Category: 5. Entertainment

Universal Music Greater China (UMGC) has unveiled a strategic global alliance with Mandopop artist David Tao and his company, Great Entertainment. 

“The agreement marks David Tao’s entry into UMG’s global artist family and reflects a shared vision to elevate Mandarin pop (Mandopop) to new heights on the international stage,” said a statement. “Through the alliance, Great Entertainment will tap into UMG’s global infrastructure and creative network to help introduce Tao’s artistry to broader audiences worldwide.”

Widely recognised as the “godfather of Mandarin R&B,” David Tao has played a key role in redefining the sound of Mandarin pop over the past three decades.

The alliance launches with the global release of Tao’s eighth studio album, Stupid Pop Songs, his first full-length project in 12 years. The album is available now across major digital platforms, with a physical release coming soon via UMGC.  

Timothy Xu, chairman & CEO of Universal Music Greater China, said: “David Tao is one of the most visionary and influential figures in Mandopop history. His music has shaped the genre and inspired generations with its emotional depth and artistic courage. We are proud to welcome David to the Universal Music family. This alliance underscores our long-term investment in iconic artistry and reinforces our commitment to expanding the global reach of Mandarin pop.”

David Tao said: “Music has always been a borderless and personal journey for me. This new chapter with Universal Music allows us to bring our creative work to a broader global stage. I’m grateful for the trust and alignment in vision, and excited to explore new possibilities with UMGC to elevate Mandarin pop and share our stories with the world.”

“As Tao enters this new chapter with UMG, the alliance reflects a shared commitment to championing originality, preserving musical heritage, and bringing Mandarin pop into bold new conversations on the global stage,” added the statement.

PHOTO: (L-R) David Tao and Timothy Xu

 

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A Windrush exhibition in south London aimed at honouring the history, legacy, and contributions of the Windrush Generation to British society has been vandalised.

Portraits featured in the Windrush Untold Stories exhibition, currently installed in Windrush Square in Brixton, were damaged on Thursday.

Friends of Windrush Square said the “deliberate vandalism” was “not only an attack on public art, but a blatant act of racial hatred directed at a community that has given so much to the life and spirit of the UK”.

The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment.

The exhibition features 20 portraits and first-hand accounts of those who arrived in the UK from the Caribbean between the late 1940s and 1970s.

Friends of Windrush Square said the vandalism had caused “considerable distress” to local residents, artists, volunteers, and project partners, “many of whom are directly connected to the Windrush legacy”.

Ros Griffiths, chair of Friends of Windrush Square, said: “This is a deeply upsetting and shocking act of racial disrespect.

“Windrush Untold Stories was created to celebrate the contributions and resilience of the Windrush Generation, whose story is central to the fabric of British life.

“That it should be targeted in such a hateful way is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges we face in building an inclusive and respectful society.”

Bavaria Media and Beta Film have joined forces on Mozart Mozart, a six-hour drama that reimagines the legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart through the eyes of his (real-life) sister, Maria Anna Mozart.

The series, from the creators of German costume drama hit Sisi, has received a first-season commission from German public broadcaster ARD and Austria’s ORF.

Set in the late 18th century, the series centers on Amadeus’ sister, Maria Anna Mozart, portrayed by Havana Joy (Love Sucks), who steps into her brother’s shoes after his dismissal from the Salzburg court threatens the family’s future. When Wolfgang, played by Eren M. Güvercin (Druck, Eldorado), proves too volatile to secure favor at the court of Emperor Joseph II, Maria Anna disguises herself as her brother, captivating Vienna’s elite and drawing the envy of Mozart’s rival, Antonio Salieri. Her deception grows increasingly complex as she attempts to maintain the ruse, protect her family’s reputation and navigate her relationship with Salieri.

The series stands apart from the upcoming English-language series Amadeus, which Sky has commissioned in the U.K., and will see White Lotus actor Will Sharpe play Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. That drama is a reimagining of Peter Shaffer’s 1979 stage play Amadeus, which inspired Milos Forman’s 1984 Oscar-winning adaptation.

“What we definitely didn’t want to do was a remake of Amadeus,” Mozart Mozart showrunner Andreas Gutzeit, who created the series and co-wrote it with Swantje Oppermann (Dignity), tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The desire is to tell a new story for a younger audience, and to tell the forgotten story of Maria Anna, who was a musical genius of her own, perhaps as talented, or more so, than her superstar brother.”

“Mozart’s sister isn’t a secret, but we don’t know much about her life, other than she was also a child prodigy and that she and Amadeus toured together to every royal court in Europe at the time,” notes Clara Zoë My-Linh von Arnim, who is directing the series. “But she had the misfortune of being a woman and then, when she turned a marriageable age, she was dragged off the stage, in the truest sense of the word. There is a lot of speculation on how big her influence was on Amadeus’ music, on his compositions, over the years.”

Jessica De Rooij, who composed the award-winning music for Sisi, is back for Mozart Mozart, giving Mozart’s iconic compositions a contemporary edge for the show. Gutzeit and Jens Freels (Dignity) serve as executive producers, with Simona Weber producing.

The ensemble cast includes Eidin Jalali (The Swarm, Maxton Hall), Verena Altenberger (Wild Republic), Peter Kurth (Babylon Berlin), Philipp Hochmair (Freud), Sonja Weisser (Maxton Hall), Lisa Vicari (Next Level) and Annabelle Mandeng (Vikings: Valhalla).

Produced by Gutzeit’s Story House Pictures in co-production with ARD, ORF and The Dreaming Sheep Company, Mozart Mozart is being sold internationally by Bavaria Media and Beta Film.

Check out the teaser trailer for Mozart Mozart below.

The producer of a film about medics in Gaza that was dropped by the BBC has accused the corporation of trying to gag him and others over its decision not to show the documentary.

Gaza: Doctors under Attack, which was finally broadcast on Channel 4 on Wednesday night, recounts how hospitals in the territory have been overwhelmed, bombed and raided. Medics recount being detained and claim to have been tortured. It had originally been due to run on the BBC.

Ben de Pear, the programme’s executive producer and a former Channel 4 News editor, accused the BBC of attempting to stop him talking about its “painful journey” to the screen with the use of legal gagging clauses.

“I rejected and refused to sign the double gagging clause the BBC bosses tried multiple times to get me to sign,” he said in a post on LinkedIn. “Not only could we have been sued for saying the BBC refused to air the film (palpably and provably true) but also if any other company had said it, the BBC could sue us.

“Not only could we not tell the truth that was already stated, but neither could others. Reader, I didn’t sign it.”

Instead, he said, he spoke out, criticising the BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, at a conference in Sheffield over the decision to pull the film. “All the decisions about our film were not taken by journalists, they were taken by Tim Davie,” he said at the time. “He is just a PR person. Tim Davie is taking editorial decisions which, frankly, he is not capable of making.

“The BBC’s primary purpose is TV news and current affairs, and if it’s failing on that it doesn’t matter what drama it makes or sports it covers. It is failing as an institution. And if it’s failing on that then it needs new management.”

The BBC did not comment on the accusations. An insider said Basement Films, De Pear’s production company, had only been asked to sign a standard clause obliging producers to have the corporation’s permission before engaging in publicity around one of its shows. It is understood this is disputed by Basement Films.

BBC sources suggested the broadcaster had been attempting to find ways to use the documentary material in news coverage, but a final decision was made to drop the film entirely after De Pear’s public comments in Sheffield. This timeline is also disputed. Once the BBC handed control back to Basement Films, a BBC source said it ceased to be the broadcaster’s film.

They also argued it was untrue the BBC had tried to gag De Pear from speaking about the film, pointing to public statements he made about it. They also pointed to the BBC’s public statement, made last month, clearly stating it had dropped the project.

De Pear’s comments follow the publication of a letter signed anonymously by more than 100 BBC staff criticising the decision to drop the film. The letter also questioned the role of Robbie Gibb, Theresa May’s former spin doctor and a member of the BBC’s board and editorial standards committee.

Gibb led the consortium that bought the Jewish Chronicle in 2020 and, up until August 2024, was a director of Jewish Chronicle Media. The BBC has said he had no “formal role” over the decisions made in relation to the Gaza film.

Before dropping the medics documentary entirely, the BBC said it had delayed its broadcast until a report into the making of another documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, had been completed.

That programme was pulled from iPlayer earlier this year after it emerged that its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The review into its production continues.

King Charles and Prince William’s heartwarming tribute to their heroes, who are protecting the UK and promoting peace overseas, left Prince Harry in tears.

The Duke of Sussex was overwhelmed with emotions after the King and the future monarch used their social media accounts to mark the Armed Forces Day, which is celebrated on the last Saturday in June in the UK.

It’s a day to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community, including currently serving personnel, veterans, families, and cadets.

To mark the day, the monarch said “he salutes all members of the military.”

A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, claimed: “King Charles and William’s tribute brought tears to Harry’s eyes, as he too had served in the British Military and even taken part in operations in Afghanistan.”

“The Duke of Sussex served in the British Army for ten years, from 2003 to 2014. He achieved the rank of Captain in the Army Air Corps. The royal was also deployed to Afghanistan twice,” they added.

The King’s statement, shared on the official Instagram account of the royal family, read: “Thank you for your tireless service, protecting the UK and promoting peace overseas. We are hugely grateful for your efforts, often in the face of danger, and those of your loved ones, providing support at home.”

Similarly, the eldest son of King Charles, William also marked the day by sharing his picture taken during a visits in military uniform, stating: “Proud to mark Armed Forces Day. Thank you to everyone serving in the British Armed Forces, and to all veterans, for your courage, dedication and sacrifice.”

It is worth mentioning here that King Charles’ youngest son received several awards and honours for his service, including the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan. Harry’s dedication to his country and his charitable work, especially with veterans, continue to be notable aspects of his public life.