“What was the crowning achievement of Stanley M. Freehling, the extraordinary philanthropist, fund-raiser and all-around arts agitator for the State of Illinois? Was it the saving of the Goodman Theatre? The creation of Ravinia, as Chicagoans now understand it to be? The salvation of the ailing Arts Club? Creating a key foundation for the world-class contemporary art collection at the Art Institute of Chicago? Or was it his offering up arts education for arts-averse Illinois politicians? It all depends on who you ask.” – Chicago Tribune
Month: September 2019
What Is This ‘Algorithmic Theater’ That New MacArthur Fellow Annie Dorsen Practices?
“Dorsen has an answer, or many answers, depending on how you break down her thoughts on the intersection of computer technology and theater. … Her inspiration came while reading a 1950 essay by the English mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing.” – Los Angeles Times
Homecoming: Marina Abramović Has Her First Show In Serbia In 44 Years
“The artist’s return to Belgrade after nearly a half-century has been an event. … On Saturday, the day the show opened, her face was on the front page of nearly every national newspaper in Serbia. When you turned on the TV news, there she was again, being picked over by pundits with a zest that locals generally reserve for soccer and stories about political corruption.” – The New York Times
Al Franken Is Returning To Talk Radio
Twelve years after he left the (now-defunct) liberal radio network Air America, just under two years since he resigned from the Senate over disputed #MeToo allegations, and two months after a major New Yorker article cast doubt on those allegations, Franken is preparing to launch a new weekly talk show on SiriusXM. – Yahoo! (AP)
CEO Of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera Resigns
Paul Meecham is stepping down, effective next week. “During his three years with the [organization], Meecham worked to expand the Utah Symphony’s reach across the state, … spearheading ‘the Great American Road Trip’ — a 1,200-mile [concert tour] to Utah’s state parks and national monuments.” – Deseret News (Salt Lake City)
After 20 Years And An Asbestos Crisis, A Josef Albers Mural Greets Manhattan Commuters Again
“Hundreds of interlocking panels — black, white and Coca-Cola red all over — made up Josef Albers’s Manhattan, a mural in which geometry and meticulous precision met modernist vivacity. It was undeniably busy, which was appropriate, given its home high above the commuters bustling to and from Grand Central Terminal through 200 Park Avenue, best known as the MetLife Building.” – The New York Times
Europe’s First Orchestra For Young People With Disabilities Is Making Its Debut
The Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland “is preparing for its inaugural performance, which will showcase adaptive instruments, virtual reality music and revolutionary ‘conductology’. (includes video) – Irish Independent
Record Low Ratings For Last Weekend’s Emmys – Here’s Why
Various production choices — no host (unless you count Homer Simpson), crummy disco music, a puerile announcer — are partly to blame. But the main problem is the award itself. The Emmys don’t mean much to the American public because last night’s big winners — “Game of Thrones,” “Fleabag” and “Chernobyl” — are done, off the air, out of production, kaput. Sure, you can go back and watch them on HBO on Demand or on Amazon, but you’re not likely to. – New York Post
Study: One Third Of Young People Globally Steal Music Online
According to the study, 34% of all 16-to-24-year-old music listeners surveyed admitted to using “stream ripping” apps or services to illegally copy music. When all respondents (ages 16 to 64) are factored in, the overall number of admitted stream rippers globally is 23%. – Variety
Canadian Publishing In 2019: Sales Flat, Some Structural Issues
A recent survey of independent bookstores across Canada by BookNet received responses from a total of 69 stores, with 80 locations. One consequence of this dearth is that online book purchases surpassed purchases in bookstores, with 53% of customers surveyed by BookNet saying that they now primarily ordered books online, a trend that has flipped in Canada in the past two years. – Publishers Weekly