Walt Disney News

Igor Stravinsky's epic, The Rite of Spring, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Stories of its eventful premiere on May 29, 1913 in the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris are legendary. A veritable riot erupted in the theatre, more the result of Vaslav Nijinsky's choreography than Stravinsky's music (or Pierre Monteux's conducting). Insults were shouted from the audience, slapping and punching took place, it must have been quite an evening. And the Parisians' reaction was, I suppose, predictable. Graphic depiction of pagan Russia was hardly what the audience was expecting, and Stravinsky's primitively pulsating music full of angular harmonics and orchestral histrionics was more than the proper public could tolerate.

The LA Phil's Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy continues with The Marriage of Figaro with sets designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and costumes by legendary couturier Azzedine Alaia. Joining Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in this fully staged production is a stellar cast of internationally renowned soloists:

Coming off his recent national late night TV debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (1/22), singer, songwriter, pop star CHRIS WALLACE will now make his debut on “Live! with Kelly and Michael,” airing today, February 20. CHRIS will perform his hit debut single “Remember When (Push Rewind)” on the show, which will be broadcasting from Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.

Lucas Hnath's new play, Isaac's Eye directed by Linsay Firman, has had its world premiere run extended through March 10, Ensemble Studio Theatre Artistic Director William Carden announced today (2/19).

According to Comingsoon.net, Academy Award winning composer John Williams may be returning for the highly anticipated installment of the STAR WARS Saga.

Top morning talk show 'LIVE with Kelly and Michael' announces the lineup of guests who will join hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, today, February 18-21, 2013.

Philadelphia Theatre Company presents PTC@Play, a two-week festival of new work today, February 18-March 3 at PTC's home at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). The festival will feature staged readings of four new plays by both established and emerging playwrights, a new play with music in development starring Tony and Barrymore Award winner Forrest McClendon as African American vaudeville legend Bert Williams, and an evening of short plays, FuturePhilly@Play, by seven emerging playwrights. Each playwright will be in-residence at PTC for their reading, and every reading will conclude with a reception where audiences and artists can meet. All events are free with curtain time at 7:30 PM. A highlight of PTC@Play will be the February 18th announcement of the winner of the Terrence McNally New Play Award, a $10,000 cash prize given annually to recognize a new play that celebrates the transformative power of art.

Stefan Kudelski, inventor of the first portable professional recorder, the renowned 'Nagra', passed away 26 January in Switzerland. Kudelski, 84, was the founder of the Kudelski Group.

Cooking Channel fills March with new episodes from fan-favorite series. Melissa D'Arabian and Aarti Sequeria dish out tips on easy and satisfying ways to lose weight with new episodes of Drop 5 Lbs with Good Housekeeping Saturdays at 10:30amET/7:30amPT.

The Detroit return of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Friday, February 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Detroit Opera House for a limited engagement of four weeks through Sunday, March 10. In Detroit, THE LION KING will play Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday matinees at 2:00 p.m., Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 1:00 p.m.

Commissions from three leading Los Angeles-based musical organizations have earned noted Icelandic composer Daniel Bjarnason two coveted nominations from the Icelandic Music Awards: Composer of the Year for his 2012 compositions The isle is full of noises, co-commissioned by the Los Angeles Children's Chorus and the American Youth Symphony, and Over Light Earth, commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic; and Composition of the Year for The isle is full of noises. The works were premiered by the commissioning organizations at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on separate occasions last year. The Icelandic Music Awards are slated for Wednesday, February 20, 2013 in Reykjavik, Iceland.

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL opens in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D on March 8. The fantasy adventure stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King and Bruce Campbell. Today, Walt Disney Pictures has released new behind-the-scenes featurette on Sam Raimi's film. Check it out below!

Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), one of the world's largest motion picture exhibitors, announced that on Presidents' Day Weekend, February 16-18, 2013 three beloved animated classics from The Walt Disney Company will return to movie theatre screens for a limited engagement.

BPA will present an array of nationally and internationally-renowned artists for school and community outreach performances throughout each season. This March, the series will welcome One World Taiko, a contemporary Japanese drum ensemble that features spirited drumming and a blend of traditional, contemporary, and world music stylings. One World Taiko performed full time at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center's Japan Pavilion in Orlando, Florida for four years. They have also performed in Japan, Europe, the Middle East, and all over the US at numerous concerts, festivals, celebrations, corporate events, schools, and colleges. Visit One World Taiko online at www.oneworldtaiko.com.

The acclaimed Los Angeles Philharmonic and its dynamic music director, Gustavo Dudamel, return to New York for the first time since 2010 for two concerts at Avery Fisher Hall, as part of Lincoln Center's Great Performers series, March 27 and 28, 2013. Maestro Dudamel and the Orchestra arrive at Lincoln Center with two adventurous programs of 20th and 21st century music which showcases the ensemble's place as one of the world's most forward-thinking orchestras, including the New York premiere of a co-commissioned work by the eminent American composer John Adams.

But soft, what lawn through yonder window breaks? It is ABC Family's basic cable premiere of GNOMEO & JULIET, the Walt Disney Pictures animated hit, starring James McAvoy and Emily Blunt. The film airs Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 PM ET/PT.

Hyperion and Disney Interactive's Babble.com, a leading parenting site dedicated to the "truth in parenting," announced today plans to publish an original ebook series that will feature crowd-sourced stories from real parents and that will address important issues for a new generation of connected and engaged parents.

Syfy has finalized a deal to adapt Philip K. Dick's Hugo Award-winning novel THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE into a 4-hour miniseries event with Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, Hunted) attached to write and serve as Executive Producer

Electric Youth (EY), the international touring ensemble of talented singer-dancers trained at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), will take the stage at Showcase Live, Patriot Place, in Foxboro tonight, February 10 at 6 p.m.