Drummer Charlie Watts Dies at 80

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13 People & Places Stage Carnegie adjusts program New faces, works as opera houses open SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 25, (AP): As opera houses around the US warily resume indoor performances, two of the biggest are ushering in new leadership — along with a heightened commitment to building new audiences. In San Francisco, Korean-born Eun Sun Kim be- comes the company’s fi rst female music director and fi rst Asian. Nearly 2,000 miles to the east, Enrique Mazzola is taking up the reins as only the third music director in the history of Chicago’s Lyric Opera. The nation’s largest company, New York’s Met- ropolitan Opera, will have a relative veteran on the podium when its season opens Sept. 27: Yannick Nezet-Seguin has been in charge since 2018-19. But the changes at these and other houses go beyond per- sonnel. As Marc Scorca, presi- dent and CEO of Opera Amer- ica, sees it, there’s a greater determination to bring in new, more diverse audiences and to champion new works. “COVID was a time of dis- covery in this regard,” Scorca, whose organization works with companies large and Kim small, said in an email. Forced to abandon indoor productions during the pandemic, many companies devised digital offerings as well as in-person pro- gramming in open-air venues like ball parks, drive-in movie theaters, tents and even a parking garage. “We’ve heard that between 25% and 40% of audiences for these activities were new,” Scorca said. The question now is how to retain these neophytes. “Does this ‘alternative’ activity have to become part of our regular work?” he said. “Will some of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts performs at the Rose Bowl, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, in Pasadena, Calif. Watts died in London on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at age these new audiences gravitate to the opera house?” 80. (AP) Mazzola sees making that happen as a crucial part of his job. “My mission is not only to be a good musician in Obituary the pit waving my baton,” he said in an interview, “but to inspire a new audience, to stop showing the new generations that opera is only for certain rich elites, which disturbs me a lot.” Rolling Stones backbone Commitment His commitment to new work was one of the fac- tors that impressed Lyric’s general director, Anthony Freud. Drummer Charlie Watts dies at 80 “We needed somebody who would honor the achievements of Andrew (retired music director An- LONDON, Aug 25, (AP): Charlie attention of any kind, but with Wyman driver and a homemaker, was born in drew Davis) during his 21 years and at the same time Watts, the self-effacing and unshake- and Richards forged some of rock’s Neasden, London, on June 2, 1941. take us in new directions,” Freud said. able Rolling Stones drummer who deepest grooves on “Honky Tonk From childhood, he was passionate So although Mazzola will open Lyric’s season on helped anchor one of rock’s greatest Women,” “Brown Sugar” and other about music — jazz in particular. He Sept. 17 with Verdi’s “Macbeth,” a staple of the 19th rhythm sections and used his “day job” songs. The drummer adapted well to fell in love with the drums after hear- century repertory, he will also conduct an opera that to support his enduring love of jazz, everything from the disco of “Miss ing Chico Hamilton, and taught him- premiered in 2018: “Proving Up” by Missy Mazzoli. has died, according to his publicist. He You” to the jazzy “Can’t You Hear self to play by listening to records by It will be staged not in the Lyric Opera House with its was 80. Me Knocking” and the dreamy ballad Johnny Dodds, Charlie Parker, Duke 3,276 seats but in a nearby theater that seats just 400. Bernard Doherty said Tuesday that “Moonlight Mile.” Ellington and other jazz giants. Kim also challenges the notion that “opera is for Watts “passed away peacefully in a Jagger and Richards at times seemed He worked for a London advertising high society and a little bit diffi cult to come into.” London hospital earlier today sur- to agree on little else besides their ad- fi rm after he attended London’s Har- “Everybody says opera is old-fashioned,” she said rounded by his family.” miration of Watts, both as a man and row Art College and played drums in in an interview. “I don’t believe that. These master- “Charlie was a cherished husband, a musician. Richards called Watts “the his spare time. London was home to pieces stay with us after 100 years … If we tell the father and grandfather and also as a key” and often joked that their affi nity a blues and jazz revival in the early story really well, then everybody feels like it’s their member of The Rolling Stones one of was so strong that on stage he’d some- 1960s, with Jagger, Richards and Eric story too.” Caitlyn Smith performs at the 2021 the greatest drummers of his genera- times try to rattle Watts by suddenly Clapton among the future superstars She’s well aware that the symbolism of her ap- ACM Party for a Cause at Ascend tion,” Doherty said. changing the beat — only to have getting their start. Watts’ career took pointment may be a factor in drawing new customers Amphitheater on Tuesday, Aug. 24,in Watts had announced he would not Watts change it right back. off after he played with Alexis Ko- Nashville, TN. (AP) tour with the Stones in 2021 because of rner’s Blues Incorporated, for whom from the San Francisco Bay Area, with its large and Impact growing Asian American population. an undefi ned health issue. Jagger also performed, and was en- “Whenever I meet audiences after the perfor- The quiet, elegantly dressed Watts He also had an impact on the Roll- couraged by Korner to join the Stones. mance, women and also Asians tell me I am kind of was often ranked with Keith Moon, ing Stones that extended beyond drum- Watts wasn’t a rock music fan at an inspiration for them,” Kim said, “I’m happy if I Variety Ginger Baker and a handful of others ming. He worked with Jagger on the fi rst and remembered being guided can be that kind of fi gure.” as a premier rock drummer, respected ever more spectacular stage designs by Richards and Brian Jones as he ab- Expanding the repertory with new opera is high on worldwide for his muscular, swing- for the group’s tours. He also provided sorbed blues and rock records, notably her agenda, she said, though because of COVID-19 LOS ANGELES: Kanye just wants to be Ye. ing style as the Stones rose from their illustrations for the back cover of the the music of bluesman Jimmy Reed. disruptions to scheduling this season offers only Kanye West fi led court documents scruffy beginnings to international su- acclaimed 1967 album “Between the He said the band could trace its roots Tuesday to legally change his name. perstardom. He joined the band early in Buttons” and inadvertently gave the to a brief period when he had lost his one recent work — a revival of “Dream of the Red The Los Angeles Superior Court fi ling Chamber” by Chinese-born composer Bright Sheng. 1963 and remained for nearly 60 years, record its title. When he asked Stones job and shared an apartment with Jag- says the 44-year-old wants to get rid of ranked just behind Mick Jagger and manager Andrew Oldham what the ger and Richards because he could live Kim kicked off the season on Aug. 21 with Puc- his full name — Kanye Omari West — cini’s “Tosca,” a warhorse that is a sentimental fa- Keith Richards as the group’s longest album would be called, Oldham re- there rent-free. in favor of just his longtime two-letter lasting and most essential member. sponded “Between the buttons,” mean- vorite for the company. It was the opera that opened nickname, Ye, with no middle name or last Love the War Memorial Opera House in 1932 and the fi rst name. Watts stayed on, and largely held ing undecided. Watts thought that work performed in 1997 after the house was retrofi t- The documents, dated Aug 11 but not himself apart, through the drug abuse, “Between the Buttons” was the actual “Keith Richards taught me rock and ted to withstand earthquakes. sent into the court system until Tuesday, creative clashes and ego wars that name and included it in his artwork. roll,” Watts said. “We’d have nothing To the world, he was a rock star. But to do all day and we’d play these re- “It’s a piece of new beginnings for us,” said Mat- cite “personal reasons” for the change. An helped kill founding member Brian email seeking comment from the attorney Jones, drove bassist Bill Wyman and Watts often said that the actual experi- cords over and over again. I learned to thew Shilvock, the company’s general director. ence was draining and unpleasant, and love Muddy Waters. Keith turned me Music directors aren’t the only things that are new who fi led the documents was not immedi- Jones’ replacement Mick Taylor to ately returned. quit and otherwise made being in the even frightening. “Girls chasing you on to how good Elvis Presley was, and in San Francisco and Chicago. Both houses have A judge must approve of the change Stones a most exhausting job.

Load more