FredO writes: I’ve attached some photos from the post-concert reception at Heinz Hall from last night’s Lord Of The Rings concert. I am the person standing next to Billy as someone to his left is holding a tee-shirt I gave him. My wife, Sue is the woman in the next picture with Billy. The first photo is of Tom who is holding a copy of “Regional Cookbook For Middle Earth.” Standing next to Tom is the author of the cookbook, Stephanie Simmons. Stephanie worked very hard with the Pittsburgh Symphony to provide a pre-concert benefit dinner. The other photo is of a local Ringer named Bonnie in her Gladriel outfit. She is accompanied by Joe and Jen. [More]
Day: July 23, 2005
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FredO writes: I’ve attached some photos from the post-concert reception at Heinz Hall from last night’s Lord Of The Rings concert. I am the person standing next to Billy as someone to his left is holding a tee-shirt I gave him. My wife, Sue is the woman in the next picture with Billy. The first photo is of Tom who is holding a copy of “Regional Cookbook For Middle Earth.” Standing next to Tom is the author of the cookbook, Stephanie Simmons. Stephanie worked very hard with the Pittsburgh Symphony to provide a pre-concert benefit dinner. The other photo is of a local Ringer named Bonnie in her Gladriel outfit. She is accompanied by Joe and Jen.
The concert was amazing last night. The orchestra was terrific and the atmosphere in the hall was electric. Billy performed “The Edge Of Night” with warmth and depth and amazing pacing and dynamics. For such a short work that song carries a lot of emotion. Billy’s voice was clear and strong and his performance was incredible. John Mauceri’s conducting was demonstrative as he lead the PSO through Howard Shore’s fantastic score. The whole night was like a big roller coaster ride. The audience insisted on 3 curtain calls and cheered, whistled and yelled.
Billy proved to be a most gracious celebrity at the post-concert reception. He signed programs, magazines, shirts and whatever else anyone brought to him. He received several beautiful gifts including a beautiful painting and a wonderful framed copy of the lyrics to “The Edge Of Night” done in calligraphy. There were people from as far away as Britain at the concert. It was so nice to meet Billy and get the chance to thank him for coming and making the concert so special. I had a tremendous time and blessed to be able to go back tonight and do it all again!
Houston, TX — July 23, 2005 — Tolkien expert Michael Martinez will give a special presentation at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Tuesday, July 26 as part of their Distinguished Lecturer series. “Being Middle-earth: How Fantasy Shapes the Living World” looks at the experience of creating a modern motion picture in a world where millions of fans watch and sometimes participate in the process. The lecture is sponsored by KUHF, 88.7 FM (http://www.kuhf.org/), Houston Public Radio. [More]
Houston, TX — July 23, 2005 — Tolkien expert Michael Martinez will give a special presentation at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Tuesday, July 26 as part of their Distinguished Lecturer series. “Being Middle-earth: How Fantasy Shapes the Living World” looks at the experience of creating a modern motion picture in a world where millions of fans watch and sometimes participate in the process. The lecture is sponsored by KUHF, 88.7 FM (http://www.kuhf.org/), Houston Public Radio.
The successful production of the three “Lord of the Rings” movies spawned two miniature economies focusing on Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth. The large, widespread audience for the movies has responded by creating tributes, organizations, and a vast sub-culture dedicated to sharing and nurturing the experience of being Middle-earth. Film-making has evolved into a communal experience whereby studios now develop projects under the watchful eyes of, and sometimes in conjunction with core audience groups with special knowledge and expertise in project-related topics. One insider’s perspective examines how the Lord of the Rings experience introduces a new, global medium of artistic expression.
“Unlike the immensely popular Star Wars movies,” Martinez says, “The Lord of the Rings was able to draw upon a well-established fan base which had a long-standing artistic tradition of interpretation of Tolkien’s book. The Lord of the Rings movies were really made by fans for fans, since Peter himself is a huge Tolkien fan.”
KUHF News Anchor Rod Rice is host for event. The presentation will begin with a special 10-minute video called “From Tolkien to Middle-earth”. Martinez will share insights from his own experience as an organizer of fan events and Web sites, as well as a contributor to the background research for the movies, and from the experience of thousands of other fans who have shared their thoughts and feelings on the Web and through surveys and articles.
Michael Martinez (http://www.michael-martinez.com/) is the author of Visualizing Middle-earth, Parma Endorion: Essays on Middle-earth, and Understanding Middle-earth: Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. He was the contributing editor for Suite101’s popule Tolkien and Middle-earth topic from 1999 to 2003 and he is a featured contributor on MERP.COM. Martinez also organized the Dragon*Con Tolkien and Middle-earth fan programming track. The Houston Museum of Natural Science (http://www.hmns.org/) is located at One Hermann Circle Drive in Houston, TX. Tickets may be purchased online at the museum’s Web site.
Who’s got the most “precious” gig in Canadian show business? Michael Therriault, that’s who. The Star has learned that the 32-year-old actor will be playing the wily, obsessive Gollum in the highly anticipated stage version of The Lord of the Rings, scheduled to open in Toronto next March. But that’s just the beginning. Even though an official announcement of who’s appearing in what roles is not expected until a news conference at the Canon Theatre on Monday morning, reliable sources within the theatre community have revealed some of the major casting choices. Producer Kevin Wallace and spokespeople for the Mirvish organization refused to confirm or deny these reports. [More]
Robin writes: Today Infuze Magazine published an exclusive Q&A with Lord of the Rings Online Executive Producer, Jeffrey Steefel, under its Infuze Games channel. Topics covered include: locations within the game, characters from the books, the significance of the title Shadows of Angmar, player customization options, accessibility for newbies versus experienced MMO players, and whether or not players will get to follow in the footsteps of the Fellowship. [More]