The HBO Original four-part docuseries BRANSON, directed by Chris Smith (HBO’s “100 Foot Wave”), debuts THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes will debut at the same time on subsequent Thursdays.

Synopsis: Sixteen days before Richard Branson is scheduled to make a potentially historic flight as the first passenger to reach space in his own spacecraft in July 2021, the billionaire entrepreneur sits down for a conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith, in light of the risk that lies ahead. Smith ultimately takes us on an expansive and intimate 70-year journey, from Branson’s upbringing as the son of a spirited, tough-love mother in Britain, to his pursuits of extreme, personal daredevilry that serve both to grow his businesses’ brands and feed his insatiable, lifelong thirst for high-stakes adventure. With added insight from family members, business associates, and journalists, and illustrated by decades of archival and home video footage, BRANSON reveals the ups and downs of a man driven by risk taking in both his business and personal life, reflecting on the costs and rewards of his lifelong, relentless optimism and boundary-pushing.

After dropping out of school where he struggled with dyslexia, Branson began his entrepreneurial career as a 15-year-old publisher of a student magazine and went on to become a millionaire by the age of 22 with the booming success of Virgin Records. His launch of the airline Virgin Atlantic soon followed, along with a myriad of other Virgin branded businesses with varying levels of success, culminating in the launch of Virgin Galactic, his commercial spaceflight company in 2004. His record-breaking, transoceanic boat and balloon challenges, and now his crusade to bring customers to space, have all been positioned by Branson with the Virgin brand front and center. Branson remains a complex figure, committed to both philanthropic initiatives and his own bottom line.

Participants: Alongside exclusive interviews with Branson himself, the series features his colleagues and employees, as well as insights from both business journalists and industry experts. Also included are intimate interviews with his family, including revealing excerpts from conversations with Joan, his wife of 33 years, his sisters, his daughter Holly and son Sam, and an extensive personal archive of his late mother Eve, whose lively presence in Branson’s life continues to loom large.

Episode Descriptions
Episode 1:“Words and Music”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The series premiere explores Branson’s early years and the influence of his iconoclastic mother. As a dyslexic teenager, he leaves school at age 15 to create a magazine called Student, leading to a mail-order record business and eventually Virgin Records and Virgin megastores.

Episode 2: ”Atlantic“
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The episode tracks the launch of Virgin Atlantic and Branson’s efforts to attract media attention to his brand, including an attempt to break the trans-Atlantic speed record in a boat, and his death-defying balloon adventure across the Atlantic in 1986.

Episode 3: “Fight or Flight”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The episode chronicles Virgin Atlantic’s battle with British Airways, ending in a libel suit win for Branson. From outsider to wealthy capitalist, Branson continues to push for world records and promotional attention for his company, setting off on a nail-biting Pacific Ocean balloon voyage. He announces plans to develop a spaceflight company to take commercial passengers into space, beginning a decade long pursuit.

Episode 4: “Space”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 (10:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
The series finale tracks the arduous history of Virgin Galactic, from conception to test flights, and the controversial bid from Virgin Atlantic to obtain government support for the airline during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the first passenger flight of Virgin Galactic approaches, Branson defends the benefits of privately funded space exploration and the paradoxes around Virgin’s eco-messaging. Set for July 11, 2021, the launch day follows 17 years of research, testing, accidents, and setbacks, culminating in a successful flight in which Branson realizes his ultimate dream.

Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents BRANSON. Directed by Chris Smith; executive produced by Kate Noble. For HBO: executive producers Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, senior producer Tina Nguyen.

#branson #hbo #words&music #richardbranson #atlantic #fight&flight #space #chrissmith #risk #family #businesslife #personallife #virgin #nancyabraham #lisaheller #tinanguyen #eve #joan #holly #sam

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The march began Sunday afternoon at the Place de la Republique, near the Charlie Hebdo offices where 12 people were killed Wednesday.

French officials say about 1.3 million people huddled in the windy streets — some appearing solemn, some upbeat — marching with French flags and “Je suis Charlie” — “I am Charlie” — signs. Some sang and clapped, and portions of the crowd spontaneously burst into applause as they marched.

It was the largest demonstration in French history, according to officials.

The march broke up into three sections — one down Boulevard Voltaire, one down Rue Bastille, and the third down Rue Philippe Auguste. All three marches later reunited at Place de la Nation.

Cafes and bistros along the route overflowed with marchers who stopped to rest along the walk, some carrying handmade signs reading “No Fear” and “Not Afraid.”

The march was a response to the massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly newspaper, and a subsequent pair of hostage situations Friday, one of which involved the suspected gunmen. Seventeen people were killed during the three days of violence.

French police say they took extra precautions during the march, with more than 2,000 officers in the area and another 2,000 officers and 1,000 soldiers stationed throughout Paris.

Gerard Araud, the French ambassador to the United States, told ABC News that it is “very likely” that the country will face more attempted terrorist attacks.

“We have to consider the threat that we are facing. You have in Europe thousands of young radicals — thousands of them — and of course, we are democracies and you don’t arrest somebody because of his ideas,” he said.

Araud called it a “very specific threat,” noting the hundreds of Frenchmen who went to Syria or Yemen for military training with various extremist groups.

“We don’t know when these people are coming back and whether they are coming back and we don’t know when they’re — whether these radical people are going suddenly to become terrorists,” he said. “So for the moment … it’s very likely, unfortunately, that we are going to face other attempts of terrorist acts.”

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One of the world’s most famous, beloved and highly respected cantors, Joseph Malovany has served as the Cantor of New York’s prestigious Fifth Avenue Synagogue since 1973. He holds the academic position of Distinguished Professor of Liturgical Music at Yeshiva University. He also holds the position of Dean of the J.D.C. Moscow Academy of Jewish Music. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, he served as Cantor at Tel Aviv’s “Bilu” synagogue, as Cantor of the Israeli Army and at synagogues in Johannesburg, South Africa and London, England. Joseph Malovany is the holder of the highest artistic diplomas from the Music Academy in Tel Aviv and From Great Britain’s Royal Academy of Music. He is also a “Fellow” of the Trinity College of Music and has been awarded with many citations and honors from various national and international organizations; among them is the Tel Aviv University’s Award for “Tolerance and Understanding.” He is Honorary President of the Cantorial Council of America and Past Chairman of the Board of the American Society for Jewish Music. In 1997, the Joseph Malovany Chair for Advanced Studies in Jewish Liturgical Music was established, by New York’s Yeshiva University at its Belz School of Jewish Music. He is the founder and President of the World Jewish Music Foundation, dedicated to “Understanding, Tolerance, Religious Freedom and Human Rights –Via music.”  In 2002, Cantor Malovany was appointed Honorary Chief Cantor of the City of Vilnius, Lithuania.

In late August 2010, at a ceremony in the prestigious Riga Opera House just preceding his monumental and memorable concert, the title of “honorary chief cantor of the city of Riga” and its Great Synagogue was bestowed on Cantor Malovany.   His penetration into the hearts and minds of the people of the Baltics was recognized by the government of Lithuania which issued a special commemorative coin in his honor.  In 2002, Cantor Malovany was appointed Honorary Chief Cantor of the City of Vilnius, Lithuania.  Previously, Cantor Malovany received the Cross of Merit – Commander of the Legion of Honor, from the President of the Republic of Poland, an honor that is equivalent to knighthood.  He also received a “Gold Record” from “Yuval,” Israel’s premiere ensemble of Jewish music, for his contribution to the “World of Jewish Music and the Cantorial Art.” He is the recipient of the prestigious 2007 “International Award for Tolerance” given by the government of Poland in conjunction with “UNESCO’s Day of Tolerance”.  In December 2009 Yeshiva University awarded Cantor Malovany with an honorary degree: Doctor of Humane Letters- Honoris Causa.  Cantor Malovany is the first cantor ever to receive an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University.

Joseph Malovany has performed many times as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.  As tenor in Noam Sheriff’s monumental symphony, “Mechaye Hametim” (He Who Revives the Dead), he sang in its premiere with the Israel Philharmonic in Amsterdam in the presence of H.M. Queen Beatrix of Holland.  The piece was also performed throughout Europe and Israel with Joseph Malovany as the tenor soloist in each performance.  In January 1998 he was the soloist in Philadelphia at the American premiere of this symphony, with the combined orchestra consisting of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta.  Over 20,000 people attended this event which officially opened the American year-long celebrations commemorating Israel’s Fiftieth Anniversary.  In May, 1998, he again performed with the Israel Philharmonic at the memorable concert in Yad-Vashem’s Warsaw Ghetto Square in Jerusalem.  He sang to thunderous ovation a Jewish High Holiday prayer at the concluding session of the United Nations International Summit Conference of Religious Leaders for World Peace.

Joseph Malovany possesses a brilliant spinto tenor voice, described by the London Guardian as “most powerful, beautiful and expressive spinto technique…sturdy and heroic” and by the Swedish newspaper Goteborgs Posten as “Judaism’s Jussi Bjorling”. Leonard Bernstein, after hearing him over the Jewish High Holy Days, expressed his hope to hear Cantor Malovany “sing beyond the Altar.” Although he turned down invitations to sing major operatic rolls on the opera stage, Joseph Malovany performs oratorio and symphonic works which require the tenor voice as soloist.  His powerful voice has been received with acclaim in Opera Houses, Concert Halls and Synagogues across the world.  He has toured extensively in Europe, South America, the United States and Israel.  He has sung with many international orchestras including the Israel Philharmonic, The Russian State Symphony, The Moscow Symphony Orchestra, The St. Petersburg Radio Symphony, The Belgium Radio Symphony, The Mexico Symphony, the London Classical, the New York Symphony, the Hungarian State Orchestra and the Romanian Radio and Television Orchestras.  He has also appeared with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bucharest Opera Orchestra, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.  His international appearances also include billings with the Haifa Symphony, the Metropolitan Orchestra, and the Arthur Rubenstein Philharmonic Orchestra in Lodz, Poland, the Wieniawski Philharmonic Orchestra, the Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, and the Israel Chamber Orchestra.

Joseph Malovany, as a representative of world Jewry, has performed at Join Sessions of Congress in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington DC and at many major events on behalf of the State of Israel.  He has toured extensively Russia and the former Soviet Union with concerts in Moscow, St. Petersburg – Tallinn Estornia, Tashkent – Uzbekistan, Vilnius – Lithuania and other centers.  The year 2005 saw Cantor Malovany sing in two of the most historic events of our time.  On January 27th he chanted the memorial prayer for the victims of the Holocaust commemorating the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau at an outdoor ceremony in Auschwitz attended by all European Heads of State, including royalties, presidents, prime ministers, etc.  In May he sang in Berlin, Germany a program of liturgical music accompanied by the German-Polish Youth Symphony Orchestra at the ceremony to inaugurate the monument for the Holocaust in that city.  He also preformed the memorial prayer at the Warsaw ghetto uprising’s 65^th anniversary in front of the monument attended in Warsaw streets by one million people.

He has performed at Tel Aviv’s Mann Auditorium, Jerusalem’s National Building, Amsterdam’s Royal Opera House, London’s Royal Festival and Queen Elizabeth Halls and Barbican Center, Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls in New York, the Core State Center in Philadelphia and Brussels Palace of Fine Arts.  He also sang in Paris’s music center “Cite de la Musique” in La Villete and the “UNESCO” Hall in Paris, the Gotteborg Philharmonic Hall in Sweden.  His Eastern European performances have been staged at Moscow’s famed Tchaikowsky Hall and the Bolshoi Hall of the Conservatory of Music, Budapest’s Philharmonic and Vigado Halls, the Bucharest Opera House, Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall and The Royal Palace, the Vilnius Opera House and its Fiharmonia Hall, Riga, Latvia’s Opera House, the Prague Rudolfinum Hall and the Prague Castle, the Oslo Philharmonic Hall and Copenhagen’s Tivoli Hall.  He also sang in the famed synagogues in Szeged and the “Dohany” in Budapest, Hungary – the Pilszan synagogue in Bohemia and in the “Temple” synagogue of Krakow, Poland, and the Opera House of Skopje, Macedonia with its Philharmonic Orchestra.  Joseph Malovany has concertized extensively with performances at Sao Paulo’s Teatro Cultura Artistica, the Herodion Amphitheater near Bethlehem.  His performances in Spain include appearances in Toledo and in the opera house of Santander.

Consistent with his deep musicianship, Joseph Malovany is called upon to premiere contemporary works.  He sang at the premiere of Israeli composer Andre Hajdu’s cantata “Tz’ror Hachayim” (The Cycle of Life) in New York, Miami and Tel Aviv, and in 1997, Joseph Malovany performed the tenor role in the premieres of Jan Radzinski’s “Shirat Ma’ayan” (The Song of the Well) and Anatoljus Senderovas’s “Sh’ma Yisrael” (Here O’ Israel).  In July of the same year he performed in the premier of his own musical composition to the text of Israel’s Declaration of Independence in honor it its fiftieth anniversary that took place in the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament).  In May 2010 Joseph Malovany was the featured soloist in the performance of the internationally famous Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki’s Oratorio “Kaddish” conducted by the composer, at the rededication of the Great Synagogue “White Stork” in Wroclaw, Poland.

For many years, Joseph Malovany has sung the Holocaust memorial prayers at the central New York commemorations at Madison Square Garden, attended by the President and Vice President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel.  His heartfelt memorial prayer was chanted at the memorial service for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at the Carnegie Hall in New York.

Joseph Malovany has produced more then 15 compact disks and DVD’s of his performances throughout the world.  His hundreds of TV, radio, newspapers and magazines performances and interviews have served to enhance his unique and distinguished reputation as a world authority and a profound exponent and spokesman of his profession and calling.

This tall, statuesque and genuine cantor and singer, brings much dignity, beauty and warmth with his rare quality, crystal-like tenor voice.  World leading music critics have hailed his performances as “thrilling”, “profoundly moving”, “unmatched”, “spellbound”, and “warmth with consummate artistry”.  One commentator in a local newspaper described Joseph Malovany as “The Jewish Court Singer of New York” and a Toronto newspaper called him “The Pavarotti of the synagogue.”

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