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Thursday, November 5, 2009
theatre
Cirque Du Soleil Creating Elvis Presley Tribute
"Today, the Montreal-based Cirque said the show will be titled 'Viva ELVIS' and that it will premiere in December at its permanent home" in Las Vegas. "Choreographer Vincent Paterson … describes the production as 'an abstract biography of Elvis Presley' that will incorporate some 'acting moments' spoken in English."
"Today, the Montreal-based Cirque said the show will be titled 'Viva ELVIS' and that it will premiere in December at its permanent home" in Las Vegas. "Choreographer Vincent Paterson … describes the production as 'an abstract biography of Elvis Presley' that will incorporate some 'acting moments' spoken in English."
Los Angeles Times 11/05/09 (includes video preview)
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Posted 11/05/09@09:58PM
people Susan Graham In Bed With Renée Fleming (With Her Ex-Boyfriend Watching)
"[With] Renée and me, there's no barrier … We can do anything with each other and we don't care. … One of the reviews said we seemed giddy in bed together, and we really were." (She's talking about playing Octavian to Fleming's Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier at the Met; the ex-boyfriend is conductor Edo de Waart.)
"[With] Renée and me, there's no barrier … We can do anything with each other and we don't care. … One of the reviews said we seemed giddy in bed together, and we really were." (She's talking about playing Octavian to Fleming's Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier at the Met; the ex-boyfriend is conductor Edo de Waart.)
San Francisco Chronicle 11/04/09
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Posted 11/05/09@09:56PM
music Real-Life Dead-Baby Mystery Becomes Serialized Radio Opera
"Baby Kintyre, a radio opera by composer Dean Burry to be broadcast in serial over five Saturdays starting Nov. 7 on CBC Radio 2, … takes its inspiration from a real 1920s Toronto household where a baby was wrapped in newsprint and buried between the floorboards of an attic … only to be discovered more than 80 years later."
"Baby Kintyre, a radio opera by composer Dean Burry to be broadcast in serial over five Saturdays starting Nov. 7 on CBC Radio 2, … takes its inspiration from a real 1920s Toronto household where a baby was wrapped in newsprint and buried between the floorboards of an attic … only to be discovered more than 80 years later."
The Globe and Mail (Canada) 11/05/09
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Posted 11/05/09@09:55PM
visual Why Scots Are In The Vanguard Of 3-D Modeling
"Through scanning, the [Scottish] experts can conjure up what objects looked like ages ago, in effect turning the clock back on ancient sites. They can simulate the effects of climate change, urban encroachment or other natural or man-made disasters on those same sites, peering into the future."
"Through scanning, the [Scottish] experts can conjure up what objects looked like ages ago, in effect turning the clock back on ancient sites. They can simulate the effects of climate change, urban encroachment or other natural or man-made disasters on those same sites, peering into the future."
The New York Times 11/05/09
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Posted 11/05/09@07:01AM
theatre The Welsh Love Theatre -- Just Not The Professional Kind
For National Theatre of Wales artistic director John McGrath, the challenge "is to build an audience for the NTW in a country that has a long tradition of amateur performance, but one of the lowest attendance rates at professional theatre in the UK. McGrath thinks the answer is to make theatre in, and with, those communities. "
For National Theatre of Wales artistic director John McGrath, the challenge "is to build an audience for the NTW in a country that has a long tradition of amateur performance, but one of the lowest attendance rates at professional theatre in the UK. McGrath thinks the answer is to make theatre in, and with, those communities. "
The Guardian (UK) 11/05/09
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Posted 11/05/09@06:49AM
visual Art School Struggles To Balance Free Classes, Resources
"The Fleisher Art Memorial, home of free and low-cost art classes for its South Philadelphia community for more than a century, has been buffeted by criticism in recent months as it modifies both programs and focus." Students fear the school will be "refashioned from something unique into 'a traditional art school.'"
"The Fleisher Art Memorial, home of free and low-cost art classes for its South Philadelphia community for more than a century, has been buffeted by criticism in recent months as it modifies both programs and focus." Students fear the school will be "refashioned from something unique into 'a traditional art school.'"
Philadelphia Inquirer 11/05/09
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Posted 11/05/09@06:19AM
theatre Did A New York Times Ad Deal Doom Neil Simon Plays?
"The Times offered the producers of 'Brighton Beach' several weeks worth of splashy ads in the paper and on its Web site at steep discounts, production sources say." But there was a catch. "'Brighton Beach' couldn't advertise anywhere else until after opening night."
"The Times offered the producers of 'Brighton Beach' several weeks worth of splashy ads in the paper and on its Web site at steep discounts, production sources say." But there was a catch. "'Brighton Beach' couldn't advertise anywhere else until after opening night."
New York Post 11/04/09
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Posted 11/05/09@06:12AM
issues Foundation Giving To Fall More Than 10%, Farther In 2010
"Despite the reduced resources however, more than three-quarters of the survey respondents said the field of philanthropy would become stronger and more strategic as a result of having weathered the financial crisis."
"Despite the reduced resources however, more than three-quarters of the survey respondents said the field of philanthropy would become stronger and more strategic as a result of having weathered the financial crisis."
Crain's New York Business 11/04/09
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Posted 11/05/09@05:20AM
media First-Run Films In Your Living Room? Hollywood Says Yes.
In a move that "sets up an immediate conflict" with film exhibitors, "[t]he Motion Picture Assn. of America is seeking government approval of technology that would allow Hollywood studios to deliver firstrun movies directly into American households on their televisions, perhaps even while a film is still in theaters."
In a move that "sets up an immediate conflict" with film exhibitors, "[t]he Motion Picture Assn. of America is seeking government approval of technology that would allow Hollywood studios to deliver firstrun movies directly into American households on their televisions, perhaps even while a film is still in theaters."
Variety 11/04/09
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Posted 11/05/09@05:03AM
visual In An Exhibition, Proof Of The Rose Museum's Importance
An "astounding new show" at Brandeis University's Rose Art Museum "makes it indisputable: Nowhere in the Boston area is it possible to get, in one gulp, a comparable sense of the excitement engendered by European and especially American modernism." If that had been better known, might the Rose's troubles have been avoided?
An "astounding new show" at Brandeis University's Rose Art Museum "makes it indisputable: Nowhere in the Boston area is it possible to get, in one gulp, a comparable sense of the excitement engendered by European and especially American modernism." If that had been better known, might the Rose's troubles have been avoided?
Boston Globe 11/05/09
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Posted 11/05/09@04:54AM
music White House Kids' Event Signals Shift For Classical Music
"For administrations past, classical music was the logical, even the only, form of entertainment: socially acceptable, properly high-church." Yesterday's White House classical music event for kids suggested instead "that classical music no longer automatically holds a position of predominance among today's power elite."
"For administrations past, classical music was the logical, even the only, form of entertainment: socially acceptable, properly high-church." Yesterday's White House classical music event for kids suggested instead "that classical music no longer automatically holds a position of predominance among today's power elite."
Washington Post 11/05/09
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Posted 11/05/09@04:41AM
Wednesday, November 4, 2009music
Salmonella Silences I Musici Di Montréal
"The chamber orchestra … has cancelled a concert for the first time in the 25-year history of the organization after a majority of its 15 musicians contracted salmonella on a recent tour of China."
"The chamber orchestra … has cancelled a concert for the first time in the 25-year history of the organization after a majority of its 15 musicians contracted salmonella on a recent tour of China."
The Gazette (Montreal) 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:37PM
dance A Cunningham Counterpart To Wiseman's Paris Opera Ballet Doc
Tacita Dean's Craneway Event "records three days of rehearsals by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at the Craneway Pavilion," a converted automobile factory near San Francisco, about a year before Cunningham's death. The documentary film reminds Alastair Macaulay of Degas's backstage-at-the-ballet paintings.
Tacita Dean's Craneway Event "records three days of rehearsals by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at the Craneway Pavilion," a converted automobile factory near San Francisco, about a year before Cunningham's death. The documentary film reminds Alastair Macaulay of Degas's backstage-at-the-ballet paintings.
New York Times 11/05/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:34PM
issues The Dreaded Early Morning Lecture Class, Now On Commuter Trains
"Passengers on the 9:00 am train from the suburban community of Modiin to Tel Aviv put away their morning tabloids and iPods to listen to a talk from Professor Hanoch Gutfreund [of Hebrew University of Jerusalem] on 'Einstein's love letters.' The lecture was the first of the university's 'scientists on the rails' programme."
"Passengers on the 9:00 am train from the suburban community of Modiin to Tel Aviv put away their morning tabloids and iPods to listen to a talk from Professor Hanoch Gutfreund [of Hebrew University of Jerusalem] on 'Einstein's love letters.' The lecture was the first of the university's 'scientists on the rails' programme."
Agence France-Presse 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:29PM
people 'Ayn Rand Is One Of America's Great Mysteries'
"She was an amphetamine-addicted author of sub-Dan Brown potboilers, who in her spare time wrote lavish torrents of praise for serial killers and the Bernie Madoff-style embezzlers of her day. … So how did this little Russian bomb of pure immorality in a black wig become an American icon?"
"She was an amphetamine-addicted author of sub-Dan Brown potboilers, who in her spare time wrote lavish torrents of praise for serial killers and the Bernie Madoff-style embezzlers of her day. … So how did this little Russian bomb of pure immorality in a black wig become an American icon?"
Slate 11/02/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:27PM
visual The Quietest Of Pritzker Prize Winners
Peter Zumthor "is known to be uncompromising when it comes to his designs, and he exhibits his work rarely. He also tries to maintain an ethical orientation to design and practice, working mainly on public and institutional projects, and repeatedly turning down lucrative offers from developers and private clients."
Peter Zumthor "is known to be uncompromising when it comes to his designs, and he exhibits his work rarely. He also tries to maintain an ethical orientation to design and practice, working mainly on public and institutional projects, and repeatedly turning down lucrative offers from developers and private clients."
The New Republic 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:24PM
ideas Office Gossip Is Being Studied By Ethnographers
"One side, the functionalist school, sees gossip as a useful tool for enforcing social rules and maintaining group solidarity. The other school sees gossip more as a hostile endeavor by individuals selfishly trying to advance their own interests."
"One side, the functionalist school, sees gossip as a useful tool for enforcing social rules and maintaining group solidarity. The other school sees gossip more as a hostile endeavor by individuals selfishly trying to advance their own interests."
New York Times 11/03/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:19PM
theatre West End Adaptation Of Shawshank Redemption To Close Three Months Early
"The show premiered in the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin earlier this year before opening in London on September 4. It was due to close on February 14, however will now end its run on November 29. It will embark on an UK tour next year, which will culminate in Dublin."
"The show premiered in the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin earlier this year before opening in London on September 4. It was due to close on February 14, however will now end its run on November 29. It will embark on an UK tour next year, which will culminate in Dublin."
The Stage (UK) 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:14PM
music Tommasini Gets His Wish: NY City Opera's 'Sound-Enhancement' System Is No More
"Before hearing a note in the [company's] spiffily remodeled auditorium, which I toured on Monday, I can make one sure prediction: There will be a marked improvement in the integrity and naturalness of the sound. How can I know this in advance? Because the theater's dreaded amplification system … is gone."
"Before hearing a note in the [company's] spiffily remodeled auditorium, which I toured on Monday, I can make one sure prediction: There will be a marked improvement in the integrity and naturalness of the sound. How can I know this in advance? Because the theater's dreaded amplification system … is gone."
New York Times 11/05/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:11PM
issues 'From Sanctuary To Snake Pit': A Photographic History Of The Insane Asylum
Today the very term "insane asylum" conjures up images of the squalid, cruel institutions portrayed in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Titicut Follies. "But asylums started out as philanthropic dreams," comfortable, well-appointed places of refuge and healing. (Consider the very term "asylum.")
Today the very term "insane asylum" conjures up images of the squalid, cruel institutions portrayed in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Titicut Follies. "But asylums started out as philanthropic dreams," comfortable, well-appointed places of refuge and healing. (Consider the very term "asylum.")
New Scientist 10/30/09 (slide show)
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Posted 11/04/09@10:09PM
people Woody's Account Of His Dinner With Ingmar
"With mild exasperation, Mr. Allen said, 'This has been documented a million times.' He and Bergman, he said, 'have met, we've had dinner, we've spoken on the phone. I've had dinner with him, with Liv Ullmann …" Is it true that, throughout that dinner, the men never spoke?
"With mild exasperation, Mr. Allen said, 'This has been documented a million times.' He and Bergman, he said, 'have met, we've had dinner, we've spoken on the phone. I've had dinner with him, with Liv Ullmann …" Is it true that, throughout that dinner, the men never spoke?
New York Times 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:08PM
visual The Very Model Of A Monumental Sculptor
Whether we know it or not, the work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens is the basic, fundamental image most Americans have in mind when we think of public monuments. "[H]ow different … from contemporary artists such as Claes Oldenburg, Richard Serra, and Jeff Koons, who make public sculptures but whose art is essentially private in nature."
Whether we know it or not, the work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens is the basic, fundamental image most Americans have in mind when we think of public monuments. "[H]ow different … from contemporary artists such as Claes Oldenburg, Richard Serra, and Jeff Koons, who make public sculptures but whose art is essentially private in nature."
Slate 11/04/09 (slide show)
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Posted 11/04/09@10:06PM
media The Berkeley-fication Of Sesame Street
Alessandra Stanley: "Forty years on, this is your mother's Sesame Street, only better dressed and gentrified: … The famous set, brownstones and garbage bins, has lost the messy graffiti and gritty smudges of city life over the years. Now there are green spaces, tofu and yoga."
Alessandra Stanley: "Forty years on, this is your mother's Sesame Street, only better dressed and gentrified: … The famous set, brownstones and garbage bins, has lost the messy graffiti and gritty smudges of city life over the years. Now there are green spaces, tofu and yoga."
New York Times 11/08/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:05PM
ideas Think You're So Smart Because You Have A High IQ?
"IQ tests are very good at measuring certain mental faculties, … including logic, abstract reasoning, learning ability and working-memory capacity - how much information you can hold in mind. But the tests fall down when it comes to measuring those abilities crucial to making good judgments in real-life situations."
"IQ tests are very good at measuring certain mental faculties, … including logic, abstract reasoning, learning ability and working-memory capacity - how much information you can hold in mind. But the tests fall down when it comes to measuring those abilities crucial to making good judgments in real-life situations."
New Scientist 11/02/09
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Posted 11/04/09@10:00PM
music The Complete Beatles, On A Flash Drive
"Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music said that they were releasing a limited edition USB drive that contains the stereo versions of the Beatles' albums, as well as the bonus materials that were included in their re-release."
"Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music said that they were releasing a limited edition USB drive that contains the stereo versions of the Beatles' albums, as well as the bonus materials that were included in their re-release."
New York Times 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@09:54PM
issues UK Culture Secretary Warns Of Tory Threat To The Arts
Britain's culture secretary, Ben Bradshaw, "said Tory culture policy was totally aligned with the commercial interests of Rupert Murdoch's News International and predicted the central tenet of British cultural policy - the arm's length relationship between the arts and government - is about to be swept away."
Britain's culture secretary, Ben Bradshaw, "said Tory culture policy was totally aligned with the commercial interests of Rupert Murdoch's News International and predicted the central tenet of British cultural policy - the arm's length relationship between the arts and government - is about to be swept away."
The Guardian (UK) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/04/09@07:42AM
visual Is Guggenheim Bilbao Getting A New Sibling?
"The Museo Guggenheim Bilbao is completing feasibility studies for a satellite near the historic town of Guernica, just 40km east of Bilbao. Local and provincial authorities in the Basque Country anticipate that the new museum would extend the so-called 'Bilbao effect,'" but the government is wary of spending in this economy.
"The Museo Guggenheim Bilbao is completing feasibility studies for a satellite near the historic town of Guernica, just 40km east of Bilbao. Local and provincial authorities in the Basque Country anticipate that the new museum would extend the so-called 'Bilbao effect,'" but the government is wary of spending in this economy.
The Art Newspaper 11/03/09
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Posted 11/04/09@07:06AM
theatre Why Its New Theatrical Behemoth Is A Boon For Britain
"It's hard to see the acquisition of Live Nation's theatres by the Ambassador Theatre Group as anything other than good news," despite concerns that ATG is now too powerful. The group's "record suggests that [it is] not likely to achieve success by dumbing down."
"It's hard to see the acquisition of Live Nation's theatres by the Ambassador Theatre Group as anything other than good news," despite concerns that ATG is now too powerful. The group's "record suggests that [it is] not likely to achieve success by dumbing down."
The Times (UK) 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@06:57AM
theatre Northern Calif.'s Willows Theatre Company To Shutter
"In September, the board of the 34-year-old company said that as a result of lackluster ticket sales and outstanding debt, they needed to raise $350,000 by Nov. 1 or the Willows would close." Emergency fund-raisers weren't enough to save it.
"In September, the board of the 34-year-old company said that as a result of lackluster ticket sales and outstanding debt, they needed to raise $350,000 by Nov. 1 or the Willows would close." Emergency fund-raisers weren't enough to save it.
Contra Costa Times (Calif.) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/04/09@06:37AM
theatre Transsexual Jesus Play Draws 300 Protesters In Glasgow
Glasgay! arts festival organizers said "Jesus Queen of Heaven," written and performed by transsexual playwright Jo Clifford, "had not intended to incite or offend anyone. The Christian protesters gathered outside the theatre ahead of the opening night of the production on Tuesday."
Glasgay! arts festival organizers said "Jesus Queen of Heaven," written and performed by transsexual playwright Jo Clifford, "had not intended to incite or offend anyone. The Christian protesters gathered outside the theatre ahead of the opening night of the production on Tuesday."
BBC 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@06:32AM
media Station 100 Miles South May Fill St. Louis' Classical Void
With St. Louis poised to lose its sole classical station, officials at Southeast Missouri State University "say that with a power increase and antenna upgrade at a repeater station in Farmington, the goal is to get classical music to the St. Louis region."
With St. Louis poised to lose its sole classical station, officials at Southeast Missouri State University "say that with a power increase and antenna upgrade at a repeater station in Farmington, the goal is to get classical music to the St. Louis region."
fox4kc.com (Kansas City, Mo.) (AP) 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@05:59AM
music LA Radio Passes On NEA Opera Honors
"There will be a recurring California motif at the National Endowment for the Arts' second annual NEA Opera Honors ceremony on Nov. 14 -- but there are no plans for the national radio broadcast of the musical proceedings and award presentations to grace Southern California's airwaves."
"There will be a recurring California motif at the National Endowment for the Arts' second annual NEA Opera Honors ceremony on Nov. 14 -- but there are no plans for the national radio broadcast of the musical proceedings and award presentations to grace Southern California's airwaves."
Los Angeles Times 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@05:30AM
theatre With £90M Acquisition, UK Theatre Has A New Titan
"Yesterday Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire ... celebrated the £90 million acquisition that makes their company the largest British theatre operator since the variety era, dwarfing Lord Lloyd-Webber and Sir Cameron Mackintosh's rival empires." Their takeover of Live Nation's theatres "could have distinct consequences for theatregoers, particularly in the regions."
"Yesterday Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire ... celebrated the £90 million acquisition that makes their company the largest British theatre operator since the variety era, dwarfing Lord Lloyd-Webber and Sir Cameron Mackintosh's rival empires." Their takeover of Live Nation's theatres "could have distinct consequences for theatregoers, particularly in the regions."
The Times (UK) 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@05:16AM
visual Leonardo's Fattest Codex Meets The Public
"With 1,119 pages of drawings and notes, almost all of them in Leonardo's own hand, the Atlantic Codex is by far the largest set of works by the archetype of universal genius." Milan's Biblioteca Ambrosiana is putting all of it on view over the next six years, bit by bit.
"With 1,119 pages of drawings and notes, almost all of them in Leonardo's own hand, the Atlantic Codex is by far the largest set of works by the archetype of universal genius." Milan's Biblioteca Ambrosiana is putting all of it on view over the next six years, bit by bit.
Wall Street Journal 11/04/09
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Posted 11/04/09@05:13AM
visual Estate Fight Pits Heirs Vs. Museum Of Fine Arts, Houston
"Alfred C. Glassell Jr., founder of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co., intended to leave about half of his $500 million estate to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and his will should be honored, a lawyer for the museum said." Lawyers for Glassell's daughter say the museum took advantage of an old man.
"Alfred C. Glassell Jr., founder of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co., intended to leave about half of his $500 million estate to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and his will should be honored, a lawyer for the museum said." Lawyers for Glassell's daughter say the museum took advantage of an old man.
Bloomberg 11/03/09
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Posted 11/04/09@05:00AM
Tuesday, November 3, 2009dance
'One Of The Finest Dance Films Ever Made": Wiseman's La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet
A.O. Scott: "[The documentary's] greater virtue, and the substance of Mr. Wiseman's particular genius, is the way it transfixes you with the inner workings of an institution you may not otherwise care about."
A.O. Scott: "[The documentary's] greater virtue, and the substance of Mr. Wiseman's particular genius, is the way it transfixes you with the inner workings of an institution you may not otherwise care about."
New York Times 11/04/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:30PM
media Matrix Producer Plans Biopic Of Prophet Muhammad
Barrie Osborne is planning a $150 million production, funded by a holding company in Qatar, that "will educate people about the true meaning of Islam." The scholar "Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi [will] oversee all aspects of the shoot. In accordance with Islamic law, the prophet will not actually be depicted on screen."
Barrie Osborne is planning a $150 million production, funded by a holding company in Qatar, that "will educate people about the true meaning of Islam." The scholar "Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi [will] oversee all aspects of the shoot. In accordance with Islamic law, the prophet will not actually be depicted on screen."
The Guardian (UK) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:28PM
people Claude Lévi-Strauss, 100, 'The Father Of Modern Anthropology'
"Part philosopher, part sociologist and entirely humanist, he studied tribes in Brazil and North America, concluding that virtually all societies shared powerful commonalities of behavior and thought, often expressing them in myths." Lévi-Strauss called those commonalities "structures," and his insight was the basis of the school of thought known as "structuralism."
"Part philosopher, part sociologist and entirely humanist, he studied tribes in Brazil and North America, concluding that virtually all societies shared powerful commonalities of behavior and thought, often expressing them in myths." Lévi-Strauss called those commonalities "structures," and his insight was the basis of the school of thought known as "structuralism."
Los Angeles Times 11/04/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:27PM
people Van Gogh's Correspondence Now Available Online In English
"In what is perhaps the first project of its kind, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has put English-language translations of 902 of Vincent van Gogh's personal letters on line." Vangoghletters.org "allows you to search them by keyword, correspondent, city and more."
"In what is perhaps the first project of its kind, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has put English-language translations of 902 of Vincent van Gogh's personal letters on line." Vangoghletters.org "allows you to search them by keyword, correspondent, city and more."
Los Angeles Times 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:25PM
ideas Curiosity, The Antidote To (And Flip Side Of) Anxiety
Psychologist Todd Kashdan points out that the two mechanisms evolved together and complement each other. "Anxiety is in fact one-half of a quite useful yin-yang process. Rather than resist it, he argues, we should acknowledge its existence and turn up the volume on the other side of the equation: the impulse that pulls us toward challenge and exploration."
Psychologist Todd Kashdan points out that the two mechanisms evolved together and complement each other. "Anxiety is in fact one-half of a quite useful yin-yang process. Rather than resist it, he argues, we should acknowledge its existence and turn up the volume on the other side of the equation: the impulse that pulls us toward challenge and exploration."
Miller-McCune 10/30/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:23PM
music Honolulu Symphony Faces Bankruptcy (Again)
"The symphony, the oldest American orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains, has struggled in recent years to pay its musicians. Two months ago it received a $1.8 million cash infusion to cover operating expenses for the upcoming season." The HSO may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as early as Wednesday (Nov. 4).
"The symphony, the oldest American orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains, has struggled in recent years to pay its musicians. Two months ago it received a $1.8 million cash infusion to cover operating expenses for the upcoming season." The HSO may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as early as Wednesday (Nov. 4).
Honolulu Advertiser 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:22PM
theatre Oregon Shakespeare Festival Survives Budget Crisis, Sets Box Office Records
Just a year ago, the OSF revealed a $750,000 deficit for 2008 and made $1 million in emergency cuts to its 2009 budget. Now the company has announced that its 2009 season reached new highs in both attendance and revenue.
Just a year ago, the OSF revealed a $750,000 deficit for 2008 and made $1 million in emergency cuts to its 2009 budget. Now the company has announced that its 2009 season reached new highs in both attendance and revenue.
The Oregonian (Portland) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:19PM
visual Where Are The Big Bonuses For Goldman Sachs's Architects?
The masters-of-the-universe firm has famously set aside $16.7 billion for its 2009 bonus pool. And what of Pei Cobb Fried, the architects designing Goldman's new skyscraper near Ground Zero? The practice's "eight principals probably make a nice living. And their pay packages would be laughed off Wall Street."
The masters-of-the-universe firm has famously set aside $16.7 billion for its 2009 bonus pool. And what of Pei Cobb Fried, the architects designing Goldman's new skyscraper near Ground Zero? The practice's "eight principals probably make a nice living. And their pay packages would be laughed off Wall Street."
Bloomberg 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:17PM
people Impresario John Kenley, Who Brought Big Stars To Little Cities, Dies At 103
He was "renowned for taking large-scale productions to small towns and cities and festooning the shows with headliners like Mae West, Gloria Swanson and Burt Reynolds."
He was "renowned for taking large-scale productions to small towns and cities and festooning the shows with headliners like Mae West, Gloria Swanson and Burt Reynolds."
New York Times 10/31/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:15PM
ideas Yet Another Contagious Condition: Blaming Other People
"Observing someone blame another for their lack of success 'increased the likelihood that people would make subsequent blame attributions for their own, unrelated failures,' according to a paper just published … Deflecting responsibility, in other words, is infectious - but there appears to be an effective inoculation."
"Observing someone blame another for their lack of success 'increased the likelihood that people would make subsequent blame attributions for their own, unrelated failures,' according to a paper just published … Deflecting responsibility, in other words, is infectious - but there appears to be an effective inoculation."
Miller-McCune 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:14PM
dance Old Ballet Florida HQ Sold To College Drama Dept.
Palm Beach Atlantic University, a privately funded 3,500-student Christian school, paid $1.85 million for the two-story building in downtown Palm Beach as a home for its theater program. Ballet Florida declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and shut down in July.
Palm Beach Atlantic University, a privately funded 3,500-student Christian school, paid $1.85 million for the two-story building in downtown Palm Beach as a home for its theater program. Ballet Florida declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and shut down in July.
Palm Beach Post (Fla.) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:12PM
music What David Robertson Loves About The St. Louis Symphony
"The greatness in this orchestra is right there, so I didn't need to build it. They don't bring their egos onto the stage, just their creativity." What's more, "[they] give close to 300 community concerts versus 75 in Powell Hall. And they didn't cut those when they had problems, which said to me this orchestra has its heart in the right place."
"The greatness in this orchestra is right there, so I didn't need to build it. They don't bring their egos onto the stage, just their creativity." What's more, "[they] give close to 300 community concerts versus 75 in Powell Hall. And they didn't cut those when they had problems, which said to me this orchestra has its heart in the right place."
Wall Street Journal 11/04/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:11PM
theatre British Equity Loses Bid For Pay Hike
"Equity has failed to secure a 14.3% minimum pay increase across the board for actors and stage managers working outside the West End, after it was forced to accept an interim hike of 0.5% - £1.75 per week - for members employed in subsidised repertory theatre."
"Equity has failed to secure a 14.3% minimum pay increase across the board for actors and stage managers working outside the West End, after it was forced to accept an interim hike of 0.5% - £1.75 per week - for members employed in subsidised repertory theatre."
The Stage (UK) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:09PM
people Richard Burton's 'Economy Of Motion'
Dick Cavett, in an epilogue to a series of online columns remembering the late actor, reveals that the widely praised slow-motion actions Burton employed in his 1980 Broadway run of Camelot "were in part bred of pain." He needed, and subsequently had, a gruesome operation called a laminectomy.
Dick Cavett, in an epilogue to a series of online columns remembering the late actor, reveals that the widely praised slow-motion actions Burton employed in his 1980 Broadway run of Camelot "were in part bred of pain." He needed, and subsequently had, a gruesome operation called a laminectomy.
New York Times 10/30/09
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Posted 11/03/09@10:07PM
people Leonard Slatkin Suffers Heart Attack After Performance
The veteran conductor, currently music director of the Detroit Symphony, experienced chest pains while leading the Rotterdam Philharmonic on Sunday and collapsed in his dressing room afterwards. He is now recovering in a Dutch hospital following an emergency angioplasty.
The veteran conductor, currently music director of the Detroit Symphony, experienced chest pains while leading the Rotterdam Philharmonic on Sunday and collapsed in his dressing room afterwards. He is now recovering in a Dutch hospital following an emergency angioplasty.
Detroit Free Press 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@07:48PM
media Late-Night TV's Not Just For White Guys Anymore
"Fox on Saturday launches a weekly showcase for African-American comic Wanda Sykes. Next week" on TBS, "George Lopez becomes the first Latino to host a nightly late-night comedy series on a major network.... And last month saw the arrival of 'The Mo'Nique Show' on BET. Is this the Obamafication of the late-night wars?"
"Fox on Saturday launches a weekly showcase for African-American comic Wanda Sykes. Next week" on TBS, "George Lopez becomes the first Latino to host a nightly late-night comedy series on a major network.... And last month saw the arrival of 'The Mo'Nique Show' on BET. Is this the Obamafication of the late-night wars?"
The Wrap 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@08:30AM
media French Cinemas To Close In Protest Of Release Schedule
"Regulated by the government, Gaul's release window schedule ensures that theater exhibitors, DVD distribbers and TV channels each have their own window of exclusivity." Exhibitors say their new, smaller window "will cause the downfall of cinema attendance in France and the 'degrading of theater owners' economic conditions.'"
"Regulated by the government, Gaul's release window schedule ensures that theater exhibitors, DVD distribbers and TV channels each have their own window of exclusivity." Exhibitors say their new, smaller window "will cause the downfall of cinema attendance in France and the 'degrading of theater owners' economic conditions.'"
Variety 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@08:20AM
theatre Classical Theatre of Harlem Founders Are Stepping Down
"Classical Theatre of Harlem founders Alfred Preisser and Christopher McElroen have announced that they will depart the 11-year-old institution later this month."
"Classical Theatre of Harlem founders Alfred Preisser and Christopher McElroen have announced that they will depart the 11-year-old institution later this month."
Playbill 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@08:02AM
music Manager Of Queen's Composer Jailed For Defrauding Him
"Sir Peter Maxwell Davies hinted that the 'horrors' of the ordeal may even inspire a musical composition. Michael Arnold, a friend and business associate of the composer for 30 years," has been "jailed for 18 months for defrauding him of more than £500,000."
"Sir Peter Maxwell Davies hinted that the 'horrors' of the ordeal may even inspire a musical composition. Michael Arnold, a friend and business associate of the composer for 30 years," has been "jailed for 18 months for defrauding him of more than £500,000."
The Times (UK) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@07:44AM
theatre Pocono Playhouse Owner Boosted Insurance Before Fire
"Ralph Miller says he had his Pocono Playhouse reappraised and its insurance bumped up to $1.25 million for refinancing purposes about six months before fire destroyed the theater. ... Fires deemed to be arson destroyed Miller's Woodstock Playhouse in New York state in 1988 and the Falmouth Playhouse in Cape Cod, Mass., in 1994."
"Ralph Miller says he had his Pocono Playhouse reappraised and its insurance bumped up to $1.25 million for refinancing purposes about six months before fire destroyed the theater. ... Fires deemed to be arson destroyed Miller's Woodstock Playhouse in New York state in 1988 and the Falmouth Playhouse in Cape Cod, Mass., in 1994."
Pocono Record (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@07:27AM
visual Trouble In London: An Overstock Of Artist Celebrities
"There has simply never been a moment in modern history when a city so teemed with celebrated artists as London does now. There is a real sense in which to be an artist at all here confers a kind of fame on you. But is there any chance of anyone in 20 years giving a flying fondu about even 5% of our famous artists?"
"There has simply never been a moment in modern history when a city so teemed with celebrated artists as London does now. There is a real sense in which to be an artist at all here confers a kind of fame on you. But is there any chance of anyone in 20 years giving a flying fondu about even 5% of our famous artists?"
The Guardian (UK) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@07:14AM
media Who's On First? Um, This Is It, Isn't It?
"An imagined conversation in a movie theatre last night..."
"An imagined conversation in a movie theatre last night..."
The New Yorker 10/29/09
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Posted 11/03/09@07:06AM
issues Seattle's Giant Magnet Lets Longtime Director Go
"Giant Magnet, formerly known as Seattle International Children's Festival, has let go its executive director of 14 years. ... The 23-year-old organization is known mainly for its nearly weeklong festival featuring performers -- theater artists, puppeteers, dancers, musicians -- from around the world."
"Giant Magnet, formerly known as Seattle International Children's Festival, has let go its executive director of 14 years. ... The 23-year-old organization is known mainly for its nearly weeklong festival featuring performers -- theater artists, puppeteers, dancers, musicians -- from around the world."
Seattle Times 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@06:50AM
dance Isadora Duncan Awards Nominees, Honorees Announced
"Dohee Lee and Jo Kreiter will be honored for outstanding achievement by [January's] 24th annual Isadora Duncan Awards, which recognize contributions to Bay Area dance...." The San Francisco Ballet and the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival received seven nominations apiece.
"Dohee Lee and Jo Kreiter will be honored for outstanding achievement by [January's] 24th annual Isadora Duncan Awards, which recognize contributions to Bay Area dance...." The San Francisco Ballet and the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival received seven nominations apiece.
San Francisco Chronicle 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@06:03AM
issues Deforestation Caused Demise Of Ancient Peruvian Culture
"In large part because of the huarango [tree], the Nazca flourished from the time of Christ to about AD 500. They are renowned not just for their geoglyphs -- the giant drawings, whose purpose remains a mystery -- but for their pottery and textiles."
"In large part because of the huarango [tree], the Nazca flourished from the time of Christ to about AD 500. They are renowned not just for their geoglyphs -- the giant drawings, whose purpose remains a mystery -- but for their pottery and textiles."
Los Angeles Times 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@05:42AM
music Juilliard Archive Adds Beethoven, Mendelssohn MSS
"The new acquisitions are a manuscript of Beethoven's 'Kreutzer' Sonata for violin and piano and an engraved proof copy of the piano-vocal score of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah,' each with scribblings by the composer."
"The new acquisitions are a manuscript of Beethoven's 'Kreutzer' Sonata for violin and piano and an engraved proof copy of the piano-vocal score of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah,' each with scribblings by the composer."
The New York Times 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@05:33AM
media Disney Returns To Hand-Drawn Animation
"Disney in 2003 announced that it was abandoning traditional animation in favor of computer-generated imagery, after a string of hand-drawn flops," but it "didn't exactly strike pay dirt with its new all-computers, all-the-time approach." Now the cofounders of Pixar are overseeing Disney's return to the technique.
"Disney in 2003 announced that it was abandoning traditional animation in favor of computer-generated imagery, after a string of hand-drawn flops," but it "didn't exactly strike pay dirt with its new all-computers, all-the-time approach." Now the cofounders of Pixar are overseeing Disney's return to the technique.
Wall Street Journal 11/02/09
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Posted 11/03/09@05:24AM
issues Rocco Landesman's Offensive Play
"In a freewheeling conversation..., Mr. Landesman was true to form--brashly candid. But his provocative words in both [a recent Brooklyn] speech and our discussion suggest that he doesn't see what's looming between him and the goal--political opponents, waiting to tackle him."
"In a freewheeling conversation..., Mr. Landesman was true to form--brashly candid. But his provocative words in both [a recent Brooklyn] speech and our discussion suggest that he doesn't see what's looming between him and the goal--political opponents, waiting to tackle him."
Wall Street Journal 11/03/09
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Posted 11/03/09@05:19AM
Monday, November 2, 2009ideas
Our Common Offense: Living While Distracted
"Good intentions and police action may be no match for the encroachments of gadgetry and wirelessness. Life is and always has been full of distractions, yes; it may be that life itself is a distraction--from death. But our attention flits and wanders as never before. The consequences, outside the cockpit and the driver's seat, are as yet unclear."
"Good intentions and police action may be no match for the encroachments of gadgetry and wirelessness. Life is and always has been full of distractions, yes; it may be that life itself is a distraction--from death. But our attention flits and wanders as never before. The consequences, outside the cockpit and the driver's seat, are as yet unclear."
The New Yorker 11/09/09
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Posted 11/02/09@08:21PM
media Why DVRs Have Helped, Not Harmed, TV Revenues
Turns out TV viewers, DVR owners included, want to lounge, not expend precious energy skipping commercials. "Against almost every expectation, nearly half of all people watching delayed shows are still slouching on their couches watching messages about movies, cars and beer."
Turns out TV viewers, DVR owners included, want to lounge, not expend precious energy skipping commercials. "Against almost every expectation, nearly half of all people watching delayed shows are still slouching on their couches watching messages about movies, cars and beer."
The New York Times 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@08:02PM
people Stieg Larsson's Partner, Family Battle Over His Estate
Swedish writer Stieg Larsson, who was "largely unknown before his sudden death at 50, has become one of the most successful writers in the world," with an estate estimated to exceed £20 million. "But because he and the architect Eva Gabrielsson, his partner of 32 years, never married and he died without making a will, the proceeds have defaulted to his blood relations...."
Swedish writer Stieg Larsson, who was "largely unknown before his sudden death at 50, has become one of the most successful writers in the world," with an estate estimated to exceed £20 million. "But because he and the architect Eva Gabrielsson, his partner of 32 years, never married and he died without making a will, the proceeds have defaulted to his blood relations...."
The Guardian (UK) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:47PM
theatre Puppeteer Ronnie Burkett Wins $75K Siminovitch Prize
"With the prize allocated for a designer this year - it also rewards playwrights and directors on a three-year cycle - Burkett won for crafting marionettes. ... In addition to $75,000 for the winning artist, the prize comes with $25,000 for a protégé of their choice."
"With the prize allocated for a designer this year - it also rewards playwrights and directors on a three-year cycle - Burkett won for crafting marionettes. ... In addition to $75,000 for the winning artist, the prize comes with $25,000 for a protégé of their choice."
The Globe and Mail (Canada) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:36PM
music Children's Top 10 Classical Favorites
Topping the survey is John Williams' "Harry Potter" theme. Whether or not the piece actually counts as classical music, the choice "shows that children love lavishly orchestrated music, and that they understand that you can create worlds of magic and mystery with a symphony orchestra."
Topping the survey is John Williams' "Harry Potter" theme. Whether or not the piece actually counts as classical music, the choice "shows that children love lavishly orchestrated music, and that they understand that you can create worlds of magic and mystery with a symphony orchestra."
The Guardian (UK) 11/03/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:23PM
visual Defacing Banksy Mural, Vandals Trump Voters
"Sutton Council asked residents to vote on whether the 'punk' mural should stay on its Beddington Farm Road site. More than 93% of the 250 voters urged the council to keep it but as the vote was taking place, the work was defaced by graffiti 'taggers'."
"Sutton Council asked residents to vote on whether the 'punk' mural should stay on its Beddington Farm Road site. More than 93% of the 250 voters urged the council to keep it but as the vote was taking place, the work was defaced by graffiti 'taggers'."
BBC 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@06:49PM
theatre In Defense Of The Prompter -- And The Prompted
"Matthew Broderick has taken heat for needing prompts in previews of a new off-Broadway play, and an actor was fired in Hartford for storing lines in his character's hat." In light of tradition, it's much ado about nothing.
"Matthew Broderick has taken heat for needing prompts in previews of a new off-Broadway play, and an actor was fired in Hartford for storing lines in his character's hat." In light of tradition, it's much ado about nothing.
Boston Globe 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@06:28PM
issues Boldface Names Join Obama's Arts Advisory Panel
Yo-Yo Ma, Edward Norton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kerry Washington, Forest Whitaker, Anna Wintour and Alfre Woodard are among those tapped for the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a largely ceremonial panel.
Yo-Yo Ma, Edward Norton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kerry Washington, Forest Whitaker, Anna Wintour and Alfre Woodard are among those tapped for the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a largely ceremonial panel.
Washington Post 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@06:11PM
visual Ukrainian Billionaire Pinchuk To Build Kiev Art Center
Victor Pinchuk, "one of the world's leading contemporary-art collectors," said that he "envisages a multi-functional center with a permanent collection built on, though not limited to, works that he owns. Pinchuk said he's ready to provide '100 percent' financing for the center."
Victor Pinchuk, "one of the world's leading contemporary-art collectors," said that he "envisages a multi-functional center with a permanent collection built on, though not limited to, works that he owns. Pinchuk said he's ready to provide '100 percent' financing for the center."
Bloomberg 11/03/09
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Posted 11/02/09@06:02PM
visual Lehman Art Rakes In Bucks At Auction (No, It Won't Help)
"An eclectic batch of artworks that once adorned the corporate offices of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. sold for $1.35 million," or "almost double the projected total," at auction Sunday. One art adviser explained part of the appeal: "This gives you a piece of financial history -- good, bad or indifferent."
"An eclectic batch of artworks that once adorned the corporate offices of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. sold for $1.35 million," or "almost double the projected total," at auction Sunday. One art adviser explained part of the appeal: "This gives you a piece of financial history -- good, bad or indifferent."
Bloomberg 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@05:57PM
visual Building By Building, Good Public Design Invades NYC
"For decades, the trinity of quick, cheap, and ugly dominated the city's building program. Quick was always a chimera, and cheap remains sacrosanct, but ugly won't cut it anymore."
"For decades, the trinity of quick, cheap, and ugly dominated the city's building program. Quick was always a chimera, and cheap remains sacrosanct, but ugly won't cut it anymore."
New York Magazine 11/01/09
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Posted 11/02/09@05:20PM
media Arab Films Find New Audiences But Not Funding
"Film festivals have sprung up in the Gulf Arab region in recent years with events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The latest, Robert De Niro's Doha Tribeca, just ended a four-day run in Qatar's capital. But despite the heightened exposure, Arab filmmakers say the focus is still on Hollywood and European films with little attention -- or funding -- given to homegrown films."
"Film festivals have sprung up in the Gulf Arab region in recent years with events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The latest, Robert De Niro's Doha Tribeca, just ended a four-day run in Qatar's capital. But despite the heightened exposure, Arab filmmakers say the focus is still on Hollywood and European films with little attention -- or funding -- given to homegrown films."
Yahoo! (Reuters) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:59AM
music Looking For A Virtual Composer-In-Residence
"The aim, they say, is to redefine the composer-in-residence for the digital age. He or she will win a modest prize of £1000, and a year-long residency on the website, allowing them to engage with web-site members through a Composer's Corner blog, a podcast series, online forums, and masterclasses. It will culminate in 2010 a live event with a performance of a new work."
"The aim, they say, is to redefine the composer-in-residence for the digital age. He or she will win a modest prize of £1000, and a year-long residency on the website, allowing them to engage with web-site members through a Composer's Corner blog, a podcast series, online forums, and masterclasses. It will culminate in 2010 a live event with a performance of a new work."
The Telegraph (UK) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:52AM
theatre Broadway Healthy Despite High-Profile Flop
This is one of Broadway's busiest falls in years. And the box office so far - even in a recession - has been mostly good...
This is one of Broadway's busiest falls in years. And the box office so far - even in a recession - has been mostly good...
Yahoo! (AP) 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:32AM
issues The Trouble With Boards
"Most board members I meet are scared and frustrated and most staff members believe their board members are not being as generous or as helpful as they should be during this crisis."
"Most board members I meet are scared and frustrated and most staff members believe their board members are not being as generous or as helpful as they should be during this crisis."
Huffington Post 11/02/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:23AM
visual A Rare Look At Cuban Contemporary Art
"To encounter contemporary Cuban art is relatively rare for U.S. citizens, who continue to risk $7500 fines for traveling to Cuba under an ongoing economic embargo." Now the largest show to come to the US since 1944 has some wondering if the travel ban to Cuba might be lifted.
"To encounter contemporary Cuban art is relatively rare for U.S. citizens, who continue to risk $7500 fines for traveling to Cuba under an ongoing economic embargo." Now the largest show to come to the US since 1944 has some wondering if the travel ban to Cuba might be lifted.
Adobe Airstream 10/28/09
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Posted 11/02/09@07:14AM
issues Las Vegas Dreams Crash
"Over the last two decades, no other American city grew as quickly as Las Vegas. In 1980, it had 460,000 inhabitants; now it has 2 million. But now, the recession has blasted open one of its deepest craters here in this city surrounded by the Mojave Desert. Las Vegas now has the country's highest rate of home foreclosures, and more than 70 percent of homeowners here owe more on their mortgages than their houses or condos are worth. Since 2006, the average home price has dropped by a half."
"Over the last two decades, no other American city grew as quickly as Las Vegas. In 1980, it had 460,000 inhabitants; now it has 2 million. But now, the recession has blasted open one of its deepest craters here in this city surrounded by the Mojave Desert. Las Vegas now has the country's highest rate of home foreclosures, and more than 70 percent of homeowners here owe more on their mortgages than their houses or condos are worth. Since 2006, the average home price has dropped by a half."
Der Spiegel 10/30/09
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Posted 11/02/09@01:13AM
media US TV Ratings Stabilize After Years Of Decline
"Ratings are up 2 percent after falling for several seasons. I'm not suggesting the suits break open 11,000 bottles of champagne, but there is plenty of cause to pop a can of ginger ale. Freshman shows have reinvigorated a medium that once seemed headed the way of the typewriter, or Amy Winehouse's career."
"Ratings are up 2 percent after falling for several seasons. I'm not suggesting the suits break open 11,000 bottles of champagne, but there is plenty of cause to pop a can of ginger ale. Freshman shows have reinvigorated a medium that once seemed headed the way of the typewriter, or Amy Winehouse's career."
The Star Tribune (Mpls) 10/31/09
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Posted 11/02/09@01:07AM
media Comcast Close To Buying NBC
"After a series of meetings last week, the two companies reached a tentative agreement on Friday over the main points of a deal, these people said. Comcast would own about 51 percent of NBC Universal, contributing several billions of dollars in cash and its own stable of cable networks to the new venture."
"After a series of meetings last week, the two companies reached a tentative agreement on Friday over the main points of a deal, these people said. Comcast would own about 51 percent of NBC Universal, contributing several billions of dollars in cash and its own stable of cable networks to the new venture."
The New York Times 11/01/09
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Posted 11/02/09@12:51AM
visual Great Art At Rock Bottom Prices?
"In the year since the worldwide recession devastated the art market, prices have tumbled, collectors have retreated and auction houses have instituted layoffs. And now Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips de Pury are tiptoeing carefully."
"In the year since the worldwide recession devastated the art market, prices have tumbled, collectors have retreated and auction houses have instituted layoffs. And now Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips de Pury are tiptoeing carefully."
The New York Times 11/01/09
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Posted 11/02/09@12:47AM
theatre Why Neil Simon's Hit Play Flopped On Broadway
What went wrong with "Brighton Beach Memoirs" is a case study in success and failure on Broadway today. There were no big stars like Jude Law in the current commercial hit "Hamlet," there was no marketing campaign that framed the Simon play as a can't-miss theatrical event, and there was no wow factor that brought the period piece to life, like the breakneck pacing of the popular farce "Boeing-Boeing" last year. But the failure also reflects America's evolving sense of humor and taste.
What went wrong with "Brighton Beach Memoirs" is a case study in success and failure on Broadway today. There were no big stars like Jude Law in the current commercial hit "Hamlet," there was no marketing campaign that framed the Simon play as a can't-miss theatrical event, and there was no wow factor that brought the period piece to life, like the breakneck pacing of the popular farce "Boeing-Boeing" last year. But the failure also reflects America's evolving sense of humor and taste.
The New York Times 11/01/09
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Posted 11/02/09@12:43AM
theatre The Impressario Gene
Impresarios are businessmen by definition, but they also possess the starry-eyed ability to stare stone-cold fatal logic in the face and say, "We can make that work."
Impresarios are businessmen by definition, but they also possess the starry-eyed ability to stare stone-cold fatal logic in the face and say, "We can make that work."
St. Paul Pioneer-Press 10/30/09
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Posted 11/02/09@12:40AM
people Tony Kushner At The Top
"His long-prodigious intellect and his perennial ability to combine dramatic political agitation with a deep sense of emotional need has deepened into an acute awareness of human frailty. Many of those close to him say he is now doing his very best work."
"His long-prodigious intellect and his perennial ability to combine dramatic political agitation with a deep sense of emotional need has deepened into an acute awareness of human frailty. Many of those close to him say he is now doing his very best work."
Chicago Tribune 11/01/09
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Posted 11/02/09@12:33AM
Sunday, November 1, 2009people
Gershwin Heirs Fight Over Royalties
"The dispute -- over how to divide foreign royalties -- is spelled out in lawsuits in separate Los Angeles courts. In a Superior Court case that could be titled "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," the trust that controls lyricist Ira Gershwin's estate is suing Warner/Chappell Music, one of the giants of song publishing."
"The dispute -- over how to divide foreign royalties -- is spelled out in lawsuits in separate Los Angeles courts. In a Superior Court case that could be titled "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," the trust that controls lyricist Ira Gershwin's estate is suing Warner/Chappell Music, one of the giants of song publishing."
Los Angeles Times 11/01/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:52AM
visual Michelangelo, Pro Or Con
"The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Young Archer is a marble Renaissance youth with an amazing backstory: Thirteen years ago, it was declared by NYU's Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt to be an early work of Michelangelo himself. Rival scholars howled, and art historians continue to pick over its anatomy and history for clues."
"The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Young Archer is a marble Renaissance youth with an amazing backstory: Thirteen years ago, it was declared by NYU's Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt to be an early work of Michelangelo himself. Rival scholars howled, and art historians continue to pick over its anatomy and history for clues."
New York Magazine 10/25/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:49AM
issues José Antonio Abreu Makes The Basic Case For Arts Education
"The distribution in the world of arts education is tremendously unjust. When arts education takes the place in our society that it deserves, we will have much less delinquency and violence, and much more motivation towards noble achievement."
"The distribution in the world of arts education is tremendously unjust. When arts education takes the place in our society that it deserves, we will have much less delinquency and violence, and much more motivation towards noble achievement."
The Globe & Mail (Canada) 10/31/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:47AM
music Study: Illegal Music Downloaders Buy More Music Than Others
"The survey, published today, found that those who admit illegally downloading music spent an average of £77 a year on music - £33 more than those who claim that they never download music dishonestly."
"The survey, published today, found that those who admit illegally downloading music spent an average of £77 a year on music - £33 more than those who claim that they never download music dishonestly."
The Independent (UK) 11/01/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:44AM
issues The Meaning Of Art Is - Who Cares?
"The most deadening influence on art in our time is the belief that content matters more than style. If you look back on the artists who have won the Turner prize since the 1980s, or the artists most often mentioned in the media these days, what they have in common is a message."
"The most deadening influence on art in our time is the belief that content matters more than style. If you look back on the artists who have won the Turner prize since the 1980s, or the artists most often mentioned in the media these days, what they have in common is a message."
The Guardian (UK) 10/30/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:35AM
issues Ground Zero Arts Center Might Be Slipping Away
"There is such a narrow window of opportunity to ensure that the site remains viable. If we don't take advantage of this opportunity, we believe it will be lost."
"There is such a narrow window of opportunity to ensure that the site remains viable. If we don't take advantage of this opportunity, we believe it will be lost."
The New York Times 10/30/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:33AM
media When Culture Was On TV
"For years PBS has been trimming back its high-culture programming, partly because it doesn't do well in the ratings and partly, I suspect, because such lofty fare has lost favor with the intellectual elite. The notion of devoting a 13-hour TV series to the glories of Western art would now be thought comical--or contemptible--by those well-placed eggheads who regard the West as the source of all evil in the postmodern world. Among such enlightened folk, "Civilisation" is regarded as an embarrassing relic, painfully slow-moving and politically retrogressive."
"For years PBS has been trimming back its high-culture programming, partly because it doesn't do well in the ratings and partly, I suspect, because such lofty fare has lost favor with the intellectual elite. The notion of devoting a 13-hour TV series to the glories of Western art would now be thought comical--or contemptible--by those well-placed eggheads who regard the West as the source of all evil in the postmodern world. Among such enlightened folk, "Civilisation" is regarded as an embarrassing relic, painfully slow-moving and politically retrogressive."
Wall Street Journal 10/31/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:30AM
dance Worldwide Mass Thriller Dance Breaks Record
"This was the fourth annual Thrill the World event and interest was at an all time high to honor the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Thrill the World reported that 22,932 people danced to Thriller in 32 countries around the globe."
"This was the fourth annual Thrill the World event and interest was at an all time high to honor the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Thrill the World reported that 22,932 people danced to Thriller in 32 countries around the globe."
Examiner 10/31/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:26AM
theatre Brighton Beach Memoirs Closes On Broadway After Only One Week
"The Depression-era comedy-drama, loosely based on the early life of playwright Neil Simon, has struggled with low sales since it began perfs Oct. 2."
"The Depression-era comedy-drama, loosely based on the early life of playwright Neil Simon, has struggled with low sales since it began perfs Oct. 2."
Variety 10/30/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:24AM
music Will Digital Singles Save The Recording Industry
"Last week, the Official Charts Company published figures that showed sales have already surpassed the record of 115.1m singles sold last year by almost 2m, and we haven't even entered the Christmas run-up. So, has the music industry finally turned a corner and found the panacea to all its woes?"
"Last week, the Official Charts Company published figures that showed sales have already surpassed the record of 115.1m singles sold last year by almost 2m, and we haven't even entered the Christmas run-up. So, has the music industry finally turned a corner and found the panacea to all its woes?"
The Guardian (UK) 10/30/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:24AM
music The Virtual Orchestra Star
So, why not Orchestra Hero? What if I could "play" the horn solo in "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" on a "controller horn" or the bassoon solo at the opening of "The Rite of Spring" on a "controller bassoon"?
So, why not Orchestra Hero? What if I could "play" the horn solo in "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" on a "controller horn" or the bassoon solo at the opening of "The Rite of Spring" on a "controller bassoon"?
The New York Times 10/30/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:19AM
issues The Battle For Asia's Top Culture City
"Longtime rivals in trade and finance, Hong Kong and Singapore are vying to become Asia's regional arts hub, part of a strategy to be crowned Asia's top city."
"Longtime rivals in trade and finance, Hong Kong and Singapore are vying to become Asia's regional arts hub, part of a strategy to be crowned Asia's top city."
Wall Street Journal 10/30/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:17AM
ideas Study: Culture Can Affect EvolutionToo
"The researchers found that most people in countries widely described as collectivist have a specific mutation within a gene regulating the transport of serotonin, a neurochemical known to profoundly affect mood."
"The researchers found that most people in countries widely described as collectivist have a specific mutation within a gene regulating the transport of serotonin, a neurochemical known to profoundly affect mood."
Discovery 10/28/09
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Posted 11/01/09@08:00AM
music Ex Cliburn Director To Help Rebuild Tchaikovsky Competition
The Tchaikovsky Piano Competition used to be the most prestigious in the world. Not now. "There is a general recognition that they [Gergiev and other Russian officials] were trying to do a perestroika, a reconstruction of the whole [competition] and to try to bring it back to its glory days."
The Tchaikovsky Piano Competition used to be the most prestigious in the world. Not now. "There is a general recognition that they [Gergiev and other Russian officials] were trying to do a perestroika, a reconstruction of the whole [competition] and to try to bring it back to its glory days."
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 10/25/09
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Posted 11/01/09@07:57AM
Friday, October 30, 2009theatre
Loving The Variation In Live Theatre
"Great performances rarely disappear. The technical elements of a show don't vary much (disasters notwithstanding). Poor casting choices -- and I could list several on the boards currently in Chicago -- remain poor casting choices. But the longer I do this job, the more I realize the importance of these nightly variances."
"Great performances rarely disappear. The technical elements of a show don't vary much (disasters notwithstanding). Poor casting choices -- and I could list several on the boards currently in Chicago -- remain poor casting choices. But the longer I do this job, the more I realize the importance of these nightly variances."
Chicago Tribune 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@08:16AM
issues Record Number Of Students In US Colleges This Fall
"The share of 18- to 24-year-olds attending college in the United States hit an all-time high in October 2008, driven by a recession-era surge in enrollments at community colleges, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau."
"The share of 18- to 24-year-olds attending college in the United States hit an all-time high in October 2008, driven by a recession-era surge in enrollments at community colleges, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau."
Pew Research 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@08:11AM
music Britney Spears Releases Tease On Twitter
"With 3.6 million followers, Spears is significantly out in front of any other artist on Twitter, according to data from Big Champagne. For those keeping track of figures that largely can't yet be monetized, John Mayer is a distant second, with about 2.5 million followers."
"With 3.6 million followers, Spears is significantly out in front of any other artist on Twitter, according to data from Big Champagne. For those keeping track of figures that largely can't yet be monetized, John Mayer is a distant second, with about 2.5 million followers."
Los Angeles Times 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@08:08AM
theatre Recession Consequence - A New Improved Broadway?
"Around 65% of the tickets for Broadway shows are bought by tourists from outside New York's metropolitan area. A reliable choice for a family on the town has long been a splashy musical with some hearty laughs. But the recession is bringing about changes, some of which may be for the better."
"Around 65% of the tickets for Broadway shows are bought by tourists from outside New York's metropolitan area. A reliable choice for a family on the town has long been a splashy musical with some hearty laughs. But the recession is bringing about changes, some of which may be for the better."
The Economist 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@08:04AM
people Landscape Artist Lawrence Halprin, 93
"As postwar America sprouted suburban malls, urban parks, corporate compounds and federal urban renewal projects, Mr. Halprin helped forge a new, sharper style of landscape architecture, often as dependent on concrete as on vegetation. Places he shaped include Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco; Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis; a sequence of urban spaces with dazzling fountains in Portland, Ore.; a park atop a freeway in Seattle; and large plazas in Los Angeles."
"As postwar America sprouted suburban malls, urban parks, corporate compounds and federal urban renewal projects, Mr. Halprin helped forge a new, sharper style of landscape architecture, often as dependent on concrete as on vegetation. Places he shaped include Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco; Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis; a sequence of urban spaces with dazzling fountains in Portland, Ore.; a park atop a freeway in Seattle; and large plazas in Los Angeles."
The New York Times 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@07:59AM
issues Not Okay? University Cuts Academics, Subsidizes Athletics
"To the consternation of some faculty members at Berkeley, the university's sports program is running multimillion-dollar deficits -- on top of the annual institutional subsidies -- that are requiring the university to make short-term loans to the sports program."
"To the consternation of some faculty members at Berkeley, the university's sports program is running multimillion-dollar deficits -- on top of the annual institutional subsidies -- that are requiring the university to make short-term loans to the sports program."
InsideHigherEd 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@07:46AM
issues Colleges: Do We Really Still Need Faculty?
"It seems that at some schools they have become quaint anachronisms who stand in the way of educational progress and financial efficiency. This idea that faculty do not matter seems supported by some accrediting agencies."
"It seems that at some schools they have become quaint anachronisms who stand in the way of educational progress and financial efficiency. This idea that faculty do not matter seems supported by some accrediting agencies."
InsideHigherEd
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Posted 10/30/09@07:37AM
music One Giant Jukebox Wherever
"There are plenty of stores out there - Spotify alone has 6 million tracks - many people have gigabytes of music on their hard drives, lesser-known bands publish on MySpace, and music blogs post rarities. Playdar provides a way to pull all those sources together into one giant jukebox."
"There are plenty of stores out there - Spotify alone has 6 million tracks - many people have gigabytes of music on their hard drives, lesser-known bands publish on MySpace, and music blogs post rarities. Playdar provides a way to pull all those sources together into one giant jukebox."
New Scientist 10/30/09
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Posted 10/30/09@07:33AM
people United Airlines Loses The "United-Breaks-Guitars" Guy's Luggage
"The video nabbed nearly 6 million views on YouTube and prompted the airline to promise it would do better. But when Carroll flew into Denver International Airport on Sunday, he learned that United had lost his bag. What's worse, Carroll was in Colorado to do a keynote speech for a group of hundreds of customer-service executives."
"The video nabbed nearly 6 million views on YouTube and prompted the airline to promise it would do better. But when Carroll flew into Denver International Airport on Sunday, he learned that United had lost his bag. What's worse, Carroll was in Colorado to do a keynote speech for a group of hundreds of customer-service executives."
Toronto Star 10/29/09
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Posted 10/30/09@07:16AM
Thursday, October 29, 2009media
The Scariest Movie Ever Made
According to totalscifionline.com, it's The Shining. Stanley Kubrick's film "scared off fierce competition from Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby and British cult classic The Wicker Man."
According to totalscifionline.com, it's The Shining. Stanley Kubrick's film "scared off fierce competition from Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby and British cult classic The Wicker Man."
The Independent (UK) 10/28/09
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Posted 10/29/09@10:19PM
theatre UN Official's Play About Gaza War Draws Brickbats In Israel
The spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency is performing "a remarkable 20-minute, one-man play intended for Israeli audiences but so far unwelcome in Israeli theatres. It tells the story of the main UN warehouse in Gaza, a storage point for food and aid for a million Palestinians, and how it was hit repeatedly by Israeli artillery shells."
The spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency is performing "a remarkable 20-minute, one-man play intended for Israeli audiences but so far unwelcome in Israeli theatres. It tells the story of the main UN warehouse in Gaza, a storage point for food and aid for a million Palestinians, and how it was hit repeatedly by Israeli artillery shells."
The Guardian (UK) 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@10:16PM
music Bernard Haitink On The Trouble With Orchestras
Says the veteran maestro: "It's so easy, forte, and piano is so difficult. … In principle, orchestras, professional as well as student, always play too loud. You never have to ask for forte. It comes by itself. You only have to ask for kinds of forte."
Says the veteran maestro: "It's so easy, forte, and piano is so difficult. … In principle, orchestras, professional as well as student, always play too loud. You never have to ask for forte. It comes by itself. You only have to ask for kinds of forte."
New York Times 10/30/09
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Posted 10/29/09@10:11PM
dance Five Hours, Three Stages And One Enormous Space: In Memory Of Merce
"There was inevitably a lot of great dance and dancing. But also, inevitably, this was not exactly a dance occasion. … Nor, for that matter was it about Merce (yes, everyone called him and calls him Merce). What distinguished Cunningham from all other great choreographers was the degree of his inclusiveness."
"There was inevitably a lot of great dance and dancing. But also, inevitably, this was not exactly a dance occasion. … Nor, for that matter was it about Merce (yes, everyone called him and calls him Merce). What distinguished Cunningham from all other great choreographers was the degree of his inclusiveness."
Los Angeles Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@10:09PM
ideas What We Get Wrong About Grief
"The idea that grief is work that we must do began with Freud. … [But grief] is not work, and it doesn't occur in stages. It can be short-lived for some people and never-ending for others. Like breathing and consciousness and almost everything else about us, grief fluctuates."
"The idea that grief is work that we must do began with Freud. … [But grief] is not work, and it doesn't occur in stages. It can be short-lived for some people and never-ending for others. Like breathing and consciousness and almost everything else about us, grief fluctuates."
Double X 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@10:06PM
ideas Understanding Despair (Or, Listening To Kierkegaard)
"If Kierkegaard were on Facebook or could post a You Tube video, he would certainly complain that we, who have listened to Prozac, have become deaf to the ancient distinction between psychological and spiritual disorders, between depression and despair."
"If Kierkegaard were on Facebook or could post a You Tube video, he would certainly complain that we, who have listened to Prozac, have become deaf to the ancient distinction between psychological and spiritual disorders, between depression and despair."
New York Times 10/28/09
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Posted 10/29/09@10:04PM
people Louisa May Alcott's Lifelong Craving For Goodness
"At age 11, she wrote in her journal, … 'I made good resolutions, and felt better in my heart. If I only kept all I make, I should be the best girl in the world. But I don't, and so am very bad.' Decades later, she returned to the journal and attached a note to the entry: 'Poor little sinner! She says the same at fifty'."
"At age 11, she wrote in her journal, … 'I made good resolutions, and felt better in my heart. If I only kept all I make, I should be the best girl in the world. But I don't, and so am very bad.' Decades later, she returned to the journal and attached a note to the entry: 'Poor little sinner! She says the same at fifty'."
Double X 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@09:58PM
dance Salsa In The Land Of The Rising Sun
"Japan's standing as a 'hub' for salsa in Asia rises every day. International talent flock to the capital; specialist publications cover the dance form as a swelling number of aspiring dancers scour the city for classes."
"Japan's standing as a 'hub' for salsa in Asia rises every day. International talent flock to the capital; specialist publications cover the dance form as a swelling number of aspiring dancers scour the city for classes."
The Root 10/28/09
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Posted 10/29/09@09:56PM
ideas Bad Driving May Be Genetic (See, Mom? It's Not My Fault!)
According to a study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, people "with a gene variant limiting the availability of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) performed more than 20 percent worse on a driving test than people without it."
According to a study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, people "with a gene variant limiting the availability of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) performed more than 20 percent worse on a driving test than people without it."
Miller-McCune 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@09:54PM
music From Schubert To Torch Song With Pink Martini
How a fabulous cocktail-lounge band transformed a respectable classical piano duet into a double-sided tale of thwarted passion. (With special guest appearance by NPR heartthrob Ari Shapiro as the cad.)
How a fabulous cocktail-lounge band transformed a respectable classical piano duet into a double-sided tale of thwarted passion. (With special guest appearance by NPR heartthrob Ari Shapiro as the cad.)
NPR 10/27/09
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Posted 10/29/09@09:53PM
visual When MoMA Rejected A Free Warhol
"So we take our hats off today to New York's Museum of Modern Art for its ability to have a chuckle at its own expense. The institution has tweeted a recent blog post featuring a rejection letter that the museum sent to Andy Warhol in 1956."
"So we take our hats off today to New York's Museum of Modern Art for its ability to have a chuckle at its own expense. The institution has tweeted a recent blog post featuring a rejection letter that the museum sent to Andy Warhol in 1956."
Los Angeles Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@09:30PM
media Google Search Could Be A Game Changer For Online Music
Google's new music search feature, unveiled Wednesday, "was applauded by the music industry, which ... is hoping the search feature will direct users to legitimate digital music outlets and in turn help them compete with free but often unauthorized sources of music." It may also aid iTunes' competitors.
Google's new music search feature, unveiled Wednesday, "was applauded by the music industry, which ... is hoping the search feature will direct users to legitimate digital music outlets and in turn help them compete with free but often unauthorized sources of music." It may also aid iTunes' competitors.
Los Angeles Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@07:02AM
music Next Week In White House's East Room: Classical Music
As part of the ongoing White House music series, "the first lady will host a Classical Music Student Workshop Concert, which will feature an appearance by superstar violinist Joshua Bell, guitarist Sharon Isbin, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Awadagin Pratt."
As part of the ongoing White House music series, "the first lady will host a Classical Music Student Workshop Concert, which will feature an appearance by superstar violinist Joshua Bell, guitarist Sharon Isbin, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Awadagin Pratt."
Los Angeles Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@06:57AM
theatre Group: Blind Or Deaf Actress Should Get B'way Miracle Role
The advocacy group Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts says a blind or deaf child actress should have been cast in the "Miracle Worker" role that went to Abigail Breslin, while the Broadway show's lead producer argues that it would be "financially irresponsible to approach a major revival without making a serious effort to get a star."
The advocacy group Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts says a blind or deaf child actress should have been cast in the "Miracle Worker" role that went to Abigail Breslin, while the Broadway show's lead producer argues that it would be "financially irresponsible to approach a major revival without making a serious effort to get a star."
The New York Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@06:40AM
music Canadian Opera Covers $1.6M Shortfall With Special Fund
"How could there be a shortfall when, as COC board president Paul Spafford proudly reported, for the third year in a row since moving into its new home at the Four Seasons Centre, the opera company played to full houses?" Among other things, "[d]onations from individuals and corporations were $1.1 million below target."
"How could there be a shortfall when, as COC board president Paul Spafford proudly reported, for the third year in a row since moving into its new home at the Four Seasons Centre, the opera company played to full houses?" Among other things, "[d]onations from individuals and corporations were $1.1 million below target."
Toronto Star 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@06:32AM
issues Canada Launches National Arts-Awareness Initiative
"A new, national initiative is under way to heighten Canadians' awareness of the arts, their accessibility to art and artists, and their 'participation in and engagement with' the activities of the cultural sector."
"A new, national initiative is under way to heighten Canadians' awareness of the arts, their accessibility to art and artists, and their 'participation in and engagement with' the activities of the cultural sector."
The Globe and Mail (Canada) 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@06:03AM
music Where Bernstein Left Off: Teaching The Classical Audience
"Music institutions are feeling, it seems, a responsibility to assume the role that educational institutions are abandoning, in terms of teaching people about classical music. ... But there's a fine line between conveying useful information and lecturing at people."
"Music institutions are feeling, it seems, a responsibility to assume the role that educational institutions are abandoning, in terms of teaching people about classical music. ... But there's a fine line between conveying useful information and lecturing at people."
Washington Post 10/28/09
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Posted 10/29/09@05:43AM
visual New PAC Isn't Enough; Dallas, Get Serious About Urban Life
"The city fathers and business leaders understand the value that an exuberant arts community has for a metropolitan area, but the urban developers still have not created a vibrant life, as opposed to a lifestyle, in downtown Dallas...."
"The city fathers and business leaders understand the value that an exuberant arts community has for a metropolitan area, but the urban developers still have not created a vibrant life, as opposed to a lifestyle, in downtown Dallas...."
Wall Street Journal 10/28/09
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Posted 10/29/09@05:39AM
visual MoMA's Nouvel Tower Gets Green Light From NYC
"The City Council put the finishing touches yesterday on the Museum of Modern Art's request to build an 82-story tower," designed by Jean Nouvel, "that would rise as high as the Chrysler Building, granting the project final approval -- and leaving Midtown neighbors seeing red."
"The City Council put the finishing touches yesterday on the Museum of Modern Art's request to build an 82-story tower," designed by Jean Nouvel, "that would rise as high as the Chrysler Building, granting the project final approval -- and leaving Midtown neighbors seeing red."
New York Post 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@05:18AM
media The Art-House Cinema Returns To Boston
Tomorrow "the Stuart Street Playhouse reopens as a movie theater and Boston gets its first art house cinema in years." But, at least to start, it will not be a first-run house; it will open with movies that "have been playing in local theaters since last month."
Tomorrow "the Stuart Street Playhouse reopens as a movie theater and Boston gets its first art house cinema in years." But, at least to start, it will not be a first-run house; it will open with movies that "have been playing in local theaters since last month."
Boston Globe 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@05:08AM
people García Lorca's Grave Opened As Spain Confronts Its History
"On Wednesday ... under pressure from human rights activists and with the acquiescence of [Federico] García Lorca's family, Spanish authorities began exhuming six mass graves in Alfacar. The opening of García Lorca's grave is the latest and most high profile effort by Spain to come to terms with its ugly past."
"On Wednesday ... under pressure from human rights activists and with the acquiescence of [Federico] García Lorca's family, Spanish authorities began exhuming six mass graves in Alfacar. The opening of García Lorca's grave is the latest and most high profile effort by Spain to come to terms with its ugly past."
Washington Post 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@04:53AM
issues How Big A Goldman Donation Would Quell The Anger?
Billionaire philanthropist Peter G. Peterson says a charitable donation by Goldman Sachs would have to total "at least $1 billion" in order to "have much resonance in the public," furious as it is over bonuses paid to employees of the taxpayer-rescued securities firm, which is "considering a new charitable program."
Billionaire philanthropist Peter G. Peterson says a charitable donation by Goldman Sachs would have to total "at least $1 billion" in order to "have much resonance in the public," furious as it is over bonuses paid to employees of the taxpayer-rescued securities firm, which is "considering a new charitable program."
Bloomberg 10/29/09
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Posted 10/29/09@04:31AM
Wednesday, October 28, 2009people
Photographer Roy DeCarava, Who Chronicled Harlem, Dead At 89
"[He] photographed Harlem during the 1940s, '50s and '60s with an insider's view of the subway stations, restaurants, apartments and especially the people who lived [there] … He also was well known for his candid shots of jazz musicians - many of them taken in smoky clubs using only available light."
"[He] photographed Harlem during the 1940s, '50s and '60s with an insider's view of the subway stations, restaurants, apartments and especially the people who lived [there] … He also was well known for his candid shots of jazz musicians - many of them taken in smoky clubs using only available light."
Los Angeles Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/28/09@10:05PM
theatre Line! The Return Of The Prompter
"Ticket holders at this week's first previews of Matthew Broderick's new Off Broadway play have been privy to a second drama: watching the veteran theater actor try to learn his lines, with help from a prompter sitting in the front row." And he's not the only one …
"Ticket holders at this week's first previews of Matthew Broderick's new Off Broadway play have been privy to a second drama: watching the veteran theater actor try to learn his lines, with help from a prompter sitting in the front row." And he's not the only one …
New York Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/28/09@10:02PM
ideas Has The Mind-Reading Machine Arrived?
"What are you thinking about? Which memory are you reliving right now? You may think that only you can answer, but by combining brain scans with pattern-detection software, neuroscientists are prying open a window into the human mind."
"What are you thinking about? Which memory are you reliving right now? You may think that only you can answer, but by combining brain scans with pattern-detection software, neuroscientists are prying open a window into the human mind."
New Scientist 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@10:00PM
music Rattle Re-Ups With Berlin For Nine More Years
The Berlin Philharmonic "said Wednesday that [Simon] Rattle has signed a contract to continue in his role as artistic director through 2018 … The British conductor has led the Berlin Philharmonic since 2002."
The Berlin Philharmonic "said Wednesday that [Simon] Rattle has signed a contract to continue in his role as artistic director through 2018 … The British conductor has led the Berlin Philharmonic since 2002."
Los Angeles Times 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:57PM
issues Congress Increases NEA And NEH Funding
"A compromise spending bill approved by Congressional negotiators on Tuesday sets the 2010 fiscal-year budgets for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts at $167.5-million each, a $25-million total increase over the appropriations for the two endowments in 2009."
"A compromise spending bill approved by Congressional negotiators on Tuesday sets the 2010 fiscal-year budgets for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts at $167.5-million each, a $25-million total increase over the appropriations for the two endowments in 2009."
Chronicle of Higher Education 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:55PM
music Canadian Opera Co. Expands Broadcasts, On-Demand Streaming
"The COC announced on Monday a plan to record and broadcast all seven of its mainstage productions during the 2009-2010 season, working in conjunction with current partner CBC/Radio-Canada. … The operas will also be available via streaming from the COC website and Radio 2's Concerts on Demand, for 12 months after each title's internet debut."
"The COC announced on Monday a plan to record and broadcast all seven of its mainstage productions during the 2009-2010 season, working in conjunction with current partner CBC/Radio-Canada. … The operas will also be available via streaming from the COC website and Radio 2's Concerts on Demand, for 12 months after each title's internet debut."
CBC 10/26/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:52PM
dance Dancing About Transportation At The Staten Island Ferry Terminal
"Ferry terminals are surprisingly dreamy spaces. This is especially true on wet, foggy days, when the differences between land, sea and air seem negligible, the boundaries permeable. … All sorts of boundaries seemed uncertain [Tuesday] afternoon at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Lower Manhattan when [the company] Palissimo performed Halt!, a new site-specific work."
"Ferry terminals are surprisingly dreamy spaces. This is especially true on wet, foggy days, when the differences between land, sea and air seem negligible, the boundaries permeable. … All sorts of boundaries seemed uncertain [Tuesday] afternoon at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Lower Manhattan when [the company] Palissimo performed Halt!, a new site-specific work."
New York Times 10/29/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:50PM
media Demme Plans Animated Feature Of Eggers's Katrina Chronicle
"A film version of a book about a man's true-life experiences in post-Katrina New Orleans would seem sufficiently pregnant with artistic possibility. Still, Jonathan Demme plans to take his adaptation of Zeitoun, the best-selling Dave Eggers work, one step further by making it as an animated feature."
"A film version of a book about a man's true-life experiences in post-Katrina New Orleans would seem sufficiently pregnant with artistic possibility. Still, Jonathan Demme plans to take his adaptation of Zeitoun, the best-selling Dave Eggers work, one step further by making it as an animated feature."
New York Times 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:48PM
issues Scotland's New Arts Agency Leads To Lost Jobs
"Jobs will be lost from the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen when they merge to become Creative Scotland, according to the long-awaited business model for the new organisation which sets out its structure and operational design."
"Jobs will be lost from the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen when they merge to become Creative Scotland, according to the long-awaited business model for the new organisation which sets out its structure and operational design."
The Stage (UK) 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:44PM
theatre Arts Council Angels: Nearly £1M To Help Newcastle Theatre Through Recession
"Live Theatre in Newcastle has been granted £923,000 to help it through the economic downturn, as part of Arts Council England's Sustain funding programme." The money will replace lost income from endowments, foundations, sponsorship and theatre rentals.
"Live Theatre in Newcastle has been granted £923,000 to help it through the economic downturn, as part of Arts Council England's Sustain funding programme." The money will replace lost income from endowments, foundations, sponsorship and theatre rentals.
The Stage (UK) 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:41PM
music Why Yamaha's New Electric Grand Piano Is So Extraordinary
"The press materials insist that the AvantGrand is virtually identical to a concert grand, only cheaper, smaller, and always perfectly in tune." But it's much more: for instance, you can choose your temperament (equal, Pythagorean, Werckmeister), adjust the responsiveness of the keys, and record and play back what you just played - all by pressing a few buttons.
"The press materials insist that the AvantGrand is virtually identical to a concert grand, only cheaper, smaller, and always perfectly in tune." But it's much more: for instance, you can choose your temperament (equal, Pythagorean, Werckmeister), adjust the responsiveness of the keys, and record and play back what you just played - all by pressing a few buttons.
Slate 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:38PM
issues Ingmar Bergman's Island Home To Become A Swedish Yaddo
"The rustic properties on the Baltic island of Fårö - where the director Ingmar Bergman lived and worked, produced several of his films and died - will become a nonprofit retreat for artists and scholars."
"The rustic properties on the Baltic island of Fårö - where the director Ingmar Bergman lived and worked, produced several of his films and died - will become a nonprofit retreat for artists and scholars."
New York Times 10/26/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:37PM
visual Ingmar Bergman's Interiors: A Look Inside His Baltic Hideaway
"Unforgiving and elemental, with its rocky beaches and weather-beaten forests of gnarled pine, Fårö epitomized Bergman's unsparing and unsettled internal world. There's a sensuality in its hardness that reveals itself only if you look closely: Fårö does its best not to charm you."
"Unforgiving and elemental, with its rocky beaches and weather-beaten forests of gnarled pine, Fårö epitomized Bergman's unsparing and unsettled internal world. There's a sensuality in its hardness that reveals itself only if you look closely: Fårö does its best not to charm you."
W Magazine November 2009 (includes slide show)
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Posted 10/28/09@09:35PM
people When Woody Met Ingmar
Liv Ullmann: "We sat down at the table [in Bergman's New York hotel suite] - and this is the honest to God truth, Ingrid was sitting there, I was sitting there, Ingmar there, and Woody Allen there - and they did not talk. They just looked at each other, almost lovingly."
Liv Ullmann: "We sat down at the table [in Bergman's New York hotel suite] - and this is the honest to God truth, Ingrid was sitting there, I was sitting there, Ingmar there, and Woody Allen there - and they did not talk. They just looked at each other, almost lovingly."
New York Times 10/27/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:32PM
ideas What Makes A Cult A Cult And Not A Religion?
If France can fine the Church of Scientology for "cult abuses," how does the government there distinguish between cults and legitimate religions? Well, the French, being French, have a taxonomy …
If France can fine the Church of Scientology for "cult abuses," how does the government there distinguish between cults and legitimate religions? Well, the French, being French, have a taxonomy …
Slate 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:31PM
music Osmo Vänskä's Conducting Secrets
The maestro who's galvanized the Minnesota Orchestra tells what he learned watching conductors as an orchestral clarinetist: "Don't speak too much. Try to use your body language. Make sure your beat is not like swimming."
The maestro who's galvanized the Minnesota Orchestra tells what he learned watching conductors as an orchestral clarinetist: "Don't speak too much. Try to use your body language. Make sure your beat is not like swimming."
San Francisco Chronicle 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:29PM
theatre Enough With The Booking Fees For Theatre Tickets!
Lyn Gardner: "When did we fall for the idea of paying extra for the privilege of being able to buy something?"
Lyn Gardner: "When did we fall for the idea of paying extra for the privilege of being able to buy something?"
The Guardian (UK) 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@09:27PM
visual Ashmolean's £61M Redo Targets 'Museum Fatigue'
"[T]he over-riding aim has been to double the gallery space and present the museum's world-class collection of archaeological finds and art ... in a way that is easier to understand."
"[T]he over-riding aim has been to double the gallery space and present the museum's world-class collection of archaeological finds and art ... in a way that is easier to understand."
The Telegraph (UK) 10/28/09
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Posted 10/28/09@07:41AM
dance Why Are Women Choreographers Lower-Profile Than Men?
"Has dance simply caved into the wider, sexist culture, or are there specific issues affecting the profession right now? And is this apparent marginalisation something women have chosen - or has it been foisted on them?"
"Has dance simply caved into the wider, sexist culture, or are there specific issues affecting the profession right now? And is this apparent marginalisation something women have chosen - or has it been foisted on them?"
The Guardian (UK) 10/27/09
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Posted 10/28/09@07:28AM