Month: April 2000

UNLIMITED MOVIES

So the Napster is killing sales of recorded music. Can the “Flickster” be far behind? Who wants to buy a movie you’re only going to see once, or hassle with all those late video rental charges. As soon as someone solves the compression problem (like maybe next month) Hollywood’s going to find itself in the same position as the music industry. Copyright laws or no copyright laws. – Toronto Star 04/26/00

ELECTRIC RODENT

A rat knocked Sri Lanka’s state-run television network off the air Monday after causing a short circuit. Network operations were moved to a mobile truck to get the station back on the air. A government inquiry has been ordered. – The Age (AP) 04/26/00 

BIGGER IS BETTER?

Ownership of London’s West End theaters have been changing hands at a frantic rate this year. Another case of Big Bad Business Consolidation – with all the predictable corporate blandishments to follow? Surprisingly not, reports one critic. The changes seem to be for the better. – The Times (UK)

Who’s Who in London’s theater ownership sweepstakes. – The Times (UK) 

CLASSICAL FRINGE

There’s nothing particularly “classical” about Canada’s Top Ten classical recordings bestseller list – Bocelli and Church and some crossover stuff. “So how many copies does a real classical album sell? On average, 300 in Canada. (And for reasons that remain obscure, 40-50% of those sales will be in the province of Quebec.) A few albums, of course, do much better than that – Heppner’s Great Tenor Arias has almost gone gold. But BMG’s 94-CD set of Rubinstein’s complete recordings sold only 30 copies in Canada – which is not entirely surprising given the price tag of $1,500. – National Post (Canada)

A HALL BEFORE ITS TIME

London’s Covent Garden opened with a string of disastrous technical disasters that marred opening performances of the hall. “According to those on the front line, machinery is not to blame. The more uncomfortable explanation is this: to maintain public confidence in the controversial redevelopment, the ROH’s executive director Michael Kaiser was obliged to claim last year that the £214 million project was absolutely on schedule and tickety-boo. the building was therefore obliged to start producing performances before it was truly ready to do so.” – Daily Telegraph (UK)

NARROWING I

“Who’d want to be a fussy follower of fashion? While the trend for all encompassing music festivals has now more or less gone the way of zoot suits, ponytails, gurning and hula hoops, it seems that something somewhat more defined has taken their place. These days, musical tastes have not only diversified but become more focused. A music-loving audience has turned into discerning customers who will shell out for selective, channeled events.” – Irish Times