CES 2017 – TV & Smart Home

CES 2017 – TV & Smart Home

Bright Blue Innovation’s coverage from the CES 2017 tradeshow on for Television and Smart Home products was Broadcast on Comcast & Ustream in February 2017 by its media partner Roadway Media. 

Bright Blue Innovation Host Lidia Paulinska shows highlights from the CES 2017 focusing on the smart home technology. Products shown are from the areas of Smart Living, Security, Appliances, and TV& Audio. Companies featured include: LG, Lenovo, Singled, CoWay, Hisense, Polaroid, Casio, Voxx, and Klipsch.

The episode can be found at Roadway.Media – Bright Blue Innovation S2 Ep2

MGM 1952 Musical Comedy – Singin’ in the Rain

MGM 1952 Musical Comedy – Singin’ in the Rain

Fathom events – Singin’ In The Rain is an iconic 1952 Metro-Goldwin-Mayer musical comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen.  It stars Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and a 19-year- old Debbie Reynolds.  The film offers a light-hearted view of Hollywood in the late 1920’s.  Kelly, O’Connor, and Reynolds portray song and dance performers of the silent screen era who are caught up in the often hilarious transition to “talkies.”

 

“Rain” is chock-full of joyful music, vibrant dance, and side-splitting comedy and remains one of America’s most popular musical comedies. It was accorded only modest praise when it premiered 27 March 1952 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, but has since gone on to attain legendary status. Most critics consider it to be the best movie musical ever made, and it ranks as the fifth-greatest American motion picture of all time.

 

Kelly, O’Connor and Reynolds ably handle the often extraordinary demands of the music and dance, while Jean Hagen hilariously portrays a talentless, air-headed silent film star named “Lina Lamont” whose horrible voice and lack of talent make her unsuitable for the transition to “talkies.”  Roger Ebert, who believed there was no movie musical more fun than Singing’ In The Rain, once described Lina Lamont’s voice “like fingernails on a blackboard.” Ms Hagen was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her hysterical portrayal of this fading silent screen star.

 

Singin’ In The Rain is a light-hearted, happy movie about making movies. This was Debbie Reynold’s first major role in which she had to keep up with the two veteran hoofers, Kelly and O’Connor, and she succeeded admirably. Kelly and O’Connor had dancing styles unique for that period with moves more robust and acrobatic than, for example, the Grandmaster, Fred Astaire, whom the great premiere danseur Mikhail Baryshnikov once praised as being the best dancer in the world, himself ranking among the very best.

 

In celebration of the films 65th Anniversary, Fathom Events has offered we fortunate movie-goers, a rare opportunity to enjoy this treasure on The Big Screen.  As an enduring classic, Singing’ In The Rain conveys as much joy and pure fun today as it no doubt did for audiences 65 years ago. Kelly, O’Connor, and (most recently) Reynolds  are no longer with us, but their legacy of joy and happiness lives in our hearts.

 

CES 2017 – Lifestyle Products and Mobile Accessories

CES 2017 – Lifestyle Products and Mobile Accessories

Bright Blue Innovatio’s coverage from the CES 2017 tradeshow on for Lifestyle products &Mobile Accessories was Broadcast on Comcast & Ustream in February 2017 by its media partner Roadway Media.

The Bright Blue Innovation Host Lidia Paulinska shows highlights from the CES 2017 focusing on the connected lifestyle. Products shown are from the areas of BabyTech, Mobile Electronics, Wearables, and Mobile Accessories. Companies featured include: Moshi, Zagg, SanDisk, BGZ, STM, PI Labs, Casio, Polaroid, and MyCharge.

The episode is available on-line at Roadway.Media as Bright Blue Innovation S2 Ep 1

Sleeping Beauty – Live from Moscow

Sleeping Beauty – Live from Moscow

Fathom events, January – The world-famous Bolshoi Ballet presented the equally noteworthy Sleeping Beauty ballet to cinema audiences around the world for a one-day-only viewing on Sunday, 22 January 2017. Originally choreographed by the inimitable French Ballet Master Marius Petipa in 1890. Petipa (1818-1910) is recognized as the most influential choreographer in ballet history. This current Bolshoi offering is based on the 2011 version by Yuri Grigorovich.

The dancers, of course, were exquisite.  Yulia Stepanova played the Lilac Fairy with a gentle authority. Semyon Chudin danced Prince Désiré with impeccable classical lines but seemed to lack the requisite emotional depth necessary to the role. Olga Smirnova danced the role of Princess Aurora.  The technical aspect of her performance was flawless, being both elegant and precise, as one would expect.  Like Semyon Chudin, however, Ms Smirnova seemed to lack a deep connection to the role which prevented her from effectively communicating its nuanced emotions beyond the footlights.

The Bolshoi’s soloists and the corps de ballet danced with their trademark enthusiasm and precision. Especially charming were the eight little “evergreen trees,” amusingly portrayed by students from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.

Maestro Pavel Clinichev conducted and the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra played Tchaikovsky’s wonderful score with great sensitivity and grandeur.

The Bolshoi Ballet is always a delight, and in spite of several challenges, this production was no exception.

Roméo et Juliette at Met

Roméo et Juliette at Met

Fathom events, January – Charles Gounod”s (1818-1893) passionate and lush adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragic star-crossed lovers, Roméo et Juliette, was presented Live in High Definition cinema on Saturday, 21 January 2017 to hundreds of delighted audiences in movie theatres throughout the world.  It was a one-night only performance broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.  It’s world premiere was at the Théatre Lyrique de Paris in 1867 where it was enthusiastically received. It has remained a favorite operatic staple ever since.

 

Gounod’s opera is an outstanding example of French Romanticism, a tradition that values subtle sensuality and finely crafted, gracefully nuanced musical expression without the “push” of a Puccini. This production has already achieved international acclaim for its outstanding production values during its recent runs at La Scala and the Salzburg Festival.

 

The press has been overwhelmingly laudatory, praising every aspect of this extraordinary operatic work. The New York Observer cites the “Thrilling star team” of soprano Diana Damrau as Juliette and tenor Vittorio Grigolo as Roméo. And, not to be upstaged, The New York Times claims the production is charged with “white-hot sensuality and impassioned lyricism!”  The Huffington Post adds to its laurels, praising Director Bartlett Sher’s work as “a brilliant and inspired new production” and “a revelation.”

 

Set Designer Michael Yeargan and Costume Designer Catherine Zuber have brilliantly succeeded in creating a stunning 18th century milieu with performances led by the “richly textured and Vibrant conducting” (New York Times) of Maestro Gianandrea Noseda.

 

Once again, Fathom Events in cooperation with the Metropolitan Opera, has offered appreciative audiences world-wide an incomparable opera experience for which we are all grateful.