You want to see more great photos from the premiere? Take a look here.
Showing posts with label musicals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musicals. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Some more photos from the Stockholm premiere
If you wonder who they are /from the left/: Benny Andersson, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Agnetha, Frida, Christine Baranski, Colin Firth, Catherine Johnson, Phyllida Lloyd, Judy Craymer, Björn Ulvaeus.
Beauty! I bet that some peaople are still recovering! :-))
Photos as they appeared in Czech, Swedish and Norwegian press. Most of them are in great quality!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Stockholm premiere photos! OMG!
All four should be there
According to ABBAmail, it has been arranged for ABBA to be photographed together at the Swedish premiere of Mamma Mia! The Movie.
A special platform has been built on the balcony for them to stand on for the photo.
The after party will be held at Benny´s Rival Hotel, where should also perform BAO and Tommy Körberg.
Benny has been personally overseeing the aftershow party preparations. Benny normally never interferes in the operational aspects of the hotel but this time he has been very demanding and "hands on".
However, I am quite convinced this "building of a balcony" was meant for the cast not for former ABBA members. But we´ll find out soon.
A special platform has been built on the balcony for them to stand on for the photo.
The after party will be held at Benny´s Rival Hotel, where should also perform BAO and Tommy Körberg.
Benny has been personally overseeing the aftershow party preparations. Benny normally never interferes in the operational aspects of the hotel but this time he has been very demanding and "hands on".
However, I am quite convinced this "building of a balcony" was meant for the cast not for former ABBA members. But we´ll find out soon.
Mamma Mia! cast in Stockholm
Is that Lasse Hallström? (I didn´t know he´d be there, too).
Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Dominic Cooper...
The Mamma Mia! cast arrived to Sweden, and yesterday also attended a private party on Skeppsholmen in Stockholm.
Swedish Aftonbladet mentions that they spent a lot of time signing items for their fans before the party, except for Amanda Seyfried who escaped the crowd and didn´t give any autographs.
Pierce Brosnan commented the evening as great, and added "I love to be here in Stockholm. I wish I could stay longer."
Thursday, July 3, 2008
And two more...
3/4... I´m looking forward to Stockholm pics, too... Although I can imagine when the news that Agnetha will attend is spread, it´ll attract even bigger crowds of ABBA fans :-))
Norwegian press is full of it, longing for reunion.
Streep talks about her musical work
"Mamma Mia...
I think I have sung all of these songs about 70,000 times since signing up," she says. "I started in my closet, because that was the only place my family would let me to practise, and kept on going, all the way to Pinewood (where the production filmed interiors on the 007 set) and Holland Park where we were living, with those poor neighbours. But I never, never, never got sick of singing these songs."
More here.
I think I have sung all of these songs about 70,000 times since signing up," she says. "I started in my closet, because that was the only place my family would let me to practise, and kept on going, all the way to Pinewood (where the production filmed interiors on the 007 set) and Holland Park where we were living, with those poor neighbours. But I never, never, never got sick of singing these songs."
More here.
Benny: I want to make a record with Meryl Streep
ABBA´s Benny Andersson (61) is the author of many immortal hits; still he was impressed by Meryl Streep´s (59) splendid voice.
"She´s got sound somewhere between folk and country, but she can do anything.
I don´t know if she got surprised how good she was, but I think so," said Benny Andersson.
And Benny is ready to make a record with the famous actress - who is so much praised by critics.
"If she wants..., " he says.
Benny and Meryl became known and are talked about because of the new movie Mamma Mia!, movie which is based on the world-famous musical. Maybe it´s not so surprising after all, considering how great ABBA was and still is inspite of the fact they haven´t come up with anything new in more than 20 years.
Benny got a little role in the movie himself.
"They wanted me to be a captain at first, but there was too much over-decorated clothes... so I was given a role of a Greek fisherman instead, and I got a piano. Isn´t that good?"
Meryl has also said many good things about Benny, and she called him generous because he let her use his music.
"He´s one of the most warm-hearted persons of all", says the star.
On the other hand, she found faults with colleague Björn Ulvaeus.
"He´s got quite bad sense of humour," she claims with a smile.
----------------------------
- Oh come on!
Article freely translated from Se og Hør.
"She´s got sound somewhere between folk and country, but she can do anything.
I don´t know if she got surprised how good she was, but I think so," said Benny Andersson.
And Benny is ready to make a record with the famous actress - who is so much praised by critics.
"If she wants..., " he says.
Benny and Meryl became known and are talked about because of the new movie Mamma Mia!, movie which is based on the world-famous musical. Maybe it´s not so surprising after all, considering how great ABBA was and still is inspite of the fact they haven´t come up with anything new in more than 20 years.
Benny got a little role in the movie himself.
"They wanted me to be a captain at first, but there was too much over-decorated clothes... so I was given a role of a Greek fisherman instead, and I got a piano. Isn´t that good?"
Meryl has also said many good things about Benny, and she called him generous because he let her use his music.
"He´s one of the most warm-hearted persons of all", says the star.
On the other hand, she found faults with colleague Björn Ulvaeus.
"He´s got quite bad sense of humour," she claims with a smile.
----------------------------
- Oh come on!
Article freely translated from Se og Hør.
Mamma Mia! Movie soundtrack for download
It´s almost creepy how some people can be fast! Click HERE to download Mamma Mia! The Movie soundtrack. Note: I did not upload it and I do not support illegal music downloading. Download on your own responsibility.
But who the heck said that Pierce Brosnan can´t sing?!
But who the heck said that Pierce Brosnan can´t sing?!
Björn and Benny interview in The Sun
WHEN you have sold more than 370million records and topped charts all over the world, who needs more money, money, money?
Certainly not BENNY ANDERSSON and BJORN ULVAEUS, the song-writing team from ABBA.
They are said to have turned down a BILLION dollars to re-form and, for ten stubborn years, rejected the idea of their hits being used for a musical.
In the end, the Swedish pair relented on the musical and Mamma Mia! went on to earn Ł1billion at theatre box offices worldwide.
Now it has been turned into a riotous film starring MERYL STREEP, JULIE WALTERS, COLIN FIRTH and well-known musical actor PIERCE BROSNAN.
It looks set to be the smash hit of the summer, so get ready for Dancing Queen and SOS to be blaring from a radio near you very soon - check out the slideshow below to see some pics from the film and the world premiere in London.
Björn is unfazed by the prospect. "Is it possible to have yet another ABBA revival?" he asks.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, the normally publicity-shy guys say ABBA will never get back together.
They also attack the short-lived fame of X Factor acts and claim TERRY WOGAN was wrong to lay into Eurovision.
I get myself in trouble with the lads almost immediately when I suggest Pierce Brosnan is entertaining in the film despite not being able to sing. Benny is particularly affronted.
"Everybody complains that Pierce can’t sing and it p***** me off," he says. "I think he has a great voice. He couldn’t sing Nessun Dorma but neither could I — and I was in ABBA.
"It’s like saying BOB DYLAN can’t sing. It’s just not fair. He has a good voice."
The Mamma Mia! story goes back almost as far as ABBA themselves.
In the mid-Eighties, British producer Judy Craymer came to Benny and Björn with the idea of using their songs as the backdrop to a dramatic tale.
Benny recalls: "It wasn’t a musical when Judy first came to us. It was a TV programme.
It was very vague. She said she would like to do something with the ABBA music and we said we didn’t think it was a good idea.
"We’ve always been very protective of the songs — and we still are."
Then writer Catherine Johnson came up with a brilliant story — a wedding where the bride is trying to figure out which of three men is her father.
Benny says: "Her script made all the difference."
Even after the first stage show, though, neither Benny nor Björn dreamed Mamma Mia! would become the most successful musical ever.
Benny, 61, says: "It takes an audience to decide for you. We were surprised by the success of the musical. Everyone was."
It wasn’t the first time ABBA surprised everyone. The 1974 Eurovision song contest did not look likely to catapult ANNI-FRID LYNGSTAD, AGNETHA FALTSKOG, Björn and Benny to fame.
Björn, 63, says: "I thought we would finish number nine."
But Benny took a chance on their song Waterloo winning.
He says: "Björn didn’t expect us to win. I did. I bet a hundred quid that we would win at 15-1."
Björn sounds sceptical: "A hundred quid, in those days?"
Benny continues: "I thought we’d do well, because it was so apart from what Eurovision normally was."
So how would ABBA fare in Eurovision these days?
According to veteran presenter Terry Wogan, Western European countries don’t stand a chance because neighbouring Eastern European states always vote for each other. Benny and Björn disagree.
Benny says: "It has always been the case, even in the Sixties and Seventies, that neighbouring countries would vote for each other.
The Scandinavians were notorious for it. Why wouldn’t they? They have the same kind of traditions."
"It’s like the Irish voting for the British and vice-versa."
And Benny reveals the winning song was decided even before ABBA performed in the final.
He says: "They sent tapes of the rehearsals out to all the cities and they then sent their votes back."
"Back in the Seventies, people were voting without seeing what was going on."
"Once the show started, the result was known to those behind the scenes. We didn’t know we had won though." And Benny thinks ABBA would still be successful in 21st Century Eurovision contests, saying: "I think we could still win, but what do I know?"
"I don’t understand what is going on in pop music these days. I have no clue. I don’t know why this or that song won. It has nothing to do with the music itself. It has to do with the impact on screen."
Neither of the pair were impressed by this year’s British entry — sung by X Factor star ANDY ABRAHAMS.
Benny says: "England seems to have difficulty finding anything good to send to the Eurovision."
Björn adds: "I was watching this year and I was trying to guess which one was my favourite.
I think I voted for Greece. That was a kind of catchy pop song. Never for Russia. I couldn’t understand how that won."
Benny is the more talkative of the pair, but Björn becomes more vocal on the subject of Pop Idol and X Factor, saying of the shows: "They are too much for quick consumption. It’s not about talent-seeking and a long-time career.
"It used to be that the managers, record labels and agents would take an artist under their wing to try to develop something. If the first record did not work, they knew this guy had so much talent and they would make a second and third record.
I doubt this still exists."
And Björn says he would never humiliate a singer in an audition as X Factor judge SIMON COWELL does.
He adds: "It is entertainment. It’s not the approach we would have — we do auditions, but it is not to humiliate people."
I move on to the chances of Benny, Björn, Frida and Agnetha singing together again. Not likely.
"What is there to learn from all these reunions?" Benny says.
Did anybody do anything better?
We never sing our stuff together. But I do think we should secretly get together and sing all our songs that we ever recorded, the four of us, with a bottle of champagne and no one else."
Benny is divorced from Frida and Björn from Agnetha.
The group continued to perform even after the couples split and they do still cross paths. But Björn admits it is often accidental. "Every now and again we meet," he says.
"Agnetha and I have two grand-children, so that is a reason.
She happens to be there when I am there for their birthdays."
Are there any ABBA songs the duo can no longer listen to?
A whole album full, it seems.
Benny jokes: "I suggested to the record company that after ABBA Gold, they should do ABBA Wood, with the worst stuff."
Bjorn adds, modestly: "We could probably fill at least one CD with the not-so-good stuff."
click here for original article and multimedias
Certainly not BENNY ANDERSSON and BJORN ULVAEUS, the song-writing team from ABBA.
They are said to have turned down a BILLION dollars to re-form and, for ten stubborn years, rejected the idea of their hits being used for a musical.
In the end, the Swedish pair relented on the musical and Mamma Mia! went on to earn Ł1billion at theatre box offices worldwide.
Now it has been turned into a riotous film starring MERYL STREEP, JULIE WALTERS, COLIN FIRTH and well-known musical actor PIERCE BROSNAN.
It looks set to be the smash hit of the summer, so get ready for Dancing Queen and SOS to be blaring from a radio near you very soon - check out the slideshow below to see some pics from the film and the world premiere in London.
Björn is unfazed by the prospect. "Is it possible to have yet another ABBA revival?" he asks.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, the normally publicity-shy guys say ABBA will never get back together.
They also attack the short-lived fame of X Factor acts and claim TERRY WOGAN was wrong to lay into Eurovision.
I get myself in trouble with the lads almost immediately when I suggest Pierce Brosnan is entertaining in the film despite not being able to sing. Benny is particularly affronted.
"Everybody complains that Pierce can’t sing and it p***** me off," he says. "I think he has a great voice. He couldn’t sing Nessun Dorma but neither could I — and I was in ABBA.
"It’s like saying BOB DYLAN can’t sing. It’s just not fair. He has a good voice."
The Mamma Mia! story goes back almost as far as ABBA themselves.
In the mid-Eighties, British producer Judy Craymer came to Benny and Björn with the idea of using their songs as the backdrop to a dramatic tale.
Benny recalls: "It wasn’t a musical when Judy first came to us. It was a TV programme.
It was very vague. She said she would like to do something with the ABBA music and we said we didn’t think it was a good idea.
"We’ve always been very protective of the songs — and we still are."
Then writer Catherine Johnson came up with a brilliant story — a wedding where the bride is trying to figure out which of three men is her father.
Benny says: "Her script made all the difference."
Even after the first stage show, though, neither Benny nor Björn dreamed Mamma Mia! would become the most successful musical ever.
Benny, 61, says: "It takes an audience to decide for you. We were surprised by the success of the musical. Everyone was."
It wasn’t the first time ABBA surprised everyone. The 1974 Eurovision song contest did not look likely to catapult ANNI-FRID LYNGSTAD, AGNETHA FALTSKOG, Björn and Benny to fame.
Björn, 63, says: "I thought we would finish number nine."
But Benny took a chance on their song Waterloo winning.
He says: "Björn didn’t expect us to win. I did. I bet a hundred quid that we would win at 15-1."
Björn sounds sceptical: "A hundred quid, in those days?"
Benny continues: "I thought we’d do well, because it was so apart from what Eurovision normally was."
So how would ABBA fare in Eurovision these days?
According to veteran presenter Terry Wogan, Western European countries don’t stand a chance because neighbouring Eastern European states always vote for each other. Benny and Björn disagree.
Benny says: "It has always been the case, even in the Sixties and Seventies, that neighbouring countries would vote for each other.
The Scandinavians were notorious for it. Why wouldn’t they? They have the same kind of traditions."
"It’s like the Irish voting for the British and vice-versa."
And Benny reveals the winning song was decided even before ABBA performed in the final.
He says: "They sent tapes of the rehearsals out to all the cities and they then sent their votes back."
"Back in the Seventies, people were voting without seeing what was going on."
"Once the show started, the result was known to those behind the scenes. We didn’t know we had won though." And Benny thinks ABBA would still be successful in 21st Century Eurovision contests, saying: "I think we could still win, but what do I know?"
"I don’t understand what is going on in pop music these days. I have no clue. I don’t know why this or that song won. It has nothing to do with the music itself. It has to do with the impact on screen."
Neither of the pair were impressed by this year’s British entry — sung by X Factor star ANDY ABRAHAMS.
Benny says: "England seems to have difficulty finding anything good to send to the Eurovision."
Björn adds: "I was watching this year and I was trying to guess which one was my favourite.
I think I voted for Greece. That was a kind of catchy pop song. Never for Russia. I couldn’t understand how that won."
Benny is the more talkative of the pair, but Björn becomes more vocal on the subject of Pop Idol and X Factor, saying of the shows: "They are too much for quick consumption. It’s not about talent-seeking and a long-time career.
"It used to be that the managers, record labels and agents would take an artist under their wing to try to develop something. If the first record did not work, they knew this guy had so much talent and they would make a second and third record.
I doubt this still exists."
And Björn says he would never humiliate a singer in an audition as X Factor judge SIMON COWELL does.
He adds: "It is entertainment. It’s not the approach we would have — we do auditions, but it is not to humiliate people."
I move on to the chances of Benny, Björn, Frida and Agnetha singing together again. Not likely.
"What is there to learn from all these reunions?" Benny says.
Did anybody do anything better?
We never sing our stuff together. But I do think we should secretly get together and sing all our songs that we ever recorded, the four of us, with a bottle of champagne and no one else."
Benny is divorced from Frida and Björn from Agnetha.
The group continued to perform even after the couples split and they do still cross paths. But Björn admits it is often accidental. "Every now and again we meet," he says.
"Agnetha and I have two grand-children, so that is a reason.
She happens to be there when I am there for their birthdays."
Are there any ABBA songs the duo can no longer listen to?
A whole album full, it seems.
Benny jokes: "I suggested to the record company that after ABBA Gold, they should do ABBA Wood, with the worst stuff."
Bjorn adds, modestly: "We could probably fill at least one CD with the not-so-good stuff."
click here for original article and multimedias
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Comments from the stars
Firth said the idea of being in the movie was “delightful and mortifying”.
“Once I understood the script – that took a while – I did it on the basis that I was going to have fun.”
He described singing in front of Andersson and Ulvaeus as “sheer terror”.
He continued: “I love singing but I have only really ever done it in the shower.”
But he said those working on the film had the time of their lives.
Hanks, giving interviews as Abba songs blasted out, said:
“I did not realise how many Abba songs I know... I know them all.
“That Benny and Bjorn they’re diabolical geniuses.”
Walters was asked if she found singing embarrassing and replied: “Yes.” But said she had previously sung with comedian Victoria Wood.
Walters said: “Dancing is scary because the beat never stops.”
Asked who was the best singer, Ulvaeus said: “Amanda and then Meryl.”
- I have to agree on that with you, Mr. Ulvaeus. Have a nice day everybody, I´m heading for a fishing trip!
“Once I understood the script – that took a while – I did it on the basis that I was going to have fun.”
He described singing in front of Andersson and Ulvaeus as “sheer terror”.
He continued: “I love singing but I have only really ever done it in the shower.”
But he said those working on the film had the time of their lives.
Hanks, giving interviews as Abba songs blasted out, said:
“I did not realise how many Abba songs I know... I know them all.
“That Benny and Bjorn they’re diabolical geniuses.”
Walters was asked if she found singing embarrassing and replied: “Yes.” But said she had previously sung with comedian Victoria Wood.
Walters said: “Dancing is scary because the beat never stops.”
Asked who was the best singer, Ulvaeus said: “Amanda and then Meryl.”
- I have to agree on that with you, Mr. Ulvaeus. Have a nice day everybody, I´m heading for a fishing trip!
More photos
Pierce Brosnan and wife Keely Shaye Smith
Skarsgård helping a fan to take photo. Talk about Holywood star!
You can dance...
More pics here. Plus some more unsorted pics from Norwegian press above. I could upload tons of more, but as this is mainly ABBA space...
ABBA will probably reunite for Mamma Mia! Movie premiere
Breaking point in ABBA history?
Today´s Norwegian newspapers VG (quotting Swedish Dagbladet) revealed that all four ABBA members should appear at Mamma Mia! Movie premiere in Stockholm!
Yesterday, 3/4 of ABBA attended world premiere in London together with the cast of the movie.
Thousands of people were there to see world´s biggest stars.
Benny Andersson commented the welcoming applause as "wonderful."
Frida said that "it´s very exciting! I´ve heard so much positive about the movie."
To the end of the interview, Benny Andersson said:
"All four will come to Stockholm."
-My comments aren´t really needed now, are they?
Meryl Streep (HQ!) images from the premiere
I came across some high quality images of Meryl Streep from yesterday´s premiere of Mamma Mia! the movie in London, and so I posted them here, maybe someone will find them interesting.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Norwegian MM! Movie webpage
Look at the official webpage of Mamma Mia! the movie in Norway here. You´ll get to hear excerpts from some of the songs, can read about the characters /in Norwegian/ download some goodies, watch trailers - there is one unseen one... it´s not even on youtube... (yet?). Have fun.
Dominic Cooper on MM!
What was making Mamma Mia! like?
We pretended we were working but we filmed it on a stunning Greek island for seven weeks, swimming and having a very nice time.
Everyone was a good laugh and I’ve stayed in touch with a few people.
An ABBA musical seems an unlikely change for you after The History Boys and The Escapist.
I said to my agent: ‘You can’t send me for this, I can’t go in and sing in front of a camera.’ Luckily, I was forced to do it. At the audition, I kept testing my voice out and hearing this awful screeching noise. I think one of the reasons I got it was because I didn’t take it very seriously. I was in fits of laughter when I had to sing Lay All Your Love On Me.
Did you manage to maintain your dignity?
We sang Waterloo for the end sequence and we all wear those outrageous ABBA spandex suits. Mine’s pink with a pair of white stilettos. It could be an extraordinarily embarrassing end to my career but anything goes. Having Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth do those parts should attract an audience, at least to watch us make fools of ourselves.
the whole article here
We pretended we were working but we filmed it on a stunning Greek island for seven weeks, swimming and having a very nice time.
Everyone was a good laugh and I’ve stayed in touch with a few people.
An ABBA musical seems an unlikely change for you after The History Boys and The Escapist.
I said to my agent: ‘You can’t send me for this, I can’t go in and sing in front of a camera.’ Luckily, I was forced to do it. At the audition, I kept testing my voice out and hearing this awful screeching noise. I think one of the reasons I got it was because I didn’t take it very seriously. I was in fits of laughter when I had to sing Lay All Your Love On Me.
Did you manage to maintain your dignity?
We sang Waterloo for the end sequence and we all wear those outrageous ABBA spandex suits. Mine’s pink with a pair of white stilettos. It could be an extraordinarily embarrassing end to my career but anything goes. Having Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth do those parts should attract an audience, at least to watch us make fools of ourselves.
the whole article here
Monday, June 23, 2008
Stellan Skarsgård and Colin Firth on MM!
"My agent called and said, 'Stellan, can you sing?' No, I said, what kind of role it is? The agent responded, 'They will film ABBA's Mamma Mia!' Yes, then I can sing, I said. Because I thought that in film everything can be fixed afterwards in the studio. Folks can fly in a film. So my agent said that I can sing."
Stellan Skarsgård doesn´t think he´s good singer, but when ABBA's Benny Andersson was asked how well the three men could sing, he responded, "They can sing. All three. Better than they think. Stellan thinks he can't sing, but he can. He has good timing and a good voice."
Firth is keeping his fingers crossed that their voices won't kill the movie. He says, "They didn't auditon me to sing. They didn't audition Pierce Brosnan to sing. Or Stellan Skarsgård. So they get whatever they deserve as far as I'm concerned."
source
Stellan Skarsgård doesn´t think he´s good singer, but when ABBA's Benny Andersson was asked how well the three men could sing, he responded, "They can sing. All three. Better than they think. Stellan thinks he can't sing, but he can. He has good timing and a good voice."
Firth is keeping his fingers crossed that their voices won't kill the movie. He says, "They didn't auditon me to sing. They didn't audition Pierce Brosnan to sing. Or Stellan Skarsgård. So they get whatever they deserve as far as I'm concerned."
source
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