The urns or "time capsule" mentioned in Leroux were displayed to the public in January this year.
Two days, the 8th & 9th of December have been dedicated to the buried urns, at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, with a series of lectures and talks, as well as a “hearing” of the recordings.
Read more about it here, at the on-line exhibition of the Bibliothèque Nationale: http://expositions.bnf.fr/voix/arret/06.htm
The story of the burial of the urns is told here: http://expositions.bnf.fr/voix/02.htm
By clicking down on the menu to each individual urn, you’ll find links to recordings from the records: http://expositions.bnf.fr/voix/arret/02.htm
A sample, Caruso singing “Celeste Aida” by Verdi: http://expositions.bnf.fr/voix/ecoute/14.htm
The Bibliothèque National de France is currently running an exhibition on Gaston Leroux and his works.
Quoting from the website, BNF Exhibition on Gaston Leroux:
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the publication of « Le Parfum de la dame en noir », the Bibliothèque nationale de France pays tribute to the rich and diverse work by Gaston Leroux, both one of the last masters in the art of the serialized novel and one of the pioneers of detective novels and fantastic literature. But if Gaston Leroux went down in history thanks to the popular characters of Rouletabille and Chéri-Bibi, who does remember him as a journalist and special correspondent ?
To remedy the situation, a large part of the exhibition is devoted to the events and the historical context of the Belle Epoque, a period rich of intense technical and political upheavals retraced in Gaston Leroux’s articles. The evocation of Gaston Leroux’s occupation as a journalist for the newspaper « Le Matin » allows to highlight the beginning of his career as an author, and a work which is both marked by the serialized writing style and an acute attention to current affairs.
A rich and diverse collection including about 100 pieces (letters, manuscripts, illustrated publications, photographs, posters, objects, film excerpts...) will allow to discover the universe of Gaston Leroux and the many adaptations that were inspired by his work.
Exhibition catalogue: « Gaston Leroux, de Rouletabille à Chéri-Bibi », under the direction of Guillaume Fau, including some texts by Pierre Assouline, Francis Lacassin and François Rivière, Paris, BnF, 2008.
The exhibition ends on 4th January 2009.
According to ALW's website:
Polydor Records celebrates the 60th birthday of Andrew Lloyd Webber, indisputably the most successful composer of our time, with the release of '60'. This amazing 3-CD, 60-track set spans the whole of Andrew's illustrious career and includes hits from all of his most famous musicals - Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Starlight Express, Evita, Sunset Boulevard and of course The Phantom Of The Opera. The album features hit recordings, hits from cast albums - all sung by a diverse range of superstar and original artists.
From Elvis Presley singing "It's Easy For You" (the song that Andrew and Tim Rice wrote especially for him) to Barbra Streisand, Sarah Brightman, Shirley Bassey, John Barrowman, Michael Crawford, Madonna, Tom Jones and rocker Alice Cooper (singing King Herod's Song) this collection has it all.
For over 40 years Lloyd Webber has provided the world its musical soundtrack. Not only in the realm of musical theatre, but in the charts across a variety of genres - including pop, classical, rock and jazz.
To celebrate this release we are offering you the chance to win 2 tickets to see Joseph in London's West End, with an overnight stay in a top London hotel - click here to enter the competition now. http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=3630-65520
'60' will be released on Monday, October 6, 2008. Pre-order your copy from Amazon.
For a list of songs on the CD's go to www.andrewlloydwebber.com
One of New Zealand's best known entertainers, Rob Guest, has died.
The 58-year-old was rushed to Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital after suffering a massive stroke on Tuesaday.
His family say he passed away peacefully overnight in the intensive care unit, surrounded by family and friends.
Guest began his career in the New Zealand pop charts in the 1970's and 1980's, and since then has performed in almost 40 musicals and TV productions.
His stage musical career took him to Australia where he starred in Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera.
He was the world's longest serving phantom in Phantom of the Opera, performing the role over 2,000 times.
He was awarded an OBE for his services to the New Zealand entertainment industry in 1994.
On Thursday, August 22, Trista Moldovan will take over the role of the beautiful, young soprano, Christine Daaé, in the U.S. National Tour now at Keller Auditorium in Portland, Oregon through September 7.
Also featured in the cast are Richard Todd Adams as the Phantom, Greg Mills as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, Kim Stengel as Carlotta Giudicelli, D.C. Anderson as Monsieur André, Bruce Winant as Monsieur Firmin, Nancy Hess as Madame Giry, John Whitney as Ubaldo Piangi and Jessi Ehrlich as Meg.
Portland, Oregon native Kelly Jeanne Grant shares the role of Christine Daaé with Ms. Moldovan and will appear as Christine at these performances: Tuesday, August 19, Wednesday, August 20 and all Saturday matinee and Sunday evening performances.
Ms. Moldovan succeeds Marni Raab in the role of Christine Daaé. Ms. Raab is rejoining the Broadway company, where she appeared earlier this year to replace Broadway’s current Christine Jennifer Hope Wills, during her maternity leave.
The Phantom of the Opera U.S. National Tour upcoming schedule is as follows:
Now thru September 7
Portland, OR
Keller Auditorium
www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com
September 10 - October 4
Seattle, WA
Paramount Theatre
www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com
October 8 - 25
Spokane, WA
INB Performing Arts Center
www.bestofbroadwayspokane.com
October 30 - November 22
Tampa, FL
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
www.tbpac.org
Beginning November 26
San Francisco, CA
Orpheum Theatre
www.shnsf.com
For more information, visit the official The Phantom of the Opera website at www.thephantomoftheopera.com.
Marni Raab will assume the role of Christine in the Broadway company of The Phantom of the Opera on August 20, replacing Jennifer Hope Wills, who will depart for maternity leave on August 16. Wills is expected to return to the company in June 2009. From August 18 to 20, the role will be played by current Christine alternate Elizabeth Loyacano.
http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=569926
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7544803.stm
Olympic date for singer Brightman
Brightman's website said it was a "tremendous honour" to be asked
Singer Sarah Brightman will perform at the Beijing Olympics' opening ceremony on Friday, organisers have announced.
The British soprano will join Chinese singer Liu Huan to sing the official theme song to the 2008 Games.
Brightman, 47, also sang Friends for Life, the theme to the 1992 Games in Barcelona, with Jose Carreras.
The title of this year's song has been a closely kept secret. Neither Huan nor Brightman has featured in rehearsals for the spectacular ceremony.
"Needless to say this is a tremendous honour," a message on Brightman's official website reads.
American tour
Nearly 100,000 people will watch the opening ceremony in the Olympic stadium, with several billion more expected to tune in worldwide on TV.
Best-known for her musical theatre roles and her marriage to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Brightman has performed all over the world.
The singer begins a North American tour in November to promote her most recent album, Symphony.
Liu Huan, who sang the theme tune to the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, is one of the most popular male singers in China.
The next morning there's a champagne breakfast, after which everyone heads to the pool house, where a stage has been built for the world premiere of Act I of "Phantom . . . Once Upon Another Time."
Jack O'Brien, who directed "Hairspray," is staging the show. Dapper as ever, he describes the set and narrates the action as the actors sing the richly romantic score (more on "Phantom II" later).
As for "Phantom . . . Once Upon Another Time": It's set in 1906 in Coney Island. The Phantom, having fled Paris, is running a freak show. At night, he crawls into his lair and makes love to an automaton that looks like Christine.
By Sherry Amatenstein
New York Daily News, Sunday, June 15, 2008
"The Las Vegas 'Phantom' manages to be both more and less than the original. At 95 intermission-free minutes, the story of the hideously deformed Phantom who becomes obsessed with a young Parisian opera star clocks in at nearly an hour shy of the Broadway show. Yet the version showcased in the Phantom Theatre, at the Venetian Resort since June 2006, offers eye-popping thrills--including a crackling fireworks display set off by a thwarted Phantom (played on alternate nights by Brent Barrett and Anthony Crivello), 500 costumes and, of course, the behemoth chandelier. The production, reconceived by Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Hal Prince, cuts none of the still-haunting score, but its fast pace and dizzying set changes occasionally seem a bit more suited to a Cirque du Soleil performance than a densely-plotted stage show. Still, the scenes between the Phantom and his ingenue, Christine Daae (alternately played by Kristi Holden and Kristen Hertzenberg), have punch and pathos. 'Phantom' remains a crowd-pleaser. 'Phantom' plays Tuesday through Friday at 7 p.m.; Monday and Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m.; dark Sundays. Tickets: $76 to a $250 VIP package. Call 1-866-641-7469 or visit www.venetian.com."
Frederick Forsyth, who wrote a novel called "The Phantom of Manhattan," was reportedly working with Lloyd Webber on the sequel in its early stages, but that is no longer the case.
The Stage reports that the working title for Lloyd Webber's new musical is Phantom: Once Upon Another Time. The celebrated composer told BBC, "I have got my own new show coming on next year, which is my sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, which I think is going to be called Phantom: Once Upon Another Time. But that will come on in November next year, probably, if everything goes well."
The sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is aiming for a bow in London's West End in November 2009.
A Lloyd Webber spokesperson told Playbill.com March 26 that American lyricist (and 2008 Tony nominee) Glenn Slater is now working on words to Lloyd Webber's music for the sequel to the smash international hit.
With composer Alan Menken, Slater wrote new songs for the Disney Broadway musical, The Little Mermaid, as well as the dawning musicals Leap of Faith and Sister Act.
Lloyd Webber will have book and music credit on the Phantom sequel, in which the title character travels to Coney Island around 1900 and is reunited with soprano Christine. The show is not based on source material.
Jack O'Brien (Hairspray, The Invention of Love, The Coast of Utopia) is to direct the project. Bob Crowley (The Coast of Utopia) will be the designer.
Article from www.Playbill.com