This may be old news, and it's not something that holds incredible interest for me, but I thought someone on the board might know this Manuella Testolini. I found this through a search engine at WorldNews.com.
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/story.asp?id={79EA5618-B49F-4515-B22B-3ECFE8ADF2E7}
Prince show a mystery
The only sure thing about artist's cross-Canada tour is that it will be unpredictable
Sorelle Saidman
The Province
Monday, May 27, 2002
Fans will reign supreme when Prince and the New Power Generation hit the Orpheum tomorrow for the first stop on a cross-Canada tour. But it won't be business as usual for the music industry.
The artist currently known as Prince is making it very clear he has no interest in stoking the star-making machinery but he will, however, be giving his true fans one "heck" of a show.
The purple one, who announced the One Night Alone With Prince Canadian tour just six days ahead of this concert, gave a two-day ticketing head start to members of his New Power Generation Music Club. He is also inviting them to the soundcheck and quite possibly an after-show nightclub party. A clubber or two may even be invited on stage for a personal serenade.
Members pay an annual fee of $100 US for the privilege in addition to paying for the pricey tickets. They also have the option of buying exclusive music, including a One Night Alone CD. Once the Canadian tour wraps up later in June, the artist will be throwing a Seven Nights Alone all-star party at his Paisley Park studio in Minneapolis just for members.
In contrast, not only will he not talk to the media, he won't even issue them review tickets. The media will still fare better than the record label reps, though, as they may not be let in at all. Even the promoter is going to take a hit courtesy of an anti-corporate video playing in the background if the past tour is any indication.
The artist dislikes the business to the extent of writing "Slave" on his face in reference to his seemingly lucrative old contract with Warner Bros and reportedly canceling a tour, including last year's very briefly scheduled cross-Canada jaunt, in order not to inadvertently help promote a compilation CD issued by that label. He also once changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol to protest a publishing contract which has now expired.
And, he's been railing against corporate radio. The video targets Clear Channel because the promotion company also owns the largest chain of radio stations on the continent.
Prince currently does most of his business through his own company, Paisley Park Productions, on the Internet.
The only sure thing about the Prince show is that it will be unpredictable.
If recent history repeats itself, ticket buyers should get their money's worth at least musically, although those expecting the mega-staging of the Purple Rain tour or a greatest hits redux may be disappointed. The artist has been travelling with a stripped-down, bare-bones show and no set list. That said, at one recent appearance, Prince told fans not to expect "Purple Rain" and then played it anyway.
Tracks from last year's The Rainbow Children album will be represented but the rest is a crap shoot, although songs with profanity won't be included -- he's now a Jehovah's Witness. (Stalkers may want to check out a few services around town; he's been rumoured to make such appearances in other cities).
It's not clear who will be performing as the New Power Generation -- the promoter didn't even know ("His people are very hard to get a hold of," said Clear Channel's Trisha Soper).
Sales were brisk the first day but the concert has not sold out, although it is expected to do so before showtime, if not earlier.
Prince is particularly interested in Canada these days. He apparently married Canadian Manuella Testolini at a Jehovah's Witness ceremony in Hawaii New Years Eve, which explained his frequent trips to Toronto last year and the purchase of a $5.5-million home in that city's posh Bridal Path area by Testolini under the corporate name Gamillah Holdings, the title of a Prince song.
IN CONCERT
Prince
Where: Orpheum Theatre
When: Tomorrow, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $99, $150 at Ticketmaster
comment