Category: people

Vittorio Grigolo: “It comes easy for me to play the romantic. When a role needs passion, romance, nobility of soul, Vittorio is the guy.” And of his Covent Garden debut: “It was like the whole theater was on fire. I always dream for the reaction of a pop concert, but at Covent Garden it’s a surprise.”

“[His] stylistic evolution from vibrant, Cubist-inspired abstractions to Color Field canvases made him one of the least definable members of the second-generation Abstract Expressionists, … and his work – kinetic, calligraphic dashes of primary colors in his early career, and subtle pastels beginning in the 1970s – often flirted with figuration.”

After testing in Milan, doctors have declared that the 69-year-old Muti, who has cancelled two weeks of his first month as Chicago Symphony music director, “is suffering from extreme exhaustion as a result of prolonged physical stress. The exhaustion manifested itself in abdominal pain and other physical symptoms.”

“Escaping into the world of Jean Valjean gave Llosa the fortitude he needed to face the real world. But it also made the real world seem pale in comparison. Real reality couldn’t live up to the dreams of Victor Hugo.”

“I’ve never been so unsure about the reaction to one of my books. What I like is that you can’t categorise it. Someone suggested that it’s bedtime stories for children who drink, and I thought that was just great.”

The inventor of the personal essay “confesses that he is lazy and dilatory, the very opposite of self-disciplined: ‘What I do easily and naturally I can no longer do if I order myself to do it by strict command.’ … And even back in the day, people complained that he shared too much trivial detail, such as his preference for white wine over red.”

“Salman Rushdie has revealed that he has already written 100 pages of the memoir that will tell the story of his decade in hiding under the threat of death.”

“The greatest soprano of her time, Joan Sutherland was blessed with formidable technique, a voice that brought her the title La Stupenda, and an unspoiled Australian nature that kept vanity and pretension at bay.”

“The 45-year-old writer beat the Queen into third place, ahead of celebrity fashion designer Victoria Beckham. The list was compiled to mark the centenary of the National Magazine Company.”

“The Australian star, who retired from the stage 20 years ago, had been in poor health following a fall. Dame Joan made her debut at London’s Covent Garden in 1959, going on to appear in productions around the world and making numerous recordings.”