-
Petrenko leads Berlin Philharmonic in powerful Elgar and Tchaikovsky
The Berlin Philharmonic delivered an outstanding performance under chief conductor Kirill Petrenko at the Royal Albert Hall, pairing Elgar’s Enigma Variations with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 4 in the first of two Proms appearances. The reviewer suggests the orchestra may be the best in the world, praising the freshness and emotional depth brought to Elgar’s portraits…
-
Adéla’s Prima confronts pop industry’s manufactured stardom
The Guardian reviews “Prima,” the debut album from 22-year-old Slovakian pop star Adéla Jergová, praising her frank acknowledgement of the music industry’s cynical machinery as she pursues fame. Having failed to make the cut for the girl group Katseye (as documented on Netflix’s Pop Star Academy) before being taken up by Grimes as a solo…
-
Mike Dean claims referees played games to avoid whistles
The Guardian’s Football Daily column reports on former Premier League referee Mike Dean making startling claims on Jamie Vardy’s podcast about deliberately failing to officiate matches properly during his career. Dean, appearing as a guest alongside comedian Josh James, said that before VAR was introduced he and his assistants used to play games to see…
-
Hidden tactics of the station bag snatchers that let them prey on wealthy, revealed by influencer whose Louis Vuitton case was swiped at St Pancras
A US fitness influencer had her Louis Vuitton suitcase stolen by a suspected organised gang outside London’s St Pancras station, prompting warnings about the tactics thieves use to target wealthy travellers. Colleen Bankston, 62, believes at least three men worked together, using headsets to coordinate, while one distracted her and her husband by asking to…
-
New McDonagh film at Venice scrutinises CIA’s covert operations
Playwright and film-maker Martin McDonagh has said the CIA’s history of covert interventions deserves greater scrutiny, speaking as his new film Wild Horse Nine premiered at the Venice film festival. The Oscar-tipped drama stars John Malkovich as a veteran CIA agent grappling with guilt over decades of US interference abroad, and McDonagh said he wanted…
-
Colman Domingo Emcees Kering’s Caring for Women Gala with Paris Hilton DJ Performance
Colman Domingo and Paris Hilton have been confirmed for the Kering Foundation’s fifth annual Caring for Women Gala, with Domingo serving as emcee and Hilton providing a DJ set at the afterparty. The event, taking place on 10 September at The Pool in New York, is led by founding co-hosts Salma Hayek Pinault and François-Henri…
-
Until Dawn 2 launches on PS5 on 28 January
Sony has confirmed that Until Dawn 2 will launch for PS5 on 28 January, with the release date revealed during a State of Play showcase alongside pre-order details. The sequel is being developed by Liverpool-based studio Firesprite rather than original creator Supermassive Games, and swaps the snow-bound alpine setting of the first game for a…
-
Crimson Desert expansion Charting the Unknown arrives 15 October
Pearl Abyss has confirmed 15th October as the release date for Charting the Unknown, the first post-launch DLC for its hit action RPG Crimson Desert, following a vague tease of expansion content back in June. Unveiled during a State of Play presentation, the DLC adds new story missions in which characters Kliff, Oongka and Damiane…
-
2-Time Grammy-Winning Jazz Legend Once Dubbed “America’s Best Singer” Dies at 70
Cassandra Wilson, the two-time Grammy-winning jazz singer once described by Time Magazine as “America’s Best Singer,” has died at the age of 70. Her death was announced by her long-time manager, Robert Torre, who said she passed away peacefully at home in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, surrounded by family, close friends and himself. No cause…
-
Poet laureate Armitage examines mortality in New Cemetery audiobook
Poet laureate Simon Armitage’s audiobook New Cemetery reflects on the creation of a burial ground near his Huddersfield home during the Covid lockdown, using the site’s construction as a prompt for meditations on mortality, memory and family. Rather than object like some neighbours, Armitage welcomed the development, reasoning that the dead make quiet and permanent…