Celebrity Life

Broadway theatres will remain closed until at least the end of May 2021, the industry's trade association said.

This announcement is a fresh sign that the 2020-21 season will be a low point for live entertainment in the United States. Shows had first been expected to reopen in early September, a deadline which was put off to the beginning of January.

But the Broadway League decided to delay again until May 30, 2021 as the coronavirus continues to rage across the country, as well in New York, which was the first epicentre of the disease in the United States.

"With nearly 97,000 workers who rely on Broadway for their livelihood and an annual economic impact of US$14.8 billion to the city, our membership is committed to re-opening as soon as conditions permit us to do so," Broadway League President Charlotte St Martin said in a statement.

[caption id="attachment_211282" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Broadway theatres will remain closed until at least the end of May 2021. (Image: Angela Weiss/ AFP)[/caption]

That will mean theatres will have been closed for 14 months, an unprecedented length of time for the lights to be out in Manhattan's showbiz heart, which shuttered its venues on March 12. At the moment of shutdown, there were 31 shows running on Broadway and eight others preparing for opening in the spring.

"We are working tirelessly with multiple partners on sustaining the industry once we raise our curtains again," St Martin added.

Some productions have already thrown in the towel, including the musical The Snow Queen, as well as Hangmen and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Local media outlet NY1 said two of Broadway's biggest draws, The Lion King and The Phantom of the Opera, would not open again until autumn 2021.

[caption id="attachment_211285" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The theatre district of Broadway. (Image: Denys Nevozhai/ Unsplash)[/caption]

Broadway, which pulls in US$33 million (HK$256 million) a week in ticket sales, is hoping to receive federal support but has so far not been granted any backing by Congress. The latest announcement came two weeks after New York's Metropolitan Open said it was cancelling its season.

Concert venues and theatres are currently closed across the country, with tens of thousands of new cases of coronavirus diagnosed nationwide every day.

(Main image: Sudan Ouyang/ Unsplash; Featured image: Denys Nevozhai/ Unsplash)

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Created by friends of the English playwright seven years after his death, the First Folio represents a compilation of comedies, histories and tragedies

The post William Shakespeare’s First Folio Sells For Approx. $10M appeared first on LUXUO.

Netflix has either become my best friend throughout the pandemic or it was all along and I’m now just realising it. Seriously, can any of…

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Cafe culture has long been associated with life in France but in many countries, cafes are more than places to have a libation and socialise. They have been the birthplace of major iconic cultural works.

JK Rowling penned Harry Potter in Edinburgh’s Elephant House, Hemingway wrote A Movable Feast at Paris’ Closerie des Lilas, while inspiration for international hit Garota de Ipanema (The Girl From Ipanema) came from a Brazilian girl passing by a Rio de Janeiro bar leading to the beach.

Here, we gather 5 fascinating and iconic cafes and restaurants that inspired today’s most renowned works.

The Elephant House: Harry Potter, by JK Rowling

[caption id="attachment_211118" align="alignnone" width="960"] (Image: The Elephant House)[/caption]

Without the Elephant House pub in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Harry Potter saga may not have seen the light of day. Most of the early novels of the saga were penned in this Scottish pub with a red facade. JK Rowling sat in the back room overlooking the Edinburgh castle, drafting the characters and the whole universe that became an international blockbuster when first published in 1997.

Closerie des Lilas: A Movable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway

[caption id="attachment_211117" align="alignnone" width="1024"] (Image: Closerie des Lilas)[/caption]

This autobiographical tale by Ernest Hemingway came out after the writer’s death. The novel narrates the first few years that Hemingway spent in Paris during the 1920s. It offers readers a trip through the City of Lights and its most iconic neighborhoods from rue Mouffetard, to Brasserie Lipp and the Les Deux Magots café in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

But it’s in the Montparnasse neighborhood that Ernest Hemingway actually wrote A Movable Feast at Closerie des Lilas, a café-restaurant where painters like Renoir and Monet gathered in the mid 19th century. On a side note, Closerie des Lilas is also where F. Scott Fitzgerald asked Hemingway to read The Great Gatsby before publication.

Café de Flore: Being and Nothingness, by Jean-Paul Sartre

[caption id="attachment_211119" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] (Image: Café de Flore)[/caption]

If Parisian Café de Flore had been shut down, would French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre have produced all of his iconic texts? In an upper room of this historic Saint-Germain-des-Prés café, the French writer outlined drafts of Being and Nothingness, published in 1943. Not far from Sartre, at a table that faced him, his partner Simone de Beauvoir drafted what would go on to become her first hit novel, She Came to Stay.

Place du Forum: Café Terrace at night, by Vincent Van Gogh

[caption id="attachment_211121" align="aligncenter" width="768"] (Image: Bérangère Chatelain)[/caption]

It’s a must see for every tourist visiting Arles in the south of France. Located on the Place du Forum, just next to Nord Pinus hotel, Van Gogh made this cafe immortal in 1888. At the time, it was called “The Terrace.” The Dutch painter set his easel on the northeastern corner of the Place du Forum and depicted the warm end-of summer atmosphere of this welcoming French café.

Veloso: Garota de Ipanema, by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes

[caption id="attachment_211122" align="aligncenter" width="819"] (Image: Veloso)[/caption]

The most well-known bossa nova tune was written in 1962 in a Rio de Janeiro café called Veloso. Music composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and poet Vinicius de Moraes regularly met there. They both drew inspiration from a young Brazilian woman who used to pass by the bar’s terrace.

Garota de Ipanema became an international hit thanks to Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto’s adaptation in English two years later. The Girl from Ipanema, sung by Astrud Gilberto, is one of the most played songs worldwide, and the legend started in a carioca bar.

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I binged watched Emily in Paris in one day. One long, glorious day in my pyjamas with a box of macarons (oops!) Well, what can…

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Since its opening last year, K11 Musea has transformed the harbourfront landscape and culture.

Masterminded by Adrian Cheng, in collaboration with over 100 creative forces including acclaimed local and international artists, architects, designers and environmentalists, this pioneering cultural-retail destination has fostered community and cross-cultural dialogue by bringing together creativity, culture as well as innovation.

To celebrate its first anniversary, K11 Musea has unveiled an exciting array of new art and cultural happenings over the span of October 9^th to November 8^th. These include a towering nine-metre-tall sculpture called Van Gogh’s Ear by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, a limited-time showcase of legendary pop artist Keith Haring’s iconic artworks presented by Phillips Auction House in the new K11 Art & Cultural Centre, as well as Spanish artist Javier Calleja’s adorable sculptures and mini-figurines at a special pop-up in Muse Edition.

A special programme of multi-cultural experiences will include screenings of Cheng Ran’s latest short film starting Carina Lau titled Always I Distrust, and The Glorious Heritage, an homage to the rich traditions of Chinese Baibaoqian and Luodian craftsmanship at the Experience Chamber to provide a platform to showcase rare and fast disappearing Chinese traditional craftsmanship.

There will also be live ensemble performances featuring works by three iconic and pioneering minimalist composers Terry Riley, Philip Glass and Michael Nyman throughout four weekends in October.

Adrian Cheng, founder of K11 Group, says, “K11 Musea is a pioneering concept that integrates all forms of culture within retail. It represents a democratisation of culture and serves as a multipurpose platform for sharing valuable content, making it readily available and accessible for our local and global communities. I hope this movement will influence today’s audience to create shared value amongst one another and, together with us, build a wealth of ‘Knowledge Capital’ for the future generations.”

Cheng continues: “As K11 Musea marks its first anniversary this month, I have put together art and cultural experiences by global and local talents that we hope will continue to inspire those who live in or visit Hong Kong. My vision is for K11 Musea to be this city’s art and cultural landmark – as the Silicon Valley of Culture of today and generations to come.”

Throughout the Anniversary month, shoppers can also enjoy an incredible range of fabulous K11 Exclusives rewards. These exciting art and cultural experiences are curated to enrich customers’ daily lives through creativity, culture and innovation.

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The Rolex Perpetual Music concerts are held in support of musicians weathering the pandemic.

Since August, Rolex has launched Perpetual Music, an initiative that supports musicians and singers amidst the COVID-19 period. The project keeps in tune with the company’s enduring commitment to champion those setting the highest standards in the world of music while helping this art form remain as an integral part of daily life.

Three Rolex “Perpetual Music” concerts were held at prestigious venues in Italy, Germany, and France. Three Rolex Testimonees – Juan Diego Flórez, Sonya Yoncheva and Rolando Villazón – have supported the initiative since its infancy. They perform the repertoire prepared accompanied by singers and musicians. These talents entertain in solo performances or various ensembles. Renowned French violinist Renaud Capuçon also lends his adroit ability, joining his peers in support of organising this special initiative.

[caption id="attachment_210991" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Juan Diego Flórez (Image: Rolex)[/caption]

The concerts embrace the participation of approximately 100 musicians whose work and lives have suffered adverse impacts of the pandemic. The initiative projects its reach to hundreds of thousands of people in over 180 countries through the free streaming platform, medici.tv.

[caption id="attachment_210992" align="alignnone" width="1024"] French violinist Renaud Capuçon (Image: Rolex)[/caption]

“During these difficult times, when musicians have suffered both the loss of audience and income, we aim to provide them the opportunity to perform with renowned artists at prestigious venues with the finest acoustics,” says Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex Director of Communication & Image.

“By broadcasting the concerts via medici.tv, a Rolex partner for over a decade, we can give worldwide visibility to the artists supported by the project. Significantly, this gift of time and exposure is in keeping with the company’s pursuit of excellence and its long-term commitment to foster the work of those who aim to reach the pinnacle of their profession.”

[caption id="attachment_210993" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Sonya Yoncheva (Image: Rolex)[/caption]

For nearly 50 years, Rolex has encouraged artistic development and exceptional performance globally. A part of the company’s legacy, the support of these concerts is a testament to Rolex’s all-encompassing support for music. Presently, Rolex is also assisting in funding artists at the Metropolitan Opera in New York whose work has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

Visit medici.tv to enjoy the Rolex Perpetual Music Concerts 2020 until the end of October.

This story first appeared on Prestige Malaysia

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Climate activist Greta Thunberg and press freedom groups are generating Nobel Peace Prize buzz ahead of this week's award announcements, in a pandemic year that has highlighted the importance of science and research.

The Nobel prizes for literature and peace, to be announced on October 8 and 9 respectively, tend to garner the most public interest, given occasionally to well-known people or organisations.

But the prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry and economics are usually awarded to research teams toiling for decades far from the limelight, perhaps stars in their fields but rarely known to the public.

This year, the new coronavirus has brought science centre-stage. "The pandemic is a big crisis for mankind, but it illustrates how important science is," Nobel Foundation head Lars Heikensten said.

[caption id="attachment_210888" align="alignnone" width="768"] Greta Thunberg's name has come up in connection with the Nobel Peace Prize 2020, most likely with other activists. (Image: Kenzo Tribouillard/ AFP)[/caption]

No prizes are expected to be awarded this year for work directly linked to the virus, as Nobel prizewinning research usually takes many years to be verified. The virus could however influence the various committees that select the laureates.

"The pandemic has changed us as thinking beings for the foreseeable future," Bjorn Wiman, culture editor at Sweden's biggest daily Dagens Nyheter, told AFP.

For the Swedish Academy, which awards the Nobel Literature Prize, "it's clear the pandemic will have some kind of effect on the reflections of the (Academy's) Nobel committee members. They're just people too".

"Other things perhaps seem more important now than six months ago," Wiman said.

[caption id="attachment_210891" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Thunberg takes part in a "Youth Strike 4 Climate" protest march on March 6, 2020 in Brussels. (Image: John Thys/ AFP)[/caption]

'No real peace strides'

Nobel Peace Prize experts meanwhile noted the lack of a clear frontrunner for 2020. "There aren't any real major strides forward for peace or peace agreements," Dan Smith, head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), told AFP.

Nobel historian Asle Sveen said Reporters Without Borders (RSF) was his favourite for the prize, a choice echoed by the head of the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO), Henrik Urdal, who also mentioned the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"During conflicts, it's extremely important that journalists contribute to provide information about what's happening, both in order to hold the conflict parties accountable for their actions as well as providing information to the outside world," Urdal told AFP.

Smith and Sveen also both mentioned Greta Thunberg — who has repeatedly urged world leaders to "listen to the science" on climate change — as a possible winner, most likely together with other activists. "I think the committee may go outside of a narrow peace definition," Smith said.

Other experts have meanwhile suggested the World Health Organisation could take home the prize. Last year, it went to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for ending a 20-year postwar stalemate with Eritrea.

[caption id="attachment_210889" align="alignnone" width="768"] The winners of the coveted Nobel Peace Prize 2020 medals will be announced this month (Image: Jonathan Nackstrand/ AFP)[/caption]

Literary brouhahas

A flurry of names have meanwhile been mentioned for the literature prize, awarded by the Swedish Academy that has been mired in controversy for several years. Its 2016 Nobel pick of US rock legend Bob Dylan was a contentious choice, followed the next year by the emergence of a rape scandal close to its members that tore the Academy apart, forcing it to postpone the prize for 2018 — a first in 70 years.

The Academy was revamped, and just when everyone thought it would steer clear of controversy, it gave the 2019 prize to Austrian novelist Peter Handke, known for his pro-Serb support in the Balkan wars.

"If the Academy knows what's good for them, they'll choose Jamaica Kincaid," Bjorn Wiman, cultural editor at Sweden's biggest daily Dagens Nyheter, told AFP. The Caribbean-American author is known for exploring colonialism, racism and gender. "Kincaid and her stance on various moral and political issues are absolutely worth listening to today," he said.

However, the Academy could also "dust off some old candidate" such as Peter Nadas of Hungary, Albania's Ismael Kadare or Romania's Mircea Cartarescu, he said. Madelaine Levy, literature critic at daily Svenska Dagbladet, meanwhile said she was hoping for American author Joan Didion.

[caption id="attachment_210890" align="aligncenter" width="512"] English author Hilary Mantel is a new name in circulation for the Literature prize. (Image: Isabel Infantes/ AFP)[/caption]

Canadian poet Anne Carson was also seen as a possible winner, alongside "usual suspects" Ngugi wa Thiong'o of Kenya, French novelist Michel Houellebecq, American authors Joyce Carol Oates and Marilynn Robinson, Israel's David Grossman and Canada's Margaret Atwood. British novelist Hilary Mantel — not usually mentioned in Nobel speculation — has also popped up.

This year, the traditional prize ceremony in December in Stockholm has been cancelled due to the pandemic, replaced with a televised broadcast showing laureates receiving their awards in their home countries.

The Peace Prize ceremony, held separately in Oslo, will however go ahead albeit in a scaled-back version. The medicine prize kicks off the announcements on Monday, followed by physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, literature on Thursday and peace on Friday. The economics prize wraps things up on Monday, October 12.

(Main and featured image: John Thys/ AFP)

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Complications linked to COVID-19, snatch another one of the world's greats out from under our noses.

The post Japanese Fashion Designer Kenzo Takada Loses The Battle To Covid-19 appeared first on LUXUO.

A rare painting by Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli is poised to achieve over US$80 million (HK$620 million) when it goes under the hammer in New York in January, according to Sotheby's — setting a record auction price for the artist.

"Young Man Holding a Roundel" has been billed by the auction house as one of the greatest paintings from the era still in private hands. It is expected to smash the US$10.4 million auction record set seven years ago for a painting by the Florence native.

The subject of the enigmatic portrait is not known, but art historians believe it could be a depiction of a close friend of the Medici family, which ruled the Italian city during Botticelli's life.

[caption id="attachment_210878" align="aligncenter" width="299"] 'Young Man Holding a Roundel' by Sandro Botticelli goes to auction in January. (Image: Sotheby's)[/caption]

The painting has been dated to the artist's most prolific years in the late 15th century, when Pope Sixtus IV invited him to help decorate the Sistine Chapel in Rome. During that period he produced some of his most famous works including "the Birth of Venus".

"This Botticelli is so much more spectacular in every way than anything we've seen coming to market," said Sotheby's senior vice president Christopher Apostle. "It says everything about Florentine culture and that moment of the Renaissance, when just everything fundamentally changes in Western thinking and art and literature."

Despite its age, the painting has been kept in an immaculate state and has been exhibited in several museums. It last changed hands in 1982, when a private collector bought it for about US$1.3 million. More details here.

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Thanks to Microclimate, we may very soon, ditch surgical masks for transparent ski-masks with HEPA filters and cushioned liners.

The post Microclimate Invents ‘AIR’ : A Ski-Mask For Safer Daily Travel appeared first on LUXUO.

The skeleton of a 40-foot (12-metre) dinosaur nicknamed "Stan", one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex (T-rex) specimens ever found, is going to auction in New York next month and could set a record for a sale of its kind.

Discovered in 1987 near Buffalo, South Dakota, the 188-bone skeleton took more than three years to excavate and reconstruct by paleontologists from the state's Black Hills Geological Research Institute, where it has been exhibited since.

Stan, who researchers estimate died around 60 million years ago aged about 20, has since been used to make replicas for dozens of museums eager to acquire their own T-rex model. Only about 50 skeletons of one of the largest carnivores to roam Earth have been discovered since the first in 1902.

[caption id="attachment_210806" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Stan — named after the amateur paleontologist responsible for his initial discovery — is now on display in a window at Christie's headquarters in New York City until October 21. (Image: Christie's)[/caption]

James Hyslop, of auctioneer Christie's, said: "There aren't very many very good complete skeletons in there...It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire a T-Rex as complete as this."

The auction will be held in New York on October 6, with bids expected from US$6 million to US$8 million -- putting it within reach of the US$8.4 million paid for a T-rex named Sue in October 1997. "Any natural history museum would consider him the crown of their collection," Hyslop said.

Stan -- named after the amateur paleontologist responsible for his initial discovery -- is now on display in a window at Christie's headquarters in New York City until October 21. Its head is so heavy that a replica sits atop the skeleton, with the real one presented alongside. More details here.

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