After months of delay, Boston’s Museum of Fine Art has decided to share with the world information about artwork it has that may be suspected of being stolen. The MFA will post information about these works on the internet. – Boston Globe
“Now we have a school which would make 90 percent of European ballet schools envious,” says the director of the Bolshoi Ballet’s first school outside Russia – in Joinville, Brazil, of all places. Needless to say, the new school will abide the by the old Bolshoi’s legendary standards of rigorous training. “It’s not about putting on a tutu and pointe shoes and learning some classical positions. Only those who will be true to the cause will remain. We will be happy if we produce two top-level dancers – it will make the school worth existing.” – The Times of India (AP)
Seiji Ozawa’s performance with the Vienna Philharmonic in Paris Friday night was delayed because of a bomb threat delivered in protest against current Austrian politics. – Boston Globe
The little-known symphonic compositions of jazz pianist James P. Johnson (who perfected “stride” piano, “so-called for its distinctive, striding, left-hand patterns, and imitated by thousands of keyboard players”) have been unearthed by American conductor Marin Alsop. She has secured the first modern performances of much of it with her own Concordia Orchestra. – The Herald (Glasgow)
Once the sole obsession of film buffs, collecting vintage film posters has become a big business over the last 10 years. Christie’s is holding its vintage film poster auction Monday, and fans – “who get their kicks from having a slice of cinema history on their living room walls” – are already speculating about record-breaking prices. “The undoubted highlight is the chance to bid for rare original ‘Casablanca’ posters, including Pierre Pigeot’s steamy exotic 1942 design.” – The Guardian 03/24/00
Seems the Oscars have a category for everything – this year there’s even “Best Publicist.” So why no prize for best animated film? As usual, not one animated movie was nominated this year, despite some strong work. Critics object on the grounds that, since the advent of computer-generated imagery, feature films with digital effects and feature-length cartoons basically use the same techniques. “By that rationale, Buzz Lightyear and Woody the cowboy from “Toy Story 2” could be considered cousins to Jar-Jar Binks in “the Phantom Menace” and the dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park.” – Times of India (AP) 03/24/00
Heads of the national arts and humanities endowments testify that they desperately need the funding increases proposed by the Clinton administration. “We have a dramatic inability to fund projects,” they said before the appropriations committee. – Washington Post
A new survey of the art markets shows that the United States is on the verge of exceeding Europe in art sales. While European art sales rose 26 percent between 1994-1998, the American market increased 81 percent in the same period. – The Art Newspaper
Trustees of The Boston Museum of Fine Art met last night to approve a plan to which would reveal which pieces of artwork in its collection may have been stolen by the Nazis during WWII. While the “plan” is still a mystery to the public, the MFA is expected to make a statement sometime today, and may announce some of the names of the questionable pieces as early as next month. – Boston Herald
No, it wasn’t the mega-expensive tribute to vanity that walked off with the honors in this year’s London Civic Trust awards for excellence and innovation in urban design, architecture, and restoration. The big prize went to architect Roland Paoletti and a civic work infinitely more practical – his extension of the London Underground’s Jubilee Line. – The Times (UK)
