Sarah Brightman coming to Dubai in February

The National staff and agency

Sarah Brightman coming to Dubai in February

Sarah Brightman, known for her blend of opera and symphonic rock, will perform as part of the inaugural Dubai Classics at the Dubai World Trade Centre on February 6 and 7, in collaboration with DXB Live and M Premiere. The new music festival will feature a range of classical entertainment. Dubai is the singer's first regional stop on a world tour promoting her latest album, Dreamchaser. Currently on tour in South America, Brightman's most recent performances were held in Brazil. For tickets, visit www.mpremiere.com. – The National staff

Fast & Furious franchise will continue

Sources involved in Fast & Furious 7 said there are no plans to scrap the franchise after the actor Paul Walker's death in a car crash last week, Deadline.com reported. The franchise, one of the most lucrative in Hollywood, has already made more than US$2.4 billion (Dh8.82bn) for Universal studios. The sixth instalment, released this past summer, made almost $789 million worldwide at the box office. Production on Fast & Furious 7 has been indefinitely stopped after Walker's death to "assess all options available to move forward with the franchise". It was recently reported that production would be scrapped and restarted from scratch, but sources say it is too early to determine whether the film will be recast or rewritten. The movie, which was filming in Atlanta, has completed roughly 50 per cent of the shoot in that location. Walker was to accompany Vin Diesel and other members of the cast and crew to film on location in Abu Dhabi next month. Fast & Furious 7 was initially scheduled to be released in July 2014. – The National staff

Pakistan Idol makes its debut

Pakistan Idol was screened on televisions across the country on Friday to much excitement. The reality programme has been described by the media as "a watershed in the history of music in Pakistan". The show, which is open to singers between the ages of 15 and 30, aims to find "exceptional, versatile and unsigned solo recording artists" and bring them "into the musical mainstream". "This is not only a reality show but the beginning of an interesting journey that will have many turning points; the life of those who reach its end point will be revolutionised," according to the Pakistani newspaper The News. – The National staff

Dylan’s electric guitar sells for nearly one million dollars

On Friday, the Fender Stratocaster that Bob Dylan played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival sold for nearly US$1 million (Dh3.7m) – the highest price ever paid for a guitar at auction. A buyer, identified only as a private individual, agreed to pay $965,000 at Christie's auction, including the auction house's fees, for the sunburst-finish electric guitar. Dylan's performance at the folk festival in Rhode Island 48 years ago marked his rupture with the folk movement's old guard and ­solidified his shift away from acoustic music, such as in Blowin' in the Wind, and towards amplified rock, such as in Like a Rolling Stone. The raucous, three-song electric set was booed by some in the crowd and folk purists saw Dylan as a traitor and a sell-out. But "his going electric changed the structure of folk music," said the Newport Folk Festival founder George Wein. "The minute Dylan went electric, all these young people said: 'Bobby's going electric. We're going electric, too.'" – AP

Sanjay Dutt seeks parole to care for wife

The incarcerated Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has sought a month's parole to look after his ailing wife Manyata, official sources have revealed. He is likely to be released from Yerawada Central Jail in Pune in the next few days. The actor is currently serving a five-year sentence for his involvement in the March 1993 Mumbai blasts. – The National staff

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