Mountains, makeshift cinemas as Bhutan’s battle to make movies39 SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015 Indian conducter Zubin Mehta performs with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra during the New Year’s Concert at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. — AFP ‘Cheek to Cheek’ tour rings in New Year Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett make perfect dance partners n one of the more unusual examples of a match-up of Bothered & Bewildered” and “Lush Life,” came close. needed to launch in Las Vegas-and from inside the New old and new media that pays off, Tony Bennett has Yet it was their duets of songs like “I Won’t Dance,” “It York-themed Chelsea. The album was recorded in Gotham Ifound the perfect dance partner in Lady Gaga as their Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing)” and “Let’s and has been a top-seller worldwide since its release in Promoters say Bill Cosby’s “Cheek to Cheek” tour rung in 2015 in Las Vegas. Face the Music and Dance” that audiences clearly came to September. The tour’s first ticketed performance was held The fanbases for both singers filled the Cosmopolitan see, and showed off the chemistry between the two. Gaga Dec. 30, also inside the Chelsea. resort’s Chelsea theater for a two-hour show that proved never tried to upstage Bennett, often showing restraint The show also is a win for the Cosmopolitan, which Canadian shows will happen charmingly effective in showing off the talents of both and making sure to pay respect to the iconic crooner. built the Chelsea in order to regularly attract bigger music artists on a stage simply decorated with crystal-studded That, and her confident performance, surely went over acts to a large theater that isn’t devoted to a single artists curtains. Bennett, 88, can still belt out the lyrics as he well with the older crowd in the audience, and could pay like Britney Spears, across the street at Planet Hollywood, In this Nov. 21, 2014 file always has, especially his performance of “Steppin’ Out off in the future as she releases new albums. or Celine Dion in Caesars. photo, comedian Bill Cosby With My Baby,” and a sweet, memorable version of Charlie Suddenly, she’s no longer the risque pop singer who With a sold-out crowd, the Cosmopolitan easily com- performs during a show at Chaplin’s “Smile.” pushes the boundaries for headline-grabbing sake, but peted with the hotter nightclubs in the area (even inside the Maxwell C. King Center But it’s Gaga who stood out perhaps the most, gamely the approachable talented young artist (she’s 28) who can its own property), with Drake performing New Years Eve at for the Performing Arts in taking on jazz classics as she shimmied across the stage or stand alongside the best of them-and actually sound as Marquee, Iggy Azaliea at Drai’s, Robin Thicke at Foxtail and Melbourne, Fla. The promot- around Bennett in a variety of sequined flapper dresses, they do in their songs when they perform live, something Macklemore + Ryan Lewis at 1 OAK. Gaga is hardly a new- ers of Bill Cosby’s three feathered boas and headdresses during her many cos- many pop artists struggle to do. comer. But if collaborations like “Cheek to Cheek” are the shows in Canada next week tume and wig changes, some of which invoked Liza In their setlist Bennett and Gaga smartly held off on future and will give Hollywood an idea of how established said Friday, the comedian’s Minnelli. Backed by the Brian Newman Quartet, her explo- featuring too many duets during “Cheek to Cheek,” giving artists can work with younger artists-especially those representatives informed sive rendition of “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” as each of them equal time to shine with solo numbers. But emerging on YouTube and other digital platforms-as a them he has “every intent” she wore a shiny silver jumpsuit, was the highlight of the the energy in the room always lit up once Gaga took the way to speak to a broad audience, it looks like 2015 could to do them and they are evening, although her sassy approach to “Bewitched, stage. Given the stature of its two stars, “Cheek to Cheek” be a very good year. — Reuters legally obligated to put Little Jimmy Dickens, oldest them on. —AP he promoters of Bill Cosby’s three shows in Canada next week said Friday the comedian’s representatives informed Opry member, dies at 94 Tthem he has “every intent” to do them and they are legally obligated to put them on. Chicago-based Innovation Arts & Entertainment said in a ittle Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer- said in a 2009 Associated Press interview that tained troops in Vietnam three times. His oth- er Nudie.”He said that when the lights hit statement they understand the decision is unpopular but that songwriter known for his sense of his first impression of the song was “it was a er hits included “A-Sleepin’ at the Foot of the them, the audience would go ‘Wow,’ “ Dickens both they and the venues are obligated to proceed and that “we Lhumor and as the oldest cast member of nice piece of material to inject in my show. Bed,” “Out Behind the Barn,” “Country Boy” and recalled in the 2009 interview. “He was 100 would face crippling legal obstacles for violation.” the Grand Ole Opry, has died. He was 94. Then I went to Vietnam (to perform) for two “I’m Little But I’m Loud.” percent right.” More than 15 women have come forward since November Dickens died Friday at a Nashville-area months and when I got home it was my pay: He is credited with introducing rhinestone Dickens was born in Bolt, West Virginia, claiming to have been drugged, sexually assaulted or both by hospital of cardiac arrest after suffering a a No. 1 song.” The guitarist made more than a suits to country music around 1950, taking a the 13th and youngest child in a coal-mining Cosby, who has never been charged in connection with any of stroke on Christmas Day, Opry spokeswoman dozen trips to perform in Europe and enter- suggestion from Los Angeles clothing design- family. Coal mining was the main industry in the allegations. As controversy has grown, Cosby’s scheduled Jessie Schmidt said. Dickens, who stood 4- his area, but it wasn’t for him. “I wouldn’t have foot-11, had performed on the Opry almost worked the mines. I wasn’t large enough,” he Netflix concert special was canceled and NBC scrapped a new continuously since 1948. His last perform- once said. One of his first jobs was crowing Cosby sitcom in development. ance was Dec. 20 as part of his birthday cele- like a rooster on a radio station in Beckley, The 77-year-old Cosby is scheduled to appear at the Centre in bration. He sang “Out Behind The Barn” and West Virginia, to begin the station’s broad- the Square in Kitchener, Ontario, on Jan. 7; at the Budweiser delivered his trademark comedy. He had casting for the day. Gardens in London, Ontario, on Jan. 8; and at Hamilton Place turned 94 a day earlier. “I was not paid for it. I was just hanging Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, on Jan. 9. “As recently as this morn- “The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better around and they let me do that. I did it for a ing, IAE has been informed by Mr. Cosby’s representatives that he friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” said Pete year or so, then eventually I worked my way has every intent to perform these events,” the statement said. Fisher, Opry vice president and general man- to doing a song,” he said. Before becoming a Jason MacDonald, a spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister ager. “He loved the audience and his Opry nationally known country singer, he worked Stephen Harper, called the allegations against Cosby “very seri- family, and all of us loved him back. He was a at radio stations in Indianapolis; Cincinnati; ous and deeply troubling” but declined to comment further. one-of-kind entertainer and a great soul Topeka, Kansas; and Saginaw, Michigan. Protests are planned for the Canadian shows. “While it is dis- whose spirit will live on for years to come.” Dickens said in 2009 that he’d never been appointing for the need to worry about the theater being a place Country legend Hank Williams Sr. nicknamed self-conscious about his height. “It’s been for planned protests, we are fully prepared to protect our audi- him “Tater” based on Dickens’ song “Take an very good for me. I’ve made fun of it, and get ence,” the statement by Innovation Arts & Entertainment said. Old Cold Tater (And Wait).” a laugh here and there,” he said. In October Megan Walker, executive director of the London Abused His novelty songs, including his biggest 2008, Dickens energetically got on a step lad- Women’s Centre, who is planning a protest outside the London hit “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” der on the Opry stage to get eye level with 6- venue, took issue with the promoter’s statement. “There’s an about good and bad luck, earned him a spot foot-6 country singer Trace Adkins. implication that somehow a peaceful protest is going to become in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. It “You’re so tall, if you fell down, you’d be crossed over from a country hit to become a halfway home when you got up,” Dickens told violent when the violence we’re concerned about is the violence hit on the pop charts - a rarity in those days - him.He is survived by his wife, Mona, and two that the women have alleged against Mr.