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blackkudos · 5 years ago

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Ralph Ellison

Ralph Waldo Ellison (March 1, 1913 – April 16, 1994) was an American novelist, literary critic, and scholar best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953. He also wrote Shadow and Act (1964), a collection of political, social and critical essays, and Going to the Territory (1986). For The New York Times, the best of these essays in addition to the novel put him "among the gods of America's literary Parnassus." A posthumous novel, Juneteenth, was published after being assembled from voluminous notes he left upon his death.

Early life

Ralph Waldo Ellison, named after Ralph Waldo Emerson, was born at 407 East First Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Lewis Alfred Ellison and Ida Millsap, on March 1, 1913. He was the second of three sons; firstborn Alfred died in infancy, and younger brother Herbert Maurice (or Millsap) was born in 1916. Lewis Alfred Ellison, a small-business owner and a construction foreman, died in 1916, after an operation to cure internal wounds suffered after shards from a 100-lb ice block penetrated his abdomen, when it was dropped while being loaded into a hopper. The elder Ellison loved literature, and doted on his children, Ralph discovering as an adult that his father had hoped he would grow up to be a poet.

In 1921, Ellison's mother and her children moved to Gary, Indiana, where she had a brother. According to Ellison, his mother felt that "my brother and I would have a better chance of reaching manhood if we grew up in the north." When she did not find a job and her brother lost his, the family returned to Oklahoma, where Ellison worked as a busboy, a shoeshine boy, hotel waiter, and a dentist's assistant. From the father of a neighborhood friend, he received free lessons for playing trumpet and alto saxophone, and would go on to become the school bandmaster.

Ida remarried three times after Lewis died. However, the family life was precarious, and Ralph worked various jobs during his youth and teens to assist with family support. While attending Douglass High School, he also found time to play on the school's football team. He graduated from high school in 1931. He worked for a year, and found the money to make a down payment on a trumpet, using it to play with local musicians, and to take further music lessons. At Douglass, he was influenced by principal Inman E. Page and his daughter, music teacher Zelia N. Breaux.

At Tuskegee Institute

Ellison applied twice for admission to Tuskegee Institute, the prestigious all-black university in Alabama founded by Booker T. Washington. He was finally admitted in 1933 for lack of a trumpet player in its orchestra. Ellison hopped freight trains to get to Alabama, and was soon to find out that the institution was no less class-conscious than white institutions generally were.

Ellison's outsider position at Tuskegee "sharpened his satirical lens," critic Hilton Als believes: "Standing apart from the university's air of sanctimonious Negritude enabled him to write about it." In passages of Invisible Man, "he looks back with scorn and despair on the snivelling ethos that ruled at Tuskegee."

Tuskegee's music department was perhaps the most renowned department at the school, headed by composer William L. Dawson. Ellison also was guided by the department's piano instructor, Hazel Harrison. While he studied music primarily in his classes, he spent his free time in the library with modernist classics. He cited reading T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land as a major awakening moment. In 1934, he began to work as a desk clerk at the university library, where he read James Joyce and Gertrude Stein. Librarian Walter Bowie Williams enthusiastically let Ellison share in his knowledge.

A major influence upon Ellison was English teacher Morteza Drezel Sprague, to whom Ellison later dedicated his essay collection Shadow and Act. He opened Ellison's eyes to "the possibilities of literature as a living art" and to "the glamour he would always associate with the literary life." Through Sprague Ellison became familiar with Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, identifying with the "brilliant, tortured anti-heroes" of those works.

As a child, Ellison evidenced what would become a lifelong interest in audio technology, starting by taking apart and rebuilding radios, and later moved on to constructing and customizing elaborate hi-fi stereo systems as an adult. He discussed this passion in a December 1955 essay, "Living With Music," in High Fidelity magazine. Ellison scholar John S. Wright contends that this deftness with the ins-and-outs of electronic devices went on to inform Ellison's approach to writing and the novel form. Ellison remained at Tuskegee until 1936, and decided to leave before completing the requirements for a degree.

In New York

Desiring to study sculpture, he moved to New York City on 5 July 1936 and found lodging at a YMCA on 135th Street in Harlem, then "the culture capital of black America." He met Langston Hughes, "Harlem's unofficial diplomat" of the Depression era, and one—as one of the country's celebrity black authors—who could live from his writing. Hughes introduced him to the black literary establishment with Communist sympathies.

He met several artists who would influence his later life, including the artist Romare Bearden and the author Richard Wright (with whom he would have a long and complicated relationship). After Ellison wrote a book review for Wright, Wright encouraged him to write fiction as a career. His first published story was "Hymie's Bull," inspired by Ellison's 1933 hoboing on a train with his uncle to get to Tuskegee. From 1937 to 1944, Ellison had over 20 book reviews, as well as short stories and articles, published in magazines such as New Challenge and The New Masses.

Wright was then openly associated with the Communist Party, and Ellison was publishing and editing for communist publications, although his "affiliation was quieter," according to historian Carol Polsgrove in Divided Minds. Both Wright and Ellison lost their faith in the Communist Party during World War II, when they felt the party had betrayed African Americans and replaced Marxist class politics with social reformism. In a letter to Wright, dated August 18, 1945, Ellison poured out his anger with party leaders: "If they want to play ball with the bourgeoisie they needn't think they can get away with it. ... Maybe we can't smash the atom, but we can, with a few well chosen, well written words, smash all that crummy filth to hell." In the wake of this disillusion, Ellison began writing Invisible Man, a novel that was, in part, his response to the party's betrayal.

In 1938 Ellison met Rosa Araminta Poindexter, a woman two years his senior. They were married in late 1938. Rose was a stage actress, and continued her career after their marriage. In biographer Arnold Rampersad's assessment of Ellison's taste in women, he was searching for one "physically attractive and smart who would love, honor, and obey him--but not challenge his intellect." At first they lived at 312 West 122nd Street, Rose's apartment, but moved to 453 West 140th Street after her income shrank. In 1941 he briefly had an affair with Sanora Babb, which he confessed to his wife afterward, and in 1943 the marriage was over.

At the start of World War II, Ellison was classed 1A by the local Selective Service System, and thus eligible for the draft. However, he was not drafted. Toward the end of the war, he enlisted in the United States Merchant Marine. In 1946, he married Fanny McConnell, an accomplished person in her own right: a scholarship graduate of the University of Iowa who was a founder of the Negro People's Theater in Chicago and a writer for The Chicago Defender. She helped support Ellison financially while he wrote Invisible Man by working for American Medical Center for Burma Frontiers (the charity supporting Gordon S. Seagrave's medical missionary work). From 1947 to 1951, he earned some money writing book reviews but spent most of his time working on Invisible Man. Fanny also helped type Ellison's longhand text and assisted him in editing the typescript as it progressed.

Published in 1952, Invisible Man explores the theme of man's search for his identity and place in society, as seen from the perspective of the first-person narrator, an unnamed African American man in the New York City of the 1930s. In contrast to his contemporaries such as Richard Wright and James Baldwin, Ellison created characters that are dispassionate, educated, articulate, and self-aware. Through the protagonist, Ellison explores the contrasts between the Northern and Southern varieties of racism and their alienating effect. The narrator is "invisible" in a figurative sense, in that "people refuse to see" him, and also experiences a kind of dissociation. The novel also contains taboo issues such as incest and the controversial subject of communism.

Later years

In 1964, Ellison published Shadow and Act, a collection of essays, and began to teach at Bard College, Rutgers University and Yale University, while continuing to work on his novel. The following year, a Book Week poll of 200 critics, authors, and editors was released that proclaimed Invisible Man the most important novel since World War II.

In 1967, Ellison experienced a major house fire at his summer home in Plainfield, Massachusetts, in which he claimed more than 300 pages of his second novel manuscript were lost. A perfectionist regarding the art of the novel, Ellison had said in accepting his National Book Award for Invisible Man that he felt he had made "an attempt at a major novel" and, despite the award, he was unsatisfied with the book. Ellison ultimately wrote more than 2,000 pages of this second novel but never finished it.

Ellison died on April 16, 1994 of pancreatic cancer and was interred in a crypt at Trinity Church Cemetery in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan.

Awards and recognition

Invisible Man won the 1953 US National Book Award for Fiction.

The award was his ticket into the American literary establishment. He eventually was admitted to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, received two President's Medals (from Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan) and a State Medal from France. He was the first African-American admitted to the Century Association and was awarded an honorary Doctorate from Harvard University. Disillusioned by his experience with the Communist Party, he used his new fame to speak out for literature as a moral instrument. In 1955 he traveled to Europe, visiting and lecturing, settling for a time in Rome, where he wrote an essay that appeared in a 1957 Bantam anthology called A New Southern Harvest. Robert Penn Warren was in Rome during the same period, and the two writers became close friends. Later, Warren would interview Ellison about his thoughts on race, history, and the Civil Rights Movement for his book Who Speaks for the Negro? In 1958, Ellison returned to the United States to take a position teaching American and Russian literature at Bard College and to begin a second novel, Juneteenth. During the 1950s, he corresponded with his lifelong friend, the writer Albert Murray. In their letters they commented on the development of their careers, the Civil Rights Movement, and other common interests including jazz. Much of this material was published in the collection Trading Twelves (2000).

Writing essays about both the black experience and his love for jazz music, Ellison continued to receive major awards for his work. In 1969, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the following year, he was made a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France and became a permanent member of the faculty at New York University as the Albert Schweitzer Professor of Humanities, serving from 1970 to 1980.

In 1975, Ellison was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and his hometown of Oklahoma City honored him with the dedication of the Ralph Waldo Ellison Library. Continuing to teach, Ellison published mostly essays, and in 1984, he received the New York City College's Langston Hughes Medal. In 1985, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. In 1986, his Going to the Territory was published; this is a collection of seventeen essays that included insight into southern novelist William Faulkner and Ellison's friend Richard Wright, as well as the music of Duke Ellington and the contributions of African Americans to America's national identity.

In 1992, Ellison was awarded a special achievement award from the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards; his artistic achievements included work as a sculptor, musician, photographer, and college professor as well as his writing output. He taught at Bard College, Rutgers University, the University of Chicago, and New York University. Ellison was also a charter member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers.

Legacy and posthumous publications

After Ellison's death, more manuscripts were discovered in his home, resulting in the publication of Flying Home and Other Stories in 1996. In 1999 his second novel, Juneteenth, was published under the editorship of John F. Callahan, a professor at Lewis & Clark College and Ellison's literary executor. It was a 368-page condensation of more than 2000 pages written by Ellison over a period of 40 years. All the manuscripts of this incomplete novel were published collectively on January 26, 2010, by Modern Library, under the title Three Days Before the Shooting...

On February 18, 2014, the USPS issued a 91¢ stamp honoring Ralph Ellison in its Literary Arts series.

A park on 150th Street and Riverside Drive in Harlem (near 730 Riverside Drive, Ellison's principal residence from the early 1950s until his death) was dedicated to Ellison on May 1, 2003. In the park stands a 15 by 8-foot bronze slab with a "cut-out man figure" inspired by his book, "Invisible Man."

Bibliography

Invisible Man (Random House, 1952). ISBN 0-679-60139-2

Flying Home and Other Stories (Random House, 1996). ISBN 0-679-45704-6; includes the short story "A Party Down at the Square"

Juneteenth (Random House, 1999). ISBN 0-394-46457-5

Three Days Before the Shooting... (Modern Library, 2010). ISBN 978-0-375-75953-6

Essay collections

Shadow and Act (Random House, 1964). ISBN 0-679-76000-8

Going to the Territory (Random House, 1986). ISBN 0-394-54050-6

The Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison (Modern Library, 1995). ISBN 0-679-60176-7

Living with Music: Ralph Ellison's Jazz Writings (Modern Library, 2002). ISBN 0-375-76023-7

Letters

Trading Twelves: The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray (Modern Library, 2000). ISBN 0-375-50367-6

#03/01 #04/16

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cool-in-saratoga-springs-ny-blog · 5 years ago

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Saratoga Springs NY

Saratoga Springs, New York, is known for its resorts and beautiful attraction. By fact, Saratoga depends mainly on tourism for its income most notably during the summer season. When it comes to business, it is continuously growing, and it contributes a lot to the economy of the city on a year-round basis. Saratoga Springs has also become the upscale shopping destinations for the Albany. Saratoga, NY is known for convenience stores; it also has more than enough stores you can buy at and enjoy. When it comes to convenient store, Stewart has plenty of headquarters not only in Saratoga but also in other cities.

Man charged with second-degree murder in Mont Pleasant homicide

SCHENECTADY — A man has been charged in connection with the death of a Maplewood Avenue resident late Wednesday. Budhnarain Kadar, 41, was charged with second-degree murder for the death of Marian Singh after being taken into custody Friday, city police said. Read more here.

One of the news updates from THE DAILY GAZETTE is about the man that was charged with second-degree murder. This man is Budhnarain Kadar, 41 years old. The victim is Marian Singh or Marian Loftis, 35 years old. Second-degree murder is non-premeditated killing but can be intentional. If this man is charged with killing, there is enough evidence that will point on him. I think he deserves to be in prison to pay for his sin. He does not have the right to kill anyone. He deserves to be punished in jail to pay for his crime. Thanks to this article I read from The Daily Gazette, it reminds me that justice is always served.

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Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs NY

Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs New York is located in the eastern part of Saratoga County. This lake is somewhat long at 4.5 miles and wide at 1.5. It is about 29 meters deep. There are plenty of fish species found in the lake. There are plenty of things to do in the lake. You can have fun with the outdoor adventures like sunbathing and swimming, exploring the lake all around, cast your line in the waters, planning a picnic at the front lake, and paddle throughout the lake. I like this lake a lot as it reminds me of the great memories that are irreplaceable.

Hilton Piano Center embodies the best brands of the piano. Among these brands are Yamaha, Steinway, Roland, Kawai, Hamlin, and Mason. Since this store is a family business that is all musicians, the team does not only offer a sale but also support. Whether you buy a new or an old piano, you can seek their support in setting up; designing and installing your piano lab. Aside from this, at the moment that you need a piano to rent, piano lessons, or piano tuning and repair, you can seek help from Hilton Piano Center. Because of the brand and high-quality pianos being sold in Hilton Piano Center, the business had continued to grow. If you need help from them, contact at (518) 435 9876.

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Saratoga Lake New York, USA

Get on I-87 S from Malta Ave and U.S. 9 N 7 min (3.2 mi)

Follow I-87 S to NY-155 W in Colonie. Take exit 5 from I-87 S 20 min (21.3 mi)

Take Wolf Rd to your destination 7 min (2.0 mi)

Hilton Piano Center LLC 442 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205, USA

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things-to-do-pittsfield-ma-blog · 5 years ago

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Attractions

Pittsfield is the historical hub of Berkshire with many of its buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has a well preserved history and rich culture. Some of the famous attractions include the Colonial Theater, Berkshire Museum, Beacon Cinema, Wahconah Park, and Hebert Arboretum. The community and the government have invested so much in the preservation and renovation of many historical structures. During your visit, include in your itinerary a tour at some of the oldest villages that can be dated back to 19th century. You should also visit any of the country clubs, farms, and state forest.

Victim of fatal Pittsfield shooting identified

PITTSFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- One person is dead following a weekend shooting on Columbus Avenue. According to Berkshire County District Attorney spokesperson Andy McKeever, Pittsfield Police officers were called to 347 Columbus Avenue around 3:20 a.m. for receiving several 911 calls reporting that multiple gunshots were heard in the area. Read more here.

The statement of Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer is consoling to the family of the victim. Getting the full support of authorities to hasten the investigation and give justice to the victim is a big help. While they are mourning because of the loss of a loved one, they also have to find ways to help the authorities find the perpetrator. Since the police officers have already opened the possibility of homicide, the family knows that someone has to be put responsible for the crime. He or she needs to pay for the price especially that one precious life was lost and that children were left orphan because of incident.

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Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Pittsfield, MA

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is an open area for biking, roller-blading, walking, and jogging. This is a former railroad corridor built in the 1800’s as commercial link to the Berkshire Hills. The name comes from an American Indian name which means “in between pleasant river”. The 10.8 mile trail features beautiful wild flowers and scenic views great for relaxation. The nice paved path is well-maintained and there are available country farm stands and delis for a quick good snack. Since this is mostly a straight path, it can accommodate even those with low hiking skill level. The view of the mountain and the lake is refreshing and a must for those who want to take a break from the hustles and bustles of city life.

If you are short of budget but you wish to get quality piano, Hilton Piano Center can help you. Apart from being the authorized sellers of branded instruments, they also sell quality used pianos and keyboards. Unlike other buy and sell stores, the expert staffs carefully choose the instruments they take to ensure that their clients get only the best. They sell items that are in excellent condition and as good as new ones. You may also find vintage items that are on sale from time to time from their store. All the products are reasonably priced. They also offer financing options to accommodate all types of buyers.

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Ashuwillticook Rail Trail Lanesborough, MA 01224, United States

Take US-7 N, Brodie Mountain Rd, NY-43 W and I-90 W to Colonie Center in Colonie 1 h 3 min (45.5 mi)

Continue on Colonie Center to your destination 52 s (0.1 mi)

Hilton Piano Center LLC 442 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205

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near-albany-ny-blog · 6 years ago

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Near Albany NY

Culture and Festivals

Albany hosts a monthly event that celebrates culture and arts. They call it as the First Fridays where galleries gladly accept visitors for free and offer various discounts on major establishments. No weather can stop the people from their celebrations. During winter, ice skaters come to life around the Empire Skate Plaza. They also have the Palace Theater and The Egg for their musical and theatrical performances. If you wish to see free concert every week, “Alive at 5” is a popular show during summer and during spring, you can attend the famous Tulip Festival to mark the beginning of a new season.

Hilton Piano Center LLC

Music is a way of life. Whether you are considering to buy a piano or other musical instrument, or looking for a professional repair service, Hilton Piano Center should be on your list. The family-owned retail store offers a wide selection of piano, guitar, and drums. They tie up with popular brands to give their customer the most competitive price in the market. Apart from selling musical instrument and offering repair service, they also offer lessons to their customers. The highly qualified and professional teachers ensure that once you step on their lab classes, you get the best training possible. In no time, you will be playing like a real pro.

CT Albany NY Zone Forecast

National Weather Service Albany NY 112 AM EDT Sun Jun 16 2019 CTZ001-160800- Northern Litchfield- Including the city of Torrington 112 AM EDT Sun Jun 16 2019 .REST OF TONIGHT...Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Not as cool. Near steady temperature in the lower 60s. Southwest winds Read more here

Weather reports show that New York will experience cloudy day with 50% chance of rain showers over the week. But even when the weather becomes uncooperative, there are still a lot of things to do over the weekend. New York has a lot of museums and shopping malls that you can visit anytime. You may also consider watching movies or theatrical performances. Just be sure to dress appropriately and bring umbrella in case it rains. The idea is to not let the unpredictable weather condition ruin your plans. There’s a lot of things that Big Apple can offer whether indoor or outdoor activities.

Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site in Albany, New York

Schuyler Mansion is the home of Philip Schuyler, a famous revolutionary war general. The house was constructed in 1761 with a pre-war architecture. Philip and his wife Catherine raised 8 children in this home. The couple are popular for their generosity in hosting parties. It also served as the site of military strategic planning, and political fraternizing. After several years from Schuyler’s death, their children sold the house to another person and since then, it had several owners until the New York State bought the property in 1911. Today, visitors can enjoy a guided tour in the mansion detailing the life of the couple and their children and the different important events that occurred in the place.

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Driving Direction

17 min (10.2 miles)

via I-90 W

Fastest route, the usual traffic

Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site

32 Catherine St, Albany, NY 12202, USA

Get on I-787 N from Rensselaer St, Church St and Quay St

4 min (0.9 mi)

Take I-90 W to Wolf Rd in Colonie. Take exit 2E from I-87 N

9 min (8.6 mi)

Continue on Wolf Rd to your destination

3 min (0.6 mi)

Hilton Piano Center LLC

42 Colonie Center Albany, New York 12205

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#Near Albany NY #Albany NY

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hiltonmusic02 · 3 years ago

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Hilton Music Center Inc

Why buying a Guitar from Hilton Music Center in Colonie Center over the competition is an easy choice. Hilton's famous Lifetime Guitar Service. Free Instore Lesson. Competitive Pricing. Attenuative and Knowledgeable Staff. In-store Demo.

HMC famous lifetime service policy on Guitars!

All guitars and basses are sold with our famous lifetime service maintenance policy! Electric guitars or bass guitars receive a free basic set up. *excluding locking tremelo guitars. Includes a neck adjustment, bridge saddles and bridge height adjustments on your guitar purchased at Hiltons to keep your guitar playing amazing! Acoustic guitars will receive neck adjustments usually required at the change of seasons. Please remember in the northeast you can do wonders for your guitar by using a humidifier once you turn your heat on until you turn it off for the season! Hilton Music has been offering this expert lifetime service policy since 1985!

Buying your guitar on our website? Be confident that all guitars prior to shipping will also receive adjustments on the house! We don't just send out an unopened guitar without thoroughly checking it's condition and playability! We want you to love your purchase at Hilton Music Center!

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hiltonpiano9 · 3 years ago

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Hilton Piano Center LLC

Hilton Piano Center LLC is a family-owned piano store selling digital pianos, acoustic pianos, keyboards, stage pianos, and piano accessories. We service and repair pianos, convert acoustic to digital player pianos, design and install piano labs for schools and churches. We are the exclusive sellers of Yamaha and Roland Pianos in the Capital Region including Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Troy, Latham, Clifton Park, Pittsfield, Amsterdam, Kingston, Rutland and Bennington Vermont, Berkshire Massachusetts, the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Green, Schenectady, Columbia, Fulton, Washington, Warren, Schoharie, Dutchess, Delaware, Essex, Hamilton, Montgomery and Ulster. We also carry new and used Kawai, Steinway, Baldwin, Casio and more.

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Piano repair & tuning. Piano moving. Electronic keyboard repair/Piano Keyboard Repair. New pianos and Used Pianos Piano labs for schools and churches. Product help sessions available for free on every Keyboard/Digital Piano we sell.

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makistar2018 · 6 years ago

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Taylor Swift Celebrates Nashville Roots and the Power of Pop at Nissan Stadium

Swift's hometown extravaganza features snakes, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and tons of other spectacles

By THE SPIN AUG 27, 2018

Taylor Swift at Nissan Stadium PHOTO: LANCE CONZETT

Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour is supposed to be the ultimate expression of the singer’s new persona, a flashy display of the fresh-out-of-fucks-to-give attitude she debuted last year after declaring "the old Taylor” dead. But really, Swift’s Saturday stop at Nissan Stadium was a celebration of both the old and the new. With a set list that reached all the way back to 2006, it was a culmination of the lessons, lyrics and fans that have helped Swift reach her most confident, carefree (and successful) self, which — as she stated repeatedly from the enormous X-shaped stage — never would've happened without Nashville.

“I moved to Nashville when I was 13,” the singer said after opening her set with back-to-back performances of “... Ready for It?” and “I Did Something Bad.” (The Spin could feel the heat from the pyro, even though we were a couple hundred feet away.) “I remember my first memory of this stadium. My mom and I got tickets to CMA Fest. ... I just remember thinking that that’s the biggest place that anyone could ever play.

“Years later I was lucky enough to actually play a 15-20 minute set at CMA Fest in this stadium, and I was like, ‘That’s it, that’s the peak, that’s the best it’s ever gonna get,’ ” Swift continued. “So tonight is the first time I’m headlining this stadium, and I’m so grateful, you guys. You have no idea — this means so much to me. It means so much to my family and friends. This is our hometown show.”

Since her stadium debut years ago, Swift and her team have perfected the art of massive production, right down to the tiny symbolic details. The digital graphics that flashed across the several-stories-high video screen were impeccable, the fireworks and towers of flame were plentiful, the dancers and backup singers were diverse and mesmerizing, and there were So. Many. Giant. Snakes. (OK, so there were only three giant snakes, but that is three more than any other stadium show we've seen has had. It was hilarious.) There were even two gondola-like contraptions (one of which was in the shape of a snake, naturally) to carry Swift between the main stage and two smaller stages.

The green sequined jacket Swift wore during the acoustic portion of the show — during which she played guitar and sang “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” and “Better Man” (a CMA- and Grammy-winning song that Swift wrote and Little Big Town recorded) — was decorated with a glittery black-and-gold patch made specifically for the Nashville date. The confetti that rained down during the Great Gatsby-meets-High School Musical finale of “Call It What You Want” and a mashup of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” with “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” consisted of tiny tissue-paper versions of a Taylor Swift newspaper. Even Nashville’s inescapable growth got a shoutout — as Swift sat down at the piano, we noticed that the towers holding the massive stacks of speakers over her head resembled construction cranes. At that point, she paused to note how the city keeps changing.

Taylor Swift at Nissan Stadium PHOTO: LANCE CONZETT

“One of the most obvious indications of time passing, for me, is Nashville,” she said. “Because every time I come home, something’s different, something new is being built — we got another cool restaurant, another couple thousand people that moved here. Because, basically, I’m sure you’ve noticed this too: In the last 15 years everyone else has realized that Nashville is just the best place in the world.”

After performing “Don’t Blame Me” and a “Long Live”/“New Year’s Day” medley solo at the piano, the love letter to Music City continued. “[Nashville] is the most important city I’ve ever been in in my entire life. And it’s the place where … I wrote the song that I haven’t played in a very, very long time. And it was a song that really changed my life. I think that it would only be fitting to play it tonight.”

Then, Swift delivered country music’s most magical moment of the weekend, surprising the ecstatic audience with a visit from Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. The couple joined in on — you guessed it — Swift’s 2006 country hit, “Tim McGraw.” Tens of thousands of fans lost their shit. The woman sitting behind us started sobbing. Our ears are still ringing from the applause.

While Swift’s simultaneously endearing and tongue-in-cheek recognition of her career's ups and downs may have taken center stage, it was the small nods to her own personal growth that were the most satisfying to see. Swift's band and army of dancers and singers were diverse in size, race and age. And unlike so many other stadium shows, where the opening acts take a very (very very very) distant backseat to the main attraction, Swift's show featured hit factory Charli XCX and former Fifth Harmony singer and VMA Artist of the Year Camila Cabello — both women of color — in beefy opening slots.

Charli XCX at Nissan Stadium PHOTO: LANCE CONZETT

Charli XCX came off as your hyper, party-obsessed BFF from the future, and Cabella's Cuban-influenced set was fun and theatrical while also showcasing her stunning, rich voice. It wouldn't be surprising to see Cabella hold down her own stadium tour someday. The two singers returned to the stage to help Swift out during a colorful, confetti-filled performance of “Shake It Off” (cue the snakes!) and all three took time to note how honored and empowered they felt by the stacked bill — "Not one, not two, but three badass women on one stage,” said Charli XCX.

In the past, those slots have gone to white men. The openers for her 2015 North American 1989 Tour were Shawn Mendes and Vance Joy. (Rae Morris played one date, and Haim played several, including the Bridgestone Arena shows.) And in 2013-14, Ed Sheeran, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Casey James and Austin Mahone, among others, took turns starting the show for the Red Tour's North American dates.

Even off the stage, Swift has taken meaningful steps. In March, after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., she posted on Instagram that she made a donation to the March for Our Lives campaign, saying, “I’m so moved by the Parkland High School students, faculty, by all families and friends of victims who have spoken out, trying to prevent this from happening again.” And in April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Swift reportedly made a “generous donation” to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

Much of the initial criticism of Swift’s dramatic return to the public eye in 2017 was focused on how the singer has neglected to take a stance on anything remotely political — something the Scene's own Megan Seling has noted. It's encouraging to see Swift counter that with action.

Sure, Swift is still obsessed with her image. The show started with audio clips of things newscasters and critics have said over the years (including Perez Hilton alleging that Swift was responsible for his suspension from Twitter — LOL). But it appears as though she's at least starting to think about what other messages she can send to her legions of fans. Big platforms — whether they're the kind that spout flames and giant snakes or not — can be used to make a big difference, and it's heartening to see a homegrown megastar turn her attention toward their power.

See our slideshow for more photos.

Nashville Scene

#taylor swift #reputation tour #nashville #tennessee #2018.08.25

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cawamedia · 5 years ago

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Nur-Sultan stay in Hilton Hilton Expo

First meeting with Minister of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ms. Aktoty Raimkulova whograduated from the Almaty State Conservatory named after Kurmangazy in the specialties “composition” and “piano”, postgraduate studies in the specialty “composition”.

She studied at the magistracy in the International Academy of Business in the specialty “Management”. Has titles: the DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) and Doctor of Art History on musicology and musical art. On October 3, 2016, by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan was appointed as Vice Minister of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On June 17, 2019, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, she was appointed as Minister of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Visit the Tower Astana-Bayterek that is a monument and observation tower in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan. A tourist attraction popular with foreign visitors and native Kazakhs, it is emblematic of the city, which became capital of the country in 1997. The tower is located within on the Nurzhol Boulevard, and is considered a symbol of post-independence Kazakhstan.

Reception dinner with Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security of the Mazhlis Mr. Mukhtar Yerman at the “Vechnoe Nebo” restaurant.

Visit the EXPO 2017 site. Nur-Alem Pavilion and surroundings… The Kazakhstan Pavilion and Science Museum, known as Nur-Alem in the country, is the iconic, high-performing centerpiece of EXPO-2017, last year’s international exposition, which ran from June 10-September 10, 2017. The site is currently being transformed into a Post-Expo development with cultural facilities, an office and research park, and residential components that seeks to attract international entrepreneurs. Inspired by the EXPO-2017 theme, “Future Energy,” the Kazakhstan Pavilion and Science Museum embodies a futuristic design that is optimized to incorporate sustainable philosophies.

The epitome the EXPO-2017 theme “Future Energy,” is the exposition’s centerpiece, the Kazakhstan Pavilion and Science Museum, which seeks to educate visitors about our complex relationship with energy use.

The design team used Building Information Modeling (BIM) to explore multiple iterations of the design in a virtual space early in the design process. Each version was analyzed for design expression, energy impact, and structural integrity. The sphere’s complex design required close collaboration with the structural consultant for all opportunities for energy generation to be investigated, and several were incorporated into the building’s design.

Hilton Astana hotel – Lunch meeting – Welcome to Hilton Astana, a state-of-the-art hotel within the futuristic EXPO-2017 exhibition complex. Enjoy a high level of service while you’re here as well as thoughtful amenities like a wellness spa, rooftop bar, fitness center, indoor pool, Executive Lounge and extensive conference facilities. We’re within minutes of city center, corporate offices, Government of Kazakhstan departments and agencies, and Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (TSE).

HILTON ASTANA

SAURAN ST. 46, NUR-SULTAN, 01000-0, KAZAKHSTAN

TEL: +7-7172-649900 FAX: +7-7172-649901

Visit to Hazret Sultan Mosque. The Hazrat Sultan Mosque is a mosque in Nur-Sultan (formerly called Astana), Kazakhstan. It is the largest mosque in Central Asia.

After the suggestion from president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev mosque named “Hazret Sultan”, which means “Holy Sultan”. As well known, “Hazret Sultan” – one of the epithets of Sufi sheikh Khoja Ahmed Yasavi, author of “Divan-i Hikmet”, whose mausoleum is located in Turkistan.

Construction of the mosque “Hazret Sultan” started in Astana in June 2009. In different periods from 1000 to 1500 workers have been involved in the construction of the mosque. Hazret Sultan Mosque was opened on July 6, 2012 at 12:30, which supplemented the list of unique objects of the capital.

Nur-Sultan – Capital of Kazakhstan Nur-Sultan stay in Hilton Hilton Expo First meeting with Minister of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ms.

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dweemeister · 7 years ago

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Lost Horizon (1937)

Asia and Europe were about to plunge into warfare when Frank Capra’s Lost Horizon was released in American theaters. The Chinese, mired in civil war between the Communist Party and the nationalist Kuomintang, were about to find a common enemy in the Japanese. Meanwhile, Nazi Germany continued its saber-rattling, leaving other European states looking nervously towards the continent’s increasingly militarized center. At this time, Americans, still reeling from the Depression and not yet too concerned about enforcing Wilsonian human rights elsewhere, longed for escape, for being sheltered from the news and conflict and suffering. A utopia, a Shangri-La, must have seemed appealing. The Shangri-La depicted in Lost Horizon – based on James Hilton’s 1933 novel of the same name – might fit the bill, without closer inspection.

It is 1935 and soon-to-be Foreign Secretary Robert Conway (the reliable Ronald Colman, performing solidly in this outing) is a diplomat working to evacuate as many white people as he can from a city under attack from Mao’s Communists. The Chinese heathen can fend for themselves, I guess. Among those climbing aboard the diplomatic plane to Shanghai are Conway’s younger brother George (John Howard), paleontologist Alexander Lovett (Edward Everett Horton), criminal Henry Barnard (Thomas Mitchell), and the terminally ill Gloria Stone (Isabel Jewell). Their plane has been hijacked and crash lands somewhere in the Himalayas. A Shangri-La native, Chang (H.B. Warner; one of many white actors playing an Asian character), rescues the British subjects and leads them to his home, a lush valley where the residents age much slower and are shielded from the brutal Tibetan weather. There, George is enchanted by a lady named Maria (Margo) and Gloria’s ailments have disappeared. Conway also meets the High Lama (Sam Jaffe), who eventually reveals that their arrival in Shangri-La has not been by chance. When the British characters raise questions about contacting the outside world, their questions are left unanswered.

With an original runtime of six hours, then trimmed to three-and-a-half hours, and finally settled for a runtime of just over two hours (today, the film is considered partially lost, but more on that later), Lost Horizon’s screenplay – penned by Capra regular Robert Riskin (1934′s It Happened One Night, 1941′s Meet John Doe) – appears to be an amalgam of ideas, tossed like a salad, that combine into an unfocused end product. The notion of Shangri-La and its inhabitants is proclaimed to be universalist, for the bounty of all those looking to coexist with others. But Riskin’s adaptation of Hilton’s novel adheres to Hilton’s conception that Shangri-La was once inhabited by native Tibetans, and that those Tibetan leaders were replaced by European wanderers who introduced Western knowledge for themselves, not for the Tibetans who could no longer attain an elite status. A “Christian ethic” where, “the meek shall inherit the Earth” is considered superior to other structures of social organization, according to the High Lama (as sociology, that’s just lazy writing). Riskin makes little attempt to either critique the existing organization of Shangri-La nor does he – outside of one lengthy soliloquy by the High Lama – use the shining example of Shangri-La to effectively juxtapose life in the Himalayas with life in places soon to be reduced to charred, damaged battlefields. However, as a fantasy film, Lost Horizon wonderfully constructs the awesome settings described in the Hilton novel.

Though few in 1937 criticized Lost Horizon for its Atlanticist imperialism upon release, those features are more apparent eighty years later. Considered a masterwork from Frank Capra, the film has aged poorly on how it treats the Asian setting and individuals that it depicts. Though the High Lama and Chang mention the diversity of Shangri-La, we only see white actors in yellowface playing the leaders as the actors of Asian descent play the speechless grunts patrolling the settlement. The High Lama’s functions are an embodiment of the perceived religious, cultural, and technological superiority of the West combined with an awkward mysticism that stems from exotic places. The backwardness of any Asian characters reduces them to grinning, violent caricatures.

Yet where Lost Horizon succeeds as a film – though despicable in its racialized writing and portrayals – is in its technical components. Cinematographers Joseph Walker and Elmer Dyer are allowed immense backgrounds to work with, allowing for an incredible scope to the production not often seen after the free-spending epics in the later silent era. Editors Gene Havlick and Gene Milford play with the film’s practical visual effects in groundbreaking fashion for the time. Some of their visual tricks, borrowing heavily from the later silent era, make any miniatures or matte paintings that appear to seem realistic. With a then-astronomical budget of $2 million (~$34 million in 2017′s USD), Capra lavished much of that money from Columbia Pictures – in 1937, Columbia was not quite a major studio on the level of Warner Bros. or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) yet – on the production design by Stephen Goosson. Goosson and his staff built sixty-five sets, constructing the walls and buildings of Shangri-La at Columbia’s ranch in Burbank. Extensive research also produced replications of upwards of 700 props used in Tibetan life. This expansive collaboration of cinematographers, editors, and production designers help Lost Horizon to transcend its Orientalist trappings, its troubled writing, if only to a limited extent.

Lost Horizon presented a breakthrough for composer Dimitri Tiomkin, who would become Frank Capra’s favored composer through You Can’t Take It with You (1938), into Capra’s Why We Fight WWII propaganda series, and until It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). Over this next decade, Tiomkin’s concentration on piano and European classical music expanded to grand orchestral works with American influences thanks to his friendship with Capra. But for this first score for a Capra film, the strings dominate the faux Eastern-sounding melodies – there is a long history of European composers trying to imagine Asia through their music. Although in too many places (especially in the opening half of Lost Horizon), Tiomkin’s brass is too harsh where he should be more delicate with his passages. Yet there are gorgeous cues contained within Tiomkin’s composition, most notably during the swimming sequence and the resolving sequences of the film – this includes the funeral procession (perhaps the most memorable cue of the score, thanks to a wordless choir) and an attempted flight from Shangri-La. This is one of Tiomkin’s greatest works, with a curious orchestration and thematic development that would be recalled for his work in Land of the Pharaohs (1955).

Existing prints of Lost Horizon are partially lost. The print that I saw for this write-up was on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and is the most complete edition available. This print is the one recommended for those interested in seeing Lost Horizon – the 1986 restoration by the American Film Institute (AFI) and the UCLA Film and Television Archive which runs 132 minutes and contains 125 minutes of footage. The seven missing minutes are accompanied by the film’s soundtrack (which thankfully exists in its entirety), but includes still images of the missing scenes. Do not watch any other prints other than the AFI/UCLA version – exceptions can be made, of course, if you stumble upon the original six hour print only shown to Columbia executives.

For Columbia’s co-founder and president Harry Cohn, Capra’s indiscretions of shooting excessive takes and ballooning production costs damaged his relationship with Capra. Unhappy with preview footage screened in January 1937, Cohn – believing that audiences would not be patient enough with a lengthy feature film despite the fact that some silent films ran over three hours or longer (1916′s Intolerance is 210 minutes; 1923′s La Roue is 273 minutes) – eventually seized Capra’s film from him and cut Lost Horizon down to the familiar 132 minutes seen in its roadshow format. Decades later, Capra still would not forgive Cohn for how he treated the final cut of Lost Horizon.

Confounded by too much exposition and an outdated portrayal of its Asian characters and cultures, Lost Horizon – like fellow 1937 release The Good Earth (a better movie with a more sensitive take on Asian characters, despite the rampant yellowface) – has the imagination of its artisans and craftspersons to make it one of the grandest Hollywood productions of the 1930s. The eleventh-highest grossing film at the American box office in 1937, Lost Horizon provided a temporary utopia for Depression-era audiences yearning for such an escape. The Library of Congress’ National Film Registry - a collection of American films regarded as national treasures, and marked for preservation - recognized this, inducting Capra’s film into the Registry just last year. For some characters in Lost Horizon, Shangri-La is paradise found. For others, a prison. Modern audiences might scoff without much thought when considering the elements that constitute Shangri-La. But for a certain people in a different time, whatever troubled Shangri-La probably was more easily forgiven.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here.

#Lost Horizon #Frank Capra #Ronald Colman #Jane Wyatt #Sam Jaffe #John Howard #H.B. Warner #Edward Everett Horton #Thomas Mitchell #Isabel Jewell #Margo #Robert Riskin #Joseph Walker #Elmer Dyer #Gene Havlick #Gene Milford #Stephen Goosson #TCM #My Movie Odyssey

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badgesandlanyards-blog · 8 years ago

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What was the Comic-con Westworld activation like?

*Skip this first part if you aren’t interested in the prep/line waiting that accompanies almost every SDCC story.

When it was announced that HBO was going to be hosting an offsite activation for Westword, I immediately added it my short list of “must-do’s” at Comic-con. I dropped by the Hilton Bayfront on Wednesday night to see where the line was located and asked hotel staff if people were allowed to stay overnight in the lobby. Since I hate that people (including myself–especially myself) camp in lines I was thrilled when I was told that no one would be allowed to line up over night or sleep in the lobby where the line was located. With my evening free I went off to meet up with friends and have dinner at Filippi’s Pizza Grotto in Little Italy. We had some delicious and affordable pizza and a very large amount of sangria.

As preview night rolled on press covering Comic-con began to tweet about how amazing the Westworld experience was, as well as mentioning that the experience could be limited to only 100 people per day. As a result, I told my two friends that were going with me we needed to be at the Bayfront before six and I set my alarm for 5am. Being in line before 7am had never failed me before. I figured adding an extra hour to be safe would have us in the front of the line with no issues. We also wanted to have our choice of appointment times because one of my friends had several press appointments Thursday.

The next morning we rolled out a little before 6am, half-asleep and packed up for the day. When we arrived it looked like there were about 35-40 people in line. We congratulated ourselves on our timely arrival, confident that we could secure reservations. Appointments for reservations were supposed to start at 9:30 so we had about three-and-a-half-hours to kill. We sent someone to go get coffee and settled into our camp chairs.

The normal SDCC front-of-the-line expansions began around 7am, and then kept going… and going. For those who have never been in a line at SDCC what I mean by “SDCC front-of-the-line expansion” is when everyone gets in line with their friends. You may be thinking “hey, that’s just cutting! That’s not cool”, and you’re right! It’s not cool. But lines are complicated at Comic-con. I’m not really sure how it got so complicated since queuing is a simple concept, but it has reached the point that you never actually know how many people are in line ahead of you anymore. The line for Westworld expanded from one-to-two people wide to having large groups of ten or more people spanning from the walkway over to several couches placed along the widows.

We were told by HBO staff a little after 8am that we were numbers 85-87 in line and we started to get nervous. By 8:30 we were being told that we would most likely not get to make reservations that day. However, we were still in the 80s. We figured out that we would need to be above 120 to miss out so we decided to stay. We watched two women join a group almost directly in front of us after 8:30 and knew we had been pushed into the 90s. I told security that there was a large number of people there who had not been present before 8am; not really in an effort to get them kicked out because we knew it was impossible (I have never seen anyone pulled out of line at any SDCC event), but because we hoped that they wouldn’t let more people in before we got to make our reservations.

There was a player piano next to the check-in desk that started around 9. It played the Westworld theme and music from the show; drawing more attention to the reservation desk. Two actors dressed as hosts (in the all white dresses and suits hosts wear when they greet guests as they arrive at Westworld in the show) started taking reservations at 9:30. The reservation process was slow. At first, one person at a time went up to the host at the desk to make their reservation. After about 20 minutes they began to process the line in groups.

We finally reached the front of the line around 10:30am. We watched as the last group of people that they had room for on Thursday made their reservation (including those women who walked up at after 8:30 ::boo hiss::). We were told by staff that we could split up and individually make a standby reservation. They took one person for each time slot. I finally got my chance to approach the desk where a female host sat and was instructed to pick a time for standby. After she input my name and information into her tablet I was given a black business card for Westworld that had the address for the Hotel Palomar and my designated time. The host instructed me to come no earlier than ten minutes before my appointed time and that if I arrived ten minutes late that I would miss my reservation. The acting on the host’s part was very well done. They were doing a kind of monotone, calm and collected thing. I went off to enjoy the rest of the day after my friends and I consoled each other for our failure to secure an actual reservation. If you have never been in this situation as a result of late-comers getting in line it is pretty heart breaking. Please consider not letting your friend that woke up at 9am join a line of people who have been in line for more than three hours unless there was an extremely good reason that they couldn’t be there (ie: on-site badge pick-up, medical reasons, young children). The decent thing to do is be considerate of other attendees when an event is extremely limited.

And now on to what happened at the experience.

I arrived at the Hotel Palomar shortly before my designated time (it was a 15-20 minute walk from convention center) and checked in with the same host that gave me my reservation in the morning. I was told that I would be escorted up to the lounge, but that if everyone arrived for the time slot, I would not be able to do the complete experience. I crossed everything in hopes that someone would not show up and tried to console myself with the fact that, if I had to leave, there was something else I wanted to do that was literally a three minute walk from the hotel.

We were escorted to the elevators by the host that checked us in. Once we got off the elevator it was clear that the designers of the activation had done a great job. The design of the Hotel Palomar lent itself to a sleek modern look that complimented the Delos signs that were posted in hallways and on doors that directed guests to “quality control” and “guest services” among other things.

Actors portraying hosts met you in the lounge. They took our cards and greeted us individually by name. Every time that the hosts interacted with the group they would say each person’s name. It was an excellent way to make the interactions with them seem less human. The lounge was a recreation of the rooms where William (Jimmy Simpson) chose his wardrobe and weapons before entering Westworld on the show. There were actual props and costumes from the show.

Amazingly, someone actually missed their appointment and I didn’t have to stop at the lounge! I was extremely excited. So excited that I forgot to take pictures for a few minutes. They escorted us down a hallway past sculptures or molds of heads like they had in the show. The host stopped in front of a door that said “Research and Development” that had a sword fight noises coming from it and, what I assume, was Japanese symbol or something that is derived from one on the door.

We arrived at a hall of doors that were labeled “Concierge Analytics”. They split us up and had us privately meet with an actor in a small empty room with two chairs. I was asked several questions including: what finger would you cut off if you had to, and would you join a group of outlaws shooting up a bar, run away or fight them? The questions were similar to the quiz that you can find at this Westworld website. Then the actor interpreted your results to give you an eerily accurate personality assessment. There was a black hat a a white hat hanging on the wall of the small room. The actor then chose a hat for you based of your personality assessment and placed the hat from the wall on your head for you. I was a white-hat.

After you get your hat you were escorted by yet another host to watch a video introduction to Westworld. The video started to glitch as did the actor/host while we watched the clip. It was a little unsettling. The host then appeared to return to normal and she escorted us to a small recreation of the Mariposa bar. The bar had several bar tenders and a host that was dressed and acted like Maeve (Thandie Newton) when she was the madam at the Mariposa. They made us three craft cocktails that were delicious. There was another player piano in the bar playing music from the show.

Overall, the experience was unique and something that I had never experienced at Comic-con. It is very rare to get to experience something so geared toward you as an individual in a sea of opportunities that are autographs but only on posters the studios supply, and panel halls that are filled with 6,499 other people. The hat was a unique piece of swag and the booze a welcome gift. The only thing that I would change is that I wish that I could have done the experience with my friends. I still feel terrible that they missed out. I found out while I was in the experience that one of the women there had never even seen the show which was a huge disappointment for me since I know several fans of the show that really wanted to attend. Hopefully next year an experience like this will be able to be made accessible to more of the attendees.

HBO’s SDCC Westworld Experience What was the Comic-con Westworld activation like? *Skip this first part if you aren’t interested in the prep/line waiting that accompanies almost every SDCC story.

#Comic-con #conventions #HBO #SDCC #Westworld

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