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Tag: Royal Festival Hall

'Violinist Kyung Wha Chung Yells at Coughing Child During Performance

World-renowned violinist Kyung Wha Chung sent audience members into an awkward frenzy after publicly berating the parents of a coughing child during her performance at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Chung, from South Korea, is hailed as a violin prodigy but has been retired for some time, partly due to a finger injury. This show was her first London performance in 12 years. But during this show, the 66-year-old violinist lashed out at a child who was coughing during her performance of Mozart’s "Sonata in G." “Maybe bring her back when she’s older,” she rebuked to the child’s parents. Then, audience members say, she continued looking back in the general direction of the coughing child for the next 20 minutes. Anna Picard, music critic for "The Times," said the atmosphere in the hall had already been tense, such was the anticipation surrounding the violinist's comeback.
  • 'Skateboarders 1, Southbank Centre 0? London Mayor Boris Johnson Says Refurbishment Plans Could Be Scuppered

    This could be the year that a skateboarding area defeated a major renovation of one of the world's leading arts centers. The story so far...London's Southbank Centre has expended a great deal of time and energy on drawing up plans to renovate their premises with the promise of lots of free arts activities for all. Last month, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson essentially said, "Fine, but you're leaving the skatepark alone." Problem.
  • 'Sir Mark Elder Joins the List of Acting Musicians

    The leading British conductor Sir Mark Elder reportedly gave his London acting debut this week. Sir Mark's inner thesp came out during a performance at the Royal Festival Hall of Offenbach's Fantasio, where he gave the spoken lines of Le Tailleur. Whether his cameo makes it onto the linked recording, on the Opera Rara label of which Elder is artistic director, remains to be seen. Apparently he managed to both conduct the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and have his lines heard by turning to the side for a moment
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