being an older game, Roma from Joker Gaming remains a legendary title that both veteran and new players continue to seek out. It possesses a unique charm and classic feel that modern games cannot replicate. Its standout feature is a combo system where winning four consecutive times instantly triggers free spins. This rewards continuous play and keeps players on the edge of their seats with every spin. Furthermore, it has a signature bonus round where you fight a lion in the Colosseum. Players choose between a sword and a shield. A correct choice means you strike the lion for a cash prize. A wrong choice results in the lion pouncing, and you lose the bet for that round. This blend of simplicity and excitement is what has allowed Roma to endure in the industry for so long. Returning to PG Soft, we have a sequel that surpassed the original, Mahjong Ways 2. This game is a top choice for players who enjoy fast-paced action and spectacular combos. The core mechanic that makes this game so enjoyable is the golden mahjong tile symbols. These appear randomly on the second, third, and fourth reels. Whenever these golden tiles are part of a winning combination, they transform into Wild symbols for the subsequent cascade. When combined with a multiplier that increases up to five times in the base game and ten times during free spins, every spin is filled with the potential for unexpected major wins. The satisfying click of the mahjong tiles and the beautiful animations make the game a pleasure to play for hours. Get ready for the games famous for having the most intense and rewarding bonus rounds on the planet. Money Train from Relax Gaming, especially parts two and three, is a must-know for high-risk players who chase massive, multiplied wins. The base game might seem straightforward, but when three Bonus symbols land, it signals the start of the hellishly exciting Money Cart bonus round that everyone waits for (เว็บหวย). In the bonus round, you start with three respins. Every time a new symbol lands, the respin counter resets to three. The special feature is the variety of character symbols that appear to boost your winnings in spectacular ways. The Collector gathers all prize values on the screen and adds them to its own value. The Payer adds its value to all other symbols. The Sniper doubles the value of three to eight other symbols. The Necromancer revives a previously used special character to perform its action again. It's about creating complex and thrilling combos of character abilities. Appealing to dog lovers, this hit from Pragmatic Play takes the adorable original and supercharges it with the Megaways system, creating a perfectly balanced game. The Dog House Megaways maintains the cheerful concept of its canine crew but adds hundreds of thousands of ways to win. Crucially, the doghouse Wild symbols always come with an x2 or x3 multiplier. What makes this game incredibly engaging is that players get to choose their free spins mode upon entering the bonus round. You can pick Sticky Wilds Free Spins, where any Wild that lands locks in place for the entire feature, creating huge win potential toward the end. Alternatively, you can choose Raining Wilds Free Spins, where up to six Wilds are randomly dropped onto the screen with every spin. Giving players this choice adds immense replay value. If Treasures of Aztec is the beloved daughter, Caishen Wins is PG Soft's golden son, enjoying equally massive popularity. This game features a Chinese god of wealth theme that seems conventional but is packed with features ready to bestow fortune upon players. An extra reel at the top increases the chances of winning and creating continuous combos. The Wilds-on-the-Way mechanic is also present here. The main attraction is the free spins round, which starts with a high x8 multiplier that increases with every win. The special Success Caishen feature can randomly turn the entire top reel into Wild symbols, transforming a losing spin into a massive win in an instant. For websites targeting hardcore players who love a challenge and sky-high volatility, including a game from Nolimit City is the answer. Deadwood is one of this developer's masterpieces, plunging players into the raw and gritty world of the Wild West. The game features a signature mechanic, the xNudge® Roaring Wild. This is a stacked Wild symbol that, when appearing partially, will always nudge to fill the entire reel. For every position it nudges, its multiplier increases by one. This is an incredibly exciting and powerful mechanic. It combines with two different free spin options, each of which makes the Wilds sticky, locking them onto the screen. This dramatically increases the chances of landing huge multiplied wins. We conclude with another adorable game from PG Soft that has completely captured the hearts of Asian players. Lucky Neko, the beckoning cat slot, features a cute Japanese theme. The secret to its success is the simple yet powerful cat symbol multiplier system. Every time a beckoning cat symbol appears on the reels, it adds a 2x multiplier to that spin's winnings. The more cats that appear, the higher the multiplier climbs. The fun is amplified during the free spins round because the accumulated multiplier from the cat symbols does not reset between spins. It continues to build until the free spins end. This means that by the final bonus spins, players could have a cumulative multiplier of 20x, 30x, or even more. Beyond slot games, including fish shooting games is a brilliant strategic move. It can attract a group of players who may not be die-hard slot fans. Fish shooting games offer a different experience. It involves skill and precision to shoot various types of fish for prizes, rather than luck on the reels. Players can choose bullets of different strengths. Stronger bullets cost more but have a better chance of taking down large fish or bosses that offer high rewards. It's a game that perfectly blends skill and chance. It has a strong social element, as multiple players can be in the same room, working together to take down the same boss. Game providers like JILI and Joker Gaming offer many high-quality fish shooting games. Adding this game type is an excellent way to expand your customer base and diversify your platform. Selecting the right games for your website is the key to a successful slot operation. These games are the champions, the ones proven by the market to be the real deal. Having a full roster of these titles on a stable and reliable platform is what will prepare you to enter the battlefield and build your own empire with confidence. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
The Mikado - In Concert: celebrating 140 years of Gilbert and Sullivan
Cape Town G&S, in collaboration with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, proudly presents The Mikado - In Concert, a jubilant anniversary staging of Gilbert and Sullivan's most iconic comic opera. Cape Town G&S, in collaboration with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, is set to light up the Artscape Opera House with a jubilant concert staging of Gilbert and Sullivan's most iconic comic opera, The Mikado. This limited run, part of a special anniversary celebration, will take place from 25 to 27 July 2025, culminating in a matinee performance on Sunday, 27 July. As the opera marks its 140th anniversary, audiences can expect a fresh and exhilarating rendition of this timeless classic. Premiering at London's Savoy Theatre in March 1885, The Mikado quickly became a cultural phenomenon, its clever satire of bureaucracy and British institutions cleverly cloaked in a fictional Japanese setting. The production enjoyed an unprecedented run of 672 performances, establishing itself as the most performed and beloved of all Gilbert and Sullivan's works. The upcoming concert staging aims to honour this legacy with a bold, musically immersive presentation reminiscent of the grandeur of the BBC Proms. In a unique approach to the opera, the performance will feature the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra playing live on stage, alongside the cast and chorus, providing an all-encompassing, symphonic concert experience for the audience. Remarkably, the opera's spoken dialogue will not be included; instead, a trio of charismatic hosts will guide viewers through the narrative with witty commentary, engaging historical insights, and fascinating trivia about Gilbert and Sullivan. Fashion will also play a significant role in this celebratory event. The six leading ladies will adorn the Artscape stage in exquisite original designs by acclaimed South African fashion designer Stephen Van Eeden. Known for his stunning red-carpet gowns and bridal couture, Van Eeden's creations have graced numerous public figures, adding an extra layer of glamour to this illustrious production. The talented ensemble cast will bring to life memorable characters, including Henco Hunter as the authoritative Mikado, Wilhelm Lichtenberg as the lovesick Nanki-Poo, and Barend van der Westhuizen as the comically distressed Ko-Ko. They will be joined by Stephan le Roux as Pooh-Bah, Daniel von Hoesslin as Pish-Tush, and Regina Malan as the formidable Katisha. The roles of the trio of schoolgirls enhance the show's charm, performed by Sian Atterbury (Yum-Yum), Kerryn Warren (Pitti-Sing), and TeNeale Maeker (Peep-Bo), whose vocal grace will undoubtedly captivate audiences during some of the opera's most beloved numbers. Guiding the evening's festivities will be hosts Nick Plummer, Melissa Sanderson, and Megan Armstrong-Davies, who promise to inject humour and heart throughout the concert. Under the adept direction of Kyla Thorburn, with Alastair Cockburn serving as Musical Director and Barend van der Westhuizen as Chorus Master, this concert staging of The Mikado is sure to be a richly musically engaging, visually stunning, and thoroughly entertaining homage to a theatrical masterpiece. From iconic hits such as "A Wand'ring Minstrel I," "Three Little Maids from School Are We," and "I've Got a Little List," to exhilarating choral harmonies and razor-sharp satire, The Mikado - In Concert promises to be a feast for lovers of music, opera, and classic comedy. Don't miss this unique opportunity to celebrate a storied legacy and experience an unforgettable theatrical event.
