Angel Blue, an African American soprano, has stepped down from her role in La Traviata at the Arena Di Verona in Verona, Italy.
The reason is because a production of Verdi’s opera Aida performed earlier in the year had White Russian soprano singer Anna Netrebko as Aida in Blackface.
In her Instagram post Blue states, “’Dear Friends, Family, and Opera Lovers, I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I will not be singing La Traviata at Arena di Verona this summer as planned.”
She continues, “Let me be perfectly clear: the use of blackface under any circumstances, artistic or otherwise, is a deeply misguided practice based on archaic theatrical traditions which have no place in modern society. It is offensive, humiliating and outright racist.”
Arena di Verona extended an invitation to Blue in hopes of having a conversation about the issue and claimed to have had “no reason...
The reason is because a production of Verdi’s opera Aida performed earlier in the year had White Russian soprano singer Anna Netrebko as Aida in Blackface.
In her Instagram post Blue states, “’Dear Friends, Family, and Opera Lovers, I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I will not be singing La Traviata at Arena di Verona this summer as planned.”
She continues, “Let me be perfectly clear: the use of blackface under any circumstances, artistic or otherwise, is a deeply misguided practice based on archaic theatrical traditions which have no place in modern society. It is offensive, humiliating and outright racist.”
Arena di Verona extended an invitation to Blue in hopes of having a conversation about the issue and claimed to have had “no reason...
- 7/17/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Though the hosts of “The View” have no problem voicing their opinions on the war in Ukraine, they have a bit of sympathy for other public figures who are withholding their opinions. On Monday, the women defended Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko.
Last week, the Russian soprano pulled out of all her future performances at the Metropolitan Opera, instead of publicly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. While the hosts of “The View” have done that many times over themselves, the women agreed that not everyone may have the luxury of speaking freely.
“You know, I don’t think that everybody is cut out to speak out. It’s also very dangerous, as we know, sometimes to speak up or say what you think,” Whoopi Goldberg said. “So, especially if you got folks living in Russia, and you’re over here working, you know, it might not be prudent for you.
Last week, the Russian soprano pulled out of all her future performances at the Metropolitan Opera, instead of publicly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. While the hosts of “The View” have done that many times over themselves, the women agreed that not everyone may have the luxury of speaking freely.
“You know, I don’t think that everybody is cut out to speak out. It’s also very dangerous, as we know, sometimes to speak up or say what you think,” Whoopi Goldberg said. “So, especially if you got folks living in Russia, and you’re over here working, you know, it might not be prudent for you.
- 3/7/2022
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
Updated at 11:10Am Pt with more numbers and analysis. It’s hard out here for a specialty release in the long shadow of The Avengers, but a few limited openers managed to put up some impressive results this weekend.
Fresh from an Oscar win for Best Foreign Language Film for A Fantastic Woman, Sebastián Lelio scored with English-language drama/romance Disobedience, which had the second-best limited bow of 2018 on a per-theater average basis. The Bleecker Street title starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams grossed $241K in five locations, averaging $48,255.
French filmmaker Claire Denis’ Let the Sunshine In, starring Juliette Binoche, breathed life into the foreign-language marketplace with a robust launch in two theaters starting Friday. The Sundance Selects title grossed $40,267 Friday to Sunday.
Fresh from an Oscar win for Best Foreign Language Film for A Fantastic Woman, Sebastián Lelio scored with English-language drama/romance Disobedience, which had the second-best limited bow of 2018 on a per-theater average basis. The Bleecker Street title starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams grossed $241K in five locations, averaging $48,255.
French filmmaker Claire Denis’ Let the Sunshine In, starring Juliette Binoche, breathed life into the foreign-language marketplace with a robust launch in two theaters starting Friday. The Sundance Selects title grossed $40,267 Friday to Sunday.
- 4/29/2018
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline Film + TV
Macbeth, Lego Dimensions and North by Northwest top August Events listMacbeth, Lego Dimensions and North by Northwest top August Events listScott Goodyer8/1/2017 11:00:00 Am It's been a very rainy summer so why not take advantage of those gloomy days and come see a special event screening this month? The following is a list of some screenings you should definitely check out and for more information on each event, click on their titles: August 2nd: Kiki's Delivery Service (Japanese w/e.s.t.) From the legendary Hayao Miyazaki comes the beloved story of a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt. It is tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and set out into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki,...
- 8/1/2017
- by Scott Goodyer
- Cineplex
Experience the thrill of watching opera from the Royal Opera House in the comfort of the Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar Boulevard, in The Loop, St. Louis, Mo, 63130) thanks to the ‘Royal Opera House at The Tivoli Theater’ series
We Are Movie Geeks has teamed up with the Tivoli Theater for a special giveaway! We have five pairs of tickets (a $30 value) for the first installment of this year’s ‘Royal Opera House at The Tivoli Theater’ which will be La Boheme The date is next Sunday June 28th and the show begins at Noon.
All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell us why you want free tickets – it’s so easy! We’ll contact the winners in a few days. Good luck!
These operas are shown on the Tivoli’s big screen in their entirety, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the Royal Opera House and these critically acclaimed performances.
We Are Movie Geeks has teamed up with the Tivoli Theater for a special giveaway! We have five pairs of tickets (a $30 value) for the first installment of this year’s ‘Royal Opera House at The Tivoli Theater’ which will be La Boheme The date is next Sunday June 28th and the show begins at Noon.
All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell us why you want free tickets – it’s so easy! We’ll contact the winners in a few days. Good luck!
These operas are shown on the Tivoli’s big screen in their entirety, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the Royal Opera House and these critically acclaimed performances.
- 6/20/2015
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony took place Friday, Feb. 7, with an elaborate show that took viewers through Russian history and included performances by Russian dancers and the gay-friendly band, t.a.T.u.
The ceremony took place in the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, which seats about 40,000 people.
The pre-show kicked off the celebrations with musical performances by the Russian military choir, who sang a cover of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and the gay-friendly girl group, t.a.T.u. T.a.T.u had a few worldwide hits in the early 2000s. The Russian pop duo sang two of their hits during the preshow, including “Not Gonna Get Us,” which is regarded by many as a gay anthem. While Russia does not have many pop stars known the world over, it is interesting that the country currently making headlines for anti-gay policies invited t.a.T.u.
The ceremony took place in the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, which seats about 40,000 people.
The pre-show kicked off the celebrations with musical performances by the Russian military choir, who sang a cover of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and the gay-friendly girl group, t.a.T.u. T.a.T.u had a few worldwide hits in the early 2000s. The Russian pop duo sang two of their hits during the preshow, including “Not Gonna Get Us,” which is regarded by many as a gay anthem. While Russia does not have many pop stars known the world over, it is interesting that the country currently making headlines for anti-gay policies invited t.a.T.u.
- 2/7/2014
- Uinterview
Salzburg (Austria), Aug 7 (Ians/Efe) The audience at the Salzburg Festival rose to their feet to acclaim the return to the stage of Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, who spent a week in the hospital last month.
Domingo, as Giacomo in Verdi's "Giovanna d'Arco", together with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, who brilliantly performed the title role, and Italian tenor Francesco Meli as Charles VII, received cheers and applause that went on for almost 10 minutes from a totally devoted audience.
The 72-year-old tenor was back with all his vocal talents intact, and with the same energy and passion he has eviced throughout his five decades in the world of lyric opera.
Music lovers who jammed into Salzburg's Felsenreitschule,.
Domingo, as Giacomo in Verdi's "Giovanna d'Arco", together with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, who brilliantly performed the title role, and Italian tenor Francesco Meli as Charles VII, received cheers and applause that went on for almost 10 minutes from a totally devoted audience.
The 72-year-old tenor was back with all his vocal talents intact, and with the same energy and passion he has eviced throughout his five decades in the world of lyric opera.
Music lovers who jammed into Salzburg's Felsenreitschule,.
- 8/7/2013
- by Lohit Reddy
- RealBollywood.com
Anna Netrebko has released her first studio album in five years, and celebrates the mighty power and compelling human drama of Verdi.s music. The Russian soprano has surged to the top of the opera world since the release of her debut recording for Deutsche Grammophon a decade ago. From the press release Anna Netrebko . Verdi is destined to stand out among major highlights of the composer.s bicentenary year, thanks to its carefully selected program, thoughtful interpretations, and passionate music-making. Netrebko.s eloquent artistry, beloved by critics and audiences alike, evokes the golden age of singing that Verdi and his compositions helped create. Her vocal beauty, onstage presence and offstage personality have captivated the hearts of...
- 6/12/2013
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
Sex-crazed business man? Gay icon? Drug addict or anti-imperialist cipher? The many faces of Don Giovanni
In the Don Giovanni that has just opened in Paris, the eponymous hero has become an irredeemable sex pest of a businessman. Too much power and sex has corroded his soul. Perhaps you work with him. Perhaps you are him. At the end, in his nocturnal office, Giovanni is stabbed through the heart by the co-worker he sexually assaulted in act one, thrown through a window by a crowd of downtrodden cleaners, at least one of whom he tried to grope, and then accompanied to hell by the rotting corpse of the CEO he murdered at the outset. Twenty-first century moral? Don't stay late at the office.
The desperate Don's comeuppance, though, strikes me as unfair. As Kierkegaard noted in Either/Or, Don Giovanni is the opera's erotically animating presence. "His passion resonates everywhere...
In the Don Giovanni that has just opened in Paris, the eponymous hero has become an irredeemable sex pest of a businessman. Too much power and sex has corroded his soul. Perhaps you work with him. Perhaps you are him. At the end, in his nocturnal office, Giovanni is stabbed through the heart by the co-worker he sexually assaulted in act one, thrown through a window by a crowd of downtrodden cleaners, at least one of whom he tried to grope, and then accompanied to hell by the rotting corpse of the CEO he murdered at the outset. Twenty-first century moral? Don't stay late at the office.
The desperate Don's comeuppance, though, strikes me as unfair. As Kierkegaard noted in Either/Or, Don Giovanni is the opera's erotically animating presence. "His passion resonates everywhere...
- 4/12/2012
- by Stuart Jeffries
- The Guardian - Film News
Everett Soprano Anna Netrebko
Opera buffs breathed a sigh of relief when the Metropolitan Opera company said it will not axe its summer tour in Japan, following the March 11 disaster. But when the revered opera company touched down in Nagoya this week it was short two of its biggest stars: Anna Netrebko and Joseph Calleja who canceled at the last moment over radiation fears.
Peter Gelb, the company’s general manager, on Tuesday said the Met launched a frenetic search...
Opera buffs breathed a sigh of relief when the Metropolitan Opera company said it will not axe its summer tour in Japan, following the March 11 disaster. But when the revered opera company touched down in Nagoya this week it was short two of its biggest stars: Anna Netrebko and Joseph Calleja who canceled at the last moment over radiation fears.
Peter Gelb, the company’s general manager, on Tuesday said the Met launched a frenetic search...
- 5/31/2011
- by Yoree Koh
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
sachin_tendulkar_11.jpg
The annual Time 100 issue names the people who most affect our world.
Indians who made it to the list are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (3rd time), Sachin Tendulkar (1st time) and Chetan Bhagat (1st time).
Unfortunately Shah Rukh Khan (0 times) couldn't make it to the list. Preity Zinta (0 times) was also said to be in the running, but she couldn't make it either!
Interestingly, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made a wild card entry into the Time 100 Alumnae list along with the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Sarah Palin, Alicia Keys and Serena Williams. What is interesting to note is that, where as Singh, Srk, Preity, Bhagat made (or didn't make) to the list through votes, The Time 100 alumnae list was exclusively chosen by the Time panel of judges choosing the ones from the previous lists who had made the most impact and had the highest influence on the world...
The annual Time 100 issue names the people who most affect our world.
Indians who made it to the list are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (3rd time), Sachin Tendulkar (1st time) and Chetan Bhagat (1st time).
Unfortunately Shah Rukh Khan (0 times) couldn't make it to the list. Preity Zinta (0 times) was also said to be in the running, but she couldn't make it either!
Interestingly, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made a wild card entry into the Time 100 Alumnae list along with the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Sarah Palin, Alicia Keys and Serena Williams. What is interesting to note is that, where as Singh, Srk, Preity, Bhagat made (or didn't make) to the list through votes, The Time 100 alumnae list was exclusively chosen by the Time panel of judges choosing the ones from the previous lists who had made the most impact and had the highest influence on the world...
- 4/29/2010
- by OMG
- Pinkvilla
Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of filmmakers? As part of our monthly Ioncinephile profile (read here), we ask the filmmaker the incredibly arduous task of identifying their top ten list of all time favorite films. This month we bent the rules a little, our profiled filmmaker Habib Azar explains why below, and keep in mind in less than a month, he'll be presenting his debut film, Armless at Sundance. He gave us his top seven (*) as of December 2009. - Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of filmmakers? As part of our monthly Ioncinephile profile (read here), we ask the filmmaker the incredibly arduous task of identifying their top ten list of all time favorite films. This month we bent the rules a little, our profiled filmmaker Habib Azar explains why below, and keep in mind in less than a month,...
- 12/23/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
Cologne, Germany -- "If you have the titles, they will come" proved the motto for German sales group Beta Cinema, which locked up several deals for its slate out of last week's European Film Market.
Florian Gallenberger's well-received 1930s epic "John Rabe" sold to Spain and Italy, picked up a free TV deal with Austria and generated serious interest from U.S. buyers, Beta said.
Phillipp Stoltzl's rock-climbing drama "North Face" was picked up by distributors in France, Japan, Scandinavia, Benelux, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China while another German biopic, Kai Wessel's "Hilde," starring Heike Makatsch as legendary actress-singer Hildegard Knef, also closed for Benelux.
Other strong sellers for Beta include Robert Dornhelm's opera film "La Boheme" with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon, which is set to close for Spain after already inking with Filmladen in Japan. Beta also signed a Spanish deal for upcoming children's...
Florian Gallenberger's well-received 1930s epic "John Rabe" sold to Spain and Italy, picked up a free TV deal with Austria and generated serious interest from U.S. buyers, Beta said.
Phillipp Stoltzl's rock-climbing drama "North Face" was picked up by distributors in France, Japan, Scandinavia, Benelux, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China while another German biopic, Kai Wessel's "Hilde," starring Heike Makatsch as legendary actress-singer Hildegard Knef, also closed for Benelux.
Other strong sellers for Beta include Robert Dornhelm's opera film "La Boheme" with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon, which is set to close for Spain after already inking with Filmladen in Japan. Beta also signed a Spanish deal for upcoming children's...
- 2/18/2009
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Metropolitan Opera is teaming up with local movie theaters to offer "The Met: Live in HD" to see Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor." The performance will be playing in local theaters on Saturday, February 7 at 1 pm (Et) in select theaters across the country.
The production is staged as a Victorian ghost story with Anna Netrebko in the title role as the fragile heroine. Her lover, Edgardo, is played by Rolando Villazon.
The performance will be conducted by Marco Armiliato and produced by Mary Zimmerman. The running time for the show is 3 hours and 20 minutes, with 2 intermissions scheduled.
Select theaters will offer an encore presentation of the performance on Wednesday, February 18 at 7 pm in all time zones. For more details, go to www.fathomevents.com to see theater locations and encore information.
The production is staged as a Victorian ghost story with Anna Netrebko in the title role as the fragile heroine. Her lover, Edgardo, is played by Rolando Villazon.
The performance will be conducted by Marco Armiliato and produced by Mary Zimmerman. The running time for the show is 3 hours and 20 minutes, with 2 intermissions scheduled.
Select theaters will offer an encore presentation of the performance on Wednesday, February 18 at 7 pm in all time zones. For more details, go to www.fathomevents.com to see theater locations and encore information.
- 1/27/2009
- icelebz.com
The Metropolitan Opera is teaming up with local movie theaters to offer "The Met: Live in HD" to see Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor." The performance will be playing in local theaters on Saturday, February 7 at 1 pm (Et) in select theaters across the country.
The production is staged as a Victorian ghost story with Anna Netrebko in the title role as the fragile heroine. Her lover, Edgardo, is played by Rolando Villazon.
The performance will be conducted by Marco Armiliato and produced by Mary Zimmerman. The running time for the show is 3 hours and 20 minutes, with two intermissions scheduled.
Select theaters will offer an encore presentation of the performance on Wednesday, February 18 at 7 pm in all time zones. For more details, go to www.fathomevents.com to see theater locations and encore information.
The production is staged as a Victorian ghost story with Anna Netrebko in the title role as the fragile heroine. Her lover, Edgardo, is played by Rolando Villazon.
The performance will be conducted by Marco Armiliato and produced by Mary Zimmerman. The running time for the show is 3 hours and 20 minutes, with two intermissions scheduled.
Select theaters will offer an encore presentation of the performance on Wednesday, February 18 at 7 pm in all time zones. For more details, go to www.fathomevents.com to see theater locations and encore information.
- 1/27/2009
- icelebz.com
Cologne, Germany -- Opera film "La Boheme," featuring singing stars Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon has sold to the U.K. and Japan ahead of the American Film Market, which kicks off Wednesday.
Beta Cinema closed with Axiom Films in the U.K. and Star Sands in Japan.
Beta has already sold Robert Dornhelm's adaptation of the famous Puccini opera to Australia (Palace) and Czech Republic/Slovakia (Hollywood Classic).
German indie Nfp bowed "La Boheme" in a platform release Oct. 23. The film's international premiere will be in London in December.
Beta Cinema closed with Axiom Films in the U.K. and Star Sands in Japan.
Beta has already sold Robert Dornhelm's adaptation of the famous Puccini opera to Australia (Palace) and Czech Republic/Slovakia (Hollywood Classic).
German indie Nfp bowed "La Boheme" in a platform release Oct. 23. The film's international premiere will be in London in December.
- 11/3/2008
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Metropolitan Opera and In Demand Networks have inked a deal to bring all eight new performances from the Met's second season of "Metropolitan Opera: Live in High Definition" to on-demand subscribers in the U.S.
The Met's series of opera performances are transmitted worldwide into movie theaters, and each show will be available within 30 days of its theatrical release to on-demand subscribers in both standard and high-definition formats.
"With this agreement, we are creating the opera equivalent of a Hollywood movie rollout," Met GM Peter Gelb said. "I think opera fans will be thrilled to play our movie theater transmissions at home on their own schedules."
The on-air schedule kicks off with the Met's production of Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" on Jan. 16. The production stars Anna Netrebko and Roberto Alagna and is conducted by Placido Domingo.
Other operas slated for release through In Demand Networks are Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel", Verdi's "Macbeth", Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" and "La Boheme", Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde", Britten's "Peter Grimes" and Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment".
"The Metropolitan Opera made international headlines last season by bringing the magic of its performances to movie theaters worldwide," said In Demand Networks president and CEO Robert Jacobson.
The Met's series of opera performances are transmitted worldwide into movie theaters, and each show will be available within 30 days of its theatrical release to on-demand subscribers in both standard and high-definition formats.
"With this agreement, we are creating the opera equivalent of a Hollywood movie rollout," Met GM Peter Gelb said. "I think opera fans will be thrilled to play our movie theater transmissions at home on their own schedules."
The on-air schedule kicks off with the Met's production of Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" on Jan. 16. The production stars Anna Netrebko and Roberto Alagna and is conducted by Placido Domingo.
Other operas slated for release through In Demand Networks are Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel", Verdi's "Macbeth", Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" and "La Boheme", Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde", Britten's "Peter Grimes" and Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment".
"The Metropolitan Opera made international headlines last season by bringing the magic of its performances to movie theaters worldwide," said In Demand Networks president and CEO Robert Jacobson.
- 11/29/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Metropolitan Opera's series of operas transmitted live, in high definition, into movie theaters is expected to reach between 300-400 movie theaters and performing arts center locations in the U.S. through a renewed deal with National CineMedia. This would be nearly triple the number of venues from last season.
Through this agreement, NCM's Fathom entertainment division will present the Met's HD series in theater locations including participating AMC Entertainment, Cinemark USA, Georgia Theater Co., National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters. Other affiliate locations are expected to soon join the network.
Said Tom Galley, NCM's executive vp and chief operations and technology officer: "The Met's 'Live in HD' series is a perfect example of how high-quality, alternative content can be successfully distributed in movie theaters, bringing premium entertainment to patrons in communities large and small."
"The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD" series also will be expanding from six to eight live opera transmissions, beginning Dec. 15 with Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette", starring Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon and conducted by Placido Domingo.
Through this agreement, NCM's Fathom entertainment division will present the Met's HD series in theater locations including participating AMC Entertainment, Cinemark USA, Georgia Theater Co., National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters. Other affiliate locations are expected to soon join the network.
Said Tom Galley, NCM's executive vp and chief operations and technology officer: "The Met's 'Live in HD' series is a perfect example of how high-quality, alternative content can be successfully distributed in movie theaters, bringing premium entertainment to patrons in communities large and small."
"The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD" series also will be expanding from six to eight live opera transmissions, beginning Dec. 15 with Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette", starring Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon and conducted by Placido Domingo.
- 8/10/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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