Category: Performers

Acclaimed Soprano Nicola Said Sings at the Global Short Film Awards Cannes Film Festival 2021

Maltese Soprano Nicola Said recently delivered an electrifying performance at the Global Short Film (GSF) Awards Gala during the prestigious international Cannes Film Festival 2021.  The festive gala event was organized by entrepreneur, producer and fashion designer Andres Aquino and held at the luxurious Villa Forbes (Villa Elegance) in Cannes, France.

Soprano Nicola Said with Producer, Entrepreneur and Fashion Designer Andres Aquino at the Global Short Film Awards in Cannes, France
Soprano Nicola Said with Producer, Entrepreneur and Fashion Designer Andres Aquino.

Nicola performed Je Veux Vivre from the French opera Romeo et Juliette by Charles Gounod and Quando Me’n Vo from Puccini’s 1896 opera La Bohème.  Both were specifically chosen to accompany the theme of life and love, and beauty and love. Also performing at the event was world-renowned violinist, Edmond Fokker van Crayestein.  Nicola sang in front of a number of distinguished guests from the entertainment world, including Dr. Olympia Gellini, founder and president of the Family Film Awards, The American World Film Awards, Olympia Awards City Of Lights and member of the GSF Awards jury; Karl Bardosh, New York University associate professor, screenwriter, director, producer, pioneer in the field of mobile phone cinema, and member of the GSF Awards jury; and award-winning actor and producer, Vincent De Paul.

Nicola Said and Emmy Award-winning actor Vincent De Paul.Nicola Said and Emmy Award-winning actor Vincent De Paul at the Global Short Film Awards in Cannes, France
Nicola Said and Emmy Award-winning actor Vincent De Paul.Nicola Said and Emmy Award-winning actor Vincent De Paul.

Nicola was first introduced to producer and designer Andres Aquino by award-winning Hollywood composer William Camilleri, and then asked to sing at this prestigious event held to coincide with the iconic Cannes Film Festival. “Nicola, you came, you sang and you conquered Cannes, transporting us to a magical and delightful world where you rule with your powerful voice,” said GSF Awards Founder and Director Andres Aquino, adding  “…I am looking forward to seeing you at our next Couture Fashion Week event in New York.”

Soprano Nicola Said with world-renowned violinist Edmond Fokker van Crayestein at the Global Short Film Awards in Cannes, France
Soprano Nicola Said with world-renowned violinist Edmond Fokker van Crayestein

In a nod to her Maltese heritage, Nicola wore a stunning gown generously sponsored by top Maltese designers Charles & Ron, while her travel was supported by the Malta International Airport. Upon her return from Cannes, Nicola said “taking part was an amazing experience. I met fantastic people in the entertainment industry and have just been invited to sing at Couture Fashion Week New York!”

Nicola is the Malta Airport Foundation Ambassador and a Joseph Calleja BOV Foundation Scholar. She has been supported by the DrakeCalleja Trust, Janatha Stubbs Foundation, and the Ian Tomlin Scholarship. She is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Opera Course, for which she was granted a full scholarship.

Nicola, who is represented by The Music Partnership, has given recitals for HRH The Earl of Wessex at an event presented by the Duke of Edinburgh, at St. James’s Palace and Kensington Palace in the UK. She won Second Prize in the Strauss Competition at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and First Prize and Audience Prize for the Fulham Opera Robert Presley Memorial 2017.

Aside from Malta and the UK, Nicola has performed internationally, including in France, Italy, USA, Cyprus, Germany, China, Poland, Hungary and other countries. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Malta.

Visit Nicola Said on her website, Facebook or Instagram.

CFW Producer Launches the People’s Favorite Online Model and Dance Contest

People’s Favorite Global Online ContestAndres Aquino, founder and producer of the highly successful Couture Fashion Week New York event, is pleased to announce the launch of the People’s Favorite Online Model and Dance Contest. The global online contest includes four categories: Fashion Model, Fabulous Face, Fit/Bikini Body, and Dancer. The contest is a great way for contestants to earn money and prizes. Winners are determined by online votes.

“In this challenging time for all of us, we are excited to be able to offer an opportunity for models and performers to promote their names and brands to a global audience in a different way, while earning money and vying for some great prizes,” says Andres Aquino.

The People’s Favorite Online Model and Dance Contest continues to sign up both contestants and sponsors, including BWOW Cosmetics, QPhone 3-D Smartphone, the Global Short Film Awards, and Deamina Magazine which will feature the winning fashion model on its cover in an upcoming issue.

To enter the contest, cast votes and see more information, visit AndresAquino.com/contest

Sponsor information available on request.

Singer and Actor Franc D’Ambrosio to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at GSF Awards in Cannes

Award-winning singer and actor Franc D'AmbrosioGlobal Short Film Awards Festival director Andres Aquino is delighted to announce that actor and philanthropist Franc D’Ambrosio (star of Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera, The Godfather III, more) will receive a special Lifetime Achievement award during the GSF Awards Gala at the Intercontinental Carlton, Cannes, France on Saturday May 19, 2018.

Franc D’Ambrosio was selected from some 2,000 candidates for his role as the adult Anthony Corleone in The Godfather III, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The Academy Award-winning film also starred Al Pacino, Andy Garcia and Diane Keaton among others. The YouTube video of Mr. D’Ambrosio’s musical performance in the film has garnered over 1.6 million views.

In music Franc D’Ambrosio is best known for his impressive portrayal in the title role of the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning musical, The Phantom Of The Opera. Mr. D’Ambrosio is “The World’s Longest-Running Phantom” with more than 2,600 performances.

His distinguished career also includes an Academy Award-nominated film, an Emmy Award-nominated television show, a four-time Tony-nominated Broadway show, two Grammy considerations and a National Theatre Award nomination. He is a painter and philanthropist.

Click for tickets and more information on the Cannes event.

Singer Candace Woodson Returns to Couture Fashion Week New York

Singer Candace Woodson to perform at Couture Fashion Week New YorkSinger Candace Woodson will perform during the upcoming 26th season of Couture Fashion Week New York. Marking her second appearance at the prestigious event, Ms. Woodson will perform Saturday September 9, 2017 to open the 4:00 pm fashion show, and at the after party that evening. The event will be held at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, 1605 Broadway, New York City.

Candace Woodson will tell you she is back on top. Back from breast cancer, a total mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. The woman who began singing inspirational songs at church when she was barely 5 years old, has a personal message to share with the world: “Don’t give up.”

Ms. Woodson earned her music degree at Tennessee State University, and has worked as director of promotions for a record label and as a radio personality in Nashville. She launched her own singing career developing a distinctive sound that stretches from pop and R&B to country and jazz. For 5 years she was the headliner at the Omni Hotel in the resort area of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where she performed with her band, Candace Woodson and the Domino Theory Band.

National Cancer Survivors Day was recognized on June 7, and Ms. Woodson’s message of survival is one she is determined to share. “I’m a breast cancer survivor,” she says. “God let me live, so I’ve let it go, and I’m living life to the fullest.” That includes doing what she loves most. Less than a month after her surgery, she was back at work. Not in an office or at a desk, but on stage performing at the wedding reception of Justice Mellencamp – John Cougar Mellencamp’s daughter – on Hilton Head Island. Ms. Woodson left the audience exhausted from dancing to the “old-school grooves”—classic hits by Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson.

Candace Woodson’s spunk and determination continue to drive her life and career. In Summer 2017 her first single as an independent artist will be released worldwide through Sony SMG Distribution. The single, All It Takes, was recorded in Nashville with producer Kendall Duffie. Her recording The Answer is No charted on the UK Soul Chart at number one, and her current single, Where You Are, was released in May 2017 through the Diva’s Got Soul Project. Most recently, Ms. Woodson has been recording in different studios and working with top music industry producers on a new project scheduled for completion by late Fall 2017. See VIDEO of Candace Woodson’s recent performance at CFW.

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Renowned Mezzo Soprano Benedetta Orsi to Shine at Couture Fashion Week

Mezzo Soprano Benedetta Orsi to perform at Couture Fashion Week New YorkRenowned mezzo soprano Benedetta Orsi will perform during the upcoming 26th season of Couture Fashion Week New York. Marking her first appearance at the prestigious event, Ms. Orsi will perform at 8:00 pm on Saturday September 9 during the Andres Aquino fashion show, and at 6:00 pm on Sunday September 10, 2017. The event will be held at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, 1605 Broadway, New York City.

A laureate of the 2012 Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition, mezzo soprano Benedetta Orsi is a graduate of the Regia Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna in the studio of tenor Sergio Bertocchi, and is also a graduate of Modena’s Istituto Musicale Pareggiato Orazio Vecchi. She has participated in master classes with Marilyn Horne, Luciana Serra, Fred Carama, Chuck Hudson and Teresa Berganza, who defined Ms. Orsi as “a perfect voice for bel canto.

No stranger to the stages of Carnegie Hall, Benedetta Orsi is one of only a few contemporary mezzo sopranos to have performed all three of Donizetti’s Tudor Operas: Jane Seymour in Anna Bolena, Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda and Sara in Roberto Devereux with Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music Theatre. Recent performances also include the role of Maddalena in Rigoletto with Amore Opera, Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera with the Miami Lyric Opera, Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana with the New Jersey Festival Orchestra. Other appearances include the title roles in L’Italiana in Algeri and Werther, Azucena in Il Trovatore and Teresa in La Sonnambula. Her latest Carmen in St. Louis was called “totally convincing as the most desirable woman in Seville. With a dark, sensuous voice and a lubricious stage presence, her Habanera exudes a smoky sensuality that dominates the stage”.

Ms. Orsi’s latest album, Christmas Around the World, was awarded the Silver Medal at the Global Music Awards as Best Album and Best Female Vocalist. She is working on her new recording to be released in 2018.

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From Boston to Cannes: Singer Songwriter Jared Hanrahan To Appear at the GSF Awards Gala

Singer Songwriter Jared Hanrahan will perform at the Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes, FranceRising teen pop-rock star Jared Hanrahan is slated to perform at the Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala. The event will be held at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France on May 20, 2017 and will include luxury fashion shows and entertainment by world-class performers, as well as the presentation of this year’s winning film awards.

Boston-based Jared Hanrahan is a talented 15 year old musician, singer and songwriter. Steve Marshall from The Steve Marshall Band in New York mentored Jared on the electric guitar and gave him the opportunity to play for ALS, Hurricane Sandy, and breast cancer benefits with some very famous musicians like Les Paul Jr., Simon Kirke (Bad Company), Gene Cornish (Young Rascals) and Steve Gadd (Carly Simon, Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin).

Jared started writing songs at the age of 12, and currently has 14 of his own original compositions. He performs all over Boston and New York to very enthusiactic audiences.  Jared recently performed at City Hall and at the iconic Faneuil Hall in Boston.  He was the focus of a spotlight feature on NBC Boston with Jackie Bruno.

Click for tickets to the Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes.

Dancer and Musician Ragunath Manet at the Global Short Film Awards in Cannes

Musician and Dancer Ragunath Manet to Perform at Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards GalaMulti-talented international performer Dr. Raghunath Manet is scheduled to appear at the upcoming Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala. The event will be held at the Intercontinental Carlton in Cannes, France on May 20, 2017 and will include luxury fashion shows and entertainment by world-class performers, as well as the presentation of this year’s winning film awards.

A native of Pondicherry, India, Dr. Raghunath Manet is an artist, dancer-choreographer, musician-composer, singer, writer, actor and filmmaker. In dance he specializes in the classical Indian Bharatanatyam, and in music he performs on the Veena stringed instrument. He has worked with many prominent international artists including Archie Shepp, Michel Portal, Didier Lockwood, Carolyn Carlson, Richard Galliano, Bik Régis, Dr. Balamurali Krisha and Drums Sivamani. Dr. Manet holds a doctorate degree in Cultural Anthropology, and has released more than 25 CDs and 5 DVDs in both dance and music. In 1989 he founded the dance and music Academy “TALA SRUTI” in Pondicherry for poor children where he teaches and conducts workshops in dance and music.

Raghunath Manet has performed all over the world including at the Opera de Paris in France, as well as at prestigious festivals and venues in France, Italy, UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Australia, Sri Lanka, Africa, Singapore, India, Mauritius, USA, Caledonia Islands, New Zeland, the Caribbean and the Reunion Islands. He has appeared at special events for Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, and other iconic brands. In 2017 Dr. Manet received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) 2017 presented by the President of India during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations in Bengaluru, recognizing Dr. Manet’s contributions promoting Indian arts and culture in France. Other accolades include the Officier des Arts et des Lettres (2016) and the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres  from the French Ministry of Culture, the Gopio Community Service Award in Jaipur, India (2011), and the Best Performer Award during the 2014 Chennai Music and Dance Festival.

Raghunath Manet has appeared in films including Diamant Noir by Arthur Harari, Le journal d’un séducteur by Daniel Dubroux with Jean-Pierre Léaud and Chiarra Mastroianni, and Perduto Amor by Franco Battiato. His work as a filmmaker includes Dance of Siva, Aathma, Devadai (a documentary), and Karma.

Click for tickets to the Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes.

Violinist and Actress Rebeca Nuez to Perform at the Cannes Global Short Film Awards

Violinist and Actress Rebeca Nuez at the Cannes Global Short Film AwardsSpanish actress and classical violinist Rebeca Nuez is scheduled to perform at the upcoming Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala. The event will be held at the Intercontinental Carlton Cannes on May 20, 2017 and will include luxury fashion shows and entertainment by world-class performers, as well as the presentation of this year’s film awards.

Rebeca Nuez is a native of Gran Canaria and currently resides in The Netherlands. Ms. Nuez began her music education at age three under the guidance of her father. At six, she began studying violin with her uncle, the renowned Russian violinist Mikhail Vostokov, and continued her studies under his guidance throughout her youth. She then moved to Rotterdam to study with Russian pedagogue Natasja Morozova at Codarts, and went on to earn her bachelor of arts in music with Professor Kyoko Yonemoto. She plans to begin her master’s program next year with Professor Yonemoto. Today, she frequently performs in concerts and recitals in Spain, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic and China.

Rebeca Nuez began acting as a young teenager, and began to study performing arts, while continuing her music studies. She has studied at the Mulholland Acting and Film Academy in Amsterdam and at the International School of Screen Acting and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in the United Kingdom. She will make her debut at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and Marché du Film, cast in major roles in In Search of the Miraculous, House of Deaths and The Spanish Version, films by accomplished British director/producer/writer Brian Skeet, founder of Joan Productions.

Click for tickets to the Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes.

Singer Nikolay Gladskikh Brings Dramatic Performance to Cannes Event

Nikolay Gladskikh at the Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards GalaAcclaimed operatic singer and actor Nikolay Gladskikh will perform at the Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes, France on May 20, 2017. The event will be held in the Grand Salon at the world-famous Intercontinental Carlton Cannes.

Nikolay Gladskikh is the lead performer in Crude Furie, recipient of the 2017 Global Short Film “Best Music Film” award. He is also a finalist in the “Best Actor” category. Crude Furie is directed by Andrey Nyanchuk and produced by Yuri Khorol.

A native of Novoshahtinsk, in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation, Mr. Gladskikh studied piano at an early age, and went on to study voice at the Moscow State Classical Academy, the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, The Netherlands. He won the singing competition “Bella Voce” (Russia, 2004) and was awarded Third Prize at the International Vocal Competition “Tommaso Traetta” (Italy, 2006). During his studies in Holland he sang the roles of Sorceress and Spirit in the opera Dido and Aeneas by Purcell, and the role of Orestes in the operetta La belle Hélène by Jacques Offenbach at the summer opera festivals in Mosset, France. Mr. Gladskikh has performed in numerous concerts in Russia, Germany and The Netherlands.

He worked with Belgian director Sigrid T’Hooft on the production of the opera Prince Igor by Aleksandr Borodin at the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre in Russia and on the production of Händel’s opera Imeneo at the Händel-Festspiele Festival in Göttingen, Germany.

Mr. Gladskikh’s repertoire consists of works by Bach, Vivaldi, Händel, Gluck, Pergolesi, Hasse, Bononcini, Scarlatti, Caldara, Durante, Caccini, Stradella, Falconieri, Purcell, Mozart, Strauss, Poulenc, Rimsky-Korsakov, Offenbach, Bernstein and other composers.

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Soprano Valeria Florencio at the Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala

Soprano Valeria FlorencioWorld-renowned French soprano Valeria Florencio will perform at the upcoming Cannes Fashion and Global Short Film Awards Gala in Cannes, France. The event will be held on Saturday May 20, 2017 at the iconic Intercontinental Carlton Cannes.

Valeria Florencio studied voice and theater with a number of great masters of lyrical art, including Lauren Nubbar at the famed Juilliard School in New York. Her critically acclaimed performances have included concerts and recitals at concert halls and theaters in France and abroad including Halle aux grains, Capitole, Zénith de Toulouse, Rhine Opera House, theaters of Marrakech, Rabat and Casablanca accompanied by the Moroccan Philharmonic, and numerous prestigious international festivals and TV programs. She has appeared with such luminaries as conductors Yehudi Menuhin, Alberto Zedda, Valery Gergiev as well as theatrical director Georges Lavaudant, and has also performed for Monaco’s royal family. In addition to her performing schedule, Ms. Florencio is also a music therapist and a UN Ambassador for the NGO Martial Art Academy based in France.

Click for tickets to the Cannes event.