20 Established 1961 Thursday, November 29, 2018 Lifestyle Features

Migrating pink flamingos

Migrating pink flamingos are seen at a lake in the United Arab Emirate of Dubai. — AFP photos Rita Moreno, 86, set for ‘West Side Story’ remake Russian rappers strike back

he 86-year-old American actress Rita Moreno, who won an Oscar in the original film version of “West TSide Story,” is being cast in Steven Spielberg’s hotly against crackdown by authorities anticipated remake. Her publicist announced that Moreno, who played Anita the first time around, will this time play the role of Valentina-a reconceived version of a corner packed club reverberated as the Editor-in-chief of Kremlin-controlled store owner. She will also get an executive producing young crowd filmed on cell phones RT television, Margarita Simonyan, con- credit. Back in May, the Puerto Rican-born actress con- and chanted the names of rappers. troversially suggested influential Kremlin fessed that she was anxiously awaiting the Spielberg A Three of ’s biggest rappers: figures intervened-alerted by the public remake, which has advertised for Latino actors in all the , Basta and Noize MC, were reaction to his case. The title of the con- main roles-not the case for the 1961 original. giving a rare joint concert in a cert, ’s lyric “I will sing my music,” “I am very curious to see what he does with it. I am club, protesting that authorities are step- became a top Twitter trend in Russia. nervous about it. Listen, we did very cliched things in ping up pressure on popular artists and Oxxxymiron, an Oxford-educated musi- ‘West Side Story’ but I am sure he’s going to avoid that effectively censoring them. The stars ral- cian whose real name is Miron Fyodorov, because times have changed,” she told AFP. “From our lied together after the jailing last week of complained that intimidation of artists and earliest discussions, we wanted to include Rita Moreno in popular rapper Husky. They warned that concert cancellations are becoming more our production,” said Spielberg in a statement sent by this comes on top of frequent concert frequent. “Creative freedom should be Moreno’s publicist. “Her Anita is one of the greatest musi- cancellations and bans on videos. “There’s equal for all,” he told the audience. “If cal performances ever filmed, and a personal favorite of a special attitude to the word in Russia, you’re offended by a video, turn it off.” He mine,” he added. some love it, others are afraid of it,” accused the authorities in Husky’s case of “We feel beyond fortunate that Rita will bring her rapped Noize MC at the show’s finale. “seeing propaganda (of negative values) extraordinary gifts as an actress, as well as her deep Some artists have said this resembles where there is none” in his lyrics. understanding of ‘West Side Story’ to this production as Soviet-era campaigns against rock music, One audience member, 21-year-old an executive producer.” The original film of Leonard seen as promoting false Western values. student Denis Zabuzov, said the authori- Bernstein’s musical-Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” It comes as a new generation of music ties “are starting to tighten the screws and reimagined in the world of warring New York gangs-won stars connect with young people through trying to scare certain artists, like Husky.” 10 Oscars and captivated a generation on the cusp of Rapper Oxxxymiron performs during a concert in support of rapper Husky, whose real name is hard-hitting lyrics and a massive online “He was jailed for nothing.” The rapper’s huge societal change. In the original movie, the Puerto Dmitry Kuznetsov, at a Moscow club.— AFP presence, bypassing state-controlled jailing prompted criticism even from stars Rican character Maria was played by the late Natalie media. Top rappers sing about social far from the rap scene. Crooner Lev Wood, and Bernardo by George Chakiris, the son of “Death No More,” has been viewed more who don’t watch propaganda on televi- problems but are rarely explicitly political. Leshchenko, 76, told Govorit Moskva Greek immigrants. than five million times on YouTube. The sion,” said Kostylev. Yet the authorities are on edge as opposi- radio station that “law enforcement struc- “Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself revisiting video shows them riding on the shoulders In the Volga city of Kazan, the duo had tion leader Alexei Navalny has harnessed tures interfering in the arts is unprece- this seminal work,” said Moreno in Tuesday’s statement. of riot police and one singer pours petrol electricity shut off at their concert. They a mood of discontent among teenagers. dented and shouldn’t happen.” “We’ve “To be asked by Steven Spielberg to participate is simply over herself. “They’ll subdue you with the performed “Death No More” in the dark Navalny attended Monday’s concert with already been through this,” he said, refer- thrilling!” “West Side Story” pits warring gangs, the others on the square,” the lyrics go, refer- with the audience singing along. Yet some his family, posing with fans for selfies. ring to Soviet official censorship of pop Sharks and the Jets, against each other in Manhattan’s ring to detentions of young opposition conservative Russians see such artists as a The concert’s trigger was the 12-day performers. Lincoln Square on the Upper West Side. —AFP protesters. malign influence and back official inter- sentence issued to Husky, real name “It’s true that we’re not happy with a vention. Activist Denis Khanzhin of the ‘It’s like we’re criminals’ Dmitry Kuznetsov for “petty hooliganism” lot that’s happening in the country and we Siberian Working Youth group has cam- over an impromptu performance from a Recently authorities have closed down talk about that freely,” said one of the paigned against hip-hop concerts by car roof in the southern city of Krasnodar. concerts in several regions, citing various duo, Nikolai Kostylev. Tour dates in the artists including Eldzhey, prompting He rapped on the street after a concert reasons. Artists affected include pop cities of Nizhny Novgorord and Kazan police close down a venue. Such music venue was cancelled at the last moment, singer Monetochka, Siberian-born hip- saw several club owners pull out, citing causes the “degradation of young peo- the latest in a series of crackdowns on his hop artist Eldzhey and Kazakh performer harassment from police, emergency serv- ple,” the 29-year-old said “It’s propagan- gigs. In a surprise move, Husky was Jah Khalib. Moscow-based electronic duo Rita Moreno ices and pressure groups, the group said. da of drugs, all kinds of perversions and released hours ahead of the concert- IC3PEAK told AFP they recently had They believes the authorities fear musi- sexual disorders, wall-to-wall swearing which the rappers attributed to wide- concerts in two cities interrupted by cians’ influence on an Internet-savvy gen- and blasphemy-and they are teaching all spread public outrage at his arrest. “It police and security forces. “It’s funny, like eration not reached by the Kremlin’s spin this to children.” — AFP happened because of you,” Oxxxymiron we are dangerous criminals,” said singer doctors. “They’re scared that they have told the audience. Anastasia Kreslina. Their latest song, lost a whole generation of young people