Top Ten Broadway Musicals of the Decade

How many of the ten top grossing Broadway musicals listed below have you seen? If you are a music lover you probably seen them all. It is also most likely that one or two in the list you have seen twice in Broadway or in a movie. The following is the top ten list as reviewed by www.toptenreviews.com.

1. The Phantom of the Opera has been the longest-running show in the history of Broadway. Running continuously since 1988 – 21 years – it has been a consistent sell-out and favorite for many of those visiting New York City. The show tells the dramatic story of a disfigured man who haunts the Paris Opera House. He falls in love with Christine Daae and trains her to sing like an angel.

2. The Lion King maintains a place at the top of the lists for the 'longest-running musicals' and 'winners of many viewers’ choice awards.' The musical is mostly along the lines of the animated Disney movie and is appealing to young children and families.

3. Cats was the longest running show when it left the stage around 2003. The show has been translated into more than 20 languages and has been shown around the world. It tells the story of the Jellicle Cats’ and their life stories.

4. Les Miserables, based on the 1862 novel of the same title by Victor Hugo, is the longest running play in London. Set in the period of social unrest during the French Revolution, the themes of the book and play are discussed in high school classes the world over.

5. Wicked, though not as long-standing as some of these other productions, this new musical has the audience seeing green. It was selected by viewers as the best musical of 2007. The musical has broken box-office records around the world. It was also named by Time magazine as the “Best Musical of the Year”. Wicked tells the story of what Oz was like, long before Dorothy got there.

6. The Producers has won the most Tony Awards ever receiving 12 including Best Musical. Written by Mel Brooks the musical tells the story of two producers who try to make big on a scheme to oversell a flop of a show. But when the show becomes successful, it leads to some humorous moments.

7. A Chorus Line is an old classic that has been revived. The story has won several Tony Awards and has been around for a while, one of the longest-running musicals on Broadway. The audience meets 17 dancers that share their personal lives as they audition for a part in a chorus line.

8. Hairspray has taken home the Tony Award’s top six awards, only one of three musicals that have ever done so. The performance tells the story of the racial tensions in the 1960s and one girl’s campaign to racially integrate a famous TV show.

9. Rent is a rock musical that tells the story of poor young artists living in New York. The musical, along with winning a Tony Award for Best Musical has also won a Pulitzer Prize. Rent became famous for its appeal to a younger audience.

10. Chicago is based on the true stories of two celebrities who were on trial for murder and were found “not guilty”. Chicago is one of longest-running current Broadway productions on the stage.

Macrine and I have seen all except #6. Most recent Broadway musical in the news is Hamilton. Others musical shows that we have seen and enjoy that is not in the list are Miss Saigon and Bye Bye Birdie. Finally, here's a video of top ten Broadway Musicals that should be made into movies!

Ten Most Expensive Jewelries Ever Made

This is number 7 of my postings on most expensive things money can buy. I have posts on paintings, photographs, sculptures, books, cars and houses/(mansion of Bruce Makowsky of Bel Air, California). In my readings I thought that the HOPE diamond should be in the list. I was surprise it is not in the list.

Some of the designs of the pieces of jewelry in the list below can be made using artificial/synthetic materials,or synthetic gemstones if you can not afford the real ones and can be purchased in the gift shop of the Museum in Natural History in Washington, DC.

http://www.wonderslist.com/10-most-expensive-jewellery-pieces-in-the-world/

Ten Most Expensive Books for your Reading Pleasure

In my previous postings I have listed ten most expensive photographs, paintings, cars, homes and sculptures. Today I am listing the top ten most expensive books. Before I did my search, My educated guess for number 1 was either the Gutenberg Bible or the Birds of America by Audubon. Again, I was wrong and surprise to read the following list. This shows how ignorant I am about books. So before you open the link below, can you give me your educated guess on the number 1 most expensive book in the world.

http://www.worldstopmost.com/2017-2018-2019-2020/news/most-expensive-books-world-top-10-best-selling-popular-list/

Ten Most Expensive Cars for your Driving Pleasure

My posting on the series of top ten most expensive things money can buy will not be complete unless I write about cars. Before I did my search on the Internet, my educated guess listed in my mind a Ferrari, a Bugatti and Lamborgini. I was correct on this guess. So here's the list for your enjoyment. I hope someday you win a lottery, and can afford to buy one car in this list. But for the moment, just dream on my friends.

Speaking of love for cars reminds me of a family friend in Chicago in the early 1960's as well as of another relative still in the Philippines. The former changes car every year because he does not like to drive a car older than one year and it is a status symbol to him. He feel rich and accomplished driving the newest car in the market. The latter changes car every two to three years for the same reason. On the other hand my youngest son and I are driving 15-year old cars that had been fined tuned. As long as it runs well and I feel safe and I am happy driving an old car.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/the-top-ten-most-expensive-cars-in-the-world/2/

Bruce Makowsky Mansion is For Sale

Bruce Makowsky ( QVC tycoon) is selling his Bel Air Mansion for only $250 million dollars. If you have that money you will own the most expensive home ever listed in America complete with a helicopter, and staff paid for two years and a $30MILLION car collection

The 38,000-sqft home has 12 bedrooms, 21 bathrooms, 130 works of art and a $30M car collection. The Bel Air property has a bowling alley, a movie theater and - of course - a pool with its own swim-up bar. There is also a collection of cars, including 1930s roadsters and 21st century supercars, worth $30million. Makowsky has also factored in the costs of seven live-in employees who will work at the property full-time 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4134106/The-expensive-home-hits-market-250-million.html#ixzz4WEBevmIo

For a list of top ten most expensive homes in the world, read the following:

http://www.wonderslist.com/10-most-expensive-houses/

For a list of ten most expensive homes in the US on 2015, view this video: I have been to one, the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA

Ten Most Expensive Sculptures

Jeff Koons-Balloon Dog

I have listed the ten most expensive photographs and paintings ever sold in history in my previous blogs. Today I am posting the ten most expensive sculpture ever sold. I am not deep into sculpture, but I enjoy sculpture once in a while. All I know about sculpture is some of the works of Rodin and Michelangelo. For a list and photographs of the top ten most expensive sculptures read the site as follows: Enjoy!

Walking Man
http://www.ppcimaginarium.co.za/posts/the-most-expensive-sculptures-ever-sold

Ten Most Expensive Paintings in History

The other day I posted ten of the most expensive photographs sold as of today. My curiosity was aroused on the list of expensive paintings. Before I did my Internet search ( see site below), I thought that the Number One has to be a Picasso or a Van Gough. I am mistaken as listed in the following site as follows: Before you open the link, can you give me an educated guess? Enjoy the paintings!

The Scream-a familiar painting in my memory, but not the Number 1.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11596376/The-ten-most-expensive-paintings-in-history.html

Top Ten Most Expensive Photographs-Is Photography Art?

Rhein II
I do not intend to infringe on the copyright of this photo. I will remove this photo upon request from the owner of the original photograph.

I just finished reading two interesting articles on the debate/discussion whether photography is an art form or not. (https://contrastly.com/photography-art-form/) and (http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/photography-art.htm).

One of the arguments in favor of photographs as an art form is the fact that people buy photographs as well as paintings and sculptures. According to Wikipedia, the following is the top 10 highest prices paid for photographs (in US dollars unless otherwise stated). All prices include the Buyer's Premium, which is the auction house fee for handling the work.

The list include the rank, the name of the artist, the price paid and the date sold as well as the place of the Seller/Auction House.

1. Andreas Gursky, Rhein II (1999), $4,338,500, November 8, 2011, Christie's New York( see photo above)

2. Richard Prince, Spiritual America (1981), $3,973,000, May 12, 2014, Christie's New York

3. Cindy Sherman, Untitled #96 (1981), $3,890,500, May 2011, Christie's New York

4. Gilbert & George, For Her Majesty (1973), $3,765,276, June 30, 2008, Christie's London

5. Jeff Wall, Dead Troops Talk (A vision after an ambush of a Red Army patrol, near Moqor, Afghanistan, winter 1986) (1992), $3,666,500, May 8, 2012, Christie's New York

6. Andreas Gursky, 99 Cent II Diptychon (2001), $3,346,456, February 2007, Sotheby's London auction

7. Andreas Gursky, Chicago Board of Trade III (1999-2000), $3,298,755, June 26, 2013, Sotheby’s London

8. Richard Prince, Untitled (Cowboy) (2000), $3,077,000, May 14, 2014, Sotheby’s New York

9. Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #48 (1979), $2,965,000, May 13, 2015, Christie’s New York

10. Edward Steichen, The Pond—Moonlight (1904), $2,928,000, February 2006, Sotheby's New York

Update: http://resourcemagonline.com/2014/08/most-expensive-photographs/41214/

The new #1 now belongs to Peter Lik whose photograph entitled “Phantom”, was sold in December 2014 to a private collector for a mind boggling $6.5 million.(see link above). It easily surpassed the previous record held by Andreas Gursky’s “Rhein II”, which sold for $4.3 million back in 2011.

Phantom