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02 2016:巨星陨落之年

在刚过去的2016年,又有一批熟悉的身影被岁月带走,成为人们记忆中的片断。让我们一起回忆在今年挥别这个世界的十位人物。

David Bowie dies of cancer aged 69
大卫·鲍伊因癌症去世,享年69岁
(8 January 1947–10 January 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

David Bowie was one of the most influential musicians of his time, constantly re-inventing his persona and sound, from the 1960s hippy of Space Oddity, through Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke to his later incarnation as a soulful rocker.

在他所在的年代里,大卫·鲍伊是最有影响力的音乐人之一,他的形象和曲风都不断地改变,从二十世纪60年代嬉皮士风的《Space Oddity》,到后来他作为抒情摇滚歌手的代表作《Ziggy Stardust》和《Thin White Duke》。

Where before, artists and groups either evolved their musical style and appearance or remained unchanging, David Bowie seemed to be in permanent revolution.

此前的的艺术家和群体要么发展自己的音乐风格和形象,要么保持不变。而大卫·鲍伊似乎永远在变革。

Just as he blazed a trail through the world of rock'n'roll, David Bowie gave financial markets something they had never seen before—pop bonds.

大卫·鲍伊在摇滚世界突破创新的同时,也给金融市场留下了一个前所未有的事物——名人债券。

In 1997, the musician, whose death was announced a, sold $55m of “Bowie Bonds”, securities backed by current and future revenues of the 25 albums he recorded before 1990.

这位逝世了的音乐家在1997年售出了5500万美元的“鲍伊债券”,其证券担保是他1990年前录制的25张唱片从今往后的收入。

Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard actor, dies aged 69
《哈利·波特》和《虎胆龙威》演员阿兰·里克曼去世,享年69岁
(21 February 1946–14 January 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

His sonorous, languid voice was his calling card-making even throwaway lines of dialogue sound thought-out and authoritative.

他那洪亮而慵懒的声线是他的名片——让每一段对话中的即兴台词听起来谨慎而权威。

It could also be laced with threat, something he employed to great effect in Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the eight Potter films, where he played scheming potions master Severus Snape.

这声音中也许还带着些威胁的味道。里克曼将这一技巧运用在《虎胆龙威》和《侠盗罗宾汉》中,还有八部《哈利·波特》系列电影,其中他饰演诡计多端的魔药大师西弗勒斯·斯内普。

But he could also take on romantic leads, as in Anthony Minghella's 1991 drama Truly, Madly, Deeply and later turned his hand to directing.

但他也演得来爱情片主角,比如Anthony Minghella 1991年的剧情片《Truly, Madly, Deeply》,后来他又尝试亲自导演。

Harper Lee: US author of To Kill a Mockingbird dies aged 89
《杀死一只知更鸟》作者,美国作家哈珀·李去世,享年89岁
(April 28, 1926–February 19, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

To Kill a Mockingbird has been in print for more than five decades and few works have been subject to as much critical analysis and interpretation.

《杀死一只知更鸟》已经付梓五十余年,很少有作品能像它一样被如此频繁地被批评分析与诠释。

It has become a set book in school literature studies and regularly appears on lists of books that are essential reading.

它已经成为了学校文学课的指定教材,并定期出现在必读书单中。

Yet its author refused all requests for interviews and public appearances and there was surprise when, in 2015, it was announced she had previously written a sequel.

然而书的作者却拒绝了一切采访和公开露面的要求。2015年有报道称她曾经写过一本续集,人们对此十分震惊。

Nancy Reagan: Former US First Lady dies aged 94
美国前总统夫人南希·里根去世,享年94岁
(July 6, 1921–March 6, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

Like Ronald, she was a former Hollywood performer who made it all the way to the White House.

像罗纳德·里根一样,她也是一位进入白宫的前好莱坞演员。

The Reagans' 52-year marriage was once described as the greatest love affair in the history of the American presidency.

里根夫妇52年的婚姻曾被称为美国总统史上最伟大的爱情故事。

“My life really began when I met my husband,”she once wrote.

“当我遇到我丈夫时,我的人生才真正开始。”她曾这样写道。

Prince, singer and superstar, dies aged 57 at Paisley Park
歌手和巨星Prince在佩斯利公园逝世,终年57岁
(June 7, 1958–April 21, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

He was one of the most prolific artists in music, releasing 39 studio albums, including four in the last 18 months.

他是音乐界最多产的艺术家之一,发行了39张录音室专辑,包括过去18个月内发行的4张。

Last month, publisher Spiegel & Grau announced that it acquired Prince's memoir, set for release in fall of 2017.“We're starting from the beginning from my first memory and hopefully we can go all the way up to the Super Bowl,”Prince said.

3月,出版商Spiegel & Grau宣布他们拿到了Prince回忆录的出版权,预计将在2017年秋天出版。“我们将从我最初回忆的开端开始,希望我们能一直写到超级碗”,Prince说。

It now seems unlikely we will ever get to read those words, from one of rock's most elusive and enigmatic performers.

如今,我们似乎不可能有机会去阅读这位摇滚界最难以捉摸而神秘莫测的艺人之一的讲述了。

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74
拳击传奇巨星穆罕默德·阿里去世,享年74岁
(Jan.17, 1942-June 3, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

Muhammad Ali was, at his peak, arguably the most famous man on the planet.

巅峰期的穆罕默德·阿里可以说是这个星球上最为知名的人物。

His prodigious boxing talent was matched only by a towering self-belief.

能与他非凡的拳击天赋相媲美的只有他高昂的自信。

“I am the greatest,” he said, and who could doubt a man who won the World Heavyweight Championship three times.

“我就是最伟大的。”他说,而谁能怀疑这样一位三次赢得世界重量级冠军的男人呢?

Gene Wilder death: Star of Willy Wonka dies aged 83
《欢乐糖果屋》演员吉恩·怀尔德去世,享年83岁
(June 11, 1933–August 29, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

His performances combined sentimentality, comedy and suppressed rage, often veering between idiocy and apoplexy.

他的表演中融合了伤感、滑稽和克制的愤怒,总徘徊在愚蠢和呆滞之间。

Films such as Young Frankenstein, Silver Streak and The Producers established him as one of Hollywood's top comedy talents.

《新科学怪人》、《Silver Streak》、《金牌制作人》等电影让他成为好莱坞顶级喜剧天才之一。

But behind the corkscrew hair, the bulging eyes and the twitchy mannerisms, lay a much gentler, more reflective individual.

但在他的卷曲的头发、突出的双眼和不安的举止背后,是一个更为温文尔雅、更加深思熟虑的人。

Shimon Peres, former Israeli president, dies aged 93
前以色列总统西蒙·佩雷斯逝世,享年93岁
(August 2, 1923–September 28, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

Shimon Peres, the Israeli leader and Nobel Prize-winning peacemaker who coined the phrase “the new Middle East”, has died at the age of 93 with the region still sadly reminiscent of the old one.

以色列前领导人、曾获诺贝尔奖并创造“新中东”一词的和平缔造者希蒙·佩雷斯逝世,享年93岁。令人遗憾的是,他身后的中东地区仍然和过去没什么两样。

Shimon Peres was born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923 in what was Wieniawa in Poland (today Vishniev, Belarus) and sailed with his parents, a wealthy timber merchant and a volunteer librarian, at the age of 11 to British Mandate Palestine.

希蒙·佩雷斯1923年8月2日生于波兰的维涅瓦(即今白俄罗斯的维什涅瓦),出生时的名字叫希蒙·佩尔斯基。11岁那年,他随父母坐船来到英国托管的巴勒斯坦。他的父亲是一位富有的木材商人,母亲是一位志愿图书管理员。

One of Israel's longest-serving public officials, he was prime minister, foreign minister and president at different times and played a role in the country's history from before its founding.He will be best remembered as a father of the Oslo accords, the blueprint that was meant to create a Palestinian state.

佩雷斯是以色列供职时间最长的政府官员之一,他曾在不同时期担任过总理、外交部长和总统,在以色列建国过程中和建国以来的历史上发挥过重要作用。他最为人铭记的身份将是《奥斯陆协议》的缔造者之一,该协议是一份旨在建立一个巴勒斯坦国的蓝图。

Leonard Cohen: Canadian singer dead aged 82
加拿大歌手莱昂纳德·科恩去世,享年82岁
(September 21, 1934–November 7, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

Leonard Cohen was called “the high priest of pathos” and the “godfather of gloom”.

莱昂纳德·科恩被称为“哀歌的大祭司”和“忧愁的教父”

But the influence and appeal of this poet, novelist, songwriter and legendary ladies' man has endured throughout his career.

但作为诗人、小说家、作曲家和传奇的女性偶像,他的影响和魅力在他的整个生涯中长盛不衰。

Often prone to depression, his witty, charming and self-deprecating manner-not to mention his black humour-was reflected in his lyrics.

他总带着些忧郁的倾向。他诙谐、迷人、自谦的风格——更不用说他的黑色幽默——都在歌词中呈现出来。

Fidel Castro, Cuba's leader of revolution, dies at 90
古巴革命领袖菲德尔·卡斯特罗去世,享年90岁
(August 13, 1926–November 25, 2016)

△Photo credit: Getty images

He seized power audaciously in 1959 and commanded to the last a powerful personal following inside and outside Cuba.But during more than half a century in office Fidel Castro, who has died at the age of 90, metamorphosed from a popular and charismatic guerrilla leader into a traditional caudillo, an autocratic holdover from another age.

他在1959年大胆夺取了古巴政权,此后终生享有国内外追随者的强大个人崇拜。但在半个多世纪的掌权期间,刚刚去世、享年90岁的菲德尔·卡斯特罗(Fidel Castro)从一个广受欢迎、魄力非凡的游击队领导人,沦为一个传统的独裁者,就像是从另一个时代穿越而来的威权遗物。

At his life's end, although bolstered by the emergence of a few new friends such as the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, he was assailed by foreign governments and human rights groups and spurned by many former supporters, including even his daughter.Yet Castro remained one of the most remarkable revolutionary figures of the 20th century.

在晚年,虽然出现了一些新朋友——如已故委内瑞拉领导人乌戈·查韦斯——给他捧场,但他受到了外国政府和人权组织的抨击,而且被许多先前的支持者(甚至包括他的女儿)抛弃。即便如此,卡斯特罗仍是20世纪最值得一提的革命人物之一。

The slogan he coined and repeated in his later years, “socialism or death”, is a fitting epitaph for a stubborn and headstrong rebel turned statesman who swam with the current of history when it suited, but dared to fight it when it turned against him.As one of the longest serving national leaders of his time, first as prime minister and then as president, he nurtured his own legend, keeping even into old age his beard and olive-green uniform that had made him an instantly recognisable world figure.

对于这个固执、任性的造反者出身的政治家,他晚年发明并不断重复的口号“社会主义或死亡”是一句非常恰当的墓志铭。作为政治家,当历史潮流顺应他时,他便顺流而动;而当历史潮流逆他而行时,他敢于企图阻挡。作为他那个时代掌权最久的国家领导人之一(先任总理,后任总统),他营造了自己的传奇,直到晚年还留着胡须,身穿橄榄绿制服,使他成为一眼即可认出的世界人物。

根据FT中文网及bbc.com综合整理

词汇总结

blaze a trail

突破创新

Just as he blazed a trail through the world of rock'n'roll, David Bowie gave financial markets something they had never seen before—pop bonds.

大卫·鲍伊在摇滚世界突破创新的同时,也给金融市场留下了一个前所未有的事物——名人债券。


scheming ['skiːmɪŋ]

adj.诡计多端的

It could also be laced with threat, something he employed to great effect in Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the eight Potter films, where he played scheming potions master Severus Snape.

这声音中也许还带着些威胁的味道。里克曼将这一技巧运用在《虎胆龙威》和《侠盗罗宾汉》中,还有八部《哈利·波特》系列电影,其中他饰演诡计多端的魔药大师西弗勒斯·斯内普。


prone to

有…倾向的

Often prone to depression, his witty, charming and self-deprecating manner-not to mention his black humour-was reflected in his lyrics.

他总带着些忧郁的倾向。他诙谐、迷人、自谦的风格——更不用说他的黑色幽默——都在歌词中呈现出来。