Latest news with #TheRaven
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rediscovered Christopher Lee Recording 'Elenore' Re-Released to Mark 10th Anniversary of His Passing
PORTLAOISE, Ireland, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- To honour the 10th anniversary of the death of legendary actor and vocalist Sir Christopher Lee, Ireland based composer Damien Cain has re-released a forgotten gem: their 2006 collaboration, 'Elenore'. Originally recorded at the iconic Townhouse Studios in London, 'Elenore' is a philharmonic crossover piece – blending classical orchestration with modern lyrical drama. The work is a powerful musical interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe's haunting poem 'The Raven', brought to life by the unmistakable voice of Christopher Lee and the lush soundscapes of Das Berliner Filmorchester, conducted by Christian Hagitte. "Elenore is not just a song – it's a theatrical experience," says Cain. "Christopher's voice turns Poe's verse into something both intimate and apocalyptic. The fact that this track was nearly lost makes it feel even more urgent to share now." Lee, best known for his towering presence in cinema ('The Lord of the Rings', 'Dracula', 'Star Wars'), also had a surprising musical career – from opera and spoken word to collaborations with symphonic and metal bands. 'Elenore' stands out as one of his most poetic and cinematic recordings. 'Elenore' is now available on all music-download and streaming platforms: Lyric Video available on YouTube: About Sir Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Lee (1922–2015) was one of Britain's most iconic actors, with a career spanning nearly seven decades. Beyond his legendary screen roles, Lee explored music with notable releases in symphonic metal, opera, and classical narration, carving out a unique legacy as both an actor and recording artist. About Damien Cain Damien Cain, a German composer living in Ireland, is producer, and songwriter known for blending classical elements with modern storytelling. His past work spans gothic and rock albums, concept albums, and even musicals. He is currently preparing for the release of a new studio album in autumn 2025. More at Contact:Marc Sieper***@ Photos: Press release distributed by PRLog View original content: SOURCE Audio-To-Go Publishing Ltd. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Los Angeles Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy serves up laughs, cocktails and chills at Fairhaven cemetery in Santa Ana
A red glow fills the chapel as narrator Patrick O'Sullivan introduces the main attraction: Edgar Allan Poe. 'Over a century and a half since his death in 1849, no one remains as synonymous with mystery and macabre and literature as he — a true master of his words,' O'Sullivan intones. 'EAP, as he's known on the streets, is often attributed with being the first American author to make a living exclusively through writing. So much like writers today, he didn't make any money.' Laughter, cocktails and a whole lot of Poe makes up 90 minutes of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. This unique theatrical reading of four of Poe's works pairs up literature with alcoholic beverages designed to match each story. Launched in January 2023, the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is a national tour that first came to Orange County's Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary in Santa Ana in February 2024. After making a one-day stop at the Huntington Beach Central Library in Huntington Beach on May 24 this year, the speakeasy returns to the cemetery June 5-7 with new stories and fresh cocktails for Chapter Two. 'As a lifelong Poe enthusiast, I've always wanted to create a unique experience that combines libations with literature. These are two of my favorite things. I've felt for a long time that there is a void for an event like this,' said Julia Tirinnanzi, creator of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. 'It just seemed like such a natural pairing. It's no secret that Poe loved literature and libations alike. This is why the event really comes to life — as you walk through his life and watch his work being performed, you also sip on his personal favorite drinks and classic beverages of the 1800s.' Last year's Poe story lineup included 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' 'The Raven,' 'The Masque of the Red Death' and 'The Black Cat.' The accompanying cocktails included Pale Blue Eye (a twist on the Tom Collins) with citrus- and blueberry-infused vodka, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water topped with blueberry, and Nevermore with fresh lime juice, peach and orange blossom-infused vodka, simple syrup and dehydrated lime. The Cocktail of Red Death was rosemary-infused watermelon juice, 100-proof vodka, citrus vodka and fresh lime juice. The Cat's Meow — a twist on Poe's favorite, brandy milk punch — included aged bourbon, apple brandy, vanilla milk, sweet cream and maple syrup. 'Each cocktail is served just before each monologue is performed,' Tirinnanzi said. 'As you are sipping on a classic 1800s-style cocktail, you instantly feel transported into the Victorian era. It's a huge part of the experience.' This year's Poe stories are 'The Cask of Amontillado,' 'Annabel Lee,' 'The Pit and the Pendulum' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' The cocktails for this year are still under wraps until the event opens. Though this is now the speakeasy's second time at the Santa Ana cemetery, it usually takes place at theaters, museums and even estates that have a Victorian-era vibe. 'A few years back, I attended an event at Hollywood Forever, and the setting of a cemetery was surprisingly so peaceful at night,' Tirinnanzi said. 'Once we started looking for the perfect venue home for the show in OC, Fairhaven fit the bill and we knew it would be a great venue. It's beautiful and chilling at the same time, just like Poe's work.' O'Sullivan said he joined the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy tour in 2024. 'This is the sequel to our first EAP Speakeasy that we brought to Fairhaven last year,' he said. 'It's a selection of four new stories from Poe that weren't in the first tour. So if you came last year, you are in for a different experience but with the same dark, mysterious tone and atmosphere that is a staple of Poe. There will be four new themed drinks, too.' He said he will likely serve as narrator of the show again as well as perform 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' 'A lot of what [Poe] represents, or what the idea of him represents has influenced and continues to influence modern fashion, music, television and more,' O'Sullivan said. 'He's a whole vibe, as they say. Regarding only his work though, it covers so much. There are love stories, tales of those drunk with power and many spirals into madness. His writing explores dark thoughts that are fascinating to many people. There is definitely an angst to it too, which I think keeps Poe influencing younger generations.' The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is for guests 21 years and up. For more information, including tickets, visit
Metro
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Two new raven chicks arrive at Tower of London 'to keep the kingdom safe'
Two raven chicks have arrived at the Tower of London in accordance with a legend that says the kingdom will fall without the birds. The five-week-olds named Henry and Poe, who are already almost at full size, are getting used to life in their new surroundings. They will spend the next few weeks settling in before they venture out of their enclosure and begin to explore the castle and grounds. Their arrival is symbolic because King Charles II is said to have decreed that if the ravens leave the Tower then the kingdom and the monarch will fall, and six must be present at all times. The new arrivals come after the Metro revealed last year that one of the creatures, named Gripp, met a grisly end when he caught his head in a cage and was killed by his fellow birds. Henry and Poe take the total number of the black feathered residents to eight — considered by the Tower to be a safe number. Ravenmaster Barney Chandler told Metro: 'I am absolutely delighted with how they've settled in. 'They spent their first two weeks at the Tower in my kitchen, and now that they're almost fully fledged I've moved them into the enclosure where they'll get used to the sights and sounds of our visitors and the other ravens before venturing out on their own for the first time. 'It couldn't have gone any better, they're siblings so they're really happy in each other's company – playing together and exploring their new space, oblivious to the visitors looking on.' Henry is named after the historic Henrys who have lived at the Tower and Poe after Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote the famous poem 'The Raven'. They are members of the crow family, intelligent creatures who can mimic sounds, play games and solve problems. At twice daily mealtimes the Tower ravens feed on mice, chicks, rats and assorted raw meats — with a special treat of biscuits soaked in blood. They are looked after by Barney, a former Royal Marine with 24 years' service who joined the Tower as a Yeoman Warder in 2009 before spending 14 years on the raven team. He took the top job last year. Barney has developed a special bond with each of the ravens as he goes about his duties, in which he is supported by four other warders. Describing what it's like looking after the chicks, he said: 'It is an honour, but still quite stressful – the onus is on me to get this right. Legend has it that Charles II insisted that the crown and Tower would fall if the ravens left. His order is said to have contradicted the wishes of his astronomer, John Flamsteed, who complained about the birds getting in the way of his work at the observatory in the White Tower. Blogger David Castleton states the myth of the 'hopping, croaking and mischievous birds' cannot be traced back earlier than 1944 but draws on 'earlier folklore and deeply held archetypes.' Former Ravenmaster Chris Skaife drew a similar conclusion in a first-person account of his work for Metro. He admitted: 'Legend reminds us that if the ravens should ever leave the Tower, it will crumble into dust and the Kingdom will fall. 'I'll tell you a little secret: the truth is that the raven myth probably isn't that old. But we Yeoman Warders at the Tower take good care of the ravens nevertheless, protecting them like they were our own.' Current Ravenmaster Barney Chandler sees the myth as part of the Tower's story. He said: 'I think it's fabulous, the legend is a part of our history, and when visitors come to the Tower they know the story and look forward to meeting the ravens. It's great for the Tower, and such a privilege for the raven team to be a part of that history.' 'I've cared for raven chicks before, but this is my first time taking responsibility for them as the Ravenmaster of the Tower of London, a role I took on in 2024. 'It's a full-time job with regular feedings around the clock while they're very young, and they've been eating me out of house and home – much like teenagers.' The need to keep a healthy complement of birds is important because they have suffered fatal mishaps at times. Three have perished at the tourist attraction over the last three years — including Gripp. Other mishaps involving the ravens include a fox killing two of the creatures before they were put to bed in May 2013. Another, named George, was fired in 1986 after breaking too many television aerials, while Grog was last sighted outside an East End pub in 1981. Muninn took flight to Greenwich before being caught by a member of the public after seven days on the run. Chris Skaife, the Ravenmaster at the time, told the person how to use pieces of chicken, a blanket and gloves to catch the escapee, saying: 'The Tower of London and the monarchy depends on you right now sir.' The resident duly obliged. More Trending Grisly endings aside, the ravens have longer healthier lives on average than those in the wild. The average lifespan of their feral kin is 12 years, while those at the Tower often reach their mid-20s and longer. Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity which runs the Tower, has said: 'The ravens themselves are very well looked after by the Ravenmaster and his team and receive regular veterinary check-ups.' Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact MORE: My odd job: I look after the ravens at the Tower of London so the Kingdom doesn't fall MORE: Security plans at Windsor Castle reveal King's secret staircase to outside world MORE: King's mythical raven suffers grisly death at the Tower of London
RNZ News
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
New English curriculum 'system racism' by omission says Auckland head teacher
Northcote College Head of English David Taylor says he won't teach the new English curriculum, which includes movies like Spirited Away. Photo: Studio Ghibli / Archives du 7eme Art / Photo12 via AFP Auckland's Northcote College Head of English David Taylor says he will not teach the proposed new English curriculum and is urging others to boycott it too. The curriculum features a list of suggested texts including Arthur Miller's play The Crucible , Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven ,1984 by George Orwell and Dubliners by James Joyce, along with writing from Kiwi authors including Becky Manawatu, Oscar Kightley and Witi Ihimaera. The document makes no mention of Te Mataiaho, a framework grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Taylor, who wrote an opinion piece on why he will refuse to teach the curriculum, told Checkpoint's Lisa Owen he had three main concerns. "The first would be lack of flexibility that this document offers for us to meet the diverse needs of our students and our communities, that's both in the texts that they'll study but also opportunities to express themselves," Taylor said. "A second big concern is that it really doesn't seem like a document that's been written with an understanding of the needs of young people in Aotearoa, at the moment, or the realities of teaching them. "And I think ultimately that leads to a third concern; this curriculum would take us backwards." That was because New Zealand had been making "really great progress" with trying to create a more "level playing field" in education, he said. "And this is going to be greatly undermined because it reduces that flexibility that we have to meet the different diverse student needs that we have in our communities." Taylor said the curriculum was very prescriptive in terms of the types and numbers of texts that had to be studied at each year level. "At the moment there is much greater autonomy and teacher and student choice around that. This is very heavy on detailing what needs to be taught." In Year 12 and 13 it would be compulsory to teach Shakespeare and a 19th Century novel, he said. When asked what he would like to see instead, Taylor said New Zealand had very diverse communities with students who had different requirements. "Really good English teachers understand that and are able to work out what the right text is for each student for them to be able to do the learning they need to do. "We're not in a homogeneous situation where we are able to just say these texts are going to best for everyone." He said while he personally loved Shakespeare and 19th Century literature, it was not going to be right for all students. "We need the ability to be able to know our learners, know our students, know what learning they need and actually pick the right texts for them." Taylor pointed out Shakespeare and a 19th Century novel were compulsory and would take up a large chunk of the year. Northcote College in Auckland. Head of English David Taylor says the new English curriculum enables systemic racism. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Taylor said in his opinion piece on The Spinoff , that the proposed new curriculum enabled "systemic racism". He said such racism could be subtle. "A big part of that here is what's been taken away." When compared to previous versions of the curriculum he said there was a loss of explicit reference to Māori authors, or to the stories of tangata whenua or Te Tiriti itself. "The loss of opportunities for students to tell their own stories. There's a real lack of respect for Māori history and storytellers by not including them. "And instead what you get is the privileging of these non-Māori texts... by making them compulsory it's at the exclusion of something else. "You call out what you privilege. So by calling out those texts you are marginalising texts and authors who in previous versions have been far more in the spotlight." Asked if the government was putting international authors ahead of New Zealand writers, Taylor said that was "very clear". Taylor said although the Treaty Principles Bill had been voted down, "this is kind of it happening by stealth really and I think anybody who objected to the underlying problems with that bill should take a strong interest and make a submission on this as well". "It's not just something for English teachers. I think it's something for anyone who's interested in education." He lambasted current and previous governments and the Ministry of Education for "institutional incompetence" and creating an education system which was "lurching from one chaotic mess to another". He loved his job but said it was incredibly tiring. The proposed curriculum was currently out for consultation.
Forbes
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Selenee Debuts New Collection At Los Angeles Fashion Week
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: A model walks the runway for the Selenee Spring 2025 LA Fashion Show at NeueHouse Hollywood on March 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark D. Gunter/Getty Images for Selenee) We've seen many crossovers between fashion and literature throughout the years, be it Thom Browne's reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven to Alexander McQueen who referenced H.G Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau to create his It's a Jungle Out There collection, to Alessandro Michele who was inspired by Donna Haraway's A Cyborg Manifesto for a 2018 Gucci collection. Now, one independent brand looks at a short story by a famed 20th century Argentine writer. Selenee launched its latest collection on March 16 at NeueHouse Hollywood. The collection, the Garden of Forking Path, was inspired by a short story written by, Jorge Luis Borges. His story, also called the Garden of the Forking Path, was written in 1941 and was said to predict quantum mechanics of the modern world. It has been linked to the science fiction writing of English writer, Olaf Stapledon. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: Models walks the runway for the Selenee Spring 2025 LA Fashion Show at NeueHouse Hollywood on March 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark D. Gunter/Getty Images for Selenee) Selenee's latest collection explores the "infinite possibilities in a maze" and each outfit has a multitude of complexities within it. The Fall/Winter 2025 collection boasts flowing fabrics, as well as classic plaid pieces and intricately detailed leather trench coats. There are also coats with corset-like elements, balloon sleeves, suit dresses and wool blousons and capes, among other items. Selenee was founded in 2023 as an avant-garde fashion brand, but has since proved how it is inspired by vintage fashion, as well. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: A model walks the runway for the Selenee Spring 2025 LA Fashion Show at NeueHouse Hollywood on March 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark D. Gunter/Getty Images for Selenee) 'Every path is a choice, giving infinite possibilities,' said Motong Yang, Selenee's founder and artistic director. 'Los Angeles is the perfect setting for this collection, as it's not only where my dreams began, but also where many of my friends, like myself, have found the courage to pursue their dreams again.' Yang explains that this collection I represents a return to creativity in her life. 'This show is not only a fulfillment of my original aspirations, but also a way to inspire those who once put their dreams on hold due to reality, encouraging them to take a bold step forward,' said Yang. 'It is for the dreams we once left behind and for the better versions of ourselves." Yang has a background in visual art, as an installation artist and visual artist who fuses together art and fashion. Selenee's philosophy is rooted in an avant-garde approach for men's and women's fashion, while prioritizing sustainable fashion. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: A model walks the runway for the Selenee Spring 2025 LA Fashion Show at NeueHouse Hollywood on March 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark D. Gunter/Getty Images for Selenee) Some of the items from the new collection include the Sutton skirt set, which uses houndstooth pattern for a century-old dress style, while the Syrus suit brings a modern edge to a vintage suit style with broad shoulders and the Stetson suit offers an air of elegance in an era of casual fashion. 'The latest collection is a journey of transformation and self-discovery,' said Yang. 'My inspiration comes from the Loop and Knot Closure, symbolizing the cycle of growth—fastening the past while extending into the future.' The items reflect different stages of life, from the 'Ethereal Echo' pieces, which pay tribute to youth and curiosity, to 'Shadow Valor,' structured items designed representing maturity and resilience, to 'Beyond Boundaries,' which are avant-garde silhouettes that break traditions and embrace change. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: A model walks the runway for the Selenee Spring 2025 LA Fashion Show at NeueHouse Hollywood on March 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark D. Gunter/Getty Images for Selenee) 'The finale gowns, Lunar Bloom and Midnight Bloom, mark the birth of the brand, blending passion, mystery, and elegance,' said Yang. 'Flowers and mirrors serve as metaphors for self-reflection and transformation, making Selenee more than just fashion—it is a poetic evolution of time and identity.' The collection is available on the Selenee website. Attendees included Mercedes Blanche, Amanza Smith, Amber Liu, Shuang Hu, Kelly Bensimon, Jarry Lee, Roxxy Manning and more. Follow @seleneeco on Instagram. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: Models walks the runway for the Selenee Spring 2025 LA Fashion Show at NeueHouse Hollywood on March 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark D. Gunter/Getty Images for Selenee)
