“While it’s hard to know exactly how many artists have left San Francisco in the last several years, there’s a consensus that the city is facing an emergency. In September, the arts commission released the results of its first ‘artist eviction survey’” Of nearly 600 local artists, 70% had been or were being displaced from their studio space, their home, or both.”
Month: October 2015
Is It Ever Okay For An Interviewee To Walk Out Of An Interview?
Robert De Niro and Zaha Hadid are just the most recent examples of high-profile artists to angrily end a session when (rightly or wrongly) they don’t like the drift of the questions. Observer writer Barbara Ellen and Channel Four presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy discuss the question (their answer won’t be a surprise) and their own experiences with walkouts.
Tony-Winning Director John Doyle Takes Reins Of Off-Broadway Company
Known for his slimmed-down productions of Sweeney Todd and Company in which the actors doubled as instrumentalists, Doyle will become artistic director of Classic Stage Company next July.
Why I Gave Up E-Books After Four All-Digital Years
For Craig Mod, it isn’t just the tactility of print books that matters (though he loves that quality): “The pile of unread books we have on our bedside tables is often referred to as a graveyard of good intentions. The list of unread books on our Kindles is more of a black hole of fleeting intentions.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 10.01.15
Music theory for a new century
So now – continuing about changes in the conservatory curriculum – some thoughts about how to teach music history and theory. And remember that I’m offering free consulting sessions to anyone who’d like to … read more
AJBlog: Sandow Published 2015-10-01
My kind of person
Apropos of this really embarrassing piece, my kind of person …
• … prefers hot dogs to hamburgers.
• … prefers trains to planes – in theory.
• … likes Johnny Mercer best:
• … likes Carolyn Leigh second best: … read more
AJBlog: About Last Night Published 2015-10-01
So you want to see a show?
Here’s my list of recommended Broadway, off-Broadway, and out-of-town shows, updated weekly. In all cases, I gave these shows favorable reviews (if sometimes qualifiedly so) in The Wall Street Journal when they opened. … read more
AJBlog: About Last Night Published 2015-10-01
The Pope, the music and the evacuation
A pope without music is like a ship without a flag. It’s part of the papal aura – but, unlike incense, it doesn’t send your sinuses into spasms. At the Festival of Families Saturday night … read more
AJBlog: Condemned to Music Published 2015-09-30
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Shock: Another NY Opera Company Shuts Down
The rapid demise of Gotham was stunning — the operatic equivalent of the sudden death of an outwardly healthy person. The troupe had seemed to offer a new model for opera in the 21st century: It gave critically acclaimed performances of small-scale works, often sharing the costs with other presenters, in locales as varied as the Hayden Planetarium, a louche downtown nightclub and the Arms and Armor Court at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Bernie Sanders, The Arts President?
In the video, produced by the Arts Action Fund, Sanders reflects on his time as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, explaining that in 1981, he helped establish the Burlington Arts Council. “At that time, way back when, it was almost unheard of to have a municipally funded and supported effort to promote the arts,” he says. The goal was to “unleash the creativity of our residents and harness the untold benefits that investments in the arts bring to communities.” He calls the creation of the council “one of my proudest achievements” as mayor.
London’s National Gallery Workers Strike Drags On…
In August, about 200 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union began an indefinite strike, which has led to “limited public access” to some areas of gallery. “I’m very hopeful that the strikes will come to an end quite quickly,” director Gabriele Finaldi said at his first press conference on Tuesday. “I think that would be good for the public and our staff and for the gallery’s image too. Above all we want to return to our normal operation.”
A Dance Company That Has Thrived Log After Its Founder Died
“What happens when the founding genius, the original voice, is gone? Martha Graham died in 1991, but her troupe survives, thanks to “contextual” presentations and new works by living choreographers; Paul Taylor, still actively producing work, is 85. His company, too, is making moves to widen its repertory. But the dance world often overlooks another company that has quietly gone about its business for decades in the absence of its founding choreographer, José Limón.”
Iconic Builder Of Children’s Theatre To Retire
“For years it was a struggle just to be taken seriously for doing professional work for young people. I wanted to prove you don’t have to do pratfalls and butt jokes to get children’s attention.” But her most visible achievement is the spacious Seattle Center playhouse, which opened in 1995. Linda Hartzell says it’s the first building in the U.S. built expressly to house a professional children’s theater.