Bizet’s “Carmen.” The nineteenth century’s political unrest, social class, energy battle, homicide, scandal, gender, race, now matches our 2lst century. Consequence? Rejiggering the opera as a movie.
Director’s Benjamin Millepied — choreographer, plus husband of Oscar winner Natalie Portman who performed a ballerina in “Black Swan.”
Tall, good-looking, French, his sneakers had been spotless.
“My movie’s set in Mexico, a rustic in chaos. I started this profession as a baby. My mom, a dancer, had some hyperlink. A love of music and expression, dance isn’t any financially rewarding profession — solely fulfilling.
“Took me six years to put in writing this. Drama instructed by music — like ‘West Facet Story.’ I reinvented her. Extra freedom. She’s not simply an object of want.”
She’s impartial. Mom’s murdered. Unlawful border guard kills others in her group. Standoff. Escape to LA. Police shut in. For the remaining see the film.
“Onstage, dance, music, lights, costumes come collectively. A single expertise. I approached this similar method I strategy dance, the language of desires, the magical and the earthly. My acutely aware and unconscious.”
Oddity No. 1. The screening drew Mikhail Baryshnikov who kindly launched himself to me. Undecided why since final we met he was sitting at my kitchen desk.
Telling royal tales
Oddity No. 2: 2,000 years late Cleopatra’s prepared for her close-up. Jada Pinkett Smith narrates the sequence.
Jada: “Don’t usually get tales about black queens. That was essential for me, my daughter, my group. Cleopatra’s displayed as sexual, extreme, corrupt, but she was a strategist, mind, fought to guard her kingdom.
“Her heritage is debated. We’ll dive into her historical past.”
“Queen Cleopatra” premieres in Queens Could 10. Netflix. Seize a barge. Watch it.
Aided and a’booked
Lengthy again I reported: “Melissa DeRosa, Gov. Cuomo’s former aide, has inked a tell-all e book.”
Rapid denials. No-no-no. Madam Adams is aware of not what she burbles about.
Nicely . . . HARK! Comes now information that truth-misser Melissa’s written a dump-all.
The Sanitation Division has been positioned on alert.
Studying historical past
Oddity No. 3: Roger Smith was a “77 Sundown Strip” actor married to Ann-Margret. Now gone. I’ve simply had information from some outlet which has invoked the phrase “Who the F - - ok Is Roger Smith?!”
It alleges figuring out Time Warner’s Steve Ross, Schwarzenegger, Spielberg, hit on by Grace Kelly, Menendez trial testifier, opera subtitles creator and dishes on now gone Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Gerald Ford.
Simply letting everybody know if in case ought to they hear from him.
Morning regalia
Comes an invitation from Emma Wade-Smith OBE, His Majesty’s Consul Basic right here, to have fun the coronation of King Charles III on Could 6. It says: “We are going to livestream it at Lincoln Middle’s David Geffen Corridor. Doorways open 5:45 a.m. The Coronation begins 6:00 a.m.” Nice. Hope Roger Smith is aware of.
I’m off Monday and Tuesday. So Hail Britannia, plus solely in New York, children, solely in New York.
