Lady Gaga adds sparkle to star-studded Olympic show

US’ singer Lady Gaga sings a song at the Sully bridge area before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 28 July 2024
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Lady Gaga adds sparkle to star-studded Olympic show

  • In a nod to her passion for French culture, US pop star Lady Gaga appeared from behind a fan of pom-poms held by her dancing troupe to sing “Mon truc en plumes“
  • “It is my supreme honor to sing for you and cheer you on,” Gaga wrote on her social media

PARIS: Lady Gaga and French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura joined dancers, an opera diva and even a heavy metal band in an opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics that sought to proudly showcase French culture with a modern twist.
The first-ever opening ceremony held outside a stadium — on the River Seine — had to battle driving rain that cast a pallid gloom over the City of Light.

The fast-moving and multi-location ceremony masterminded by acclaimed French theater director Thomas Jolly was aimed at impressing the global TV audience as much as those who braved the weather and intense security to watch live.
“It is now. The world is watching us. Let’s open the Games in style!” French President Emmanuel Macron, who watched the ceremony in a VIP stand with other leaders, wrote on X.

In a nod to her passion for French culture, US pop star Lady Gaga appeared from behind a fan of pom-poms held by her dancing troupe to sing “Mon truc en plumes” (“My Thing With Feathers“) an iconic French music hall hit by the legendary Zizi Jeanmaire.
“It is my supreme honor to sing for you and cheer you on,” Gaga wrote on her social media channels after the performance, saying she always “felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music.”

Franco-Malian R&B superstar Aya Nakamura, the most listened-to French-speaking singer in the world, performed a medley with two of her hits “Pookie” and “Djadja” and a classic by Charles Aznavour, “For me Formidable,” one hundred years since his birth.
Rumours she was to perform had sparked a backlash from the extreme right in France and a torrent of racist abuse on social media. But in a striking symbol, she was accompanied in her performance by musicians from France’s Republican Guard.

 


According to Jolly, the 12 different phases of the ceremony tell the story of a country rich in its “diversity,” “inclusive,” “not one France but several Frances,” and celebrating “the whole world united.”
He has been backed by a writing team including famed novelist Leila Slimani and screenwriter Fanny Herrero, who penned the smash-hit casting agency comedy “Dix pour cent” (“Call My Agent).
In another highlight, the star “etoile” dancer of the Paris Opera Guillaume Diop performed on a Paris rooftop.

 

 


For many French spectators, the highlight was the surprise appearance of the heavy metal group Gojira, who burst out onto platforms constructed on the Conciergerie, a key building in the French Revolution, where deposed queen Marie-Antoinette was held.
With a mannequin of headless Marie Antoinette after her guillotine execution for good measure, they belted out the revolutionary chant “Ah! Ca ira.”
In an unlikely collaboration, they were joined by the French-Swiss mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti, who makes no secret of her taste for metal as well as classical.

 

 


Jakub Jozef Orlinski, a Polish couter-tenor who is also a break-dancer, interpreted an aria from the opera “Les Indes Galantes” by Jean-Philippe Rameau combining both of his talents.

 

 

 

The ceremony, which was due to last several hours, had got under way with a clip of French actor Djamel Debbouze carrying the Olympic torch into the national stadium, the Stade de France, only to realize he should have gone to the river.
Helped by French football great Zinedine Zidane, he then takes the torch on un underground odyssey through Paris and hands it to a group of children who are then guided by a mysterious masked individual who is expected to eventually light the Olympic flame.


Gulf Theater Festival in Riyadh revives tradition, fosters regional cultural exchange

Updated 24 sec ago
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Gulf Theater Festival in Riyadh revives tradition, fosters regional cultural exchange

  • For the first time since 1988, the festival is being hosted in Saudi Arabia, celebrating a rich legacy of Gulf theatrical collaboration
  • Event, running from Sept. 10 to 17, brings together artists, performers, and cultural figures from across the Gulf Cooperation Council nations to promote regional artistic exchange

RIYADH: The 14th Gulf Theater Festival kicked off in Riyadh, marking a grand return after an eight-year hiatus.

For the first time since 1988, the festival is being hosted in Saudi Arabia, celebrating a rich legacy of Gulf theatrical collaboration.

The event, running from Sept. 10 to 17, brings together artists, performers, and cultural figures from across the Gulf Cooperation Council nations to promote regional artistic exchange.

Held at the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Theater, the festival commenced with an opening ceremony that featured prominent figures from the Gulf and Arab theater scenes.

As part of the proceedings, the festival will include a series of competitive theatrical performances, workshops, and discussions aimed at enhancing production and collaboration.

The event also honors creative minds, recognizing their contributions to the art form with a series of awards.

Speaking on behalf of Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Sultan Al-Bazie, CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, highlighted the festival’s significance.

“The festival is a night of Gulf culture, celebrating theater as a platform for creativity that has enriched cultural memory and fostered collaboration between our sister nations,” he said.

Al-Bazie also emphasized the support the cultural sectors receive from Saudi Arabia’s leadership, noting that the festival reflects the Kingdom’s vision for advancing the Gulf theater scene.

“The event aligns with our commitment to creating a thriving Gulf cultural landscape that enhances national identity, encourages dialogue with the world, and boosts the economic sustainability of the arts,” he added.

In an exclusive comment to Arab News, Al-Bazie shared his hopes for the future of the festival.

He said: “The festival returns after an absence of eight years and is held periodically among the GCC countries.

“It will continue to grow stronger and greater and evolve into institutional work to promote aid, theatrical production, training, and joint efforts. These are all hopes we aim to achieve in the coming years.”

With its rich blend of performances, lectures, and cultural exchange, the Gulf Theater Festival is expected to solidify Riyadh’s role as a central hub for regional artistic collaboration.

The event not only revives long-standing traditions but also paves the way for a more sustainable and dynamic future for Gulf theater.


‘I Am Georgina’ highlights Saudi Arabia in first trailer for season three

Updated 11 September 2024
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‘I Am Georgina’ highlights Saudi Arabia in first trailer for season three

DUBAI: After two successful seasons, “Soy Georgina” (“I Am Georgina”) is set to return to Netflix with a third season on Sept. 18 that highlights star Georgina Rodriguez's life in Saudi Arabia, according to a trailer dropped by the streaming giant today.

The new season will give a peek inside power couple Georgina Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo’s luxurious new life in Saudi Arabia, a move that took place in Dec. 2022 when the Portuguese football legend signed with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.

The trailer begins with shots of Rodriguez in AlUla, Saudi Arabia’s historic UNESCO heritage site, as she poses in front of the Instagram-famous mirrored Maraya Concert Hall.

There is a strong focus on her long-term partnership with Ronaldo as she’s seen supporting from the stands at various football matches.

The trailer also briefly spotlights Rodriguez and her family – including the couple’s children and her stepson Cristiano Jr. – at the St. Regis Red Sea Resort in Saudi Arabia.

Light-hearted moments show the family spending time at the dinner table at their Saudi home, laughing and making conversation.

The trailer also prominently features Rodriguez at Paris Fashion Week, waiting nervously backstage as she gets ready to walk the runway for Swiss fashion label Vetements.


Lindsay Lohan, part-Arab models stun at Michael Kors show

Updated 11 September 2024
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Lindsay Lohan, part-Arab models stun at Michael Kors show

DUBAI: Dubai-based Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan was spotted at the Michael Kors show during New York Fashion Week, where she watched part-Arab models Nora Attal and Loli Bahia walk the runway.

Lohan wore a sleek silver satin slip dress paired with a long grey coat featuring a fur collar. She kept her look minimal with subtle jewelry and straight, flowing hair.

Lohan wore a sleek silver satin slip dress paired with a long grey coat featuring a fur collar. (Getty Images)

The show took place in a cavernous space in midtown, with stark metal benches lining the rectangular walls. Gigantic faux black rocks were scattered throughout the center and sides of the venue, similar to the rocky beaches of the Amalfi Coast. The dramatic Italian cliffs in an urban setting played into Kors’ abstract inspiration.

Lohan watched as the Arab models graced the runway. Attal wore a strapless black lace midi dress with a deep sweetheart neckline and a small center cutout, accentuated by a belted waist that added structure to the silhouette.

Attal wore a strapless black lace midi dress with a deep sweetheart neckline. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Bahia was seen in a tailored black ensemble, featuring a sharp blazer with a plunging neckline and high-waisted shorts, cinched at the waist with a thin black belt for a sleek, minimalist look.

For this collection Kors told The Associated Press that he was “glued” to pop culture and was especially fascinated by the recent Netflix series “Ripley,” based on Patricia Highsmith’s classic novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” The dark story is set in coastal Italy where a man who covets a friend’s wealthy life kills him and takes over his identity, killing anyone else who threatens his new persona.

Bahia was seen in a tailored black ensemble, featuring a sharp blazer with a plunging neckline and high-waisted shorts. (Getty Images)

“There’s lots of texture, black raffia, white embroideries. Everything is very tactile,” Kors explained. “It’s all the colors that you would find in the Mediterranean. So all of the natural colors have very soft browns and creams. And then of course, there’s going to be blue.”

The brand’s craftsmanship was on display with intricate peekaboo lace dresses and skirts and several dresses, skirts and coats adorned with flower appliqué. Accessories stood out in the collection with leather handbags, hats and shoes teeming with black raffia that looked like leather straw. The ever-present trench coat appeared for men and women on the runway, mostly oversized and slouchy, AP noted.  


Saudi box office sells 8.5 million tickets in first half of 2024 with two Saudi films in top three

Updated 11 September 2024
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Saudi box office sells 8.5 million tickets in first half of 2024 with two Saudi films in top three

DUBAI: The burgeoning Saudi film industry is going from strength to strength.

On Tuesday, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al-Saud, Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, took to X to reveal that the Saudi box office has made SAR 421.8 million ($112,410,096) in the first half of 2024, adding that two of the three leading films were Saudi-produced. He did not reveal the names of the two films.

“Saudi box office sales have reached 8.5 million tickets with revenues exceeding 421.8m SAR during the first half of 2024. Two of the best-selling films amongst the top 3 are Saudi #SaudiVision20230,” he wrote.

Saudi Arabia’s cinema scene has been booming since lifting its 35-year ban in 2018. With 66 theaters across 22 cities and box office sales reaching $919 million in 2023 (up 25% from 2022), the industry is growing at a rapid pace.

While Hollywood films like Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Tom Cruise-starring “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” have contributed to ticket sales, Saudi films have also been making a mark.

Saudi filmmaker Ali Kalthami’s Riyadh-based thriller “Mandoob” (“Night Courier”) has been a success since it was released at the beginning of 2024, soaring to the top of the Saudi box office following its screening at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah. The film tells the story of Fahad, who, after getting fired from a call centre, takes a job as a night courier who illegally sells alcohol in order to save his ailing father.

“Sattar,” the Saudi Arabian family comedy about a depressed man who follows his dreams of becoming a freestyle wrestling champion, smashed box office records last year, earning $2.2 million over its first 12 days, instantly making it the highest-grossing Saudi movie of all time, so far.

 


New partnership to conserve AlUla’s cultural heritage

Updated 10 September 2024
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New partnership to conserve AlUla’s cultural heritage

  • National Archives will work with the commission in four broad areas: training and scientific exchange, archival research, public programming, and digitization
  • Abeer Al-Akel: Our partnership with the National Archives exemplifies the power of international collaboration

JEDDAH: The Royal Commission for AlUla has signed a partnership agreement with the UK National Archives in line with the commission’s goals of cultural heritage preservation, international collaboration, and contribution to Vision 2030.

Through its expertise in archival management and historical documentation, the National Archives will work with the commission in four broad areas: training and scientific exchange, archival research, public programming, and digitization. Specific initiatives will focus on joint research projects, digital archive initiatives, and cultural exhibitions.

Abeer Al-Akel, acting CEO of the commission, said: “RCU’s campaign of comprehensive regeneration is transforming AlUla into a global hub for heritage and culture — and an extraordinary location for residents and visitors. Our commitment to conservation supports Vision 2030’s goal of promoting Saudi culture through initiatives that are ‘powered by the past, reimagined for the future.’

“Our partnership with the National Archives exemplifies the power of international collaboration, combining expertise and resources from Saudi Arabia and the UK to enhance cultural heritage research and public programming.”

Saul Nasse, chief executive and keeper of the National Archives, said: “Working with the Royal Commission for AlUla is an opportunity to share our pioneering work in documenting and safeguarding heritage. RCU has an ambitious strategy to preserve the rich stories of northwest Arabia, and we look forward to contributing our insights and experience.”

Through this collaboration, RCU and the National Archives aim to enhance the visibility of Saudi documentary heritage and strengthen the capacity of local archives to provide wide access to these invaluable resources, further solidifying AlUla’s position as a global hub for cultural preservation and exploration.