Tickets are still available for the Houston performances of the LotR symphony on 1st and 2nd July. The performances will be conducted by Alexander Mickelthwate. For further information and online booking go to the Houston Symphony website here.
“Test the Nation”, which recently aired on TV in New Zealand, tested several groups of people including; Tolkien fans, real estate agents, cricket fans and taxi drivers. According to a review at Stuff, the show confirmed stereotypes, including that Tolkien fans are of superior intellect. However, the reviewer does comment that the IQ test used, “seemed rather limited”.
The latest update to Sir Ian’s offical site is to the e-post section where he answers a number of questions. These include who he thinks would win in a fight between Gandalf and Magneto!
The latest update at Decipher.com is an article entitled, “An Uruk-hai by any other name”. You can see Mount Doom card previews here; the latest cards include the Easterling Berserker.
Ted Nasmith official site has updated news about the new expanded illustrated Silmarillion and shows us its beautiful cover, here. The painting is called White Ships from Valinor and Ted Nasmith says: It was very gratifying to finally do this painting, after identifying it as a possible theme some 8 years ago.
Stuff report that the Fell Beasts that once perched on top of cinemas in Wellington, have been moved from their temporary home in a landfill site to an undisclosed indoor location. According to Weta production manager, Jamie Wilson, “they might be used again sometime in the future’
The Wrekin, a 1,300ft hill in Shropshire, UK, is up for sale for around £500,000. The hill is said to have been used by Tolkien as the basis for Middle-earth. There’s further information at telegraph.co.uk.
Check out part one of the exclusive CoE series involving Electronic Arts, Los Angeles’ Community Day for their upcoming PC game, Battle for Middle-Earth. In this first part, Ithillinde gives a detailed preview of the game, and describes her experience playing it!
Battle for Middle-Earth is due to be released in the Fall. You can learn more about it at the EA website, as well as view screenshots, read developer interviews, and watch demo movies of the game.
At The Australian there’s a critical review of the Sydney Opera House performance of the LotR symphony. The reviewer states, “what works so well on screen is much less successful in the concert hall”.
Mathew Lyons, a London journalist, has written a book, There and Back Again: In the Footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien. The book locates places that may have inspired locations in Lord of the Rings. A review can be found here.
