17 Aug 2018

Upbeat for Friday 17 August

From Upbeat, 1:00 pm on 17 August 2018

 

Noon

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Photo: Provided

We remember singer Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, who passed away yesterday aged 76.

The tributes have been pouring in: Paul McCartney called her “the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many many years. She will be missed but the memory of her greatness as a musician and a fine human being will live with us forever.” Barack Obama: “Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect."

 

1pm: Don Giovanni – Lover or #metoo predator?

John and Jonathan Drummond

John and Jonathan Drummond Photo: supplied

In the era of the Weinstein fallout, "Lover or predator” is the byline for Opera Otago's new modern-day production of Mozart's Don Giovanni, created by father and son director and music director John and Jonathan Drummond. It's been several years in the making, largely because Jonathan has been establishing himself in the UK as a conductor, pianist and arranger. He recently won an award in Leeds for his work as a music director.

 

1.30pm: Andrea Schermoly – Strength and Grace

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Photo: Provided

All over the country programmes are gathering momentum celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage. The Royal New Zealand Ballet are among the producers: Strength and Grace performed tonight and Saturday in Wellington has seen the ballet commission four new works from women choreographers. We are joined on Upbeat by LA based Andrea Schermoly from South Africa who discusses what it means to be woman freelance choreographer today.

 

2pm Stravinsky’s Petroushka

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Photo: Provided

Another Ballet score today: Stravinsky’s Petroushka played by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Stravinsky himself in 1960.