The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz
The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz |
| German composer Hans Werner Henze dead at 86, says publisher Posted: 27 Oct 2012 07:38 AM PDT  German composer Hans Werner Henze in Tokyo in 2010. — AFP pic "With the death of Hans Werner Henze we have lost one of the most versatile, important and influential composers of our time," Schott said in a statement on its website, saying the composer died in Dresden on Saturday. Born in Guetersloh on July 1, 1926, Henze's prolific output covered a wide range of works, including more than 40 operas and pieces for the stage, 10 symphonies, concertos, chamber music, oratorios and song. "What is unique about his work is the union of timeless beauty with contemporary commitment," Schott said. Henze was openly gay and made his home in Italy, in the Albani hills outside Rome with his partner of more than five decades, Fausto Moroni, whom he met in 1964, but who died in 2007. It was in the classical landscape of Italy "that he found his own harmonious balance of art and life —throwing himself into his many practical projects, entertaining generously with his companion Fausto Moroni, then retreating into his study and his scores," the statement said. Henze, perhaps best known for his symphonies and music theatre, enjoyed a unique collaboration with the Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann, who wrote the libretti for his operas "The Prince of Homburg" (1958-59), "The Young Lord" (1964), "Elegy for Young Lovers" (1959-61)and "The Bassarids" (1964-65), which Schott described as "milestones in his compositional output." He was a prisoner of war in Fascist Germany and his experiences left their mark on his artistic output, notably in another stage work, "We come to the River" (1974-76) and in his ninth symphony written in 1995-97, which was based on Anna Seghers' novel "The Seventh Cross". "With the unshakable courage of his convictions, but also with his joie de vivre, his love of beautiful things and of nature, Henze's restless spirit reveals to us a man who never lost sight of his artistic aspirations, despite many personal sufferings, and historical dangers," Schott wrote. "To him, composing was both an ethical commitment and personal expression. He had to write, with relentless self-discipline, and when times were hard it threw him the anchor he needed and saved him from his darkest moments."— Reuters |
| Confidante put drugs in Britney’s food, singer’s mom testifies Posted: 26 Oct 2012 10:44 PM PDT LOS ANGELES, Oct 27 — The one-time confidante of Britney Spears said he crushed up drugs in the pop singer's food to help her sleep and disabled her phone lines during the height of her meltdown five years ago, Spears' mother testified yesterday. Lynne Spears told the Los Angeles jury in a civil trial that Sam Lutfi, Britney's self-styled manager at the time, described his actions to her in a January 2008 exchange at her daughter's Los Angeles home.  Singer Britney Spears speaks on stage during the taping of "We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute To Whitney Houston" at the Nokia theatre in Los Angeles, California October 11, 2012. — Reuters pic Lutfi is suing Lynne Spears for defaming him in her 2008 book "Through the Storm," in which she related some of Lutfi's actions in 2007 when he became the singer's closest friend, and moved into her house. Lynne Spears admitted under cross examination that she did not call police despite her concerns about her daughter. She also acknowledged she had been estranged from her daughter for months in 2007, and that Lutfi told her he wanted to help reunite them. Lynne Spears' book also claims Lutfi tried to cut the singer off from her family, and portrays him as a figure who controlled her every move. Lutfi, who met Spears in a nightclub in 2007 and has said he tried to wean her off drugs, testified tearfully earlier this week he received death threats after the book was published. The week-long trial has lifted the lid on the much-publicized meltdown by Spears in 2007 and early 2008, in which she went through a divorce, lost custody of her two kids, shaved her head and wielded an umbrella at paparazzi. Lutfi is also suing Spears for a portion of her earnings at that time, claiming the "Toxic" singer hired him as her manager. Lutfi further alleges Britney's father, Jamie Spears, punched him in the chest in 2008, during a period when the singer was twice held in a psychiatric ward in a Los Angeles hospital. Jamie Spears was later named conservator of his daughter's personal and business affairs, and the family took out restraining orders against Lutfi. Spears, now 30, has since made a comeback with world tours hit albums and a new job as a judge on TV talent show "The X-Factor". She is not expected to attend the trial. — Reuters |
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