Archives for posts with tag: belfast

MTV European Music Awards in Belfast

March 2, 11 //
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Can you believe it? Europe’s biggest pop awards ceremony, the MTV European Music Awards, will be held in Belfast this year. November 6 2011 will see “unprecedented performances and appearances,” according to MTV, from music’s most impressive celebrities inside the Odyssey Arena.

Members of Belfast City Council agreed last night to contribute £320,000 with further funding to be drawn from a number of Stormont departments, reported the Belfast Telegraph.

Other cities in the running included Paris and Istanbul. Belfast was deemed the ‘edgiest’ choice.

Last year’s show was hosted by Eva Longoria and included appearances by such high profile guests as Rihanna, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Shakira and Miley Cyrus.

Belfast could see the economic return on its investment: The telegraph reports that the return on investment was £11.9 for every £1 when the show was held in Edinburgh in 2003, and in Copenhagen in 2006 the return was £8.13 for each pound.

Sir Derek Jacobi fighting fit for King Lear run at Grand Opera House

March 1, 11 //
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When it was revealed that production of King Lear had been cancelled in Wales at the weekend as a result of Sir Derek Jacobi’s sore throat, the folks at Belfast’s Grand Opera House grew concerned.

Not to fear: The show at GOP, running Tuesday to Saturday, will go ahead as schedule, with Jacobi at the helm.

“The Grand Opera House is delighted to confirm that this week’s sell-out performances of King Lear, starring Derek Jacobi, will proceed as scheduled,” representatives said in a statement to BBC.

“The production team arrived this morning, and the curtain will go up to a full house on Tuesday at 7.30pm as planned.”

Jacobi, knighted in 1994, has enjoyed a highly successful stage career. He received a Tony Award for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing and an Emmy for mocking his Shakespearean performances in Frasier. His stage work also includes playing notable historical figures such as Edward II, Octavius Caesar, Richard III of England, and Cyrano de Bergerac.

Gina McKee will play King Lear’s daughter Goneril in the production.

Gary Moore Dies at 58

February 7, 11 //
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Gary Moore, legendary guitarist of “Thin Lizzy” has died at 58, usnewssource reports.

He died in his sleep just hours after checking into a hotel in Spain’s Costa del Sol with a young woman.

His official website released the announcement: “It is with deep sorrow and regret that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night.”

Other artists have been quick to pay tribute to the Belfast boy. Canadian singer and guitarist Bryan Adams took to twitter to say, “R.I.P. Gary Moore”, calling him ‘a guitarist extraordinaire’, and Henry Rollins called his death ‘a big loss’.