Christine Fan has experienced a particularly busy and varied year. She tied the knot with Taiwan TV host Blackie Chen, after he proposed at a 2010 NBA game.
They held their wedding at a Taipei church six months later, the climax of an 11-year-long relationship.
In Beijing recently, she says she is enjoying being at No 1 in the mainland album chart for Love & Fan Fan and is looking forward to a 2011 concert tour with the same title.
Wearing a white-and-black gown and high heels she says: "I feel like I've been finishing a series of big life projects lately. And there's a nice beginning on a new journey ahead."
Her 11th and most recent album is full of her thoughts on becoming a married woman. Just like her debut album in 2000, Fan Fan's World, the 10 songs welcome fans into her inner world.
Decision of My Life, the No 1 hit song off the new album tells of Fan and her husband's love story.
"You are my most important decision and I want to spend my lifetime with you, to finish the unknown journey," she sings.
The song has been adopted by many newlywed couples, who have played it at their own weddings. Songs like Dawn celebrate Fan's 10-year friendships with her friends and their best wishes for her.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
'Catch Me If You Can' to disappear next month
The cast of 'Catch Me If You Can' perform onstage during the American Theatre Wing's 65th annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 12, 2011.
There's now only a limited time to catch the Broadway musical "Catch Me If You Can."
Producers said Tuesday that the Tony Award-nominated show will close Sept. 4 at The Neil Simon Theatre after having played 32 previews and 170 regular performances.
The production was nominated for four Tonys and Norbert Leo Butz took home the award for best actor in a musical.
The show also starred Aaron Tveit as a con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, a lawyer, and a jet pilot.
The musical is based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr. It inspired the hit film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The first national tour of the musical will launch in the fall of 2012 in Providence, R.I.
There's now only a limited time to catch the Broadway musical "Catch Me If You Can."
Producers said Tuesday that the Tony Award-nominated show will close Sept. 4 at The Neil Simon Theatre after having played 32 previews and 170 regular performances.
The production was nominated for four Tonys and Norbert Leo Butz took home the award for best actor in a musical.
The show also starred Aaron Tveit as a con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, a lawyer, and a jet pilot.
The musical is based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr. It inspired the hit film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The first national tour of the musical will launch in the fall of 2012 in Providence, R.I.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez win big at Teen Choice
Country sensation Taylor Swift and actress/singer Selena Gomez caught major waves at the Teen Choice awards on Sunday, with Swift scooping up six surfboard trophies including one for Ultimate Teen Choice.
Swift, who soared to popularity in 2006 at age 16 with her self-titled debut album, was named the favorite female artist, country singer and red carpet fashion icon. She also scored with best country single for her song "Mean" and choice breakup song "Back to December."
Accepting her Ultimate Teen Choice surfboard onstage, Swift, 21, thanked her fans and joked that "it's been a long time since I was a teenager, like two years."
She noted how teenagers often are teased by adults because they are "intense" or "romantic," but she encouraged kids in the audience and watching at home on the Fox TV network, saying: "I think all those things are amazing things, and to all the teens watching, I hope you never lose those things."
The Teen Choice Awards are an annual stop on Hollywood's award circuit and give actors, musicians and other artists who are popular with kids the chance to thank their fans.
Gomez, who performed her hit single "I Love You Like a Love Song" with her band The Scene, won choice TV actress in a drama for her role in "Wizards of Waverly Place." She was also named choice "hottie," and The Scene scored the award for top band and for single of the year with their song "Who Says."
The 19-year-old Gomez also saw her boyfriend, Justin Bieber, scoop up surfboards for being the top "hottie" as well as the choice "twit." Bieber, 17, was named top male artist and earned an acting award for his recent work on television.
Swift, who soared to popularity in 2006 at age 16 with her self-titled debut album, was named the favorite female artist, country singer and red carpet fashion icon. She also scored with best country single for her song "Mean" and choice breakup song "Back to December."
Accepting her Ultimate Teen Choice surfboard onstage, Swift, 21, thanked her fans and joked that "it's been a long time since I was a teenager, like two years."
She noted how teenagers often are teased by adults because they are "intense" or "romantic," but she encouraged kids in the audience and watching at home on the Fox TV network, saying: "I think all those things are amazing things, and to all the teens watching, I hope you never lose those things."
The Teen Choice Awards are an annual stop on Hollywood's award circuit and give actors, musicians and other artists who are popular with kids the chance to thank their fans.
Gomez, who performed her hit single "I Love You Like a Love Song" with her band The Scene, won choice TV actress in a drama for her role in "Wizards of Waverly Place." She was also named choice "hottie," and The Scene scored the award for top band and for single of the year with their song "Who Says."
The 19-year-old Gomez also saw her boyfriend, Justin Bieber, scoop up surfboards for being the top "hottie" as well as the choice "twit." Bieber, 17, was named top male artist and earned an acting award for his recent work on television.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Drum roll for classics
The second Mercedes-Benz International Music Festival will shine the spotlight on percussion music this summer. Chen Nan reports.
Three Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen - are in for a treat of the finest of classical music at the second Mercedes-Benz International Music Festival.
Bringing together nearly 20 musicians from Spain, Demark, Germany and China, the festival will shine the spotlight on percussion music this summer.
Renowned percussionist Li Biao, and his group, will put more than 200 percussion instruments on stage to present classic pieces such as Ogoun Badagris by composer Christopher Rouse and CaDance for Four by Andy Pape, as well as his original compositions such as Drum Together. The performance will cover a range of genres, from classical to jazz and pop.
Li will also collaborate with the symphony orchestra of the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) and world-renowned conductor Christoph Eschenbach on Chinese composer Guo Wenjing's enchanting The Rite of the Mountain, which was written in the wake of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.
Eschenbach, who is also a great pianist, will join violinist Zhu Dan for a concert that is sure to be one of the highlights of the festival. They will perform Mozart and Beethoven sonatas.
As the music festival marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, Eschenbach will conduct such works as Mahler's Symphony No 1, "Titan" and Dvorak's Symphony No 9 "From the New World."
Three Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen - are in for a treat of the finest of classical music at the second Mercedes-Benz International Music Festival.
Bringing together nearly 20 musicians from Spain, Demark, Germany and China, the festival will shine the spotlight on percussion music this summer.
Renowned percussionist Li Biao, and his group, will put more than 200 percussion instruments on stage to present classic pieces such as Ogoun Badagris by composer Christopher Rouse and CaDance for Four by Andy Pape, as well as his original compositions such as Drum Together. The performance will cover a range of genres, from classical to jazz and pop.
Li will also collaborate with the symphony orchestra of the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) and world-renowned conductor Christoph Eschenbach on Chinese composer Guo Wenjing's enchanting The Rite of the Mountain, which was written in the wake of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.
Eschenbach, who is also a great pianist, will join violinist Zhu Dan for a concert that is sure to be one of the highlights of the festival. They will perform Mozart and Beethoven sonatas.
As the music festival marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, Eschenbach will conduct such works as Mahler's Symphony No 1, "Titan" and Dvorak's Symphony No 9 "From the New World."
Friday, September 14, 2012
Salburg festival celebrates 91st anniversary
Salzburg, the capital of Austria's western state Salzburg, is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Salzburg Festival is held every summer for five weeks starting in late July, and is therefore also known as the "Salzburg Summer Festival."
Austrian President Heinz Fischer attended the opening ceremony and gave a speech in which he said that all European countries should unite to jointly face the challenges posed by the economic crisis and terrorism.
German Protestant theologian, journalist and politician Joachim Gauck also made a speech in which he condemned the recent terrorist attacks and said that art should play a role in society and politics to encourage people to overcome difficulties.
During the five-week-long festival, a total of 213 musical presentations including operas, concerts and dramas will be performed.
The highlight of this year's Salzburg Festival is the five concerts performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Venezuela's Simon Bolivar Orchestra will give musical presentations and concerts.
The Salzburg Festival was officially founded on August 22, 1920 by poet and dramatist Hugo von Hofmannsthal, composer Richard Strauss, scenic designer Alfred Roller, conductor Franz Schalk and the director of the Salzburg City Theater, Max Reinhardt. Since then, it has always been opened with the traditional performance of Hofmannsthal's play "Jedermann" on the steps of Cathedral Square.
Austrian President Heinz Fischer attended the opening ceremony and gave a speech in which he said that all European countries should unite to jointly face the challenges posed by the economic crisis and terrorism.
German Protestant theologian, journalist and politician Joachim Gauck also made a speech in which he condemned the recent terrorist attacks and said that art should play a role in society and politics to encourage people to overcome difficulties.
During the five-week-long festival, a total of 213 musical presentations including operas, concerts and dramas will be performed.
The highlight of this year's Salzburg Festival is the five concerts performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Venezuela's Simon Bolivar Orchestra will give musical presentations and concerts.
The Salzburg Festival was officially founded on August 22, 1920 by poet and dramatist Hugo von Hofmannsthal, composer Richard Strauss, scenic designer Alfred Roller, conductor Franz Schalk and the director of the Salzburg City Theater, Max Reinhardt. Since then, it has always been opened with the traditional performance of Hofmannsthal's play "Jedermann" on the steps of Cathedral Square.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Katy Perry says 'good people' help handle fame
Katy Perry believes keeping "good people around" helps her deal with the pressures of being one of the world's biggest pop stars, which currently has her on a global concert tour and taking part in her first movie.
As the music world mourns the death of British singer Amy Winehouse, Perry told Reuters she is not tempted by the hedonistic lifestyle that has helped fuel the demise of talented performers before her.
Perry, whose hits include "Teenage Dream" and "Firework," said she is able to stay away from the wild, party life with the help of honest, supportive people around her, such as her British actor/comedian husband Russell Brand, himself a recovering drug addict who is now clean and sober.
"I like to keep good people around me, people that aren't always 'yes' people, people that sometimes it's difficult to be around because they're not 'yes' people," she told Reuters.
"My husband is definitely one of those, he keeps me accountable and, you know, he's not a fan, even though he is a fan...he supports me and loves me but he doesn't bullshit me, which is really important."
The 26-year-old California native, who is one year younger than Winehouse, tweeted on Saturday when Winehouse was found dead in her London apartment, "RIP Amy Winehouse. May she finally find peace".
Brand said on his website that his old friend Winehouse was a "genius" and recalled sharing with her the "disease of addiction," referring to both their public battles with drinking and drug use.
As the music world mourns the death of British singer Amy Winehouse, Perry told Reuters she is not tempted by the hedonistic lifestyle that has helped fuel the demise of talented performers before her.
Perry, whose hits include "Teenage Dream" and "Firework," said she is able to stay away from the wild, party life with the help of honest, supportive people around her, such as her British actor/comedian husband Russell Brand, himself a recovering drug addict who is now clean and sober.
"I like to keep good people around me, people that aren't always 'yes' people, people that sometimes it's difficult to be around because they're not 'yes' people," she told Reuters.
"My husband is definitely one of those, he keeps me accountable and, you know, he's not a fan, even though he is a fan...he supports me and loves me but he doesn't bullshit me, which is really important."
The 26-year-old California native, who is one year younger than Winehouse, tweeted on Saturday when Winehouse was found dead in her London apartment, "RIP Amy Winehouse. May she finally find peace".
Brand said on his website that his old friend Winehouse was a "genius" and recalled sharing with her the "disease of addiction," referring to both their public battles with drinking and drug use.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Beatles' 1st US concert photos fetch $360K in NYC
On Wednesday, Christie's auction house said it sold 50 silver gelatin prints that the photographer, Mike Mitchell, made from the negatives for $361,938. The images, plus photos from another Beatles concert, had been estimated to fetch a total of $100,000.
The Beatles played their first U.S. concert at the Washington Coliseum on Feb. 11, 1964, two days after their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Mike Mitchell was there, shooting photos from just feet away and even jumping onto the stage for the group's pre-concert press call.
Among the highlights is a backlit shot of the band that he took while standing directly behind them. It sold on Wednesday for $68,500; its pre-sale estimate was $2,000 to $3,000.
An image of an animated Ringo Starr on the drums sold for $8,125. It was estimated to bring $3,000 to $5,000. Christie's said the shot depicts a rare moment where Starr was both drummer and lead singer on a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, but made famous by The Rolling Stones: "I Wanna Be Your Man."
Cathy Elkies, Christie's director of iconic collections, said she expected the bids to exceed the pre-sale estimates.
The Beatles played their first U.S. concert at the Washington Coliseum on Feb. 11, 1964, two days after their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Mike Mitchell was there, shooting photos from just feet away and even jumping onto the stage for the group's pre-concert press call.
Among the highlights is a backlit shot of the band that he took while standing directly behind them. It sold on Wednesday for $68,500; its pre-sale estimate was $2,000 to $3,000.
An image of an animated Ringo Starr on the drums sold for $8,125. It was estimated to bring $3,000 to $5,000. Christie's said the shot depicts a rare moment where Starr was both drummer and lead singer on a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, but made famous by The Rolling Stones: "I Wanna Be Your Man."
Cathy Elkies, Christie's director of iconic collections, said she expected the bids to exceed the pre-sale estimates.
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